CLEAR CREEK COUNTY OPEN SPACE COMMISSION RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARD FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLEAR CREEK GREENWAY PLAN

(GEORGETOWN, CO) – The Clear Creek County Open Space Commission received a national honor with a grant from the Kodak American Greenway Awards Program in Arlington, VA.  The $2,000 grant will go towards the development of the greenway plan to advance the completion of a greenway running alongside Clear Creek for the length of the County.  In addition to the award, Clear Creek County will be showcased as a national model for its innovative efforts to develop a county-wide greenway that will eventually link the Denver Metro Area to the Continental Divide and beyond.

The Kodak American Greenway Awards, administered by The Conservation Fund, a recognized leader in working with local communities to expand the nation’s network of linked open spaces, provides small grants of up to $2,500 to non-profit organizations and government agencies to help develop new action-oriented greenway projects.  The Kodak Awards provide seed money to spark creativity in conservation, outdoor recreation, trail and greenway development.

The Clear Creek County Open Space Commission is one of only 40 groups awarded nationwide for their innovative local efforts to develop a greenway and recreational river access along 39 miles of Clear Creek between Jefferson County and the Continental Divide. 

“It is the vision of the Open Space Commission to provide the ‘clear link’ between 80 miles of non-motorized trail in the Denver Metro Area to over 50 miles of existing trail west of the Continental Divide in Summit and Grand Counties,” explains Fran Enright, the Open Space Commissioner charged with supervising the planning process.  “We appreciate the Conservation Fund and the Kodak American Greenway Awards Program for recognizing the significance of this project and their generosity.” 

According to The Conservation Fund’s President, Larry Selzer, “The projects selected this year represent some of the best grassroots conservation and greenway development efforts in the United States.  The Fund supports these local initiatives because they are thoughtful, action-oriented projects that will serve as models for other communities around the country.”

The Kodak American Greenway Awards are made possible through the generous support of the Eastman Kodak Company, the world’s largest imaging leader.  The Kodak American Greenway Awards Grants Review Committee consists of conservation experts from around the country.  The committee selected grant recipients from 234 applications from 47 states and the District of Columbia.

Since 1985 The Conservation Fund and its partners have permanently protected more than 4 million acres of important wildlife habitat, working landscapes, and recreation areas.  For the third year in a row, the Fund was named the nation’s top rated environmental nonprofit by the American Institute of Philanthropy.

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