COLORADO SPRINGS – Colorado Springs announced plans Wednesday for a massive renovation of Norman “Bulldog” Coleman Community park that will be one of the largest community parks in the city.
The planning process is scheduled to go through Spring 2023, but Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Director Karen Palus says the renovation will make the park a ‘hybrid’ that will include sports facilities and trails along Sand Creek.
Palus says the park will keep the culture Colorado Springs Founder General William Palmer created by maintaining accessible parkland across the city. The park, located off of Tutt Blvd. and Barnes Rd., in the northeast quadrant of the city, has been a focal point of new development.
“Parks are really the foundation of Colorado Springs. When General Palmer laid out the city, he laid out his parks,” Palus said. “We’re continuing on that legacy, making sure that our community continues to have park sites within a ten-minute walk [of their homes].”
A plan of the land to be developed for Coleman park, Courtesy of the City of Colorado Springs
The city has owned parcels of the land since 1995 and its current makeup of Coleman Park includes UCHealth baseball stadium and the soccer stadium that used to host the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.
The plan now is to redevelop the fields to the east and lots to the north of UCHealth park and with a 24-acre land swap with a home developer, will give the city 70-acres to develop the park. By comparison, John Venezia park, the latest such project to be completed, is 30-acres.
The land that was exchanged was going to be a sports park off of Tutt & Carefree. The sports park will now be included into the new Coleman Park plans.
Palus also hopes funding will allow for renovations of the storm water retention pond to the south of the park, to remove a weedy bowl in between developments and replace it with an amenity.
“Instead of having a pond that’s not accessible, we’re working very closely to bring back what’s called ‘green infrastructure’—allowing people to interact and have access, safe access, to those areas to make it an additional part of the park.”
The planning for the project is completely funded through the TABOR retention voters approved in November 2019. While the planning schedule is set, a timeline for construction is not.
“One of the most frequent questions we get is why does it take so long,” Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said in a speech about the park. “The simple answer is ‘money.'”
Palus says there is no price tag for the project at this time, as the planning process – which includes community input – will shapes the final master plan. For perspective, she says the complete reconstruction of Panorama Park cost $8.5 million for 13 acres.
Funding for the construction is uncertain as well, particularly after voters turned down an extension and increase for the Trails and Open Space sales tax in November 2021.
“We’ll continue to look at grant opportunities, foundation opportunities, just like we do with many of our funding sources.” Palus said.
Community input meetings will be announced for spring and the City will offer an online survey as well.
“The park is named for Norman “Bulldog” Coleman, who the city says was ‘a Colorado Springs business besotter with philanthropic interests.'” Coleman was an officer in the U.C Navy during World War II and achieved the rank of Admiral. In his remarks, Suthers praised the role Coleman played in bringing businesses together with the then Colorado Springs Sky Sox , drumming up interest and attendance.
Coleman died in Colorado Springs in 1994, one year before the city obtained the first plot of land in what would become Coleman Park. His son, Matt Coleman said during a speech Tuesday, the park’s dedication in his father’s name is a fitting honor.
He was a doer, the ultimate mover and shaker and force behind the scenes who made things happen he thought were important,” the younger Coleman said. “The city’s reinvestment in its parks would’ve energized him.”
