NATIONAL FOREST

Ranger districts seeks bids for bike drop-off at Vail Pass

The White River National Forest is soliciting proposals to provide outfitter and guide services of bicycle and client delivery to the top of Vail Pass.

The Forest Service intends to authorize several ten-year special use permits to different individuals and organizations to serve up to a total of 20,000 clients during the summer season.

This service has been provided by twelve local businesses for up to 15 years, and they have been authorized by the Forest Service under temporary permits for the past two years to serve up to a total of 16,000 clients.

Because there are likely other businesses that would like to provide this service, the White River National Forest will issue a prospectus followed by an evaluation of proposals to determine how the available permits will be allocated.

The objective in permitting this activity on National Forest System lands is to answer a clear public need for bicycle drop-off opportunities at Vail Pass, to provide for the health and safety of bike path users by regulating the activity, to protect the natural resources through permit requirements, to support the economy of local communities and to provide a quality recreation experience for the public, according to a news release.

For additional information, please contact Ken Waugh at 970-262-3446 or kwaugh@fs.fed.us.

BRECKENRIDGE

Parking tip: Skiers, keep cars off Main Street

Breckenridge transportation officials are announcing several changes to parking. The goal is maximize close-in customer parking and to provide more employee parking. Here are a few tips to help you navigate Breckenridge parking:

Ice rink day permit: This is now available to residents in a designated area of Breckenridge and unincorporated Summit County. The designated area includes the area of Boreas Pass south to the top of Hoosier Pass. Permit holders are eligible to park at the Ice Rink in the designated pay parking area. Qualified individuals are eligible to purchase permits for up to two vehicles — $75 for the first, $25 for the second. The permit is not valid for overnight parking. The designated areas: Warriors Mark, Boreas Pass, Baldy, and arteries, area south of Boreas to the top of Hoosier Pass.

Employee parking: Employee parking is normally available on French Street and in the Klack Placer lot (S. French Street). Occupancy averaged 55 percent last winter on French Street and 54 percent in Klack Placer. Driving directly to those locations will save you time when you’re trying to find a place to park.

Additional employee parking: After tracking usage in the E. Sawmill and Wellington lots for the first part of the season, the Employee North permit holders will now be permitted to park in the Wellington Lot Mondays through Thursdays. Employee parking is still prohibited on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays as well as on blackout dates (see blackout dates below). This change is being made on a trial basis and we will continue to monitor occupancy and adjust parking management accordingly. Blackout dates currently include Feb. 15, March 7 – 10, and March 14 – 17.

Breckenridge Elementary: Employee overflow parking will be available to permit holders at Breckenridge Elementary on the following dates: Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27 and March 6. Parking is available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for employees only. Any vehicles left overnight will be towed.

Overnight parking: Available at the Satellite lot for $5/night and the Ice Rink for $15/night. Both allow a maximum of 14 nights. Oversized vehicles must park at the Satellite lot.

No skier/snowboarder parking on Main Street: There are nearly 2,500 parking spaces, including pay and free, where skier parking is encouraged in town. However, skier parking is prohibited on Main Street in order to promote downtown businesses and allow for guests — both local and out-of-town — to find convenient parking.

Public forum: Breckenridge residents are invited join the town transit and parking task force for public forums at 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Feb. 18 at the Breckenridge Grand Vacations Community Center. Transit and parking experts from outside the town will also be joining the conversation.

SUMMIT COUNTY

Bessie Minor Swift Foundation accepting grant application

The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation is accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations in Summit County. Grants will be awarded to programs that promote literacy, reading and writing skills and programs in the arts, languages and sciences.

Applications will be accepted through February 15 and recipients will be announced on May 2, 2016. The Fund will consider applications for grants requesting a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $3,000.

The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation awards grants to organizations that provide direct service to help with the implementation or expansion of literacy programs for children who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading, and also to develop reading and writing skills at all age levels.

The foundation supports programs in the arts, languages and sciences for preschool, primary and secondary school-aged children. More than $300,000 in grants has been awarded since 2008.

The foundation prefers to consider grants for programs instead of grants strictly for technology. The foundation also prefers to award grants to organizations that do not have access to large fundraising budgets and are local in nature.

Grants are made only to nonprofit organizations certified as tax exempt.

The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation was formed by the owners and founder of Swift Communications, which owns and operates the Summit Daily News and http://www.summitdaily.com.

News briefs compiled by Summit Daily News staff.