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Special to the Plaindealer
The Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Board awarded the Town of Ridgway, working with the Ridgway School District, a $45,000 GOCO/Lottery grant to renovate the Ridgway Secondary School's soccer field.
The town, in collaboration with the school district, will use GOCO funds to install perimeter fencing, walkways, spectator seating, team benches and goals at the field. In addition to improving player and spectator experiences at the field, the improvements will allow the school to host games and tournaments sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association and allow for expanded soccer programming for the entire community.
The GOCO Board awarded a total of $6.2 million in GOCO/Lottery funds to 45 projects throughout the state at its meeting on Dec. 11. Projects funded will enhance outdoor recreation opportunities throughout Colorado, create plans for future projects, protect 6,720 acres of open space and create youth corps jobs at no cost to taxpayers. In its fall 2012 grant cycle, GOCO received 116 eligible applications requesting $19 million.
GOCO is the result of a citizens' initiative passed by the voters in 1992. As the recipient of approximately half of Colorado Lottery proceeds―$57 million in Fiscal Year 2012―GOCO awards grants to local governments and land trusts, and makes investments through the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife. Since 1994, nearly 3,500 projects in all 64 counties have received GOCO funding―Ouray County projects have received $2.6 million in GOCO grants.