UPDATE: A generous, anonymous donor has pledged to match each donation up to $5,000! That means we've technically already met our goal of $5K for the skills park, but the donor will continue to match until our community has raised the original goal. That could mean a total of $10,000! Where will the additional money go? We'll place additional funds into the 1% for Trails account. (It's currently at a balance of $0 thanks to the cost of the skills park.) Curious about what we do with 1% for Trails money? Read more here.) 

Purpose                                                                                                                                     

Cañon City, while now home to over 61 miles of singletrack trail, still lacks a central location to build mountain bike skills. With the recent completion of Smooth Criminal, a flow (gravity) trail, our community is ready to implement phase II of the original project. Welcome to The Yard – Cañon City’s first bike skills park! This area will allow local riders to ride laps on a system of short trails designed to aid skills progression in a close-to-town environment. By placing features and short, looped trails environment, young and developing riders can focus efforts on learning new skills while remaining close to parents or guardians and in-town amenities like schools, parks, and homes. This project is a collaborative effort between FAR, the Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District, and the City of Cañon City. 

Donation Levels

While we know you’re excited about the prospect of donating, we also know that a little swag doesn’t hurt. All of our limited-edition merchandise features the super-rad design by Sketchy Trails – a unique The Yard logo.

Donate $25 and receive a pint glass

Donate $50 and receive a pint glass and sticker pack

Donate $100 and receive a pint glass, sticker pack, and long-sleeved t-shirt

Donate $250 or more and receive a pint glass, sticker pack, long-sleeved shirt, and custom YETI "The Yard" Rambler

You can also choose to forgo your swag item (use the drop-down option) in order to make sure that 100% of your donation goes directly to The Yard. We appreciate your support in ANY AMOUNT. 

Become a Fundraiser / Donate to a Youth Fundraiser
Want to support the park by inviting others to donate? You can start your own fundraiser that harnesses the power of your friends and family to help raise money! Set a goal and try to meet it by asking others to donate through your fundraising page. Youth (ages 18 and under) can become a fundraiser, too! With a parent/guardian assistance, youth community members can create their own fundraising page. Any youth fundraiser who raises at least $25 will earn a FREE The Yard tee. Click the 'Become a Fundraiser' button to start your own. The top fundraiser receives a special prize pack, including a 'The Yard' sweatshirt. 

To donate to a youth fundraiser, simply select their name from the drop-down list upon checkout.

 Our fundraising efforts begin on February 1^st and end on March 31st. COVID-19 restrictions in mind, we’ll host a fun-tastic cruiser bike ride to promote the park, celebrate our to-date fundraising efforts, and pass out some swag. Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 27th! 

Skills Park Design

The skills park will begin at the Eagle Wing Trailhead at the north end of South Cañon Trails. This area is accessible from the Riverwalk and downtown, but also connects to the larger trail system. The park will include 2 downhill flow lines, each with 4 structures, and a climbing trail. Features are being fabricated by an outside company to ensure quality construction and safety, and will be shipped in and installed.

Timeline

The features have been ordered, the trails are flagged, and we’re about ready to cut ground at The Yard. We expect delivery of the features in early April and completion soon after that date. (Trail construction is always dependent on a number of factors, including weather conditions.) 

Fundraising Efforts

This is a big project! The total cost amounts to just about $40,000. With prefab features costing $30,000, design and trail construction costs at $7,000-9,000, and some additional signage and maintenance costs – we need your help! Our community-supported 1% for Trails program will allow us to cover the bulk of the price, but we need to raise $5,000 in order to make sure that we can finish the project and still have a balance left to continue other trail-related projects in the area. We’ve already gotten the wheel rolling, but we need YOU!