City of Lamar named CPW’s Southeast Region Partner of the Year

North Gateway Park, formerly known as the Valco Ponds, used to be a gravel pit. The City of Lamar acquired the property with the vision of turning it into a park/wildlife area. The city worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to manage the project and opened the park to the public in September of 2013.

“I don’t think that anybody truly appreciates the potential for this project dramatically changing, not only the entrance to the city of Lamar, but the whole idea of what our city is about,,” said John Sutherland, City Administrator for the City of Lamar.

The property has three ponds that have been stocked with fish, attracting anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts to the area. There are many more improvements in the works for the park including the addition of boat ramps and docks, walking trails and picnic areas.

“Even without all of these proposed improvements people are already flocking to North Gateway Park,” said Kevin Mahan, District Wildlife Manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “The people of Lamar and surrounding areas now have a place to recreate without having to drive a long distance.”

The Region Partner of the Year award goes to organizations that effectively engage new audiences in outdoor recreation in Colorado.

“The City of Lamar has been a great partner in bringing access to the outdoors closer to home for the people in this area,” Mahan said.

“For us to get recognition for this it’s like saying ‘thank you’ for the hard work but we couldn’t have done it without Colorado Parks and Wildlife. It really does recognize the partnership,” Sutherland said.

The park is open to the public, even though all ponds and all areas of the property are not yet available for public access. Continued cooperative work efforts between the City of Lamar and Colorado Parks and Wildlife will ensure the entire property will be available for public use for years to come.

For more information about North Gateway Park call the City of Lamar at 719-336-4376 or the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Lamar office at 719-336-6600.

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Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages 42 state parks, more than 300 state wildlife areas, all of Colorado’s wildlife, and a variety of outdoor recreation. For more information, go tocpw.state.co.us.  

For more news about Colorado Parks and Wildlife go to: http://cpw.state.co.us

For more information about Colorado Parks and Wildlife go to: http://cpw.state.co.us.