by OnSight | Jun 2015 | GOCO
Inspiring youth to reconnect to nature is the focus of a new five-year initiative that Great Outdoors Colorado is launching this month, and a four-minute video announcement sets out the goals of the project while showcasing some of Colorado’s most stunning landscapes and wildlife.
“Children today spend half as much time outdoor as their parents did. Just living in Colorado does not ensure that its young people are able to enjoy its incredible natural treasures, from urban parks to the mountain backcountry,” Lise Aangeenbrug, GOCO executive director, said while announcing the initiative at The Outdoors Summit today in Denver.
The first-of-its-kind “Inspire Initiative” will start with five pilot communities in its first year and focus on providing funding for “places, programs, and pathways” that will give youth and theirfamilies meaningful experiences in the outdoors. GOCO released the initiative’s request for proposals this week and theinitial planning grants of up to $100,000 will awarded in October. The initiative will eventually invest up to $25 million to implement projects in 15 communities across the state. Grants will range between $1 million and $5 million per pilot community.
GOCO will partner with selected communities to address local barriers that prevent kids from getting outside. Investments will be made in building or enhancing parks, school play yards, and other outdoor destinations as well as in trails needed to get kids safely to these places. Additional investments will be made in expanded outdoor education and recreation programs for kids of every age. Finally, the initiative seeks to fund more service learning and youth employment opportunities as pathways to careers in the outdoors.
The new initiative was crafted after a year of engaging Coloradans through a listening tour in 13 communities across the state, surveys of the public and stakeholders, and close examination of current trends in population, recreation, and other factors in Colorado.
Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers and open spaces. GOCO’s independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts, and makes investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created by voters in 1992, GOCO has funded more than 4,500 projects in all 64 counties without any tax dollar support. The grants are funded by GOCO’s share of Colorado Lottery revenues, which are divided between GOCO, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Conservation Trust Fund and school construction.
by OnSight | Jun 2015 | OnSight News
And the fates (elections, inauguration, legislation, procrastination, vacation) can’t hold us back from showing off our new space any longer.
Please join us for an open house at our new offices:
When
Thursday, June 4
3-8 pm
Where
Industry
3001 Brighton Blvd., Suite 103
Denver, CO 80216
by OnSight | May 2015 | Keep Colorado Local
Kevin Paquette, brewer at Dry Dock, preparing the first batch of Keep Colorado LocALE. photo credit: Colin Bridge
Breweries from across Colorado are producing a special brew to focus attention on protecting local businesses. And you’ll be able to taste it yourself at the Ale House at Amato’s and Dry Dock’s South Dock Brewery.
Keep Colorado Local breweries will produce their version of the Keep Colorado LocALE, a pale ale brewed with Colorado-grown ingredients. The recipe for this beer was written by Dry Dock’s South Dock Head Brewer Tim Evon, who included malts from Colorado Malting Company in the first batch. During fresh-hop season, Dry Dock will fresh hop the beer with hops from a Colorado hop farm. This beer is a bright, citrusy, and fruity pale ale with a hoppy nose and a sweet malt backbone. Its grapefruit and pine-forward aroma comes from the use of Chinook and Cascade hops.
ABOUT KEEP COLORADO LOCAL
Breweries, distillers, and wine-makers from across the state have teamed up with Colorado’s locally owner liquor stores to form Keep Colorado Local, a campaign focused on protecting our local economy, public safety, and Colorado’s excellent craft culture. Out-of-state corporations want to change our local liquor laws to allow alcohol sales in chain stores. Keep Colorado Local is focused on informing the public on how this would hurt our local economy, public safety, and craft culture.
This effort was launched in March with an event at Argonaut’s Wine and Spirits in downtown Denver. More than 100 people from Colorado’s craft industries and independent liquor stores turned out for the event, and the coalition represents more than 1,000 locally owned businesses throughout Colorado.
Not long after launching Keep Colorado Local in March, members of this coalition realized that they had a very non-traditional communications tool at their disposal: beer. And that’s how the Keep Colorado LocALE was born.
MORE ABOUT THE KEEP COLORADO LOCALE
Multiple breweries from Aurora, Breckenridge, Denver, Durango, Fort Collins, Lakewood, Nederland and Lone Tree will be brewing Keep Colorado LocALE in coming months, and this group will grow as breweries are able to fit the Keep Colorado LocALE into their brewing schedules.
Each brewery is encouraged to use Colorado-grown ingredients and add their own twists to the recipe, which is available to any Colorado brewery or homebrewer.
Later this year, homebrewers will be challenged to brew their version of the Keep Colorado LocALE, again using local ingredients, ideally fresh hops, and a Colorado twist. We will provide the recipe to homebrewers and host a homebrew competition.
by OnSight | May 2015 | politics
Congratulations to Denver City Councilman Albus Brooks for a running a great race and being elected to serve another four years for District 9. OnSight knows Albus is focused on making our neighborhood the best place to live, work, and connect, and we’re proud to support his efforts!
by OnSight | May 2015 | GOCO
Jam-packed program set for The Outdoors Summit! Only one week left to get discounted registration!
Starting with a plenary session featuring Governor John Hickenlooper, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, and business leader Kent Thiry, keynote presentations then include:
- Explore, Empower, And Create: Building the Next Generation of Diverse Conservation Leaders, Juan Martinez
- Using Active Transportation to Redesign Our Cities, Gabe Klein
- The Re-Wilding Revolution: Re-Envisioning Cities as Places Where People and Nature Thrive, Scott Sampson
- Nature as Normal, Heather Tallis
Breakout sessions in the afternoon include Planning for the Next 100 Years of Transportation, The Colorado Pedal Project, Lost? The Colorado Mapping Project, Keep it Colorado, and much more! There’s also a lunch field trip to Johnson Habitat Park and an evening reception.
The full program, including breakout sessions and information about the lunch ride and lodging options, can all be found at the Outdoors Summit web site.
Early Bird pricing of $100 is available through 5/21. Regular price registration is $125.
SPACE IS LIMITED, DON’T WAIT TO SIGN UP!
The Outdoors Summit is presented by Great Outdoors Colorado and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources with sponsor support from DaVita Health Care Partners, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, The Nature Conservancy and Jim Kelley and Amie Knox.
