Outdoor recreation topic of Saturday meeting

WORLAND – Representatives from the Wyoming State Parks Outdoor Recreation Office will be in Worland on Saturday, to host residents and community leaders for a meeting devoted to expanding outdoor recreation opportunities in the Big Horn Basin.

“The idea is to start a conversation about outdoor recreation opportunities in the Basin, and see if we can create some collaborative efforts to expand some of those opportunities,” said Deputy Administrator for Wyoming State Parks Nick Neylon.

Neylon noted that commissioners from Washakie, Big Horn and Hot Springs counties have been invited, along with area business leaders.

“We would like to work with the community to make things grow,” said Neylon, “and look at the development of things that would benefit the communities financially, from the development of new trails to mountain bike areas, or whatever the community is interested in developing.”

The community meetings coincide with a report finalized in 2017, at the governor’s direction, after a 26-member Outdoor Recreation Task Force made 70 recommendations to strengthen the state’s outdoor recreation economy.

Part of the task force’s plan was to identify existing agencies, such as Game and Fish and State Parks, and determine how they could coordinate with communities to strengthen outdoor recreation opportunities in each region.

The full report is available for review at wyoparks.org.

The meeting will take place on Saturday, April 14, at the One Oak Activity Center, 1115 Obie Sue Avenue in Worland beginning at 9 a.m.