Silverthorne began construction to expand Trent Park on May 14.

The project is being pursued in conjunction with plans to extend Adams Avenue, resulting in an off-highway connection between the Willowbrook Neighborhood and the Smith Ranch Neighborhood, which has long been outlined in the town’s Transportation Master Plan.

The Trent Park expansion, another project that has long been identified as a community need, has been over 20 years in the making and has influenced other planning matters in town, including how the town went about planning and building the Smith Ranch neighborhood.

This project will revamp the park by adding two asphalt pump tracks, a warming hut, basketball courts, a boulder play area and a court games area. Additionally, parking will be added for the park and for the Willow Creek Trailhead. The town also plans to add a bridge over the Willow Creek floodplain.  

Town staff members said the projects could be completed as early as this fall. 

Town staff anticipates Trent Park expansion will cost $3.5 million, and the Adams Avenue extension will cost $3.6 million.

Silverthorne was awarded a $1.25 million grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and a $600,000 community impact grant from Great Outdoors Colorado for the Trent Park Expansion. 

To get the Adams Avenue extension done, Silverthorne needed to acquire three pieces of land. It acquired land near Adams Avenue from Xcel Energy/Westgas for nearly $95,000, a parcel from Shirley Co. for roughly $43,000 and a parcel from the Willowbrook Meadows Owners Association for nearly $2,000. 

In negotiations to acquire the land from the Willowbrook Meadows Owners Association, the town agreed to take care of snow removal and related expenses for the neighborhood. 

Over the past couple of years, some Willowbrook residents have voiced concerns about negative environmental and traffic impacts with the planned road going over the creek and into their neighborhood. Yet, the neighborhood seemed to be split on the impacts the extension would have. Some neighbors, especially those with young children, felt that the road would have many safety benefits since it would provide an alternative to the busier Colorado Highway 9. 

Silverthorne staff said that during construction, the existing Trent Park amenities will remain open, however parking will be limited. The Trent Park overflow lot will be closed for construction of the expanded park.