The Pagosa Springs Town Council will receive a 2015 Starburst Community Award from the Colorado Lottery at its next regular meeting on Nov. 3 at 5 p.m., according to Kelly Tabor, the lottery’s media relations specialist.
The award will be presented to the town because of the exemplary way it used state lottery funds to complete the 6th Street pedestrian bridge. The bridge and trail improvements were completed last fall with a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant worth $242,000. The GOCO program is funded by the lottery.
The 6th Street pedestrian bridge is a vital link in the downtown Pagosa Springs trail system — connecting the west side of town to the Ross Aragon Community Center, Town Hall and Yamaguchi Park.
The Colorado Lottery Starburst Community Awards recognize excellence in the use of lottery proceeds in community projects implemented to enhance a community’s environment.
The lottery distributed $127.9 million in proceeds just this year, and has returned more than $2.8 billion back into the state of Colorado since its creation 32 years ago.
These funds are distributed to three primary beneficiaries: GOCO, Conservation Trust Fund and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. These organizations provide grants and direct funding for parks, recreation, open space acquisition, trails, and wildlife and conservation education.
One of the town’s other pedestrian bridges, the one connecting The Springs Resort to Centennial Park near the Archuleta County Courthouse, was the topic of conversation at last week’s town council meeting.
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