This year, MetRec allocated $135,000 towards community recreation initiatives; the largest annual recreation contribution since MetRec’s inception. The majority of the funding went towards MetRec’s two grant programs.
A total of $80,000 was awarded through the Developed Recreation Grant Program. The aim of this program is to catalyze the development of recreation amenities that meet valley-wide needs. It also seeks to leverage funding from outside Gunnison County. Developed Recreation grant funding was awarded to three entities to further the following projects:
- Gunnison County’s Shady Island River Park- The Shady Island River Park will be developed just north of the City of Gunnison. The park will include a new, safe river access point for anglers and boaters as well as a parking area, bathrooms, trails, picnic pavilion and tables, a children’s nature play area, and 19 campsites. To learn more about this project, visit the County’s website here.
- Hartman Rocks Terrain Park- Together with the Bureau of Land Management, the Gunnison Valley OHV Alliance of Trail Riders will complete the development of the Hartman Rocks Terrain Park. This spring, the group will re-work the jump faces, improve the track surface, and complete the infill of features to provide a safer experience.
- Town of Crested Butte’s Big Mine Ice Arena- In collaboration with West Elk Hockey Association and Crested Butte Nordic, the Town of Crested Butte will enhance the Big Mine Ice Arena with the addition of four heated changing rooms for the Valley’s youth and adult hockey programs. Simultaneously, this addition will alleviate congestion in the near-by Warming House which has long hosted hockey and Nordic participants.
Additionally, $35,000 was awarded to ten entities through MetRec’s Community Collaboration Grant Program. The grant program promotes quality recreation amenities and sustainable programming within the District’s Service Area and encourages efforts that reduce local barriers to recreation faced by youth, elderly and under-engaged communities. Over half of the funds awarded to 2020 Community Collaboration applicants supported accessible recreation opportunities by helping bolster new and existing scholarship programs. To learn more about the specific Community Collaboration grant awards, visit our Past Funded Projects page.
For the third consecutive year, MetRec partnered with Gunnison County and the National Forest Foundation to support the Gunnison Stewardship Fund. A $10,000 contribution was made to the fund that has been developed to help finance stewardship of our public and conserved lands. Lastly, the MetRec Board of Directors designated $10,000 to a new Recreation Reserve Fund that will grow MetRec’s ability to financially support the planning of developed recreation facility projects of high community interest.