Ford Park 2023 Master Plan

UPDATE: Vail Town Council adopted the 2023 Gerald R. Ford Park Master Plan on Nov. 7.


Ford Park is the crown jewel of Vail’s park and open space system.

Ford Park contains several unique and interesting features which are enjoyed by Vail’s residents and guests. Many of these features are managed and maintained by organizations outside of the Town of Vail and operate under a lease agreement with the Town.

These organizations operate the following features within the park:

Vail Recreation District:



Tennis Center
Softball Fields and Concessions
Soccer Field

Vail Valley Foundation:

Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens:


Alpine Gardens
Children’s Garden and School House Museum
Alpine Garden Education Center


The Town of Vail manages and maintains the areas of Ford Pak outside of the leased areas. These include:

Children’s Playground Lower Bench Lawn:

Lawn
Restrooms
Picnic Shelter

Vail Nature Center Public Art:

Art installations
Future Artist in Residence Building

Gore Creek Corridor Roads and Walks:


Betty Ford Way
Bike and Walking paths
Gore Creek Stream Walk
Bridges
Parking Lots


Ford park is not a static entity. As the managing organizations, look to grow their programs and keep their events, displays and facilities fresh, Ford Park is always evolving.

It is the Town of Vail’s responsibility to manage this evolution by periodically updating the master plan for Ford Park. The current guiding document is the 2013 Gerald R. Ford Park Master Plan. Since its adoption by the Vail Town Council, new ideas and proposals have come up that warrant an update to the master plan.

The Ford Park Master Plan Update process was initiated in June 2022 at which time the Landscape Architecture and Planning firm of WRT, Denver/San Francisco, was hired to assist with the process. Thus far in the process, Town staff and WRT have conducted several rounds of information gathering with the managing organizations and Town of Vail Departments to determine the anticipated direction and desires of each for the next 10-year period. With that information in-hand the process can now move to gathering information from the public.

The master plan update process provides an opportunity for the citizens of Vail as well as guests who use the park to state their concerns and provide ideas and suggestions regarding Ford Park and to react to the various proposals from the various managing organizations. The information and feedback gathered will be included in the updated master plan.

The master plan update will include information covering several topics including physical alterations to the park and possible changes to how the park is managed and maintained. A draft of the master plan update will be shared on this webpage for additional public review and comment. Once those comments have been incorporated the plan will be presented to the Planning and Environmental Commission (PEC), and the Vail Town Council for review. There will be additional opportunities for public comment during each of the reviews. The PEC may recommend approval, approval with conditions, or denial of the updated master plan to the Town Council who are the decision makers on the adoption of the Ford Park Master Plan update.


UPDATE: Vail Town Council adopted the 2023 Gerald R. Ford Park Master Plan on Nov. 7.


Ford Park is the crown jewel of Vail’s park and open space system.

Ford Park contains several unique and interesting features which are enjoyed by Vail’s residents and guests. Many of these features are managed and maintained by organizations outside of the Town of Vail and operate under a lease agreement with the Town.

These organizations operate the following features within the park:

Vail Recreation District:



Tennis Center
Softball Fields and Concessions
Soccer Field

Vail Valley Foundation:

Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens:


Alpine Gardens
Children’s Garden and School House Museum
Alpine Garden Education Center


The Town of Vail manages and maintains the areas of Ford Pak outside of the leased areas. These include:

Children’s Playground Lower Bench Lawn:

Lawn
Restrooms
Picnic Shelter

Vail Nature Center Public Art:

Art installations
Future Artist in Residence Building

Gore Creek Corridor Roads and Walks:


Betty Ford Way
Bike and Walking paths
Gore Creek Stream Walk
Bridges
Parking Lots


Ford park is not a static entity. As the managing organizations, look to grow their programs and keep their events, displays and facilities fresh, Ford Park is always evolving.

It is the Town of Vail’s responsibility to manage this evolution by periodically updating the master plan for Ford Park. The current guiding document is the 2013 Gerald R. Ford Park Master Plan. Since its adoption by the Vail Town Council, new ideas and proposals have come up that warrant an update to the master plan.

The Ford Park Master Plan Update process was initiated in June 2022 at which time the Landscape Architecture and Planning firm of WRT, Denver/San Francisco, was hired to assist with the process. Thus far in the process, Town staff and WRT have conducted several rounds of information gathering with the managing organizations and Town of Vail Departments to determine the anticipated direction and desires of each for the next 10-year period. With that information in-hand the process can now move to gathering information from the public.

The master plan update process provides an opportunity for the citizens of Vail as well as guests who use the park to state their concerns and provide ideas and suggestions regarding Ford Park and to react to the various proposals from the various managing organizations. The information and feedback gathered will be included in the updated master plan.

The master plan update will include information covering several topics including physical alterations to the park and possible changes to how the park is managed and maintained. A draft of the master plan update will be shared on this webpage for additional public review and comment. Once those comments have been incorporated the plan will be presented to the Planning and Environmental Commission (PEC), and the Vail Town Council for review. There will be additional opportunities for public comment during each of the reviews. The PEC may recommend approval, approval with conditions, or denial of the updated master plan to the Town Council who are the decision makers on the adoption of the Ford Park Master Plan update.


  • Ford Park Master Plan DRAFT

    On Oct. 9, 2023, the Vail Planning and Environmental Commission (PEC) unanimously approved a recommendation to the Town Council for the update to the Ford Park Master Plan. The plan will be presented to the Town Council in a working session on Oct.17, 2023, in preparation for a formal hearing on Nov. 7, 2023. Following the adoption of the plan, public engagement will be an integral step of each recommendation. Click here to view the 2023 Draft Ford Park Master Plan.

  • Town of Vail Seeking Input on Ford Park

    The Town of Vail has begun the process of updating its Ford Park Master Plan and is soliciting input from the public. A short questionnaire on potential future management and physical changes to the park is available at www.engagevail.com/fordpark2023. All interested community members are encouraged to respond.

    Ford Park is known as the crown jewel in the Town of Vail’s system of parks and open space. The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail Nature Center, playground and sports fields all make Ford Park a much loved and used public park. Management of the park and review of improvement proposals are guided by the Ford Park Master Plan, which has been updated and modified several times since the original document in the 1980s. The 2013 Ford Park Master Plan is the most recent guiding document adopted by the Vail Town Council.

    The current project to update the plan began in the fall of 2022 with the solicitation of ideas and input from the organizations that manage and use the facilities in the park. These include the Vail Recreation District, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Vail Valley Foundation, Bravo! and several town departments.

    The planning firm WRT was hired to assist town staff in drafting the updated master plan. For additional information please contact Todd Oppenheimer, Town of Vail Capital Projects Manager at toppenheimer@vailgov.com or 970-479-2161.

Page last updated: 29 Nov 2023, 03:48 PM