The City of Rocky Ford and the Rocky Ford Steering Committee are throwing a Block Party April 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The gathering will be near the intersection of Beech and Catalpa. Richard's Ribz Food Truck will be there providing food for free. There will be fun activities and opportunities to provide feedback for the Arkansas Valley Fairground and Crystal Lake project.

The City of Rocky Ford invites you to share your feedback regarding the Arkansas Valley Fairground and Crystal Lake project. The City and the Rocky Ford Steering Committee is seeking the community's help on a master plan to improve both the Arkansas Valley Fairgrounds and Crystal Lake. The master plan would help develop and improve both locations to 'include amenities that uniquely serve southeast Colorado, expand recreational offerings, and drive local economic development.' The Arkansas Valley Fairgrounds is home to the "oldest continuous fair in the State of Colorado". The Crystal Lake project is a part of the long-time initiative to transform the holding ponds from the former old sugar mill into a recreational area for the community.

The participation of the community and the region is crucial for this project. The team wants your input about potential improvements to co-design the future of these outdoor spaces in our community. If you have not already, you can share your feedback on the community survey here - https://bit.ly/rockyfordsurvey and tell us what you would like to see. This effort is a part of the Great Outdoors Colorado Centennial Grant in which GOCO invests in high-value, once-in-a-generation visions and projects that will create lasting impacts on the Centennial State and future generations.

The City of Rocky Ford and the Steering Committee has been working on this project since last fall but we are in the beginning stages and we need community input to create a space that serves not only Rocky Ford but Otero County and the Arkansas Valley Region not only now but for future generations. More information on the initial findings can be found at www.growrockyford.org/outdoor-revitalization-project. The team is dedicated to providing transformational change for the community and the surrounding region by exploring inclusive and equitable recreational opportunities that will serve our most underserved and vulnerable populations. The vision of the community and stakeholders, collaboration and networking, building trust and working towards the common goal of implementation of transformational projects will bring unity to the Arkansas Valley. The City of Rocky Ford desires to create and enhance outdoor recreational destinations where our community and those that visit can experience Colorado’s great outdoors in two different settings that equally serve the needs of Rocky Ford and speak to the heritage, history, and culture of our residents.