Golden Town Council has decided to formally permit multiple recreational uses for the Reflection Lake area.
Over the years the lake has attracted several user groups, however that has resulted in a conflict of uses. The main cause for concern has been the incompatibility of a wildlife lookout point, located directly next to paths that were created for, and are being used by motorized vehicles such as dirt bikes.
The issue was initially brought to the attention of council in February when Joan Dolinsky, president of the Golden Wildsight branch, wrote the municipality a letter expressing her desire to “establish a more appropriate area for motorized use” and discuss the “eventual restoration of the damaged site.”
Since then, the municipality has received several letters from members of the community, both against and in support of the continued use of the dirt biking trails around Reflection Lake.
After looking into the matter, Town staff determined that relocating either user group would be possible, yet impractical. The only other possible location for wildlife viewing is the Edelweiss slough, and not only would there be significant administrative and development costs to make that happen, but the quality of wildlife viewing would decrease dramatically.
Golden only yields one possible area to relocate dirt biking, and that is the large gravel pit located north of Reflection Lake. The rocky terrain, however, is impractical for the use, and would require substantial amounts of textural fill.
Council voted for an option that will “sanction continued use of the current area for dirt biking, subject to the formation of a legal entity that can accept and be responsible for the tenure over the area that controls activity, creates accountability, and absolves the municipality of liability.”
In other words, both user groups are permitted to use the area as they were, yet there will be more accountability from those user groups, therefore taking the liability away from the Town.
