An edition of the Littleton Independent
VOLUME 24 | ISSUE 15
WEEK OF MARCH 13, 2025
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South Suburban seeks interim director District hires recruiter to identify candidates BY ISABEL GUZMAN ISABEL@COTLN.ORG
In the March 4 Littleton City Council meeting, the city said it plans to move forward with paving the Mineral Avenue Trail.
PHOTO BY ISABEL GUZMAN
Mineral Avenue Trail will be paved despite opposition to change from some residents Officials plan a 16-foot-wide paved trail to enhance safety, but several citizens advocate for preserving natural surfaces BY ISABEL GUZMAN ISABEL@COTLN.ORG
The March 4 Littleton City Council meeting focused on plans to pave the Mineral Avenue Trail, with City Manager Jim Becklenberg confirming the project is moving forward. This “is a project that has millions of dollars in grant funding to make it happen,” Becklenberg said. “We’ve been told we have to use this money by the end of the year.” The trail, stretching along Mineral Avenue between Windermere Street and Jackass Hill Road, will be paved 16-feet-wide with separate lanes for bicyclists and pedestrians. The project is a collaboration between the City of Littleton and the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District. During public comment, several residents opposed replacing the current crush-
er-fines trail with concrete and advocated for keeping the path natural and soft. “No concrete has been poured. Now is the time for the city to either abandon the plan to concrete the crusher fines trail or create a dual-surface trail that meets the needs and wants of the community,” resident Ned Sterne said. Following public comment, Becklenberg responded to residents’ concerns and said the pavement, which is part of the twophase Mineral Mobility Improvements project, is aimed at enhancing safety for both pedestrians and cyclists from the High Line Canal to Santa Fe Drive. Becklenberg addressed the topic of a possible dual-surface trail — where the pedestrian path would remain crusher-fines and the bike path would be concreted — and stated that the city had considered the idea but ultimately decided against it due to
VOICES: 12 | LIFE: 14 | CALENDAR: 11
concerns about cost and practicality. He said maintaining a dual-surface trail would require additional resources and costs, and could create challenges for snow removal and long-term upkeep. Instead, the city opted to move forward with a single-surface design. In response to the demand to preserve crusher-fines trails, Becklenberg suggested that the city should formalize agreements with South Suburban to preserve crusherfines trails in specific areas in future projects. “I think Littleton has voiced a very clear preference towards crusher-fines, and whenever possible when working with South Suburban or for our own projects, if we can do both (crusher-fines and cement trails) then we should do both,” Peters said. The paving is expected to begin soon, with Phase 1 of the project planned to be completed by the summer.
Following the resignation of its executive director, Rob Hanna, the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District Board of Directors unanimously voted during a special meeting on Feb. 21 to hire CPS Inc. to recruit candidates for his replacement. The board said it will be recruiting for an interim executive director before selecting a permanent director. The CPS firm is tasked with identifying suitable candidates for the temporary role. During the special meeting, Board Chair Pam Eller raised a question about the district’s immediate needs: “In the next three months, what are going to be the leadership issues that the district is facing?” The board agreed that input from staff management would be crucial in defining these priorities and identifying the ideal interim leader. The board outlined key qualities for the interim director — a local who has experience serving on large city boards or committees. Eller elaborated on the importance of preparing candidates for challenges: “Do we have a crisis that needs to be handled? SEE DIRECTOR, P16
2025
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