By Randi Pierce
Staff Writer
A management plan is now in place for the county’s newest public park — Cloman Community Park.
The 120-acre park is located at the end of Cloman Boulevard, near the Cloman Industrial Park and the airport.
On June 18, the Board of County Commissioners approved a recreational management plan for the park, which was informed by the Regional Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Master Plan.
The recreational management plan for the park was drafted by the PROST (Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails) task force, with that process beginning in February 2013.
In general, the plan includes proposed park amenities, implementation and maintenance, park boundary fencing, environmental assessment, and public safety.
According to an outline of the plan, park amenities include the existing access road and parking area, a non-motorized looping trail system within the park boundary, a picnic area near the parking area, a restroom facility (first temporary, then permanent), a bear-proof trash can near the picnic area, a pet waste cleanup station, a disc golf course, a bouldering play area, sledding hill, and a trail map at the trailhead.
The implementation and maintenance portion of the outline states that the Archuleta County Road and Bridge Department will be responsible for maintenance and snow removal of the parking area and road. Archuleta County building and facility maintenance staff will maintain and regularly empty the trash can.
Community volunteers will construct and maintain the trail system and disc golf course. J.R. Ford will clear any trees necessary for the sledding hill, and county funding and grants will be considered for construction of some of the proposed amenities.
The plan also proposes that the park boundary be fenced, and an environmental assessment be done.
For public safety, the plan states that the Pagosa Fire Protection District, Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, ACSO Division of Emergency Management, and search and rescue will work to create a contingency plan in the event of any injuries on the property.
The management plan is one of several steps taken in the evolution of the park, which has been an ongoing project for the county over the last five years, beginning with planning efforts.
In the summer of 2012, the commissioners declared the property to be a park and chose to name it Cloman Community Park.
A road to the park was constructed last fall by county crews, and from last fall into this spring, Renewable Forest Energy, LLC thinned the property to improve forest health, with the treatment plan developed by the Colorado State Forest Service with help from the U.S. Forest Service.
During the same time, rules were approved for the park, which include the following:
• The park is open from dawn to dusk.
• Pack in and pack out trash.
• Pets must be leashed.
• No overnight camping.
• No hunting.
• No motorized vehicles or travel.
• No open fires, campfires, charcoal or propane grills, or fireworks.
• No firewood harvesting.
• No discharging of firearms.
• No alcohol.
The park is currently being used as a camp for the West Division West Fork Fire Complex personnel.
randi@pagosasun.com
