Promoting Evergreen: To locals or tourists?

[EG Bound Road Crew]

By Sandy Barnes

Should Evergreen be promoted to those who live here, or to tourists?

This is a key question that the Our Evergreen focus group, residents and business owners have been asking — and debating — in recent months.

Recent controversy over heavy traffic at the popular Evergreen Lake Park, which some say is overburdened by visitors, has added fuel to the discussion.


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[natethewatcher]

Evergreen should be for residents. Who asked these self appointed people to promote the town to outsiders?

Increased traffic, crime and other problems! Try going through downtown on a saturday or sunday when it's wall to wall tourist scum!

[freesister]

Isn't the Lake owned by Denver?

[EG Bound Road Crew]

Denver Mountain Parks owns the Evergreen Golf Course (which it has opted to operate this year) adjacent to the lake,
and the facility that houses Keys on the Green.

Other holdings of Denver Mountain Parks are Genesee Park, Dedisse Park, Fillius Park, Bergen Park, Corwina Park,
Turkey Creek Park, O'Fallon Park, Pence Park, Bell Park and Cub Creek Park, Lookout Mountain Park, Buffalo Bill Grave and Museum, Chief Hosa Campgrounds, Echo Lake Park and Summit Lake Park on Mt. Evans - and Red Rocks.

Although Evergreen Lake isn't listed as one of their properties on their website, the 55 acre park, which includes the
Evergreen Lake, is owned by Denver Mountain Parks and is managed by the Evergreen Park & Recreation District.

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[cabinish]

Evergreen should be for residents. Who asked these self appointed people to promote the town
to outsiders?

Increased traffic, crime and other problems! Try going through downtown on a saturday or sunday when it's wall to wall tourist scum!

Many locals have echoed your sentiments about "outsiders" here in the forums and on our FaceBook page.
But, as you can see from the extensive list of open parks under Denver Mountain Parks ownership, locals
are not in a position to post "locals only" signs.

The good news is that previous generations were far-sighted enough to set aside these open spaces.
This includes land generous granted to Jefferson County for the enjoyment of its residents from some of the original large ranch owners, such as what was formerly Foxton Stables and ranch. The lake itself sits on land that was once a large
ranch if memory serves.

[Gypsy Girl]

An area email circulated this summer when a couple of residents questioned an event at the Chief Hosa campground
(north side). The caretaker apparently let them know in no uncertain terms that any further hassle from the locals
would result in the grounds being off limits to them.

This is actually a heavy-handed response from the caretaker, in contrast to my dealings with the director of Denver
Mountain Parks - but even he has stated he can't guarantee how long he will hold that post or how a future
director might handle things. Given budget shortfalls, concessions represent tempting revenue.

Although our area is grateful to be done with the circus Red Rocks concerts created with 300 tents crammed in the
campground by the former concessionaire, a recent plan was mentioned that sets up the alarm bells all over again.
The plan as I understand it is to make a permanent tourist buffalo viewing area off the Chief Hosa exit, and the
campground and RV park.

Denver Mountain Parks are a mixed blessing - our beautiful backyard playgrounds come at the price of lack of control.

[natethewatcher]

we can have no tolerance with the diseased scum from Denver or any other scumbag tourist unless they py like a 9-10% tourist tax to offset harassing us.

[cabinish]

The more locals buy local the less area businesses depend on tourists passing through.

[natethewatcher]

We should do what they do in Las Vegas.. issue a locals card. If you don't have one you pay 10% surcharge on everything in Evergreen!