Located along Colorado’s Front Range and surrounded by majestic buttes and ridgelines, the town of Castle Rock is known for its vibrant small-town character and scenic vistas. These qualities are supported by the town’s many trails, open spaces, and parks with creeks and gulches that wind through its landscape. There are also events held in the park such as First Fridays, Concerts under the Lights, Movies in the Park, Farmers Markets, and much more.
As one of the fastest-growing towns in the nation, it was in danger of losing its historic identity. To remedy this, the Downtown Development Authority began advocating for redevelopment in the downtown core rather than the edges of town.
The plan to redesign the park has been evolving for several years. Back in 2008, businesses in Downtown Castle Rock, Colorado voted for a TIF(“Tax Increment Financing”) fund that would help pay for various improvement projects in the downtown area. Throughout the planning process, the Town solicited input from the public to help reimagine the park. According to the project timeline, which is published on the Town of Castle Rock’s website, the Downtown Development Authority’s TIF fund will not be the only funding source for the Festival Park redesign project. Other sources of funding include the Conservation Trust Fund, the Parks and Recreation Capital Fund, the Town’s un-obligated General Fund, and the Town’s Stormwater Account.
It is anticipated that the redesign project will be complete in approximately one year, and the new and improved park will be ready for the 2017 Starlighting ceremony, an annual event that takes place every November at the beginning of the holiday season. The park management and the city council remind residents and visitors that areas of Festival Park will be closed during construction. Detours will also be in place in the vicinity when areas are unsafe for pedestrians and vehicles.
At the cost of $5.9 million, Festival Park will be a recreation center providing public gathering spaces and several amenities for community events for all to enjoy. Such amenities will include a landing pavilion, splash pad, a fire pit, an open lawn, a creek-side picnic area, a market plaza, bridge connections to Town Hall parking, improved lighting and seating, and an overlook walkway with an iconic lantern feature and a water-play area in Sellars Gulch. Also included in the redesign are stormwater improvements that align with national flood plain regulations. The redesign will provide safe public access to the creek.
The Town of Castle Rock on social media will host a Festival Park Redesign Project groundbreaking ceremony at 3 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24. With ongoing Castle Rock new home construction and the continuous infrastructure improvements being made throughout the Town, the new and improved Festival Park will be a huge asset to the area. When the project is complete, the redesigned park will be a fantastic gathering place, and will undoubtedly see increased public usage.
The project was developed in partnership with the Downtown Development Authority and the Downtown Merchants Association with the ultimate goal of transforming the park into a modern Downtown Center. Now, this central gathering space has been transformed into a vibrant urban center. The goals are to enhance the park, boost the success of the adjacent Downtown business district and create an active public gathering space for both work and relaxation.
