Alley in Downtown Colorado Springs honoring AdAmAn Club scheduled for grand opening Wednesday

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The group of local climbers that annually ascends the summit of Pikes Peak on New Year's Eve to set off fireworks is being honored with a newly-renovated alley.

The new AdAmAn Alley is located between two buildings at 15 South Tejon Street and 17 South Tejon Street, and between the City Administration Building and the U.S. Olympic Committee on Colorado Avenue.

A grand opening was held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Organizers said that the alley celebrates the club's 100th ascent of the Peak to ring in the new year; the club plans to depart from the trailhead of Barr Trail on Friday and arrive in time to set up the fireworks show on Saturday.

The new alley is decorated with a club-themed arch, murals, historical displays, special lighting and an outline of Barr Trail.

Several downtown establishments offered specials to commemorate the event; for more information, visit https://downtowncs.com/adaman-alley-opening-celebration.

The grand opening began with entering the alley through a ballroom at the Mining Exchange hotel, where guests could drink AdAmAn Ale from Pikes Peak Brewing and munch on trail snacks.

Remarks from officials and tours of the alley followed, despite rain that fell in the evening.

Organizers said that the alley project required two years of planning and six months of construction, and also is designed to educate the public about the group's history.

The project started after club members approached the Downtown Partnership in 2020, seeking a project to celebrate the 100th climb; the partnership worked with its Downtown Ventures branch and adjacent property owners to plan the project.

"We walked into this alley, and we all just said that this is the spot, that this is going to be AdAmAn Alley, and it just grew from there," said club president Dan Stuart. "We built a dream team to help us make this happen."

Most of the project's $2.1 million cost covered utility upgrades and paving; the city and Colorado Springs Utilities provided $1.5 million, with the rest coming from private donations raised by the club.

Organizers said that nine property owners cooperated on the project, partly by getting rid of at least a dozen trash dumpsters and now using two trash compactors.

"Some of the property owners agreed to have artwork placed on their buildings -- or bolted to it, in some instances," said Michelle Winchell, executive director of Downtown Ventures. "So, we've had a lot of support from that direction. And then, all of our wonderful restaurants and businesses on this block have been incredibly patient during the construction, and really excited to see the project come to fruition."

Part of the club's history includes Stephen Burch, 72, who joined the club as a teenager and climbed to the summit in 1967.

"I bought a book today about the 100th anniversary and there were two pictures of me in there from that trip," he said. "I didn't know they were in there. I'm really excited about this new alley. So many people who have moved here recently don't know anything about the AdAmAn Club and what it does."

For more information about the project, visit https://downtowncs.com/adaman-alley/.