Clear Creek Master Plan

Long-term vision for popular creek corridor

Clear Creek has long been an underused recreational resource until the City of Golden invested in the Creek's potential by creating a recreational boating and tubing course in Lions Park near the downtown. To further enhance the desirability and revitalization of the downtown area, the city expanded park uses in Parfet, History, and Vanover parks by programming multiple events. Park use increased dramatically, causing conflicts with existing traditional recreational uses, and impacts on neighborhoods by boaters and tubers as a result of heavy summertime use.

Wenk Associates was retained by the City of Golden to prepare a master plan for the four parks that creates a continuous public edge along the Creek, and that accommodates new uses and increased levels of activity. The feasibility of relocating the existing City Hall and other municipal buildings, currently within park boundaries, was evaluated as part of a comprehensive long-term vision for the corridor.

The plan recommends improvements that reduce conflicts with adjacent neighborhoods by reducing the volume and speed of traffic, and increasing parking on local streets. The plan better accommodates the newly popular forms of water oriented recreational use, and ongoing events connected with the downtown revitalization. The plan proposes additional uses that encourage Creek-oriented leisure activities, and enhanced pedestrian and bicycle linkages to the downtown and existing neighborhoods. This comprehensive vision for the Parks and Creek will contribute to the areas revitalization, and its attractiveness as a place to live, shop, and work.