Get ready for something new! Festival Park, which is located at 300 Second Street in Castle Rock, is going to be redesigned – and work on the project has already started. The plan to redesign the park has been evolving for several years. Back in 2008, businesses in Downtown Castle Rock voted for a TIF fund (“Tax Increment Financing”) that would help pay for various improvement projects in the downtown area.
Project Timeline
According 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. The total cost is estimated to be approximately $6.9 million. The published timeline indicates that upon the completion of the redesign project, Festival Park will be transformed into a vibrant urban center.
When complete, the park will feature new and improved amenities such as:
- A landing pavilion
- A market plaza
- Two fire pits
- A splash pad
- An open lawn
- Bridge connections to Town Hall parking
- A water play area in Sellers Gulch
- A creek-side picnic area
- Improved lighting and seating
- An overlook walkway with a lantern feature
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.
Festival Park Redesign Construction to Last One Year
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.
A press release that was published on the VisitCastleRock.org website on February 6, 2017 reminds 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.
Updates from The Town of Castle Rock
Anyone interested in receiving construction updates is welcome to sign up for biweekly updates from The Town of Castle Rock. A “Notify Me” email subscription allows participants to choose from a list of various projects for which they would like to receive periodic updates via email – including the Festival Park Redesign Project, government announcements, news from the Parks and Recreation Department, and information on the North Meadows Extension, and more. The Town of Castle Rock on social med 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.