Cathy Cisar Winter Playground

Operation Dates: 1973-1979

History: By Bill Fetcher

Cathy Cisar Winter Playground, just north of Craig, was created and
named in memory of a 9 year-old girl who died of injuries sustained when
her sled collided with a car. The accident happened 23 December 1963,
just before Christmas. The people of Craig rallied to provide a safe place
for their children to sled and ski. Funds were raised to purchase about
three blocks worth of land and build a warming hut. The Playground was
dedicated 8 October 1967.

The hill was surveyed for a lift in August 1973, the lift to be installed the
following year. Plans were drawn up for a Mighty-Mite wire-rope
handle-tow, 876 feet in length with a vertical rise of 124 feet.

In January 1979 a child was injured in the workings of the tow. Two
choices were faced; stiff regulations regarding operating the tow, plus
liability insurance carried, or no tow and the hill used as it was before lift
service was added. The second choice was adopted and the tow was
removed. According a faded sign at the site, Moffat County Parks and
Recreation now manages the hill. On a recent visit I was pleased to see
the hill is still used for its intended purpose and the land not sold off for
housing. Grooves have been cut in the slope to keep sleds and tubes on
course. The warming hut, though boarded up, may still be useable but
otherwise the hill appears to be unsupervised. To reach the site, go north
on Yampa Avenue (CO 13). Turn left at 13th Street. At the end of the
street the Winter Playground will be on your left. Bring a sled, tube, skis
or snowboard and take a run in Cathy's memory.

"It's Craig's sledding hill. I learned how to snowboard there. It was called
Cathy Cisar's because (so I heard) a little girl by that name was killed by
sledding out into a street and she was hit by a vehicle. They dedicated it
to her memory - giving children a place to go sledding/tubing in a
safer place (i.e. doesn't run out into the street.) I just drove by it the
other day, and apparently people have been building homes on it! Too
bad! It's still pretty much all there, though."
-Jon