SAND CREEK REGIONAL GREENWAY PARTNERSHIP INC

IN 2023, SCRGP CONTINUED ITS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INITIATIVE, SPARK.INSPIRE.EMBRACE., WHILE LAUNCHING THREE NEW COMMUNITY-FOCUSED PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ACTIVATE THE SAND CREEK GREENWAY AND PROMOTE ACCESSIBLE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES. THESE EFFORTS WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN FOSTERING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE SPARK.INSPIRE.EMBRACE. PROGRAM PROVIDED FREE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO 2,044 YOUTH AND 837 ADULTS THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS. PROGRAMS WERE CONDUCTED CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, OFFERING PARTICIPANTS A RANGE OF EXPERIENCES ON AND OFF THE GREENWAY, WITH NEARLY HALF OF ALL ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE DIRECTLY ALONG THE TRAIL. THIS PROGRAM EXPANDED ITS OUTREACH TO FAMILIES AND ADULTS, ENHANCING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS TO NATURE AND OUTDOOR LEARNING. SCRGP'S VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ORGANIZED 15 PUBLIC AND 10 PRIVATE EVENTS, BRINGING TOGETHER 572 VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED AN ESTIMATED 22,269.51 WORTH OF SERVICE. THESE VOLUNTEERS PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING THE GREENWAY BY REMOVING 1,849.5 POUNDS OF LITTER AND 462.5 POUNDS OF INVASIVE WEEDS. A MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT IN 2023 WAS THE GREENWAY'S THIRD MURAL INSTALLATION DURING THE INAUGURAL MURAL FESTIVAL. OVER 200 COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN PAINTING THE BASE LAYER FOR THE 275-FOOT MURAL, WHICH WAS DESIGNED WITH INPUT FROM LOCAL YOUTH. THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ALSO LAUNCHED THE SAND CREEK STEWARDS, A SPECIALIZED GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO RECEIVED ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO SUPPORT SCRGP AND THE GREENWAY ON A DEEPER LEVEL. IN JANUARY 2023, SCRGP INTRODUCED THE COMMUNITY VISION AND EQUITY PROGRAM (CVEP), AIMED AT ENHANCING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO GREENWAY ACCESS. BY HOSTING POP-UP EVENTS AND ATTENDING PARTNER-LED OUTREACH, SCRGP CONNECTED WITH OVER 900 COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO INFORM ITS STRATEGY FOR MAKING THE GREENWAY A MORE INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE RESOURCE. THE OUTDOOR WELLNESS PROGRAM (OWP) WAS ESTABLISHED IN JUNE 2023 TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING THROUGH NATURE-BASED ACTIVITIES. TARGETING YOUTH AND FAMILIES, OWP FOCUSED ON BUILDING RESILIENCE AND FOSTERING HEALTHY OUTDOOR HABITS. IN ITS FIRST YEAR, OWP SERVED 342 YOUTH AND 10 ADULTS. SCRGP ALSO LAUNCHED THE COMMUNITY SCIENCE (COMSCI) PROGRAM IN SEPTEMBER 2023, WHICH COMBINES ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WITH VOLUNTEERISM. PARTICIPANTS OF ALL AGES WERE ENGAGED IN HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES SUCH AS WATER QUALITY MONITORING, BIRD WATCHING, AND INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL. UNDERGRADUATE PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED STIPENDS TO GAIN PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CAREERS. THE HIGHLIGHT OF 2023 WAS THE ADDITION OF A NEW MURAL TO THE SAND CREEK ART WALK. THIS MURAL, SELECTED BY A YOUTH COUNCIL FROM NORTHEAST DENVER, REPRESENTS THE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES OF THE COMMUNITY. INSTALLED DURING THE FIRST-EVER SAND CREEK MURAL FESTIVAL, THE MURAL FEATURES OVER 30 HIDDEN ITEMS AS PART OF A SCAVENGER HUNT DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GREENWAY.