Sustainability work to be performed in three Colorado Springs Open Spaces in 2024
The Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services was awarded a $92,400 grant from the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) that includes nine weeks of work from Mile High Youth Corps – Southern Front Range.
Project funds were awarded to CYCA by GOCO, which receives a portion of Colorado Lottery revenues to invest in parks, playgrounds, trails, rivers, wildlife, youth corps and open space. The work includes trail improvements and maintenance in Austin Bluffs Open Space and noxious weed management to restore native vegetation and preserve wildlife habitat in Smith Creek and Fishers Canyon Open Spaces. This project complements last year’s fire mitigation in Fishers Canyon.
“We are thrilled to partner with GOCO and CYCA on these projects to provide meaningful employment opportunities for young people while improving the Colorado Springs community," said Lonna Thelen, Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) Manager. "This project will help us further our mission to enhance the quality of life in our city through conservation and recreation opportunities."
In June 2023, GOCO announced they would invest $1.2 million in conservation service corps work in 2024. This investment will help support the important work being done by the Mile High Youth Corps to enhance Colorado’s trails, parks, open spaces and wildlife habitat.
The goal of the Mile High Youth Corps program is to employ youth ages 18-24 throughout Colorado to work on critical outdoor recreation and land conservation projects in partnership with local governments and open space agencies. CYCA announced that 260 youth across the state will be employed to work on projects in 17 different counties in the summer of 2024.
To learn more about CYCA, visit Home - Colorado Youth Corps Association (cyca.org)