64 Acres Added to Blodgett Open Space
The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the city of Colorado Springs, today announced the protection of 64 acres adjacent to the Blodgett Open Space in Colorado Springs. This acquisition, and partnership with the City of Colorado Springs’ trails and open space program, will increase the size of Blodgett Open Space by over 30%, opening up new recreational access and forever protecting the scenic views along the Front Range Mountain Backdrop.
“By saving this property from future development, the Trust for Public Land is proud to ensure key recreation opportunities will be available for the residents of Colorado Springs,” said Justin Spring, Colorado Director of Land Protection. “The views across the City are unbelievable. None of this would have been possible without the meaningful collaboration with the Slattery family and the critical funding through the City’s TOPS sales tax.”
The Trust for Public Land bought the land for $768,500 from T. Slattery LLC. Funding for the project was made possible by the Colorado Spring’s TOPS sales tax, a voter-funded initiative which The Trust for Public Land also helped facilitate and extend. This November, 18 similar conservation finance measures facilitated by the Trust for Public Land will be on ballots across the country, including one in Denver and one in Chafee County.
To date, The Trust for Public Land has protected over 2,026 acres in Colorado Springs representing a fair market value of more than $47 million. These landscapes – including Stratton Open Space, Red Rock Canyon Park, Blue Stem Prairie Open Space, Corral Bluffs and Ute Valley Park – represent an incomparable system of open spaces, natural areas, and greenways.
“If you look out toward the east, there is a panoramic view across the city, and it is just stunning,” said Britt Haley, Manager of the TOPS program. “The view is really the thing that will just take your breath away. And if you look down to the south, you can see all the way to Cheyenne Mountain State Park.”
About The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live near a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org.
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