First, mark your calendars to attend the People's Town Hall this Thursday from 6-8pm at City Hall, 107 N Nevada, and mark the last meeting, the VOTE, on 5/24. These 2 are both important, but the VOTE is the most important if you have to choose one. The one this Thursday will be fun! Many of you heard that a welcoming party gathered to greet Governor Hickenlooper to attend the El Pomar Heritage Series last Friday. Strawberry Fields supporters were there in full force smiling and waving the Governor to town. Additionally, several people attended the meeting which focused on the importance of public open spaces -- queue Alanis Morissette belting out, "Isn't it ironic?" Cheyenne Canon park supporters stood silently with signs to protest the commercialization of this historic parkland. It did not go unnoticed by the Governor or other attendees, some of whom asked for directions so they could see the land for themselves. So, since Governor Hickenlooper has such a strong commitment to preserving and protecting public parkland, we thought it would be a great idea for him to hear from us. Email the Gov and ask him to Stop the Swap. He needs to be informed. Governor.hickenlooper@state.co.us and be sure to copy these: AllCouncil@springsgov.com, news@csindy.com,news@kktv.com,foxnews@fox21news.com,news@koaa.com,krdonews@krdo.com, friendsofcheyennecanon@gmail.com,cory@medwheel.org, savecheyennemountain@gmail.com,jpaul@denverpost.com,miguel.bustillo@wsj.com,jim.carlton@wsj.com,news-tips@nytimes.com,scoop@huffingtonpost.com,lryckman@denverpost.com Here's a letter, reprinted with permission, Sue Spengler wrote asking for the Gov's help (though they don't need to be this detailed -- short and sweet works too -- just be sure to do it and copy the emails listed -- that matters a lot): Governor Hickenlooper, Yesterday, I attended the El Pomar's Heritage Series inaugural session. I would like to point out three glaring hypocrisies that I witnessed. Everything in quotation marks below were remarks said directly by presenters, although I am sorry to say that I didn't always write down who said them, as I was scribbling furiously. 1. ACCESS TO OPEN SPACE for CHILDREN "...every child within a 10-minute walk of a vibrant open space" Parks should be "closer and easier to get to" Many of us already have that; it's called Strawberry Fields. It is where my own two boys, now 15 and 17, grew up wandering the hills. I heard so much yesterday about kids needing to be outside, and I just want you to know that if this Land Swap happens, one of the closest-to-downtown, easiest-to-access-by-all-ages-and-abilities pieces of land will NO LONGER belong to the PUBLIC. Instead, a meadow that just about everyone can access, from the elderly to the toddler, will be off limits to us, and available only to Broadmoor guests. Yes, that is a fact they have told us in meetings: their BBQ pit, 100-person picnic and wedding pavilion, and their stable facilitities (the 8.5-acre envelope) will be available only to Broadmoor guests. The land that we are being offered in exchange we already have access to via agreements (The Barr Trail and The Incline), both of which are NOT accessible to the average citizen or tourist. The other parcel behind Mt. Muscoco that Mr. Anschutz is offering us is rugged, steep, and virtually inaccessible. Strawberry Fields is a 10-minute drive from downtown, and a 5-minute stroll from the parking lot up into an unbelievably gorgeous wild meadow. Mt. Muscoco parcel, though bigger, is a longer drive, an even longer hike, and the only real trail on it, the Daniel's Pass Trail, we already have an easement on, because Lyda Hill gave it to us. We ALREADY have all the access we need in that 208 acres. 2. PUBLIC INPUT "...more public input" and "step back, take a little bit longer" regarding land use decisions, to make sure that things "get done right". This is exactly what has NOT happened with this process. The Broadmoor and the city of Colorado Springs have been involved in negotiations about this land swap for over a year BEFORE they revealed it to the public. The opponents have had about three months to wrap our heads around it, educate ourselves, and organize. The Broadmoor has revealed to us absolutely NO plans as to what their facilities might look like, or what impact the commercial development will have on the land and wildlife. Strawberry Fields is about 1/3 of our North Cheyenne Canyon Park, and is a 189.5 acre urban interface, one of those biogeographical oases that are wild but right up against neighborhoods. Why and how would we ever allow a private corporation to cut out 1/3 of one of our oldest public parks (voted into existence by the citizens of our city in 1885), and use it for commercial gain? This seems antithetical to everything that was being said yesterday. One of our requests is not to simply "Stop the Swap" (although that would be nice), but we have repeatedly asked to simply slow the process down, make time for a master plan, really look at the details, and hear from all the parties that have a stake in this decision. Our requests are falling on deaf ears, and yet this is exactly the process that was touted in the meeting yesterday. 3. HISPANIC POPULATION We need places for "more social interactions" and "large family gatherings" The changing demographic of Colorado was one of the points I heard mentioned repeatedly yesterday, especially in terms of our growing Hispanic community. One of the most popular places for Hispanics to gather in large family groups is in S. Cheyenne Canyon at the picnic area, just north of Strawberry Fields. In the summer time, this area that the Broadmoor wants to privatize for its guests serves as a "backyard" to many who don't have a backyard. It is generally 10-20 degrees cooler there by the creek than it is in the city, and many of our residents go there to escape the heat and spend time with their families on Sunday afternoons. Again, we have this already. Why in the world would we trade it away? It boggles the mind. In closing, I implore you to do some research and dig into the details. Don't just trust the mayor. This is an issue that is not just local to our park-- it is part of a larger picture of what is happening in the country with our public lands. This land swap will be HISTORIC and SET A PRECEDENT. We should take time to examine it, study it, and make sure all the details are clear before allowing it to happen. If it is financial questions you have, look at the appraisals. That's not my specialty, but there are others who can educate you about the fallacies of those. Thank you for your time. I do appreciate the 16 in 16 initiative, your attendance at yesterday's meeting, and your concern for ALL of Colorado's citizens. Sincerely, Sue Spengler