Adams County awarded more than $16 million in open space grants for 27 projects throughout the county, officials said in a news release Tuesday. 

The county’s board of commissioners uses money from the voter-approved Open Space Sales Tax, which was passed by county voters in 1999 and again in 2020, to fund open space projects, according to the release. Grants are given out twice a year. 

When the sales tax was approved by voters, the ballot question also called for the creation of an Open Space Advisory Board, which recommends projects for the grants. 

Projects given grants this year include the following:

Adams County

• Riverdale Regional Park maintenance enhancements, $231,373: improving sustainability and reducing maintenance challenges by replacing outdated fencing 
• Riverdale Regional Park trail improvements, $210,000: extending the paved trail around Mann-Nyholt Lake for accessibility and safety

Bennett Park and Recreation District

• Bennett Park weight room flooring and renovation, $87,500: improving the weight room flooring to be safer, longer lasting and easier to maintain

Brighton

• Brighton RecPlex Community Park, $3 million: building a new park with pickleball courts, an inclusive playground, walking paths, a concession building and picnic areas
• Water Tower Park connectivity and parking lots, $1 million: improving sidewalks and trail connections, and adding parking

Commerce City

• Pioneer Park improvements, $750,000: replacing two playgrounds, adding a new adventure dome, enhancing picnic areas and modernizing infrastructure
• Second Creek Trail, $50,000: connecting trails near Second Creek Trail using roads built by Metro Water Recovery
• CALU Park and Second Creek Trail, $5,750: adding interpretive signage to educate visitors on the land’s indigenous history, wildlife and native plants

Northglenn

• Festival Lawn, $560,000: adding shade structures for concerts and events
• Huron Crossing, $290,500: installing fencing, pedestrian lighting and upgraded trail connections 
• Northwest Open Space ballfield, $25,000: replacing temporary dugout tarps with permanent shade structures

Thornton

• Brandon Place Park, $805,000: replacing irrigation systems, improving grading and water-wise landscaping
• Big Dry Creek Trailhead, $704,000: designing and constructing a new trailhead and pedestrian underpass near York Street
• Drone pilot program, $25,000: buying two drones for mapping and weed control to support park operations

Westminster

• Bishop Square Park, $1.5 million: adding accessible paths, a redesigned playground and stormwater controls and turning an unused tennis court into a lighted recreation space
• Municipal Court Park, $1.4 million: creating a new park with walking paths, shade trees, seating and xeric landscaping
• Westminster Parks and Open Space equipment electrification, $20,845: replacing gas-powered park maintenance tools with battery-powered alternatives

High Line Canal Conservancy

• High Line Canal Conservation Easement Stewardship, $197,103: supporting stewardship and monitoring of the conservation easement on the Adams County portion of the canal, including equipment and training

Hyland Hills Park and Recreation District

• Learn to swim pool, $910,000: adding a pool to Carstens-Camenisch Park
• Carstens-Camenisch Park plan implementation, $840,000: adding trails, gardens, amphitheaters, accessibility upgrades and sustainable landscaping
• Fitness center pickleball court design, $25,000: designing new pickleball courts adjacent to the Hyland Hills Fitness Center

Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership

• SCRGP environmental education, $273,947: expanding the partnership’s nature-based education programs for underserved youth and families
• Wetland Park destination, $224,930: adding swings, murals, education signs and native landscaping 

Town of Bennett

• Kiowa Creek Trail, $2.3 million: adding the Adams County segment of a regional multi-modal trail connecting Bennett Regional Park to Kiowa Preserve
• Trupp Park food truck plaza, $25,000: building a dedicated food truck plaza north of the park’s parking lot to ease congestion during events

UN Heritage for Korean War

• Korean War Memorial at Generals Park, $635,050: adding a memorial to include storyboards, gardens, monuments and a reflection space