Letter: Protect Gore Creek Park from irreversible changes
We believe more Vail residents need to learn about the plans the town of Vail has for Gore Creek Park before they become irreversible. This park is the lovely slip of greenery that lies between Mountain Standard and Gore Creek, down to the International Bridge. The current plans for the park call for cutting down the majority of the large evergreen trees, and paving over 65% of the ground. In addition, despite years of Restore the Gore education to protect the severely threatened Gore Creek, the plan calls for cutting away 6 or more feet of the embankment of Gore Creek to create a “beach area” on the creek side. The potential harm to the creek here has gone unaddressed.
Many residents of Vail have only recently learned of these plans, which we think can be fairly characterized as not well-communicated to Vail residents and voters. Over 30 comments have been made to the public website for the project, 100% of which are against the project in its current form. Voters have spoken against the project at Town Council meetings for weeks, including five people at this week’s meeting.
To many of us, these plans feel extreme, do not reflect the desires of the Vail community, and are concerningly irreversible. To address this, we have formed a nonprofit group, Protect the Park. The purpose of this group is to gather accurate information about the plan for the park, disseminate it to ensure that the many citizens of Vail who live near and use the park are informed about the proposed changes, and provide a unified voice on this issue that will be listened to by the Town Council and relevant parties. Vail residents can get more information at ProtectTheParkvail.org, and we look forward to hearing your input.
Aimée Vincent
Vail