Downtown Monument went without its usual flowerbeds and hanging baskets this summer, and Our Community News reported that locals and visitors missed them all season. A resident filled the gap by seeding and planting the beds at the Tri-Lakes Chamber with marigolds and snapdragons, then watering and weeding them through the summer.
That small story matches the season. Most of what Monument residents will notice this fall, including a finished road, a playground about to open, and a full calendar of fall weekends, came from local groups and the people in them. A metro district paid for the road. A Kiwanis club and roughly 150 donors are paying for the playground. Nonprofits, merchants and the Chamber are running the calendar.
The Road That Finished Early
On Friday, Sept. 25, a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting closed out the Higby Road improvement project several weeks ahead of schedule. The six-month project covered two miles of Higby on the southeast side of town. Crews moved overhead power lines, repaved, improved drainage, added sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and built a new roundabout at Higby and Bowstring Road. West of Bowstring, the same upgrades run past the main entrance to Lewis-Palmer High School and end with intersection work at Jackson Creek Parkway.
The original finish date was October. According to KRDO, contractors brought in extra workers so the first half would be done before the fall semester started. That push put the whole job ahead of schedule.
The town did not pay for this road. The Triview Metro District planned and financed it, and its general manager, James McGrady, told KRDO the district is already looking at what comes next.
"We're doing an area-wide transportation plan that will identify any deficiencies. The trick, of course, is: how do you pay for all of it? So, that's the next step."
The answer to that funding question will shape which roads get the next round of work.
The Detour That Stays Until Spring
On the north side, El Paso County's Beacon Lite Road project is on a much longer timeline. The county is paving Beacon Lite from gravel to asphalt and improving its curves, grades and drainage. The goal is better stormwater control and easier winter maintenance. The road has been under a full closure since July, with the hard-closure zone moving north in stages as crews finish each section.
| Higby Road | Beacon Lite Road | |
|---|---|---|
| Who's building it | Triview Metro District | El Paso County Public Works |
| Status as of late September 2026 | Finished Sept. 25, ahead of the October target | Closed to through traffic, local access maintained |
| Key change | Roundabout at Bowstring, sidewalks, drainage, repaving | Gravel to asphalt, straighter southern curve, drainage |
| Completion | Done | Spring 2027, weather permitting |
Through traffic still follows the signed detour on Palmer Divide Road, Indi Drive, Aries Drive and Wakonda Way. The county page said the latest hard closure would last about three weeks after work moved north in September. It also notes that schedules depend on weather and resources and can change. Check the county's project page before planning a route through that stretch. Its fall look-ahead lists more roadway, drainage, utility and earthwork, with completion still targeted for spring 2027.
The Playground 150 Donors Paid For
Downtown, the biggest change is coming from donors. Ground was broken on the Heart of Monument Play Park on Aug. 10, at Second and Adams Streets, just south of the Monument Community Presbyterian Church parking lot. The church donated the 0.45-acre site. The park is designed to be universally accessible for all ages and abilities. The conceptual rendering shows ramped play structures, a wheelchair-accessible spinner, monkey bars, a shade sail and slide towers.
At the groundbreaking, Kiwanis member Scott Ross said about 150 donors and sponsors had contributed $767,000. That covers Phase One and part of Phase Two. The Monument Hill Kiwanis Club has led most of the fundraising, and the Town of Monument added money from a Community Development Block Grant. Another $48,000 is needed to finish Phase Two, which adds a shaded area, a toddler fence and accessible exercise equipment. Gleneagle Sertoma has since presented a $25,000 donation, OCN reported.
The planners also asked the community before they designed. Project partners talked with 25 community organizations, including Special Olympics, local autism support groups, the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Jackson Creek Senior Living, the Penrose Library and the YMCA.
