Your Money at Work

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DECEMBER UPDATE: This project has come to a close, and the monthly photo contest has ended. We'll get back to you soon to report on all the participation in this project, so stay tuned for that.

Your Money at Work
Lakewood, you really love your parks, open space and trails! When asked, you have said that the overall quality of the natural environment in the city is one of the most important factors to you, and 80% of you said you visit the city’s parks regularly or occasionally. Seeing what a priority this is for you, as reflected in the

DECEMBER UPDATE: This project has come to a close, and the monthly photo contest has ended. We'll get back to you soon to report on all the participation in this project, so stay tuned for that.

Your Money at Work
Lakewood, you really love your parks, open space and trails! When asked, you have said that the overall quality of the natural environment in the city is one of the most important factors to you, and 80% of you said you visit the city’s parks regularly or occasionally. Seeing what a priority this is for you, as reflected in the 2022 Community Survey, we want to update you on all the ways the city pays for parks, open space and trails. This website will help you see Your Money at Work.

Participate with us to learn about Your Money at Work:

Funding the great outdoors
How are parks, open space and trails paid for? The city uses every way it can to pay for improvements to parks, open space and trails and to buy new parkland for residents to enjoy. Review all the ways taxpayer funds and other dollars are put to work to help you enjoy the great outdoors in Lakewood.

  • Open Space Fund: This is a specific fund in the city’s budget that comes from Lakewood’s share of Jefferson County’s Open Space Tax. In 1972, voters approved a one half of 1 percent – or 0.5% -- sales tax on goods to help pay for buying and improving parks and open space throughout the county. The money in this fund can only be spent on parks, open space and trail needs.
  • TABOR: This stands for the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, a complex state law that affects all governments in Colorado by placing limits on their budgets. Voters, however, can approve lifting the TABOR limits and allow that money to be keep in government budgets. Lakewood voters approved lifting TABOR limits on the city’s budget from 2017 to 2025, and they designated a portion of those funds to be spent on parks and open space. Watch "TABOR in 90 seconds" video or read more in the "Learn about TABOR" section to the right.
  • Grants: The city seeks grants from numerous organizations such as the state’s Great Outdoors Colorado agency; Colorado Parks and Recreation Association; State Historic Fund; Scientific and Cultural Facilities District; Jefferson Open Space that provides grants in addition to the city’s share of the sales tax; and other organizations.
  • Conservation Trust Fund: These funds come from the city’s share of the state lottery proceeds.
  • Federal funds: The city receives federal funds designated for each city called the Community Development Block Grant that can be used to support parks and open space, and Lakewood also applies for grants from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.
  • Other funds: The city’s longstanding Neighborhood Participation Program has supported improvements to neighborhood parks. In some specific instances, economic development funds that come from a lodging tax on hotel rooms have been used along with the city’s General Fund.
  • Donations: The city also has received donations and sponsorships supporting outdoor program needs.
  • Golf Enterprise Fund: The maintenance and operation of the city’s two golf courses are funded by the fees that golfers pay to play at the courses.

  • December 2023 update

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    This project has come to a close, and the monthly photo contests have ended. We'll get back to you soon to report on all the participation in this project, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, please scroll through all the great photos and stories that were submitted.

  • November updates

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    Check out November's photo contest because it's the last one for Your Money at Work.

    October winner
    This Embracing Diversity photo taken at Carmody Park's Universal Playground is October's winning photo. The playground is designed to allow children of all abilities a place to play, and the story accompanying the photo noted how lucky we are to live in a place where diverse abilities are accepted.

    October trivia
    The answer to October's trivia question is Bear Creek Lake Park has 40 miles of trails.


  • October updates

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    This month's photo contest has a universal theme. Take your best photo of Carmody Park’s Universal Playground(External link), which is universally accessible to children of all abilities. The other project is Carmody's pickleball courts, and pickleball has certainly become nearly universally popular.

