"Heart of Golden" aims to add green space, more access to Clear Creek

When Scott Vargo arrived in Golden as city manager two years ago, he knew Clear Creek was a point of emphasis.

"Coming in, obviously, one of the biggest issues facing the community has been the corridor itself," he explained.

Having experience in Summit County, he saw firsthand the effects of the pandemic's push that led people outside in record numbers. Now in Golden, he sees a familiar trend with Clear Creek and is watching a legacy project in Golden take shape that can help alleviate the foot traffic.

"The city hall facility that we're currently operating out of was built in 1960," he said. "So it's 64 years old. We would hope that a building like this that we construct here will be around for 50 or more years as well."

It's called the Heart of Golden which aims to add green space and more access to Clear Creek near downtown by relocating City Hall and the Police Department offices to a new plot of land by the Coors Plant.

"This is a better location for us to have an office facility, a police station and not take away some prime real estate for community uses and community purposes," he said.

While there are community concerns that further improvements will drive even more traffic to Golden, Vargo says that the numbers they have seen indicate a stabilizing of the post-pandemic rush. After major discussions about overcrowding on the creek, they hope this project will over time ease congestion concerns. As the Clear Creek Canyon Trail continues to develop, the belief is that there will be more opportunities for people to enjoy the area.

"What we've tried to focus on is those areas where we may create new spaces are an opportunity to disperse people," he added.

The project is progressing at a steady pace with community members seeing preliminary designs at a meeting on Tuesday. Vargo hopes this project will stand the test of time and be, much like the Clear Creek Canyon Trail project, a generational resource for everyone in the area.

"All of those pieces are falling into place per our schedule," he concluded. "This is a legacy-type project that you're creating and really has to fit into the community and really be thoughtful for the future."