WON’T YOU BE A NEIGHBOR? First Methodist Church (FUMC), established in 1869, has served as a catalyst in the Fort Collins community for 150 years. To honor this legacy of service in our community, FUMC is spearheading a collaborative investment in our neighborhood through the improvement of Eastside Park. The park, located to the northeast of FUMC and adjacent to Laurel Elementary School, needs revitalization to transform the area into a safe and meaningful community space. FUMC is partnering with the City of Fort Collins to design and reconstruct the park. Additionally, FUMC has the coaching and support of CityGive, a newly-launched initiative within the City of Fort Collins to support philanthropic community activities.
OBJECTIVES
- Transform an existing, dated park into a vibrant community space through open spaces and greenways.
- Improve community space in a commitment to reduce negative park activity, and strengthen community safety.
- Spark neighborhood connections and a sense of community through FUMC-hosted neighborhood events.
- Leverage the newly-launched City Give as a vehicle for FUMC to serve the community and engage traditional and nontraditional donors across our community.
- Improve, maintain, and program an existing park in a commitment to promote a sense of neighborhood, and invite increased use and social belonging. SCOPE Park improvements were selected by over 70% of neighborhood respondents:
1. Landscaped Greenways
- Landscaping along the existing sidewalks and pathways to create welcoming, natural greenways.
- Removal of existing T-ball backstop to create a “great lawn,” a welcoming open space for unstructured play and community gathering.
2. Natural Play Features
- Play features that are natural and distinctive from the adjacent bright, plastic school play yard.
- Natural rock climbing and wood balance for residents of all ages.
3. Safety & Signage
- Additional lighting to key park locations to increase overall safety.
4. Ongoing Park Programming
- Neighborhood park-centric activities from Easter eggs hunt to bike parades, from pick-up soccer games to picnics.
- Hosted by FUMC, open to the neighborhood, and engage neighbors of varying ages and interests INVESTMENT The projected cost for the Eastside Park improvements listed above is $245,000. Ideally, financial support will be rallied from the surrounding community and within the FUMC congregation to ensure the park improvement can remain a collective investment.
You may give to this project by clicking here and choosing Eastside Park from the drop-down menu or give directly to the City of Fort Collins. Send funds to: City Give, Fort Collins” with “Eastside Park Donation” in the memo line. Mail to: City Give, Fort Collins, Attention: Nina Bodenhamer, 215 N. Mason, Fort Collins, CO 80524.
