Podcast
Loving the Springs
Hosted by Dave Gardner, Al Brody and Carrie Simison · EN
Celebrating the best of Colorado Springs and elevating the rest.
Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast@gmail.com
31episodes
Episodes
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31: Oct 28 – The Brit Pub Grand Opening
Oct 2800:53:11Tap to summarizeWe went live and on-location to get acquainted with downtown’s newest pub, a true community gathering spot next to Weidner Field. Two of the co-owners, Meredith Klube and Nova, sat down with us the day before The Brit Pub’s grand opening on October 24, as we gazed at footballers on the field. The pub is located on the lower two floors of Experience at Epicenter Apartments at 645 S. Sierra Madre St.Just as in England, The Brit Pub aims to be the center of the community, a great place for darts, futbol on the telly, quiz nights, board game nights, special events and “Proper Sunday roast.”LINKS:The Brit Pub: https://greatbritish.net/The live video of this podcast: https://youtube.com/live/okOHztE_wBU Special thanks to this episode’s sponsor:Weidner Norwood Center for Real Estate & Property Management at UCCS College of Business https://business.uccs.edu/academics/property-management-bs MENTIONED:Colorado Springs Switchbacks Football ClubExperience at Epicenter ApartmentsWeidner Apartment HomesPremier LeagueEl ClásicoFormula 1American OutlawsHogshead BreweryDowntown PartnershipThe WarehousePhil GriffinMarco Pierre WhiteGordon RamsayCheers (the TV series) Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com
Transcribe →12: Feb 25 2025 – Planning to Make the World a Better Place
Feb 25, 202500:47:01Tap to summarizeMaréa Janae is a “sustainable wedding planner” focused on “celebrating love and bringing a community together” in ways that are light on the planet. A young outdoorswoman in love with Colorado Springs, Maréa is busy finding ways to eliminate the 400 to 600 pounds of landfill waste resulting from the average wedding – while creating beautiful and unique events.“I think that it is really cool to get to do business in a capitalistic society – in which profit is king – to try to flip that script and figure out how to make a successful and profitable business that is actually focused on making the world a better place.”Also: We provide an update on February 11 city council action on E-Bikes policy for parks and trails in Colorado Springs, including a brief interview with John Weiss of Together for Colorado Springs.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Dream Catcher Weddings - https://www.dreamcatcherwed.com/Venetucci Farm - https://www.venetuccifarm.org/Gather Mountain Blooms- https://www.gathermountainblooms.com/Pikes Peak Community Foundation - https://www.ppcf.org/Growing Gurus - https://www.ghostprint.org/Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum - https://www.cspm.org/The Story of Plastic - https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/the-story-of-plastic-documentary-film/Epoch Moment - https://epochmoment.com/ Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they'll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com
Transcribe →11: Feb 9 2025 - Mayor’s 2025 Action Plan Part 2 Plus E-Bike Policy Update
Feb 9, 202501:01:01Tap to summarizeWe continue highlighting key parts of Mayor Yemi’s Strategic Doing Action Items - infrastructure, housing solutions, economic vitality and community activation.Also, why you may want to attend the February 11 Colorado Springs City Council Meeting: we get an update on the City’s effort to adopt rules governing use of e-bikes in the city’s parks, trails and open spaces. Cory Sutela, executive director of Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates, stopped by the studio on February 6 to fill us in, following a City Council work session and formal meeting the week of January 27.LINKS:City of Colorado Springs E-Bikes Informationhttps://coloradosprings.gov/Ebikes Medicine Wheel Trail Advocateshttps://medwheel.org/ Colorado Springs Strategic Planhttps://coloradosprings.gov/StrategicPlan Strategic Doing Action Itemshttps://coloradosprings.gov/document/2025strategicdoingactions.pdf Life Happens; Be Ready - episode 126 of Peak Environment podcast - An introduction to the GRIT programhttps://studio809podcasts.com/life-happens-be-ready/Rules of the Road: What Every Motorist and Cyclist Needs to Know – episode 32 of Pedal the Springs podcasthttps://studio809podcasts.com/bicycle-rights-rules-colorado/Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they'll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com
Transcribe →10: Jan 28 2025 - Mayor’s 2025 Action Plan and Should City Council Get a Living Wage?
