Festival Park is the heart of Downtown Castle Rock and is home to some of the community’s most treasured events. Now, this central gathering space has been transformed into a vibrant urban center. This project was planned through a collaborative effort of residents, the Downtown Development Authority, Downtown Merchants Association and the Town.

On Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016 a construction contract between the Town and M.A. Mortenson Company was approved by Town Council to redevelop Festival Park. The goals are to enhance the park, boost the success of the adjacent Downtown business district and create an active public gathering space for both work and relaxation.

Throughout the planning process, the Town solicited input from the public to help re-image the park. The $6.9 million-park-improvement project includes amenities such as a landing pavilion, splash pad, a fire-pit, an open lawn, a creek-side picnic area, market plaza, bridge connections to Town Hall parking, improved lighting and seating, an overlook walkway with an iconic lantern feature and a water-play area in Sellars Gulch. In addition to the amenities, stormwater improvements along Sellars Gulch were implemented to align with national flood plain regulations and provide public access to the creek.

It’s also important to note, traffic will only be permitted to enter Second Street one-way from Perry Street and will be required to exit through the alley north. This allowed for both a pedestrian walkway and market plaza to be incorporated into the park.