Work was supposed to begin this summer on a beautiful new structure to replace the Summit House atop Pikes Peak. It would have been a great complement to Friday’s ceremonial groundbreaking on the country’s Olympic Museum in downtown Colorado Springs.

Alas, Summit House advocates have resorted to hoping for a groundbreaking next summer.

If things don’t go well, next year could be an optimistic hope. The project needs more donations, but regulations present the bigger obstacle. Community leaders should urge regulators to rush.

Before work may commence, the plan must go through an extensive environmental assessment by the U.S. Forest Service. Under the best-case scenario, this fall the service will find the project poses “no significant impact” and enable groundbreaking next summer.

This need not become an ordeal.

Read more at The Colorado Springs Gazette.