PROGRESS REPORT

1- July 2, 2007 A group of concerned Cañon City residents, primarily living in the vicinity of the Skyline Hogbacks, attended the monthly Cañon City Council Meeting. Three speakers presented overviews spanning topics such as aesthetics, geology, erosion, danger, injury and possible loss of life concerning the Skyline Drive Hogback area of Cañon City.
The documents containing these oral presentations are linked as: Presentations to City Council, listed under the City Council Meeting Presentations - July 2, 2007, in the Publications and Links section of the main web page.

2- A Cañon City resident, who lives on 5th Street, designed a table-sized poster showing aerial destruction of the Skyline Hogbacks, caused by off-road vehicles riding in areas restricted to such forms of recreation.
He also proposed workable solutions to existing problems; to be presented at a future, designated meeting with council members.

3- Between the July 2 and August 6 meetings, Mrs. McGowan was able to speak with an official from the Department of Corrections to secure a "promise" of one week per month prison labor. The labor would assist the City of Cañon City to install and/or repair fences that have been destroyed by those recreating on ATV's as well as in any other capacity deemed necessary by the City.
The local hiking club has volunteered their services to cooperatively work with the City of Cañon City.

4- August 6, 2007 Once again, a group of concerned Cañon City residents, primarily living in the vicinity of the Skyline Hogbacks, attended the monthly Cañon City Council Meeting. Speaker, Monica McGowan, presented a request for a Task Committee, designed expressly for the purpose of change. She was also able to share the "promise" of one week per month prison labor, as stated above, as well as the willingness of evaluating the Hogback "situation" as well as proposals for the local hiking club to volunteer their services.

The following was also presented to Mayor Jackson and to the council members:
Mrs. McGowan showed and spoke about a news article written about a teenage girl from Pueblo who was severely injured when she was thrown off an ATV.

Feedback from the council was positive and the attendees were told that prioritization of next years concerns would take place at a council retreat on August 29, 2007.
The document containing Monica McGowan's oral presentation can be found on the following link: Presentations to City Council, listed under the City Council Meeting Presentations - July 2, 2007, in the Publications and Links section of the main web page.

5- The website you are now looking at was created in order to inform Cañon City residents of concerns, meetings, news events and any progress made in efforts to preserve our hogback areas. Cañon City resident Lorrie Immoor has donated the online web space and is writing all the web pages as well as designing images that appear on this site. Input from Monica McGowan, as well as other concerned neighbors, is all coming together to reach the whole of Cañon City.

6- Cañon City resident Clyde Slonaker spoke to City Council at the August 20, 2007 meeting. Mr. Slonaker is retired following 35 years with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, with experience as a district officer, regional field supervisor and while NE regional Asst. Manager the Division was a joint operation with the Parks Division. He spoke to council about his city responsibilities and liabilities stressing that, at the present time, "There is no supervision; there are no controls, no enforcements and no safety rules". He also offered "to assist with a reclamation of the Hogbacks in any way I may be able to help the Council and or the City of Cañon City".
Mr. Slonaker's presentation can be found on the following link: Presentations to City Council, listed under the City Council Meeting Presentations - July 2, 2007, in the Publications and Links section of the main web page.

7- Letter Sent to Council Members Before Retreat in August 2007, written by Clyde Slonaker. This additional letter was given to City Council for considerations just before their August retreat.
Mr. Slonaker refers to new restrictions by the National Forest Service to curb ATVs in Colorado as an important precedent in curbing the effects of these vehicles. Here is a reprint of the Denver Post Article covering these new restrictions: U.S. forest officials curb ATVs. (.Pdf files) This is the original online location of the Denver Post article.

8- Neighborhood Meeting 9/11/07, 6:30 PM at Skyline Elementary School: Monica McGowan spoke to Cañon City residents, detailing campaign progress to date. A question and answer session further acknowledged citizen concern over the noise level around and property values of the homes immediately adjacent to the hogbacks. Other important concerns voiced by residents were erosion as well as maintaining the beauty of Cañon City which in turn, attracts tourists to the area. Stormwater issues and safety concerns were also discussed. Attendees were positive in the belief that many local residents would be more than happy to donate their time and talents to any and all projects that might eventually be proposed in order to protect the Skyline Hogbacks area from excessive abuse and overuse.

9- October 29, 2007 - Monica McGowan wrote a letter to our Colorado State Representatives, informing them of the existence of the Skyline Hogbacks Preservation Champaign and the local residents' attempts to seek resolutions to the negative results of ever increasing off-road vehicle traffic on the hogbacks. Of considerable concern is the noise, trash and destruction of land in and around the Skyline Hogback area. October 29, 2007. You can view the master copy for those letters below under "Reaching Out to Our State Representatives".

10- November 12, 2007 - Skyline Hogbacks Preservation Campaign Welcomes Newly Elected Officials.

11- Monica McGowan sent a New Year E-mail to all those on our mailing list. We have not forgotten or abandoned the S.H.P.C. mission. Attendance at council meetings will once again be encourage in 2008.
FYI: The Official Website of the City of Cañon City has a link for the 2008 Task List (.Pdf file). "Hogbacks" is listed as a "Top Priority".

12- January through February 2008 - There has been considerable progress to consider the Skyline Hogbacks present condition and future status. City council is taking an active role and seeking the involvement of local residents. The most recent city council meeting coverage by the Daily Record appears at the top of this web page. Please see: City Council Moves Forward on Task List! #13 below.

13- City Council Moves Forward on Task List!

'Open Space Master Plan' Information
Daily Record Article 1/21/2008 Page: A1

City Public Meetings Set to Begin Jan. 31
Plan to Decipher Hogbacks Usage
Daily Record Article 1/21/2008 Page: A6

Hogbacks Group Eager to Work with City Over Issue
Daily Record Article 1/24/2008 Page: A6

January 31st Meeting with Citizens and Council
Daily Record Article 2/1/2008 Page: A8

14- CCPD Looking Closer for Unlicensed, Uninsured - Daily Record - Community - 2/20/08 - Because of increasing concerns for the motoring public, the Cañon City Police Department is beginning a proactive campaign to address the issue of unlicensed and uninsured motorcycles and all terrain vehicles that are illegally traveling on city streets.
Operators of these vehicles may be stopped and asked for proof of ownership, insurance and vehicles registration. Officers are being asked to cite violators of these traffic codes.

15- City Council Moves Forward on Task List! Daily Record Articles Detailing City Council's Plans

16- Skyline Hogback Preservation Campaign Presents City Council with 429 Signatures on April 21, 2008 - Requesting Emergency Closure of the Hogback Area Until a Management Plan is Enacted.

17- Five Plans are Outlined - Community Update Meeting, May 1, 2008

Five Scenarios for a Potential Hogbacks Master Plan
Daily Record Article 5/2/2008 Page: A8

Hogback Update and Meeting Notice
Summary written by Roger Ratcliff and Donna Young, 5/7/2008

18- Liability Committee Meeting Held May 22, 2008; Here is a Daily Record reprint concerning the meeting: More Liability Issues at Stake in Hogbacks Decision, by Debbie Bell, 5/23/2008 Page: A1.

19- City Council Accepts Recommendation From Committee; June 30, 2008; Hogbacks' future full of wide-open space! Here is a Daily Record reprint concerning the meeting and recommendation: Hogbacks' Future Full of Wide-Open Space, by Debbie Bell, 7/1/2008 Page: A1.

20- Heavy Penalties for Hogbacks Trespass; July 26, 2008; New City Rrestrictions Stop All Uses on Friday. Daily Record article by Debbie Bell, 7/26/2008 Page: A6.