Jan 28, 202500:50:30Tap to summarizeLeveraging technology to improve public safety headlines Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi’s 2025 strategic plan. In the first of two parts, Al and Dave dissect the Mayor’s new Strategic Action Doing Items. Wildfire mitigation, evacuation planning, transportation and infill development also get some attention.Also:Golf carts instead of buses?Who benefits from the city’s strong-mayor form of government? Take a guess. And Dave and Al aren’t crazy about it.Banning-Lewis Ranch and other annexation issues“Complete Streets” and “Complete Creeks”A pay raise for city council? Dave and Al discuss the issue, in light of a January 18 Community Conversation hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Pikes Peak Region. See links below for video of that event, or hear it on the Making Democracy Work podcast. LINKS:Community Conversation: City Council Pay – video and Making Democracy Work podcasthttps://studio809podcasts.com/community-conversation-council-pay/ Colorado Springs Strategic Planhttps://coloradosprings.gov/StrategicPlan Strategic Doing Action Itemshttps://coloradosprings.gov/document/2025strategicdoingactions.pdf The Future of Fountain Creek - Panel and Community Discussion – March 19, 2025Hybrid Event – noon to 1:30 at Fountain Creek Nature Center (doors open 11:30)RSVP to attend virtuallyhttps://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/5RNjoPyYRGCLUQ86pcZzJQ Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they'll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com
Transcribe →9: December 18, 2024 - Improving Community Health: Highroots Wellness
Dec 18, 202400:41:40Tap to summarizeWe learn about a unique up-and-coming nonprofit working to “navigate communities towards wellness,” plus Dave fact-checks Al on driving the speed limit (and loses). We’re joined in this spirited episode by Jennaya Colóns, executive director of Highroots Wellness & Consulting. She’s also a Physical Therapist Assistant, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, and outreach liaison at CommonSpirit. Community health is her passion, and when she saw gaps that needed to be satisfied in the city she loves, she founded Highroots Wellness & Consulting.We were struck by Jennaya’s statement, “Everybody does matter, every single last one of us.” Jennaya served as co-chair of Common Spirit's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. She is currently Chair of the Patient Navigation Taskforce for the Colorado Cancer Coalition, Chair of the Healthy Community Collaborative's Barriers to Accessing Healthcare Workgroup, sits on the advisory board for the Pikes Peak Business and Education Alliance (PPBEA), and is a recent Mayor's Civic Leader Fellowship graduate.Later in the episode we learn about the “5-Car Rule” on two-lane highways, and about “normalized deviance,” as Dave continues his crusade to “re-normalize” driving the speed limit – for safety and reduced CO2 emissions.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Peak EducationStompin’ GroundzWidefield Recreation CenterPanorama ParkRISE SoutheastYolanda AvilaAlan BeauchampMayor’s Fellowship ProgramAmy’s DonutsClosure of librariesDenver Broncos LINKS: Highroots Wellness & Consultinghttps://www.highrootswellness.org/ Colorado Revised Statutes Title 42. Vehicles and Traffic § 42-4-1103. Minimum speed regulationhttps://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-42-vehicles-and-traffic/co-rev-st-sect-42-4-1103/ Road Rules: The five-car rulehttp://pointroberts.staging.communityq.com/stories/road-rules-the-five-car-rule,22803Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they'll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com
Transcribe →8: December 5, 2024 – Mean Streets of Colorado Springs
Dec 5, 202400:45:51Tap to summarizeDave is on a crusade to tame the trend of more speeding, red-light running, and aggressive driving on our streets. Observing the speed limit and driving courteously will make our streets safer for other motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. It will also save gas (and money), and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Al debates Dave on the pros and cons of his plan to “normalize” driving civilly by recruiting motorists who care – to start a trend of driving the speed limit. Dave wants to be the leader of the pack, but will he end up being the weirdo in the pack? Al notes Dave is NOT “the blonde in the T-bird.” So, perhaps we need all the “cool people” to lead the charge?In this episode we discuss:SpeedingAggressive drivingAvoiding a road rage incidentReporting aggressive drivers (dial *CSP)Usage-based auto insurance (that monitors your driving habits)Do you have an obligation to pull off the road to let speeders go by if you’re holding them up?2C is slowing down the rate at which our roads are deterioratingHow bicycle-friendly are our streets?Can the extended 2C PPRTA tax improve road conditions in the Springs?LINKS:Effective Cycling – by John Foresterhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/349449.Effective_Cycling Requiem for a Heavyweight - John-Forester-1929-2020https://cyclingsavvy.org/2020/06/john-forester/Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they'll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com
Transcribe →7: Nov 21, 2024 - Where Should E-bikes be Welcome on Our Trails?
