The original master plan for county property at Pathfinder Regional Park will be modified in design work to be done by T.A. Duke and Associates. The layout of buildings is expected to change somewhat and the final design will specify size and uses of each building.
While funding has always been the roadblock for development of new fairgrounds buildings at Pathfinder Regional Park west of Florence, the Fremont County Board of Commissioners is taking a significant step forward to design the size, amenities, and layout of future construction of those fairground buildings. At the Commissioners’ December 23rd meeting a contractual agreement was approved with T.A. Duke and Associates of Colorado Springs to initiate that design work.
The project work outlined in the agreement calls for T.A. Duke to design five separate buildings on the county’s property west of the present arena. The first building would be a community center exploring two alternatives. One would focus on a building designed with 29,000 square feet while the second alternative would propose a facility with 18,000 square feet. Both designs would incorporate an exhibit hall, a kitchen, three community rooms, a stage, offices, restrooms, and storage.
The second building would be a 13,125 square foot cattle barn to house 120 cattle tie-up stations, a work area, wash rack, and a drive through aisle.
The third building would be a 10,500 square foot sheep, goat, and swine barn to house 82 sheep and goat pens and 84 swine pens plus bleachers, storage, and a drive through aisle.
A fourth building would be a small animal barn with 9,375 square feet to house rabbits and poultry plus offices and a storage area.
The fifth building would be a large roofed livestock arena covering 12,600 square feet. Along with an arena area would be bleachers, holding pens, restrooms, a concessions area, and an announcers stand. Plans for the livestock arena will take into consideration the possible relocation of the existing livestock barn at the Cañon City Rodeo grounds.
T.A. Duke will include cost estimates for the construction of each building with the work to be completed within a four month period once a notice to proceed is issued. The notice to proceed will be given once final authorization is received from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs which is funding 50 percent of the $86,497 project. The county’s $43,000 share of the cost will come from the Conservation Trust Fund (lottery proceeds).
District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden said the original Pathfinder Park Steering Committee was disbanded a couple of years ago because there was no more planning for them to do until the county took the necessary steps to start design work beyond the original master plan.
The Board of Commissioners also approved a grant application to seek $9,600 from the Colorado Noxious Weed Fund. The money would be used to target noxious weeds growing in county road rights-of-way throughout the county. The grant fund would be matched by $3,000 from the Road & Bridge fund plus labor and equipment to spray the weeds through the Fremont County Weed Department.
In other action at their December 23rd regular meeting the Board of Commissioners:
- Appointed six persons to the Fremont County Fair Board; Marie Adams and Kathy Kunselman were reappointed to three year terms while new three year term appointees include Mark Masar, Virginia Green, Shari Johnson, and JoAnne Ary;
- Approved the annual mileage report for roads maintained by the county which qualify for gasoline tax revenue sharing under the Colorado Highway Users Tax Fund;
- Scheduled a public hearing for February 10th at 10 a.m. on a commercial development plan for The Outpost at Texas Creek. Phillip and Teresa Poindexter want to develop their property on the south side of US Highway 50 for proposed uses by multiple potential vendors. That could include retail shops, a restaurant, bar and lounge, and mini-storage facilities;
- Approved a resolution appropriating additional sums of money for the 2014 county budget to reflect additional revenues and use of cash reserves in various county funds.