Panorama Park, which has been undergoing the largest neighborhood park renovation in city history, is set to reopen Saturday, Aug. 20 with a grand reopening celebration. The free, family-friendly event will kick off at 10 a.m. with an opening ceremony and official ribbon cutting on Panorama’s new event lawn. The ceremony will feature Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius who will perform an original work, plus the Panorama Middle School choir. Immediately following the ceremony, there will be food and activities for park users of all ages, including musical performances by local artists, drop-in sport clinics, giveaways, cycling demonstrations, outdoor classroom instruction, demonstrations in the skatepark, and much more. To best enjoy the performances, attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets or lawn chairs. Scheduled activities will take place through 3 p.m.
“Our thanks to Trust for Public Land for co-leading with the community the master planning and fundraising efforts for Panorama Park, and for playing such a vital role in bringing this renovation to the next level,” said Britt Haley, Colorado Springs’ Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services acting director. “Together, we completed the City’s biggest renovation of a neighborhood park – a project more substantial than any of us could have done alone. The passion and involvement of southeast community members – led by resident leaders from RISE | Southeast Colorado Springs – has made a critical difference in bringing this incredible transformation to life. The support has been tremendous, and we are eager to reopen Panorama with a commitment to serve the surrounding neighborhoods with diverse programming well into the future.”
Panorama is located at 4540 Fenton Road, which is in the southeast part of the city, near the intersection of Jet Wing Drive and Chelton Road. Public event parking will be available at Peak Vista Community Health Center (1815 Jet Wing Drive) and Panorama Middle School (2145 S Chelton Road). Cycling or walking to the event is highly encouraged. Additional event details will be shared as they become available at ColoradoSprings.gov/PanoramaPark.
Among the new park features that residents can enjoy starting Aug. 20 are a splashpad, universally accessible playground, bike park with three separate courses to accommodate riders of all skill levels, a youth area with skateable features, a custom-designed climbing boulder, basketball courts, fitness stations, a multi-use sports field, and a community-made tile art mural comprised of 7,000+ tiles.
The total project cost is $8.5 million, which includes an investment by the City of Colorado Springs totaling $5.5 million and $3 million from private and nonprofit organizations. Key project partners include El Paso County Public Health, RISE | Southeast Colorado Springs and Trust for Public Land.