Nov 21, 202401:03:47Tap to summarizeColorado Springs’ controversial e-bikes ordinance proposal is discussed with longtime trail advocates Kent and Ruth Obee. The proposal would define Class 1 and 2 e-bikes, powered by an electric motor, as "non-motorized use,” in order to “comply with” or “circumvent” (depending on your point of view) the voter-approved TOPS (Trails, Open Space and Parks) prohibition of motorized vehicles in TOPS-acquired spaces. The proposal was recently approved by the Parks Advisory Board, and is expected to be considered by Colorado Springs City Council in December. It was rejected in a November 6 TOPS Working Committee meeting. E-bikes are currently not allowed on trails in parks and open spaces procured by the TOPS program.For over 25 years, Kent and Ruth Obee have served on boards and volunteered their time for numerous park and open space projects and agencies, including TOPS.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Mayor Yemi MoboladeMedicine Wheel Trail AdvocatesSteve HarrisPalmer Land ConservancyColorado Springs Utilities Budget and rate increasesClosure of the Rockrimmon branch of the libraryDowntown safety, recreation and parking enhancementsDowntown Colorado SpringsState Representative Marc SnyderU.S. House Candidates River Gassen and Jeff CrankGrowthBusters documentary LINKS:City of Colorado Springs Ebike Policy Infohttps://coloradosprings.gov/Ebikes Colorado Springs E-Bike Policy Gains Narrow Vote of Approvalhttps://gazette.com/news/colorado-springs-e-bike-policy-gains-narrow-vote-of-approval/article_f0309bea-a2d8-11ef-8dc9-9feaa04a5a3b.html What Is TOPS?https://coloradosprings.gov/parks/page/what-tops Colorado Springs Residents Call on City to Help Pay Rockrimmon Library Lease Before It Closeshttps://krdo.com/news/2024/11/12/colorado-springs-residents-call-upon-city-to-help-pay-rockrimmon-library-lease-before-it-closes/ NEW City Parking and Curb Management Plan Surveyhttps://coloradosprings.gov/2024ParkingPlan 2025 Art on the Streets Call for Entries Now Open – Feb 12 deadlinehttps://downtowncs.com/art-on-the-streets-call-for-entries GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth (documentary produced by Dave Gardner)https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo EVENTS: Ice skating in Acacia Park – opened November 15https://downtowncs.com/event/skate R MFI's Annual ShinDIG – fundraiser (Rocky Mtn Field Institute)Thursday, November 21, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.Meanwhile Block, downtownhttps://www.rmfi.org/shindigNovember 29 - December 22, 2024: Sense & SensibilityEnt Center for the Arts at UCCShttps://entcenterforthearts.org/events/sense-and-sensibility SUNDANCE SHORTS TOUR and SUNDANCE INDIGENOUS FILM TOUR:Friday Dec 6t and Saturday Dec 7Independent Film Society of ColoradoCottonwood Center for the ArtsTickets, film guide and more info: https://ifsoc-sundance.eventive.org Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they'll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com
Transcribe →6: November 8, 2024 – Give Pikes Peak
Nov 8, 202400:37:07Tap to summarizeWe celebrate the giving season by learning all about the annual Give Pikes Peak campaign, which launched November 1, from Victoria Norton. Victoria is executive director of Give Pikes Peak, which has raised over $18.5 million for local nonprofits since 2009.Also, Dave delivers alarming climate news, and in the ensuing discussion, Al stands up for people who eat regularly at all the fast-food hamburger chains. Plus, Al goes off on a mild rant about the metric system.LINKS:Give Pikes Peakhttp://www.givepikespeak.org/ UN Emissions Gap Reporthttps://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2024 UPCOMING EVENTS:November 16: The Youth Documentary Academy presents the World Premiere of new films produced by the Class of 2024. 2 different screening blocks, special reception, food trucks https://www.peakradar.com/event/youth-documentary-academy-world-premiere-of-new-films-3/November 18: Join Award-Winning Singer-Songwriters Edie Carey and Sarah Sample as they celebrate the release of their new album “Lantern In The Dark: Songs Of Comfort And Lullabies” at Millibo Art Theatre https://www.peakradar.com/event/edie-carey-sarah-sample-album-release-concert-for-lantern-in-the-dark/Celebrating the best of Colorado Springs and elevating the rest.Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they'll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com
