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1. Is the city considering taking over the Plum Creek Golf Club pool? If no, what is going to happen to the pool and parking lot- it has been left abandoned for 6 years.

Plum Creek Golf Club Pool is a private facility. In the past, the owner has discussed possible redevelopment, but no applications have been submitted to the Town. Information about active development (and redevelopment) can be found on the Town's Development Activity Map.

2. What are you doing with the land by Sovereign and Cherry?

This undeveloped land is part of the Town’s Mitchell Gulch Park. Someday, the Town would like to expand the park and improve this area. There are no formal plans at this time. Information about active development projects is on the Town's Development Activity Map.

3. Can I climb to the top of Castle Rock?

The Town does not maintain, and has not improved, the rock scramble that is the ascent and descent to and from the top of Castle Rock. If you are a skilled climber or hiker, you can probably make it to the top. Climbing to the top is not generally illegal, but it is not recommended. You are responsible for your own safety and your decision to leave the trail.

The Rock has sheer walls that drop 50 feet or more, and falls have resulted in serious injuries and deaths. The climb down is more difficult than the climb up. Do not risk your life by depending on vegetation to stop a slip.

Climbers can be held responsible if hiking outside the park’s hours of dusk to dawn, if creating a dangerous condition such as kicking rocks off of the summit – even if on accident – or for requiring an emergency response.

4. Can the Town construct a staircase to the top of the Rock?

Current zoning requires that the Rock remain in a natural condition. The Town does not have any plans to construct a staircase to the top.

5. Why do Town employees go up on the Rock?

The Town maintains the Star, a flagpole and security cameras on top of Castle Rock. Skilled workers from the Fire and Parks and Recreation departments make the climb, using safety gear as necessary, to perform needed maintenance.

6. Are there any plans to construct a full-sized ice rink in Castle Rock?

The Town knows hockey and ice skating are popular in Colorado. Most ice rinks in Colorado have been built through either a public/private partnership or by a dedicated funding source, such as taxes. (Some of that is due to the cost to build and maintain them). While there has been some interest from the private sector in building a new ice rink in Castle Rock, no construction is currently planned. 

One recent idea has been presented through a Preliminary Project Application. The Preliminary Project Application is not a formal application. Instead, it is a way for developers to solicit comments from Town staff regarding the required processes for a proposed project. The proposed idea would have to go through zoning, site development, construction document evaluation and erosion control processes – some of which require public hearings and neighborhood meetings.

Currently, the Downtown Development Authority has its seasonal Rink at the Rock Downtown at Fifth and Perry streets. It’s generally open each year from Starlighting in November through Presidents’ Day. 

7. Are there plans for a year-round simulated snow park at Philip S. Miller Park?

This project was proposed as a public/private partnership in 2015 between the Town of Castle Rock and Snowsports 365. At this time, the Town has not received a request from Snowsports 365 to move forward with development of facility, which is dependent on a private investment. The potential for this project still exists, but we do not have a timeframe for development.

8. What percentage of Castle Rock land is dedicated/protected open space? Is there a map showing these locations?

Overall, 28 percent of Castle Rock is currently dedicated to parks and open space – either public or private. Town planners estimate that more than a third of Castle Rock’s total area will be dedicated to open space when the Town is fully built out. (View our map, which shows both current and planned parks and open space.)

Remember, what looks like open space may not be defined as open space. Some areas of Town may look like open space because there is nothing built there. In fact, many of these “open” areas of land were entitled for development in previous years – some back to the 1980s. Along with market demand, these developers are following through on the use of those entitlements.  

Castle Rock is 34.31 square miles (or 21,958 acres). Here is a breakdown of parks and open space within Town:

Town-owned open space: 2,864 acres

HOA or Metro District open space: 1,444 acres

Douglas County open space: 716 acres within Town limits

Town-managed parks: 587 acres

Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course: 195 acres

Castle Rock Recreation Center: 10 acres

Private parks: 29 acres

Private recreation facilities: 68 acres

Douglas County parks within Town limits: 57 acres

Planned Town-owned parks: 252 acres

Learn about the Town’s parks and open space at CRgov.com/Parks.

9. What is happening at Festival Park?

This central gathering place is transforming into a modern Downtown center thanks to a partnership between the Town and the Downtown Development Authority.

Construction is underway on the park, located at Second and Perry streets Downtown. Planned new amenities include a landing pavilion, splash pad, fire pits, an open lawn, a creek-side picnic area, market plaza, bridge connections to Town Hall parking, improved lighting and seating, an overlook walkway with an iconic lantern feature and a water-play area in Sellars Gulch. In addition to the new amenities, stormwater improvements along Sellars Gulch will be implemented to align with natural flood plain regulations and provide public access to the creek.

The project is expected to be completed in fall 2017. The total project cost is about $6.9 million. Get weekly updates at CRgov.com/FestivalPark. Learn more about the DDA at downtowncastlerock.com.

Get weekly construction updates.