Neighborhood Comes Together to Improve Local Park

By Jami McMannes,

Senior Coordinator of Marketing,

City of Fort Collins Parks and Recreation, 970.221.6358, [email protected]

Eastside Park is getting an improvement thanks to the combined efforts of the neighboring community, First United Methodist Church, and the City of Fort Collins. Planned improvements will revitalize the park, resulting in a more welcoming gathering place for those who visit to play, commute, and engage with their neighbors. Eastside Park is heavily used by locals and commuters who appreciate its proximity to nearby shopping, access to the Poudre Trail, and available green space for dog owners and their furry companions.

First United Methodist Church is spearheading fundraising efforts for the improvements. Dr. Melanie Rosa, Lead Pastor of the church says, “In honor of our 150th year of serving our community, we decided to lead the refurbishment of this park. We have worked with community partners and many generous church members to raise more than $200,000 for better lighting, soft surface paths, plants, game tables, and programming to take place at the park.”

First United Methodist Church is celebrating its 150th anniversary in Fort Collins this year. In recognition of this milestone, and as a testament to their investment in the ongoing health and vitality of the surrounding neighborhoods, the church will host a volunteer event on October 19. Projects include decorating nearby fences with artwork, cleaning up the existing park, helping neighbors with household maintenance chores, and creating hygiene kits for newborn babies.

“Being a good neighbor means caring about the lives and well-being of those around us with no hidden agenda. It means listening, learning, and building relationships, and working together to improve our community,” says Rosa.

Planning efforts for the park improvement project began early this year. In February of 2019, the City of Fort Collins Park Planning and Development Department worked closely with First United Methodist Church to host a neighborhood meeting to gather input from neighborhoods surrounding the existing Eastside Park. Forty-three community members attended and provided feedback that will be used to shape the future of the park.

For more information about Eastside Park, visit fcgov.com/parkplanning.