Transcribe →5: Oct 24 2024 – Congressional Candidate River Gassen
Oct 24, 202400:44:54Tap to summarizeGet to know the Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Colorado District 5. In this casual conversation, we get into:Demographics – younger people moving hereHistory of the position and the D/R splitRental rates in Colorado Springs vs DenverPueblo and El Paso Counties shifting toward blueMore younger voters tending to be unaffiliatedMilitary spouses not getting much attentionImportance of education Holding the V.A. accountableEnergy and climateImmigrationWhat’s concerning about her opponent MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:River Gassen’s campaign websitehttps://riverforcolorado.com/ Election Forums Hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Pikes Peak Regionhttps://lwvppr.org/forums2024 Witches, Warlocks & Ghouls bike ride – October 26, 12 to 5 p.m.https://www.coswitchesride.com/ Colorado Springs Podcasters Meetup - October 26, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.https://www.eventbrite.com/e/colorado-springs-podcasters-meetup-podfest-podtour-stop-tickets-1043767736397 Colorado Springs City Council Redistricting Public Meeting – October 30, 3:30 p.m. athttps://coloradosprings.gov/2024Redistricting Reflections on the Living Dead - Independent Film Society of Colorado Documentary ScreeningNovember 1https://ifsoc-docs.eventive.org/ Flash Cadillac – final performance November 1, Stargazers Theatre & Event Centerhttps://stargazerstheatre.com/product/flash-cadillac-nov-1/ Tony Exum, Jr. performs at Stargazers Theatre & Event Centerhttps://stargazerstheatre.com/product/tony-exum-jr-nov-8/Celebrating the best of Colorado Springs and elevating the rest.Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they'll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com
Transcribe →4: Oct 16 2024 – Arts Month
Oct 16, 202400:41:50Tap to summarizeDylan Craddock with the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region fills us in on Arts Month happenings in October. The conversation in this episode ends up covering downtown art, murals, art on the street and public art maps, economic impact of arts nonprofits, the LART budget, the mayor, Pridefest, Veteran’s Day Parade, candidate forums, Colorado Springs City Council redistricting project, and the Mayor’s Civic Leaders Fellowship.Our guest, Dylan Craddock, is Program Manager, Creative Economy, of the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region (COPPeR).MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Arts Month Events: https://artsoctober.comColorado Springs Council Redistricting: https://coloradosprings.gov/2024RedistrictingMayor’s Civic Leaders Fellowship: https://coloradosprings.gov/civicleadersfellowshipPeak Radar: https://peakradar.comRocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival: https://rmwfilm.org/festival/Fine Arts Center: https://fac.coloradocollege.edu/Ent Center for the Arts: https://entcenterforthearts.org/COPPeR (Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region: https://culturaloffice.orgCandidate Forums hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Pikes Peak Regionhttps://lwvppr.org/forums2024Celebrating the best of Colorado Springs and elevating the rest.Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they'll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com
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