Foundation 6 - Creating a Legacy of Parks, Open Spaces, and Trails

The Cheyenne area has a legacy of community parks that are the heart of our community for many residents and visitors. Lions Park for example, draws thousands of residents and visitors each year. Residents also value the Greenway and trails that get people outside and allow us to have active, healthy lifestyles. We also have long held that part of our community's sense of place is the undeveloped open spaces and wildlife around and within our community.

This Plan aims to improve neighborhood and community parks—providing adequate land to meet our needs and provide high quality accessible parks that carry on the legacy and promote public health and well‐being. As our community grows in the urban area, we will add new community and neighborhood parks and extend the Greenway and trails to serve new neighborhoods and connect activity centers. Our public park system will continue to be enhanced by a system of smaller private "pocket" parks and green spaces. Parks and open space are not amenities that are 'tacked on' to a development, but are an integral piece of the development puzzle.

It is also the aim of this Plan to conserve "significant" open space lands—to weave the natural environment through our built environment and around it. Open space adds beauty, creates a unique image and sense of place for the Cheyenne area, provides relief from our built environment, helps maintain water and environmental quality for the health of our community. This is an opportune time to identify and conserve natural and cultural landscapes before development changes them. The community will identify open space that we should acquire and make accessible to the public for recreation and other purposes, and others that private owners can conserve through careful planning, wise use, and on‐going stewardship.

Principles and Policies


Principle 6.1: Our neighborhood and community parks will continue to be a legacy for our community.

Policy 6.1.a: Adopt and Implement Parks and Recreation Master Plan
The City will adopt and follow the recommendations of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan (Master Plan) (as updated from time to time).

Policy 6.1.b: Park Level of Service Standards
Our community's high level of service (LOS) for parks will continue and improve. The city will implement the recommendations (including LOS standards) of the Master Plan related to neighborhood and community parks. 􀂃 Neighborhood Parks provide access to recreation within neighborhoods, and should be well planned to be accessible by car and on foot and should provide useful play areas. Distribute neighborhood parks equitably through neighborhoods in the community, near a neighborhood center when possible. 􀂃 Community Parks provide a balance between active sports fields and selfdirected activities. Larger community parks will continue to be located throughout the community.

Policy 6.1.c: Other Facilities
The city will continue support for our wellloved regional facilities, such as the Botanic Gardens and for cemeteries.

Policy 6.1.d: Dedicated Funding for Parks
The city will identify and allocate funding for acquisition, capital improvements, and maintenance of parks.

Policy 6.1.e: Joint Parks and Schools Planning
The city and county will work with the Laramie County School District #1 to promote joint planning of parks and schools so facilities are co‐located when desirable.

Policy 6.1.f: Pocket Parks Enhance System
The city recognizes that pocket parks are an important part of an overall park system; however, they are generally private. Homeowner Associations' or other groups will be responsible for pocket parks.


Principle 6.2: Our community will extend and enhance our trail system and Greenway.

Policy 6.2.a: Connected Greenway System
Recognizing the Greenway is important recreation and transportation trail resource, the community will identify and fix "gaps" in the current system.

Policy 6.2.b: Connected Community-Wide Trail System
The community will connect a larger community‐wide primary trail system to connect major destinations and provide opportunities to recreation routes (loops), as identified through the Master Plan. Developers should provide local trails to connect neighborhoods to the regional Greenway.

Policy 6.2.c: Dedicated Greenway Funding
The community will identify funding sources for acquisition, development, and operation of a community trail system.


Principle 6.3: Our community will conserve "lands of community-wide significance."

Policy 6.3.a: Lands of "Community-Wide Significance" Protected
The community will identify and protect lands of "community‐wide significance," including our Natural/Cultural Resource areas. (See also Foundation 5.) Generally, these lands should not be publicly dedicated, but should be conserved by private organizations or landowners. However, parts of these significant areas might be integrated into parks and open space system.


Principle 6.4: Our community will develop an open space system.

Policy 6.4.a: Open Spaces Related to Western Identity
Protect open space that preserve unique or sensitive environmental resources or views that contribute to western identity. Open space should be publicly owned and may have public access, depending on the purpose and intent (e.g., for recreation or education), or could be restricted for continued agricultural uses.

Policy 6.4.b: Coordinate City/County Programs
The city and county should develop a joint program to identify and address needs for conserving public open space, as identified in the Master Plan.

Policy 6.4.c: Dedicated Funding for Open Space
The city and county should identify funding sources for acquisition and land stewardship of public open space.


Principle 6.5: The Cheyenne area supports expanding and maintaining our recreation facilities.

Policy 6.5.a: Centrally Located Recreation
Facilities to Serve the Community The community will continue to locate and develop facilities that serve large numbers of people in central locations, as determined in the Master Plan (e.g., an aquatics center).

Policy 6.5.b: Other Outdoor Active Recreation
The community will pursue opportunities for other outdoor active recreation facilities (such as shooting range or ATV motor sports), as identified in the Master Plan.

Policy 6.5.c: Parks and Recreation Facilities as Reinvestment Tool
The community will selectively prioritize and "target" public investment in parks and recreation to help spark private investment that is complimentary to a district or neighborhood.

Policy 6.5.d: Dedicated Funding for Recreation
The community will identify funding sources for acquisition, development, and operation of recreation facilities.