When Two Ponds was threatened by development, many neighbors and their friends saw the potential of this area as an outdoor educational and recreational center for Arvada. After spending several years laying the foundation, Two Ponds is finally emerging as such a center. During 1997, over 900 students and residents visited Two Ponds. This year another 800 students have participated in educational programs at Two Ponds. Just as we all begin focusing our attention on making Two Ponds an outstanding outdoor educational experience for our schools, we must now divert that attention to saving the Refuge because it is again threatened by development.

Within the designated boundaries of the Refuge there are still three parcels of land owned by private entities. The largest landowner is Lutheran Medical Center Foundation (LMCF). The LMCF currently owns approximately 20 acres, shown as Parcels 4 and 5 in the Figure. In July, the LMCF accepted an unsolicited offer for $2.2 million from the Writer-Houston Development Company. The offer included both parcels.

In 1994, when the US Fish and Wildlife Service purchased 16.5 acres from Lutheran Medical Center, it also negotiated a "first right of refusal" on Parcel 4. The Service had wanted to obtain the "first right of refusal" for all the remaining acreage owned by Lutheran, but Lutheran limited the "first right of refusal" to this one parcel. Lutheran also agreed to allow the Service to manage both parcels for a period of 15 years. Having the "first right of refusal" should have allowed the Service an opportunity to purchase at least Parcel 4 if Lutheran ever decided to sell its property.

Prior to accepting the contract from the Writer-Houston Development Company, the LMCF failed to notify the Service of its decision to sell this property. The Service responded by exercising its "first right of refusal" and offered the LMCF $2.2 million for both parcels.

The LMCF rejected the Service's offer because the Service does not have immediate access to the total funding required to complete the transaction. The Service has $690,000 available for the purchase. The remaining $1.5 million is included in an appropriation bill that is waiting approval by Congress. The Two Ponds appropriation is the number one priority for Region VI of the Service, and is fully supported by Congressman David Skaggs.

Although the Writer-Houston contract includes some planning/development that must be completed within 180 days, there is concern the contract could be modified at any time and the land sold sooner to the Writer-Houston Development Company. Acquisition of Parcels 4 and 5 by the Service is considered crucial to meeting the Refuge objectives addressing both wildlife habitat and public use. These two parcels include almost one third of the available wildlife habitat at the Refuge. Also, the western part of the Refuge, including Parcels 4 and 5, is the only area of the Refuge open to the public on a daily basis.

Since learning of this threat, the Two Ponds Preservation Foundation has:

• Met with Mr. Dexter Writer of the Writer-Houston Development Company to inform him of the special value this property has for our community.
• Met with members of the Arvada City Council to inform them of this threat to the Refuge
• Sent letters to all board members of the LMCF requesting they honor the Services "first right of refusal."

  If you would like to see this part of the Refuge, the trails can be accessed from West 77th Drive and the Lutheran parking lot (see Map of Two Ponds (123 k)). The trails are open every day, dawn to dusk.