| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, (970) 244 3097 |
West Creek Picnic Area to Close for Upgrades (04-06-10)
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The West Creek Picnic Area near Gateway will be closed for about four weeks starting this week as the Bureau of Land Management completes upgrades to the facilities.
The project includes replacing the fence and picnic tables at the popular stop along Highway 141. Workers will also remove fire rings and replace them with grills, and upgrade the parking area and road to improve handicap accessibility to the restroom and picnic facilities.
“These upgrades will make the entire West Creek Picnic Area safer and easier to access,” said Chris Ham, supervisory recreation planner with the BLM Grand Junction Field Office. “We have thousands of people who enjoy this quiet spot by the river every year. With modern facilities, the area can continue to be a popular recreation site for years to come.”
The project is being funded through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. Several construction and upgrade projects will be completed this spring and fall throughout the Grand Junction Field Office. Information on projects and related closures will be posted on the GJFO website at http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo.html.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506