What should and should not be allowed in a new open space west of Colorado Springs? 

This is the question of professionals preparing a conservation easement for Avenger Open Space in the forest bordering Woodland Park. 

The city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is hosting an open house starting at 5 p.m. Oct. 15 at Ute Pass Cultural Center. 

“The goal is to get public input for what will go into the conservation easement, and I guess what won’t go into it,” said Jerry Smith, a board member and champion of the 120-acre property that entered the city’s trust last year. 

Avenger Open Space was celebrated as the city’s largest ever open space acquisition. And now for Palmer Land Conservancy’s legally-binding document aimed at protecting the property forever, officials are collecting input. 

A previous online survey garnered about 250 responses, Smith said. 

“I think the biggest message we heard from most people was just leave it like it is,” he said. 

Another recurring theme: bikes

“Mountain bikes are pretty controversial,” Smith said. “We started with e-bikes, asking do we want e-bikes or not, and what we’re hearing is it’s not just e-bikes, it’s bikes or no bikes. So mountain bikes will be a big deal.” 

Others have expressed concerns about dogs on leash and people picking up after them. And others have wondered about connectivity around Avenger Open Space.

From the small parking lot for Paradise Open Space off Kings Crown Road, a wide path runs about 2 miles through the formerly private property that appears like a rectangle on a map, surrounded by Pike National Forest. Local explorers are familiar with trails running to and from Avenger — trails not officially recognized by the U.S. Forest Service. 

“Most people just don’t understand the difference between a social trail and our trail in Avenger,” Smith said. Some have asked about connections, reroutes and maintenance on surrounding paths, and while he said “there’s absolutely a lot of potential,” he has emphasized costly and time-consuming environmental reviews the Forest Service would need to conduct. 

In the meantime, “there’s several things on the Avenger property we want to do,” Smith said, mentioning signage and “some modification where you could do a loop and stay within that property.”