    While not eligible for the photo contest, the purchase of new parkland featured this month is property at 2911 S. Wadsworth Blvd. to add to the Bear Creek Greenbelt(External link).

    September photo winner
    This photo from An Evening at Chester-Portsmouth Park won the photo contest. The story notes that the family walked in the Labyrinth after a long day of school and work to relax. The resident also said that she took her youngest child there to see the types of things the city is doing.

    September trivia
    The answer to September's trivia question is that Lakewood has 113 parks. See the complete list of parks on the A-Z list

  • September updates

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    Get contemplative for September's photo contest: Labyrinth @ Chester-Portsmouth Park or the future plans for Wright Park.

    August photo winner

    Sheltering @ Ray Ross Park won the photo contest for August, and the resident said, "I love participating in your contests because it takes me to different corners of my own town."


    Answer to August's trivia question:
    Eleven of Lakewood’s parks have reservable shelters, and reservations can be done online at Lakewood.org/ShelterRentals.



  • August updates

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    This month's featured projects for the photo contest:


    July photo contest winner: This month's winner involves a furry friend and a previous story: "My dog and I love the outdoor gym and facilities at Addenbrooke Park. We both take turns hopping up and down the variable boxes and steps. Thanks Lakewood for keeping both of us healthy, happy, and living our best lives! (See the previous monthly winners by scrolling below or visiting the photo contest winners.)

    Answer to July's trivia question: When the Caretaker’s Cottage was built in 1910, it used a unique form of construction popular at the time known as a kit house, which means the house was ordered from a catalog and the pieces were shipped and put together on the site.


  • July updates

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    This month's featured projects for the photo contest involve a little fitness and some history:


    June photo contest winner: This great story about family night at the renovated Glennon Height's pool shows that the city's work really means something to our residents. (See the previous monthly winners by scrolling below or visiting the photo contest winners.)

    Answer to May's trivia question: Porter Park was named for the family who once owned the land. Daniel Porter was a master gardener, and he and his wife, Phyllis, grew vegetables, fruits and flowers, in what was known as an “urban truck farm,” which populated the area in the years before Lakewood became a city. The city plans to carry on the farming tradition in the new Porter Park.


  • June updates

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    Have you been answering the trivia questions? This month's question is about Glennon Heights pool, which is one of the featured projects for the photo contest. Participate in Your Money at Work in other ways:

    • Watch a video about the Westland Park Playground, one of the new playgrounds created with modern play equipment chosen by residents that the city has installed.
    • Read about how the city funds all the great outdoor amenities for residents in Lakewood in the Your Money at Work description above.

  • May updates

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    Get out to this month's projects to take your best picture for May's photo contest: Westland Park Playground and Tennis Courts at Foothills Park.

    April photo contest winner: This serene photo and story about the Bear Creek Trail improvements is our winner for the April photo contest. (See the previous monthly winners by scrolling below. or visiting the photo contest winners.)

    Answer to April's trivia question: Lakewood has been able to purchase 117 acres of new parkland since 2018, with 60 of those acres purchased through TABOR funds that voters approved for this use in 2018.


  • April updates

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    It's time to get your cameras dusted off for the return of the monthly photo contest for April's projects. Submit a photo and be entered in a drawing for city prizes. Remember to tell us your story about why these projects are meaningful to you.

    If you have extra time, answer the April trivia question and check out the photo contest winners from last fall by scrolling down from this update.

  • January updates

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    A mountain biker riding down a trail in William Hayden Park.We have picked the winner for the December photo contest, and the stories coming in with the photos are splendid.

    The monthly photo contest and trivia are now on pause until spring. We’ll be back in April with new projects, and there will be a photo contest each month through November. See you then.

    PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

    DECEMBER: Hue Tu's photo of a mountain biker on a trail in William F. Hayden Park on Green Mountain is the winner.

    Answer to December's trivia question: Green Mountain’s summit reaches an elevation of 6,800 feet, providing stunning views of the Front Range and the metro area.

Page last updated: 04 Dec 2023, 03:05 PM