There is no firm opening date yet. Organizers hoped for late September or early October. KOAA's Aug. 18 report said the target was near the first week of November. The project's own site says only "grand opening this fall." Whenever it opens, it will sit a few blocks from Bair Brew Coffee, which the Chamber's downtown directory lists as coming soon at 225 Front Street, Unit 100.
Where the Chains Are Landing
Most new commercial openings are clustering near Jackson Creek Parkway and Cinematic View. Monument's first Panda Express held its official ribbon-cutting at 16481 Cinematic View on July 21. A Dairy Queen at 16577 Cinematic View moved its opening to Aug. 3 after the earlier plan slipped. The Walmart Supercenter at 16218 Jackson Creek Parkway added a fast-charging station, with an Aug. 20 ribbon-cutting. Town council has approved the final development plan for a 7 Brew drive-through on Jackson Creek Parkway. No opening date has been announced.
Those openings bring convenience to the corridor. Downtown's fall calendar is run by different organizers.
The Calendar, and Who Runs It
The season started early. On Sept. 19, the longtime Bines & Brews festival returned as Monument Pours in the Park, adding spirits and nonalcoholic drinks alongside the beer. From here through December, nearly every date below is hosted by a nonprofit, the Chamber, a farm, or downtown merchants.
October
- Saturdays through October, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Monument Farmers Market at 146 N. Jefferson Street.
- Through Oct. 31. Colorado Pumpkin Patch at Colorado Kids Ranch, 2205 E. Highway 105, with hayrides, pony rides and a petting zoo.
- Oct. 10, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Front Range Makers' Market at Lewis-Palmer High School, 1300 Higby Road, with more than 125 local makers. The newly finished road leads right to it.
- Oct. 14, 5 to 7:30 p.m. The Tri-Lakes Cares Empty Bowls Dinner and Silent Auction.
- Oct. 24, 2 to 3 p.m. The Monument Cemetery Walk at 800 Beacon Lite Road, with a requested $5 donation.
- Oct. 24, Palmer Lake. The YMCA Creepy Crawl 5K and Kids Monster Dash from the Santa Fe Trailhead. The kids' dash starts at 10 a.m. and the 5K at 10:30 a.m.
- Oct. 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Tri-Lakes Chamber's free Community & Business Expo at the Tri-Lakes YMCA.
- Oct. 31. Downtown businesses host Safe Trick or Treat from 4 to 6 p.m. Hidden Gems and The SunDance Studio hold a free trunk-or-treat at 1445 Cipriani Loop with more than 30 trunks. Fall Mountain Farm's Autumn Adventure runs at 16300 Mount Herman Lane.
November and December
- First Friday and Saturday of November, which falls on Nov. 6 and 7 this year. The Downtown Monument Holiday Open House, with food, activities and sales.
- Nov. 17. The Chamber's Business After Hours, held as a nonprofit showcase at the Tri-Lakes YMCA.
- The Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Shop Small Business Saturday.
- Saturday, Dec. 5. Small Town Christmas downtown from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Santa, Mrs. Claus, reindeer, hayrides and crafts. Monument's Annual Tree Lighting is the same day at Limbach Park, with entertainment, food trucks and Santa.
The Chamber lists the open house and Small Business Saturday as recurring events without 2026 dates. The dates above follow its recurrence rules, so confirm them closer to the day. The Dec. 5 tree lighting date is listed outright.
The Next Round
Higby is finished. Beacon Lite has a spring 2027 target. The Play Park still needs its final $48,000 for shade, a toddler fence and accessible exercise equipment. Triview has said its next decisions depend on its area-wide transportation plan and how to fund it. The Heart of Monument committee is still taking donations to complete Phase Two.
When a project like Higby, Beacon Lite or the Play Park changes how a street drives or how a block feels, it helps to have someone who follows it closely. Meagan Kroeze and the Curtis Ryan Group team keep track of these changes across the Tri-Lakes area and are glad to talk through what any of them means for your address. Schedule a Consultation whenever the timing is right for you.
