An edition of the Littleton Independent
WEEK OF JANUARY 9, 2025
VOLUME 24 | ISSUE 6
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‘Dig Out Your Neighbor’ Arapahoe County is seeking volunteers to take part in snow shoveling program BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Lee Gulch Trail is covered with crusher fines, a finely-crushed stone mix.
that they could conduct within their operational budget, Jennings said. Sterne, who saw the crews pouring concrete, said he reached out to Jennings. Jennings said he then directed the crews to stop concreting the trail until the district could conduct community outreach to see what trail users wanted for the future of the path. Jennings said that failing to ask for public input before beginning the project was a mistake, and the district will conduct public engagement in the future before making significant changes anywhere in its parks and open spaces. The community survey, which closed on Dec. 20, will help the district determine what to do with the segment of the trail between Prince Street and the Mary Carter Greenway Trail, Jennings said. “This is going to be up to the survey results,” Jennings said. “If residents would like to see it concreted, then we would move forward with the project. If they want to see it remain with the granite fines, then we would not do the project.” Depending on the survey results, Jennings said the district may also discuss the possibility of removing the concrete that was poured in October.
Mike Gent says helping his neighbors following a snow event is a great way to start the day. Gent is Littleton’s deputy city manager and he volunteers with the Arapahoe County’s Dig Out Your Neighbor program, which matches volunteers with neighbors to help shovel snow. He shovels for a neighbor who is older and is unable to do so herself. “I love the idea of people being able to live where they want to live,” Gent said. “When there’s an older adult in our community who wants to stay in their home, and they have needs — like shoveling their sidewalk — that are legally required of them, or just access (needs), like shoveling their driveway so they can get to their medical appointments … I love the idea of helping someone live their desired life.” With 70 households throughout Arapahoe County requesting help and only 30 active volunteers, the Dig Out Your Neighbor program is seeking more individuals who can assist their neighbors when it snows this winter. “The (Dig Out Your Neighbor) program helps older adults to age independently in their homes,” said Courtney Stryker, the county’s division manager for senior resources and veterans services. “This small task can be helpful for those who have trouble walking or lifting heavy snow. Clear sidewalks also help prevent fines from (homeowners associations) or cities.” Through the program, volunteers are paired with someone who lives within eight minutes of their home address, Stryker said. Many volunteers take on two households, but it is not required, she added. Every time it snows two or more inches, the volunteer is expected to call the person they are shoveling for to confirm they need help. Then, they make arrangements for when the volunteer can go shovel within 24 hours of the snow stopping, Stryker said.
SEE LEE GULCH, P14
SEE SHOVELING, P4
PHOTO COURTESY OF NED STERNE
A concrete controversy on the Lee Gulch Trail Some residents oppose South Suburban Parks and Recreation District’s idea to resurface part of soft-surface path with concrete BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Littleton resident Ned Sterne walks, runs or bikes on the Lee Gulch Trail almost every day. One of his favorite things about the path, he says, is the fact that it has a soft surface. The trail is currently made out of a material called crusher fines, which is a “a finely-crushed stone mix that is often the byproduct of gravel operations,” according to American Trails, a national group dedicated to improving, protecting and raising awareness of trails. “When I’ve talked to people about why I live in Littleton, one of the top reasons is the soft trail system,” Sterne said. “Granite fines are really an ideal surface to run and walk on.” The soft-surface quality of a segment
of the Lee Gulch Trail is up for question, however, as the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District considers a plan to put concrete over an approximately 2,200-foot section of the trail between Prince Street and the Mary Carter Greenway Trail. Sterne says a soft surface makes the trail more comfortable to use, more natural and resistant to sheet ice. But in the district’s eyes, replacing this surface with concrete would reduce hazards, such as erosion and rutting, for trail users and would allow for better snow removal. How we got here
South Suburban Director of Parks and Public Space Andy Jennings said the district launched a survey to gather community input after crews mistakenly started concreting a segment of the path in October without consulting the community. “My biggest concern was the fact that we didn’t go out for public comment to begin with,” Jennings said. “The fact that we did pave a portion of that — changing the trail surface — without seeking input from the public.” Maintenance crews from South Suburban started pouring concrete on a portion of the trail because the trail was becoming a maintenance issue, Jennings said. The crews saw adding concrete as a solution
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