In the North Fork Valley, there has long been a need for public access to the North Fork of the Gunnison River. In June 2006, the North Fork River Improvement Association (NFRIA) answered a community call for public access by opening the Paonia River Park, complete with a boat ramp, walking trails, and a swimming hole.
Located near the Highway 187 bridge in Paonia, Colorado, the Paonia River Park is a community treasure. Once an instream gravel mine, the site of the current River Park had for many years been an environmental, aesthetic, and a safety liability.
NFRIA had, since its founding in 1996, been concerned with the devastating results of instream gravel mining. With the river bed cut down five feet in five years, severe erosion had become a serious concern, impacting both the Paonia Ditch diversion just upstream of the site and the significantly depleted natural habitat of the river bed.
In 2000, instream gravel mining was discontinued at the site and NFRIA began discussing taking ownership of the land for the purpose of a public park. In December 2003, the owner of the land, United Companies, graciously donated 19 acres to NFRIA, doing a great service for the North Fork community.
NFRIA then undertook years of planning to get the park up-and-running. A working group of local citizens was formed, representing the broad agricultural, economical, and recreational interests of the community. Calls for a wildlife preserve to a full-fledged formal park were met in the middle with a design that would provide a gravel path for launching boats, a swimming hold, and rustic stream side walking trails, but preserve the natural aesthetic and habitat of the area.
The park was officially opened in June 2006, and NFRIA began immediately to add improvements and additional amenities to the park. Much of this work is still being completed, but the park has already become a popular destination of the North Fork Valley.
In 2008, a new working group was formed (learn more here), headed by Dr. T. Allan Comp, to reinvigorate the park development process and explore a multidisciplinary approach to the Paonia River Park. With a history of coalition building and environmental project management, Dr. Comp is working to turn the environmental liabilities of the River Park site into community assets. Learn more about Dr. Comp and his completed projects.
