Chemical Free Parks
Chemical Free Parks
How many chemical free parks are there in Durango?
Currently Brookside Park and Pioneer Park are Durango's only chemical free parks. The City of Durango's Parks and Recreation Department in collaboration with Turtle Lake Refuge Organic Land Stewards Collective have designated Brookside Park as Durango's first Chemical-Free City Park.
Where is Brookside Park?
It is located at 2301 Main Ave. It's across the street from Durango Highschool. There is usually street parking available on 2nd Ave. or 24th St. To get to there from downtown, take Main Ave headed north and take a left on 24th St.
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Where is Pioneer Park?
It is on the north end of Durango at 261 E. 37th St. From downtown, travel North on Main Ave./Hwy 550, turn right (East) onto 37th St. Go .10 of a mile to the corner of N. Bennett and 37th St. Pioneer Park is on the left.
What is your goal with Chemical Free Parks?
Our goal is to maintain functional and beautiful city parks that are also healthy for the environment and our community.
The purpose of creating Chemical-Free Parks for our community is to provide a place where individuals and families can play safely in the grass without potential risks from the chemical residues.
We also wish to create a safe environment for our pollinators such as the honey bees and wild insects, birds and bats. It is our goal to show a successful example of managing our city parks using healthy alternative methods.
What is a Chemical-Free Park?
A Chemical-Free Park is a park where there are no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides sprayed on the grounds or in the air. The park is a designated Organic Zone.
Why is it important?
A Chemical-Free Park is important to the health of our natural ecosystem and human community. The chemicals used can be detrimental to the health of our pollinating insects, birds and bats. Children and animals can also experience susceptibility to effects from the chemicals applied. Chemical fertilizers can create an inhospitable environment to the microorganisms in the soil including earthworms. The phosphates from the fertilizers can run off into our waterways and risk polluting our rivers.
