After a long winter it’s always refreshing to see our local parks come alive with outdoor activity in the spring season; whether it’s anglers on the river or at the Circle Park Pond, bikes on the trails, teams on fields, lunchtime fitness walkers, skaters at the action park, archers at the range, or any other healthy usage that builds the quality of life in our community that we all enjoy! One beloved amenity in the spring is always Meeker’s expansive and beautiful trail system.
With the eagerness to get out and hike or bike please be sure to observe proper etiquette and posted rules, including:
- DO NOT ride on muddy/wet trails which can leave ruts and cause ongoing maintenance issues.
- Keep dogs under physical control at all times, and please pick up and carry out the poop! Doggie bags are located at all park and trailhead locations.
- Control your speed! Slow down and use caution when approaching or overtaking slower trail users (especially when operating heavier/faster e-bikes). Downhill traffic should yield to uphill traffic.
- Leave no trace. Look at wildlife from a distance, leave wildflowers and plants for others to enjoy, and stay on the trail.
- Be courteous! All trail users should be respectful of other users regardless of the type of recreation activity, speed, or skill level.
Further rules apply at designated areas throughout the parks and trails system. Please be a good steward of our local resources and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.
Additional noteworthy Spring/Summer ERBM updates include:
The Meeker Recreation Center (MRC), which is celebrating its 15th year of operations in 2023, will undergo some important maintenance work and infrastructure updates in May. Specifically, the MRC POOLS ONLY WILL BE CLOSED from Monday, May 13 through Sunday, May 29, as the natatorium will receive a full dehumidification system replacement.
Additionally, the FULL MRC FACILITY WILL BE CLOSED Wednesday, May 17 (this date is weather-dependent and will be finalized one week prior) as well as Saturday, May 25 through Sunday, May 29, to accommodate project work as well as routine annual deep cleaning and maintenance.
Stay tuned on our ERBM Facebook page for the most up to date information.
The proposed collaborative project between ERBM and the Town of Meeker on a second phase of improvements to Circle Park and corresponding riverfront access points at Third and Tenth streets has received final United States Army Corps of Engineers permitting and is under final review for Great Outdoors Colorado Community Impact Grant Program. ERBM and the Town of Meeker welcomes feedback from the public on this project and is actively reviewing all input, please see updated project design plans at: www.ERBMrec.com/parks.
This summer’s ERBM Line-Up will be in mailboxes on April 14 with online and in-person registration opening on Monday, April 17 th . Summer is always full of endless events and activities; so, get your family signed up early and like our Facebook page for ongoing updates!
Finally, in keeping with ERBM’s commitment to Stewardship and Open Communication as two of our agency’s ongoing core values, please review a copy of the ERBM 2022 Annual Report (https://www.ERBMrec.com/about) which highlights the tremendous efforts over the past year to continue providing exceptional park and recreation services to the residents, visitors and future generations of Eastern Rio Blanco County!
The National Recreation and Park Association reports that “living close to parks and other recreation facilities is consistently related to higher physical activity levels and positive health outcomes for both adults and youth.” In Meeker we are fortunate to have access to local and regional park and recreation resources well above the national averages!
So, let’s get out there this spring and responsibly enjoy these tremendous assets that benefit us individually and collectively.
By SEAN VONROENN – ERBM Executive Director
