The Facilities Department is pursuing multiple capital projects in 2025. Read below for a snapshot of each project and current updates.
Gilpin County has two wells which feed a 330,000 gallon water tank to support all operations at the Gilpin County Justice Center, the Gilpin County Community Center, the Gilpin County Exhibit Building and Fairgrounds, and the Gilpin County Food Pantry. The water from these wells are within the Ralston Creek Drainage area. The State Water Commission permitted the use of these two wells and the water systems for the above sites with the condition that Gilpin County retain a water augmentation plan to supplement water back into Ralston creek, should we exceed our allotted usage from the wells in Ralston creek, and/or should a senior water rights holder on Ralston Creek have a call for water. To satisfy the need for an augmentation plan Gilpin County has long been partners with the Dory Lakes POA to retain water rights of the water itself stored in Dory Lake. Depending on a number of factors such as snowpack/snowmelt flow, seasonal rain, and usage of water from numerous parties within the Ralston creek drainage, the State Water Commission may call on Gilpin County to supplement water into Ralston Creek from Dory Lake.
Gilpin County maintains a pumping system at Dory Lake to satisfy these calls from the State Water Commission and therefore retain our ability to use the wells, as allowed by State permit, for our main County Facilities. In 2020 one of two pumps at Dory Lake failed, and the second was identified as failing. This left the County vulnerable as without these pumps, the County may not be able to uphold its obligations with the State Water Commission with its augmentation plan, ultimately putting the operation of County buildings at risk. Gilpin County solicited engineering firms to design a new pumping system that can be more accessible and better maintained to avoid issues in the future. The engineering firm is to provide full construction drawings and engineered plan sets to achieve this goal. Developing these plans sets are the most crucial step to ensuring a safe and maintainable system for now and the future. Once plans are complete, the county will solicit contactor for construction of the finalized plan.
On February 7, 2024, Dory Lakes residents attended a Q & A session with engineering firm HRGreen about the Dory Lakes pump replacement project to give feedback and ask questions.
Status: Investigation, Public Meetings, and Design completed by February 7, 2024. Construction Drawings complete.
Construction: TBD from Proposals received – RFP to be released in early 2025 for construction.
The Gilpin County Food Pantry currently operates out of a 25-year-old work trailer. This work trailer was purchased in 2004 for temporary offices while the Gilpin County Community Center was being built. Since this is a temporary structure/trailer and not a fixed asset, its value depreciates much like an automobile, instead of appreciating in value like a well-maintained building. The current trailer is valued between $5,000 and $8,000. The temporary structure has been identified to need a minimum of $76,364.00 worth of work in the next 3 years to meet codes and continue safe operations. Over the next 20 years the trailer is expected to need approximately $313,000 worth of work between man hours and materials. These costs to maintain this facility far exceed the value of the asset itself. Gilpin County as a government entity who are 1) stewards of taxpayer dollars, and 2) established to serve the needs of the community in perpetuity, has decided that pursuing the planning and construction of a permanent facility to house the Gilpin County Food Pantry is the most responsible decision to provide a long-term solution to house food pantry operations.
Gilpin County contracted with CSHQA Architects to have design plans and construction drawings developed for a new facility. Floor Plan & Site Designs Complete March 6, 2024 and presented to BOCC at March 19, 2024 Work Session. Construction drawings incorporating feedback complete at end of 2024.
In January, 2025, an RFP for the construction of the new Community Annex was released. On March 18, 2025, the Board of County Commissioners met to review ways of reducing the cost of the project in order to stay within budget. This information will be shared back with the firms who submitted proposals.
Last year, the county applied to the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund (EIAF) for a grant to help fund construction costs on this project. The county received notice that it was granted $650,000 which will pay for a significant portion of the project. The EIAF grant program assists political subdivisions that are socially and/or economically impacted by the development, processing, or energy conversion of minerals and mineral fuels. Funds come from the state severance tax on energy and mineral production and from a portion of the state's share of royalties paid to the federal government for mining and drilling of minerals and mineral fuels on federally-owned land.
View Frequently Asked Questions for the Community Center Annex.