Email this article
Printable version
City makes it official: Overend Mountain Park
Council approves renaming Durango park for cycling star
Herald Staff Writer
The Durango City Council unanimously approved renaming the 301-acre west Durango recreational area “Overend Mountain Park," after world champion mountain biker Ned Overend, at Tuesday's council meeting.
Overend's role as the finest competitive cyclist in a town full of them is reason enough for the name change, said Mayor Leigh Meigs, but it was Overend's role securing Overend Mountain Park for recreational use that Meigs said made her 'yes' vote an easy one.
Of the 151 acres the city began purchasing for the park in 1994, 51 were sold at a bargain rate by Overend. Local cycling booster Ed Zink said Overend's support was critical in passing the project, and in the continued success of the park.
Zink organized a petition and proposed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board in January that the city incorporate a new name when it updates the park's signs this spring. Zink came to the forum claiming to have a stack of 200 e-mailed responses in support of his idea. No negative voices were heard at a public forum Feb. 17, nor at Tuesday's council meeting.
Overend attended the meeting as well and made a brief speech. He said he was surprised and humbled by the “Name it for Ned" campaign.
And at first, he didn't think it would pass.
“I'm honored and flattered. It causes me to think of all the people who've made the Durango cycling community what it is," he said. “They're who I thought about when I heard people wanted to name a park after me."
The small audience applauded after the councilors cast their votes, and Zink gave a wink as he gathered his gear and left the chambers.
In other business: b The council approved amending the city's Land Use and Development Code to allow the owners of paintball courses an avenue to apply for conditional-use permits.
b Mayor Meigs proclaimed this week Girl Scouts Week and March Red Cross Month.
Four members of Girl Scout Troop 154 - Anna Caplan, 10; Amanda Schwartz, 11; Jenna Engelken, 10; and Anne Chase, 10 - briefly addressed the council. Amanda recognized Juliette Gordon Low for founding the Girls Scouts in 1912.
“I'm really excited to be here," said Jenna. “I love Girl Scouts."
Comments for this article have timed out
advertisement
Durango Herald Calendar of Events
Friday, March 05, 2010
at 9:13:46 AM
Suggest removal
ludicrous says...
c'mon cowgirl I was raised on a farm in the mid-west in the 60's. And Robert you raised the decline in sales tax issue from 10% to 18% in a matter of hours. It must be around 40% by now. Steve is the only one who sees what the real issue is here.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 10:38:20 PM
Suggest removal
Steve-O says...
People should care about this because it helps our town. Durango has been a mountain biking mecca for years. Locals like Overend, who is known within the cycling community, helped to create that. People who come here specifically to ride our world-class trails also spend money in our hotels, restaurants, etc. Obviously that helps our largely tourist-based economy. You may not care about that, but a lot of people who live here do. Renaming the park is just a simple acknowledgement of the work that goes on behind the scenes to help make our town the way it is. Is that really something to get all fired up about?
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 8:23:09 PM
Suggest removal
cowgirl says...
Kevin, no one's remarks/comments were uncivil until yours. No one is putting Ned or his accomplishments down. As far as challenging a pro, I agree it's ridiculous. I have no desire to ride a bike up a hill. Has nothing to do with guts, just age and common sense. BTW, have you ever bucked a 75lb bale of hay?
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 5:28:54 PM
Suggest removal
Robertf says...
Easy there Kevin. I think your comment is the only one posted here that's not really civil or smart. I think what most of us are trying to say in a nutshell-in case you can't understand it-is that we don't care about this and it's not newsworthy. Our city council has much bigger problems as I alluded to before. One of which is that sales tax revenue in January of 2010 was down 18% from where it was in January of 2008 and our city council is worrying themselves about renaming a park. Are you kidding me? By the way I stopped riding bikes that don't have motors when I was 16 and got my driver's license. It's not a recreation that I care to pursue, if you like to do it great, more power to you. Suggesting that people, some of whom could care less about riding bikes, challenge a pro biker is just ridiculous. Grow up and realize people can criticize things they don't like.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 4:46:57 PM
Suggest removal
ludicrous says...
Not one of you has worked as hard as Ned at one thing in your lifetime. The "Guidelines" under post a comment say to be smart and civil. I have not read one thing smart or civil. So go ahead and trash me, I don't care. I would like to see all of you ride a bike UP Mitchell Lakes. I doubt if you have the guts to even try. It is much easier to sit at a computer and bash people who have worked long and hard for what they believe in. Leave Ned alone. Or better yet challenge him on his bike.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 3:47:27 PM
Suggest removal
Lena says...
Hey Animas! How are you?
Hope you don't bring attention to the Animas name. Have you ever wasted more of your time on something other than speaking at a City council meeting?
Thanks for all comments.Makes reading the Herald even better. If you don't think voting is important at least bring some comments to the public.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 12:45:10 PM
Suggest removal
cowgirl says...
Thanks for the correction Robert. Amazing though that CDOT is directly across from the stretch of ice that caused the accident. You think they would have noticed and sanded the area ...
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 12:12:30 PM
Suggest removal
Robertf says...
Glad to see that I'm not the only one who read this article and thought "Uh yeah, who cares." Being a famous mt. biker is like being a famous curler-the only people who actually think you're famous or care who you are, are other mt. bikers. I wouldn't recognize Overend if he was punching me in the face. I'm so glad they kept "Mountain Park" in the name though because there are just sooooo many mountains in the park. Has anyone else heard that the sales tax for Jan 2010 was down 10% from last year. I would think a city council faced with serious financial problems, and a snow removal problem could adjust their focus to something important. Oh and Cowgirl it is CDOT, and therefore the state-not the county-that removes snow from HWY 160 West.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 11:34:31 AM
Suggest removal
cowgirl says...
Animas, sorry I missed the meeting. OK, the way I read it: prior to no negative voices being heard "Zink came to the forum claiming to have a stack of 200 e-mailed responses in support of his idea." Did he prove his claim or did the council take his word that people supported this? "The small audience applauded after the councilors cast their votes" Would it have mattered if a few opposed? Sounds to me like their minds where made up where this was concerned.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 10:45:00 AM
Suggest removal
Propsare4Boats says...
"No negative voices were heard at a public forum Feb. 17, nor at Tuesday's council meeting." If your complaining about the change on here it sounds like you missed your opportunity to voice your concern where it matters.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 10:37:09 AM
Suggest removal
cowgirl says...
Wow, great idea. Let's rename Durango "little California" LOL
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 10:21:08 AM
Suggest removal
th says...
so what's next? we should just rename Durango, Keep wasting the tax dollars local government....as far as the accident on 160 I'm suprised it was due to black ice and not 24 bicyclers grouped up and strung out into traffic lanes.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 9:09:14 AM
Suggest removal
ddw says...
are you serious? wow, that's almost as great as Lake Nighthorse.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 8:48:03 AM
Suggest removal
cowgirl says...
Hey Mike, I think it should be "rollover" boulevard. Took an accident yesterday for the county to do something about the black ice.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 8:37:22 AM
Suggest removal
Local says...
We have found a new name for hwy 160 West: ROLL BLVD !!! ;-)
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 8:31:49 AM
Suggest removal
Bob says...
I still think they should have gone with End Overend park.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 8:00:39 AM
Suggest removal
el sol says...
wooooohoooooooo! MELT SNOW MELT. MELT SNOW MELT. :)
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
at 7:38:35 AM
Suggest removal
Critic 2 says...
Oh good, now we all can sleep better at night. Lets see if we can turn our attention to more important matters now.