Highline Canal Conservancy To Host 2 Open Houses

LITTLETON, CO – The Highline Canal Conservancy will host two open houses to discuss plans for the 71-mile regional canal and trail that winds through multiple counties and parks.

The open houses will be held Wednesday, Jan. 23 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Euclid Middle School, 777 W. Euclid Ave. in Littleton and Thursday, Jan. 24 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Eloise May Library, 1471 S. Parker Rd. in Denver.

The conservancy completed a Community Vision Plan in 2017 with input from thousands of residents. Now the conservancy is working with members of multiple jurisdictions along the trail to create a "Framework Plan" to hone in on priorities to preserve and enhance the "environmental, recreational, social, historic and economic asset" of the canal and trails nearby.

The canal was originally built in 1859 during the Colorado Gold Rush to move water from the South Platte River to farmers and settlers near the South Platte and Cherry Creek. It is maintained by Denver Water, but flows through Denver, Aurora, Douglas County, Highlands Ranch, Littleton and Greenwood Village.

In the "water reality of the West" the canal is no longer an efficient means of moving water as most of the water evaporates or is absorbed by the ground, the conservancy says. But the trails and natural areas next to the canal have been an important recreation area for people in the south Denver area for decades.

The non-profit conservancy is working with the Denver Botanic Gardens to set up a landscaping plan for the canal trails. The planning team is working with Arthouse to develop unified signage for the 71-mile trail.

The open houses are a way for the public to catch up on the canal's priorities. The canal conservancy is working to raise $1,775,000, or $25,000 for each of 71 miles of the canal, pledged over five years.

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