Neighbors Voice Concerns Over Cheyenne Mountain Redevelopment

It was standing room only at Cheyenne Mountain Highschool as dozens of people gathered to hear the plan for redevelopment of North Cheyenne Cañon.

Most of the crowd stand against any changes to the canyon. In fact, multiple plans from the Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation Department has failed to gain traction with the public. David Deitemeyer with the department says, “There’s really not a lot of support for any of those four right now, with the idea that maybe it’s a bit of an overcorrection.”

Traffic, parking, and cost are the main issues sticking points. Kent Obee the President of SaveCheyenne says after Thursday nights meeting, he and others are starting to feel a little bit better about the project, “I was very pleased that they are backing off of some of the traffic alternatives that were being discussed last week.”

Obee says shuttle service is one of the biggest problems he sees with the plan. With buses trying to drive down narrow, curvy roads all shared with runners, hikers, and bikers. Obee says, “The idea of introducing large use of shuttle buses in the canyon, which we continue to think the canyon is not big enough for buses.”

To prevent that, SaveCheyenne started an online petition that garnered nearly 2,000 signatures within 30 hours.

Some ideas did receive positive feedback; the addition of new trails, upgrading buildings and cleaning up traffic congestion.

The Parks department asked for everyone’s opinion during the meeting to try and find common ground with the people really against the project. A final action plan will be reviewed in May.

Many people still don’t trust the city’s Parks department after the contentious land swap that gave control of Strawberry Fields over to the Broadmoor.