The mountain area’s newspaper since 1958
WEEK OF MARCH 27, 2025
VOLUME 66 | ISSUE 19
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Election could spur firefighters to leave, union leader says BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
During a March 13 meeting of the new Conifer Fire board, a union representative said she fears firefighters will leave Elk Creek Fire if non-unification candidates are elected to the board in May. “Some firefighters have told me they will most likely leave,” said Bethany Urban, president of Elk Creek Firefighters Local 4710. “Some of the candidates have aligned themselves with anti-unification. “Every single career staff firefighter has made it SEE CONIFER FIRE, P10
This rendering shows parts of the Buchanan Park Improvement Master Plan. The Evergreen Park and Recreation Department Board of Directors adopted GRAPHIC COURTESY OF EPRD the Buchanan Park Improvement Master Plan in November 2024.
Great Outdoors Colorado awards $650,000 grant for Buchanan Park renovation Funds will help bring multi-year revitalization of 42-acre Evergreen park to life BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The planned Buchanan Park renovation got a huge boost March 14 when the Great Outdoors Colorado board awarded
a $650,000 grant to the Evergreen Park & Recreation District. EPRD starts this year on a $5 million, multi-phase plan to revitalize the 42-acre park. The project includes a pavilion, ad-
HAPPENINGS: 6 | VOICES: 8 | SPORTS: 20 | PUZZLES: 23
venture playground, skatepark, multi-use courts, pond recreation access, field and trail improvements and restrooms. The GOCO grant is a significant drop in EPRD’s park financing bucket. “We’re so excited to have the support of GOCO,” said EPRD board president Betsy Hays. “The grant is really going to enable us to make immense prog-
INSIDE THIS ISSUE FIRE BOARD CANDIDATES
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ARTS FUNDING
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ress on the Buchanan park improvements. We look forward to pushing every dollar of that grant to the outdoor free amenities that will be at Buchanan Park. “We have a very limited budget, and we could not do this work for our community without grant and the supports of
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March 1st - April 15th
2025
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