Safe Routes to School-Wellington (SRTS-W) recently became one of just four community programs in the state to earn a 2024 Safe Routes to Parks Colorado Activating Communities grant.
Along with $10,000 in funding, the grant also included consultation to develop strategies aimed at improving safe, equitable access. In Wellington, that consultation resulted in an action plan to improve mobility to parks and schools across the community.
As part of the action plan, SRTS-W members worked with the Town of Wellington’s Public Works and Planning and Building departments to develop a map of the safest possible routes from Wellington’s neighborhoods to its schools and parks — with safest possible route meaning, among other things, that intact sidewalks are present throughout and it avoids crossing dangerous intersections whenever possible.
In early August, SRTS-W members started on the next step of the plan: Painting the safe routes on sidewalks so community members can easily follow them. Members were able to get a handful of routes painted onto sidewalks before the start of the school year, with plans to get the rest painted in the future.
In addition to purchasing the paint and stencils for the route painting and helping to support marketing for the SRTS-W program, there was enough funding left from the Safe Routes to Parks Colorado Activating Communities grant to purchase three Bike Stations that were installed across the community. The addition brings the total number of Bike Stations in Wellington to four.
A Google map of the safest routes to Wellington’s schools, parks, the Wellington Public Library and the Wellington Boys & Girls Club as well as the location of the four Bike Stations is available at https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1qIAuem_JZfZVt6P9XEwFMh3k3znupEA&usp=sharing.
On Aug. 14, SRTS-W hosted a Back To School Community BBQ Bash, with support from more than 10 local businesses as well as American Legion Wellington Post 176 and the Wellington-Waverly Kiwanis Club. The event, which was a celebration of SRTS-W’s work as well as the new school year, offered attendees free food, free backpacks with school supplies, face painting, games and a free bike clinic. The well-attended event featured appearances by elected officials from the local, county and state levels.
According to Town of Wellington Trustee and SRTS-W acting director Lowrey Moyer, the big turnout for the community BBQ underscores the importance of SRTS-W’s mission.
“This brought the community together,” she said. “It’s not just for kids. The connectivity of our entire community applies to everyone.”
For more information on SRTS-W, visit the organization’s website at https://srts-wellington.org and its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SRTSWellington. For more information about the 2024 Safe Routes to Parks Colorado Activating Communities grant, go to https://www.saferoutespartnership.org/healthy-communities/saferoutestoparks/activatingcommunitiesco.