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As Southwest Colorado\u2019s decades-long economic evolution from resources extraction and ranching to recreational, historical and agricultural tourism and retirement communities continues, towns are embracing efforts to take advantage of the region\u2019s stunning vistas and terrain to aid the transition.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of towns understand to move to tourist-based economies, they need attractive places for people to stop and have a picnic. Trails and trail systems are important. We want to promote plans for young families to stop, and that promotes economic vibrancy,\u201d said Ann Christensen of DHM Design in Durango.<\/p>\n
DHM Design led the effort to plan for 50 acres of open space in Three Springs and created plans to incorporate detention ponds and storm runoff terrain into a walkable network of trails.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to take something functional, a detention pond, and make it attractive. You can do it impersonally, a square pond separated from the community by a chain-link fence, but we wanted to design it in a way that was visually interesting and that spurred recreation. When herons moved in, we knew we had created a great environment,\u201d said Walker Christensen, Ann\u2019s husband and partner.<\/p>\n
DHM also worked on utility corridors in Three Springs to integrate walking paths with utility rights of way and natural wetland flows associated with the storm runoff system and the detention pond.<\/p>\n
Marrying natural aesthetics with functional utility functions created a network of paths now popular with pedestrians.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe tried to create safe, shallow spaces where kids can splash around in,\u201d Christensen said.<\/p>\n
Tim Zink, real estate portfolio manager for the Growth Fund Real Estate Group, said DHM landscape architects were brought in to create functional spaces for the development that were also visually appealing and preserved a good natural feel.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe took the natural surroundings of our area and tried to integrate their features into our development on a human scale,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n
He noted sandstone features used as visual highlights throughout Three Springs borrow the angles of ridges in the foothills in the area. Care was taken to preserve and enhance habitat for native species. Runoff channels were kept shallow to prevent erosion.<\/p>\n