Oxbow Park and Preserve is closer to being in Durango, but city officials aren’t sure when they’ll start development.
The Durango City Council voted Monday night to adopt the park’s management plan and approved the first vote to annex the land. Design and planning is expected to start soon on a river access at Oxbow, as well as on established sites on 33rd Street, 29th Street and Santa Rita Park.
“It’s a major step forward in managing that property,” Mayor Dick White said.
Parks & Recreation Director Cathy Metz touched on the plan’s highlights. One topic that’s come up a lot and is likely to continue surfacing is enforcement.
The park and wildlife preserve is 44 acres east of Animas View Drive and more than a mile upstream from the 33rd Street put-in. The city bought the property in 2012. It is divided into two parts: 38 acres of undeveloped land for conservation and habitat protection and 6 acres for future river access, extension of the Animas River Trail and park structures and bathrooms.
The preserve is closed until June 30 while wildlife surveys are done. The 6-acre park is open to pedestrians, but don’t try parking there. Once the property is part of the city, scheduled for April 2, the area will be patrolled by park rangers, river rangers, police officers and code-enforcement officers, Metz said.
Councilor Sweetie Marbury repeated the phone number for the Durango Police Department a few times for residents who see dogs running loose or people trespassing. The Parks & Recreation Department plans a comprehensive educational program about the park and use of signs to indicate places on the river where it’s private property.
The city is envisioning the area as a quiet place for paddling and kayaking. The river from Oxbow to the 33rd Street public put-in is slower than other sections downstream and runs 1.2 miles.
The public will get a chance to give input starting in April.
In other business, councilors raised a municipal court fee from $3 to $8 to help pay for Buzz Bus operations. The municipal court deals with minor law violations cited by police officers, including parking, traffic and underage drinking.
The Buzz Bus operates between 10:30 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays as a ride for impaired drivers. The trip costs $8, a low-cost way to play it safe after patronizing a local bar or restaurant.
