Town of Castle Rock

Could you imagine a holiday season without the Star? Thanks to a community-wide effort, that’s not something we have to worry about. The history of the Star dates back to 1936, during the Great Depression. At a time when Castle Rock residents were struggling and in need of hope, the community came together. Volunteer firefighters carried supplies up the Rock, constructing a Star that illuminated the Town and lifted spirits. According to records, the current 40-foot Star was rebuilt in 1949 and has proudly stood atop the Rock ever since. While the Star shines brightly throughout the holiday season, maintaining it is a year-round effort managed by a dedicated group of volunteers from Castle Rock Fire And Rescue Department, known as the Keepers of the Star. This fall, the Keepers ensured the Star’s longevity by having it evaluated by a structural engineer. The good news? The Star passed inspection, with the engineer reportedly “very impressed” with how well-built the structure is. But, what keeps the Star standing? It’s supported by tensioned metal guy lines and U-Bolts. These components require specialized craftsmanship. In fact, Town employees fabricate custom metal buckles and straps for the U-Bolts in the Town’s shop at Public Works, while the U-Bolts themselves are sourced from a small company in Plattsburgh, New York. In the accompanying photos, Keepers Jay and Derek are seen installing the U-Bolts and tightening the guy lines — both critical to stabilizing the Star from all directions. Each year, many hands contribute to ensuring the Star is holiday-ready. Teams from the Castle Rock Police Department, CORE Electric Cooperative, the Town’s Division of Innovation and Technology, Public Works, Castle Rock Fire And Rescue Department, and many others work together on maintenance and upgrades. Thanks to their efforts, the Star continues to shine brightly over Castle Rock as a beacon of hope and community pride. This Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. is Starlighting, hosted by the Castle Rock Chamber and sponsored in part by the Town. We hope you will join us to see the Star light up the sky for the holiday season.

?? Did you know your dishwasher uses up to 83% less water than hand washing! With all that swishing, It can sound like the dishwasher is using a ton of water, but in reality, modern dishwashers only use about 5 gallons of water. Models older than 10 years, can use as much as 16 gallons, but hand washing is estimated to use a whopping 27 gallons for the same number of dishes! Plus, dishwashers heat water to higher temperatures increasing the effectiveness for killing bacteria, fungi and viruses. Remember to scrape your plate into the trash before placing it in the dishwasher. Your pup will probably be as disappointed as Frankie was to not find any tasty morsels on the plate — but it's important to keep fats, oils and grease from traveling through the dishwasher and down the drain into your pipes.

A site development plan for a Costco retail warehouse and updates to ColoradoScape requirements for new single-family homes were advanced at Town Council’s Nov. 19 meeting. Here is a closer look: https://lnkd.in/gaxukDKh

A site development plan for a Costco retail warehouse and updates to ColoradoScape requirements for new single-family homes will be topics on Town Council’s Nov. 19 meeting agenda. Here is a closer look: https://conta.cc/3YQlkvh

?? Making sure moisture drains off the trail is a key component to trail sustainability. This fall, Town open space staff installed 13 large rolling grade dips and water diversion channels along 500 feet of the Paul Hill Perimeter Trail at Rock Park to help maintain the integrity of the trail tread. Rock Park is one of Castle Rock's most visited open space properties and a great place to hike year-round. #TrailThursdays

This #WaterWednesday get ready to mark National Stormwater Day on Nov. 16 with us. It's a great time to salute the advancing technology that helps keep our waterways clear of pollutants. One great example is the courtyard near at Town Hall. Often filled with residents reading, meeting friends, drinking coffee and enjoying the sun it's actually an integral part of The Town's stormwater system. Hiding below this beautiful and permeable brick is a series of cisterns that collect rainwater (and snowmelt) runoff from nearby areas, allow the pollutants to settle and then release the water into Sellars Gulch. These cisterns are used in place of a typical detention pond and are perfect for limited spaces and areas with intense slopes. In the included image, Castle Rock Water Stormwater Division staff introduces water to the stormwater system below the Town Hall Plaza to determine how long it takes for the water to be filtered and enter the gulch.

??Before Castle Rock Fire And Rescue crews leave on a call, everyone has to put on their seatbelt.?Every call. Every ride. Every. Single. Time. National Seat Belt Day is this Thursday, Nov. 14, and CRFD wants you to remember to buckle up every time you get in a vehicle. ?? Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 25,420 passenger vehicle occupants were killed in 2022, and about 50% of those fatalities were unbuckled. The consequences of not or improperly wearing a seat belt?are clear: 1. Wearing a seatbelt helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle, while not buckling up can lead to being ejected during a crash, which is almost always fatal. 2. Air bags alone are not enough to protect you; in fact, the force of an air bag can seriously injure or even kill you if you’re not buckled up. Air bags are designed to work with seat belts, not replace them.? 3. Improperly wearing a seat belt, such as putting the strap below your arm, puts you and your children at risk in a crash. Buckle up, Castle Rock! Learn more about seat belt safety today at https://lnkd.in/gY3QDWdz. Your seat belt is crucial to surviving a crash.

Master planning for the 681-acre Lost Canyon Ranch Open Space is underway. Help envision how this incredible property will serve Castle Rock and surrounding areas. Your input is essential in shaping this open space, which will serve as a haven for both people and wildlife for generations to come. Join us for an open house anytime from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at Cantril School (312 Cantril Street) in Downtown Castle Rock. You'll hear from the planning team and have an opportunity to share your thoughts on the project. No official timeline for public access to the property has been set, but this and future opportunities for public feedback will help determine how the property could be utilized within the constraints of the conservation easement, and future budget requirements. Can’t make it to the open house? Learn more and submit your feedback online from Nov. 13 to Dec. 13 at CRgov.com/LostCanyonRanch. The Town of Castle Rock partnered with Douglas County, Great Outdoors Colorado, Douglas Land Conservancy and The Conservation Fund to secure this spectacular property.

Town Council met on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Watch the meeting: https://lnkd.in/gdXfSz6r

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission urges consumers of micromobility products, which include e-bikes, e-scooters, self-balancing scooters (hoverboards) and e-unicycles, not to use chargers that are marketed as “universal” to avoid fires and injury or death, unless they have been tested and approved to work safely with your device. Chargers labeled as "universal" may physically fit your micromobility device but could still be incompatible. If you don’t have the original charger, contact the device manufacturer for compatible options. Ensure any replacement charger is tested and approved for safe use with your device. To further lower the risk of fire, Castle Rock Fire And Rescue Department encourages you to follow these steps when charging your micromobility product with the correct charger: Unplug the charger from the micromobility device when the charge cycle is complete. Do not leave the charger plugged into the device for long periods of time. Always be present when charging micromobility products, and never charge them while you are sleeping. Follow the manufacturer’s guidance on how often you should charge your battery if you are not regularly using your micromobility device.