The grand reopening celebration of Panorama Park is Saturday, Aug. 20. This free, family-friendly event kicks off at 10 a.m. with an opening ceremony and official ribbon cutting on the park’s new event lawn. The ceremony will feature Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius who will perform an original work, the Panorama Middle School choir, and City and project leaders, including Mayor John Suthers and Councilmember Yolanda Avila.
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. Also, swimwear is encouraged for visitors who would like to use the new splashpad.
Panorama, a 13.5-acre park located in southeast Colorado Springs, is the largest neighborhood park renovation in city history. The park is located at 4540 Fenton Road, which is near the intersection of Jet Wing Drive and Chelton Road. 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 are available at ColoradoSprings.gov/PanoramaPark.
Among the new features that residents can enjoy starting Aug. 20 are a universally accessible playground, a 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, a splashpad, 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.