Prairie Vista Park Management Plan and Resources

Please review the park management plan, along with ongoing maintenance plan for more information on the long-view prairie grassland restoration process. The objective is to restore the soil coverage with native grass species, knowing it can take a few years to provide a healthier bio-mass in the soil (including weeds during the interim). Tall grasses will look different and promote a different interaction of humans in the focused gazebo, playground, fenced-in perennial flower garden and along pathways versus all across the fields. Some of the current and future plans include: 

• Working closely with the Savory Institute, construction and maintenance teams.

• A soil survey for re-seeding the open space, which has identified patches of inhabitable soils. The construction team is evaluating what actions need to occur to change the soil pH before re-seeding.

• Spot tests of soil coverage in test areas for progress will be taken mid-June, along with soil ID of grasses to discuss what the re-seed mixture should include.

• Spot spraying/edge mowing/hand-weeding in specific locations for succession and proliferation of perennial grasses.

• Goat mowing will be scheduled each year, as needed, for another method of weed control and soil restoration.

• Fencing around the perennial garden to promote growth and protection.

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One of the first sub-urban park of its kind!

Prairie Vista Park provides a native, rehabilitative and sustainable park within the Cherry Creek Vista community. The design of the park focuses on re-naturalizing open land over the next decade with views to the east and connection to trails from adjacent Peakview Park and Cherry Creek State Park’s trail system.

The park was designed with a planning and construction grant awarded by Arapahoe County Open Space over the past three years. The management plan centers upon a low impact holistic approach, to help rehabilitate the open field with native grasses. The goal is to continue to promote balanced and active native plant and animal species, minimizing human intervention and impacts, while increasing use in the park’s designated active areas. Community awareness about the way native prairie grasslands work and education initiatives will continue for years to come! 

Thanks to community support and our partners from Arapahoe County Open Space, Savory Institute, Plains Conservation Center, Root Partnership, R&R Engineers, Broken Arrow Landscape and Design, Recreation Plus, JBK Landscape Inc., and Denver Water.