218 Acres of Land Saved

La Plata Open Space Conservancy announces 218 acres of land in La Plata County are now protected from future development. The City of Durango presented plans to develop the former 9-R Admin Building as a civic center. Make sure to add an extra 30 minutes if you plan to travel along Highway 172 between Elmore's Corner and Ignacio this summer, as the Colorado Department of Transportation announced the start of a resurfacing project along that corridor. And Lake Nighthorse is set to begin operations March 31st. You're watching the Local News Roundup brought to you by 2180 Lighting and Design Studio and Serious Texas Bar-B-Q. I'm Connor Shreve. La Plata Open Space Conservancy has announced that 218 acres of land are now protected from future development, thanks to conservation easements with three local landowners. The land ranges from agricultural land and natural habitat encompassing the range of open space in La Plata County. One of the properties is located in the Florida River Valley, another along County Road 234, and the third, north of Durango West. All three easements contain wildlife habitat, open spaces, and productive agricultural areas, and the properties will continue to exist in their current state for years to come. Plans to develop the former 9-R Administration Building into a civic center were presented on March 14th. Those plans are based on a 1994 Master Facility program that first proposed the use of the building as a civic center. Use of the Admin Building will alleviate issues the city is facing with existing city buildings, such as City Hall, River City Hall, the police departments, and the Carnegie building. Many of the existing buildings are small and limit the expansion of city staff, and many have outdated technology. The proposed civic center could enhance customer service levels, increase the city's ability to hire more staff and increase the potential for enhanced public involvement. View the presentation and learn more about the project online. Work has begun on the Colorado Highway 172 resurfacing project between Ignacio and Elmore's Corner. The Colorado Department of Transportation and contractor Oldcastle SW Group, Inc. began the project March 13th, which extends 16.7 miles from mile point 7.7 at Shadow Spirit Drive in Ignacio and mile point 24.35 at Elmore's Corner. Drivers and commuters planning on driving this route should plan an additional 30 minutes of travel time, according to CDOT, until the work is finished in December 2023. The initial phase will involve three culvert replacements and two deep patch repairs. Once those are completed, repaving will begin likely in June. Use COtrip for updates on the project and check for any delays. Lake Nighthorse recreational area will open for the summer season on March 31st. The lake will be open Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM for non-motorized recreation. Beginning May 12th through May 31st, the lake will be open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM with motorized recreation beginning May 15th. Beginning June 1st through September 4th, the lake will be open daily from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM with the lifeguarded Swim Beach and the Wibit Aqua Park opening June 1st, conditions permitting. Beginning this year, though, Wibit Aqua Park is available through a reservation system. There will be four daily sessions. Each session will be an hour and 45 minutes long. There is a $5 fee per person per session with a total of 60 individuals per session. Wibit life jackets are included with the fee. The new system is designed to better address individual safety and fun on the Wibit Aqua Park, as well as reduce wear and tear on the equipment to preserve it for years to come. Learn more about these and other stories online at durangolocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I'm Connor Shreve.