In this issue of City News, you'll learn how to celebrate a few fun milestones like The Farm's 40th anniversary, how to nominate a person or organization for a Human Relations Award and how to provide feedback on possible updates to downtown parking — plus plenty more!

Thanks for reading!

- Kelly DiMartino, City Manager

This fall, Fort Collins voters will select a new mayor and councilmembers in Districts 1, 3 and 5 — and for the first time, they'll do it using Ranked Voting. In races with three or more candidates, voters can rank all candidates in their order of preference, with those choices counted over multiple rounds to determine who wins the election.

Election Day is Nov. 4, and Larimer County will mail out ballots in mid-October.

Want to test new adaptive sports equipment and participate in paralympic sports?

Join the City's Adaptive Recreation Opportunities (ARO) for a program and expo to experience a freedom chair (for hiking) and adaptive cycles (including handcycles), and to play wheelchair rugby, paralympic boccia, wheelchair tennis, adaptive pickleball and more!

• 4:30-6:30 p.m. | Wednesday, Sept. 10
• Fort Collins Senior Center

Celebrate The Farm's 40th anniversary with a special day out at The Farm! Featuring food trucks, farm games, live music, visiting with the animals and line dancing — there's something for the whole family to enjoy:

• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 13

Open Streets returns to Fort Collins for its 10th anniversary celebration on Sunday, Sept. 14! From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Lady Moon Drive — between Le Fever Drive and Shallow Pond Drive — will transform into a vibrant, car-free zone filled with live music, interactive arts, cultural activities and food/dessert trucks. Families, neighbors and local organizations are invited to "ride the route" on foot, bike, scooter — whatever your wheels may be — and enjoy a free, fun and community-driven experience.

The City is preparing updates to how parking is managed Downtown to improve access to parking and reduce congestion, while making the parking system financially sustainable. Currently, free time-limited street parking competes with paid garage parking, creating long-term funding challenges. Proposed updates include expanding paid parking, adjusting enforcement hours, improving wayfinding and revising residential permit zones.

Community members will have opportunities to learn more and provide feedback later this year before City Council considers recommendations in 2026.

Join us in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with variety of events and activities across Fort Collins:

• Sept. 13 | Wade the River: Make a splash in the Poudre River with hands-on, family-friendly fun.
• Sept. 13 | Lightning Talks: Listen to TED-style talks on local sustainability and conservation efforts.
• Sept. 16 | Proclamation at City Hall: Enjoy a Teatro Latino Performance at 4 p.m., followed by a proclamation at 5 p.m.
• Multiple Dates | Hispanic & Mexican Baseball Players Exhibit and Reception: Head to the Center for Creativity for a special exhibition honoring early Hispanic and Mexican baseball players.

For more than 40 years, the Human Relations Awards have celebrated community members who work to advance inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility in our community. Awards recognize work in the following four categories:

• Individual Award
• Organization/Team Award (non-profit or for-profit)
• Youth Award (18 years or younger)
• Rising Star Award 

Nominations are open until Oct. 31.

It's been a busy year for upgrades to safe bicycling infrastructure around Fort Collins! Here's a quick recap of improvements recently completed, currently underway and just around the corner:

• New separated bike lanes: Centre, Laporte
• New buffered bike lanes: Laurel, Harmony
• New traffic signals: Kechter at Jupiter (Zach Elementary), Ziegler at William Neal (work begins fall 2025)
• New pedestrian crossing signals: Laporte at Impala, Kechter at Cinquefoil (Zach Elementary)

For 30 years, Fort Collins' Art in Public Places (APP) program has brought creativity into our community — enhancing neighborhoods, trails, natural areas, streetscapes and public spaces across Fort Collins. As part of the year-long APP 30th anniversary celebration, The Lincoln Center Art Gallery is presenting a special exhibit showcasing artwork of 2025 APP artists, including Gregory Fields, Todd Kundla, Mark Leichliter, Allie Ogg, Stephen Shachtman and Gale Whitman.

View the exhibit through October 17.

Here’s what to expect around Fort Collins this month:

• Laporte has reopened at Meldrum following Fort Collins Utilities work.
• Power Trail will remain open between Keenland and Trilby until Oct. 27, when construction of the Siphon Overpass resumes.
• Trilby remains closed at College until Spring 2026 while crews improve the College and Trilby intersection.
  • All businesses on College remain open and accessible from College, which also remains open for travel.

Thanks for your patience as we work to make your travels safer and smoother!

In honor of Labor Day, all City offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 1.

City Park Pool will be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. All other recreation facilities and the Museum of Discovery will be closed. The Gardens on Spring Creek will remain open. Transfort will run holiday service.

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