The city of Durango has erected orange plastic mesh fencing around boulders at Buckley Park to keep sledders from sliding into them.
The fencing blocks boulders installed a few years ago as part of the park’s renovation. The boulders provide seating at summer events but present an obstacle to winter activities.
“Kids actually have run into the rocks sledding,” said Cathy Metz, the city’s Parks and Recreation director.
The fencing “was more about showing there was a hazard here,” she said.
Signs on the fencing warn: “Caution! Rocks!”
The boulders are situated so a sledder riding one of the park’s natural chutes could plow into one.
Metz said the boulders are frozen to the ground now but will be moved when conditions allow.
“We’re going to relocate them in the spring,” she said.
The city recently took over management of Buckley Park from Durango School District 9-R.
“While we own the property, we actually lease it out to the city,” said 9-R spokeswoman Julie Popp.
The problem may be moot until the next significant snowfall – Buckley Park had only patchy snow cover Friday, and no sledding was happening.
Sledders also can go to Chapman Hill, where an area is set aside for sledding north of the ice rink. Sledders are not allowed on the ski hill itself.
Skiers and sledders do not mix well on the same runs, said Matt Morrissey, recreation supervisor at Chapman Hill. The in-town ski area also is too treacherous for sleds, he said.
“There’s no way to stop at the bottom. It’s very steep,” Morrissey said. “It’s just not an ideal place for sledding.”
Sledders also flock to Jenkins Ranch Park in SkyRidge.
“There’s a retention basin that is perfect for kids to sled in,” Metz said.
Some cities are restricting sledding in municipal parks because of lawsuit fears, The Associated Press reported Sunday. Dubuque, Iowa, is considering banning sledding in all but two of 50 city parks, the AP reported.
Metz said there is no proposal to ban sledding in Durango.
“We are not intending to ban sledding in city parks at this time,” she said. “I mean, there has been no discussion of that.”
cslothower@durangoherald.com
