Manitou Springs City Council issued a proclamation Tuesday night officially recognizing the Bear Brothers site, commonly known as the Gog and Magog rocks.
“According to Ute tradition, two brothers were hunting near the massive boulders of Manitou Springs, named by white settlers and commonly known as Gog and Magog rocks,” read Mayor John Graham. “At that place the brothers came upon a female bear who was performing a dance. One brother was scared and ran off. The remaining brother was transfixed at the sight of the dancing. The bear noticed the Ute, came over to him and taught him the bear dance. The warrior taught the dance to his people and it became an important spiritual and seasonal observation for the Utes, for it heralds the arrival of spring.”
In attendance were Manuel Pulido and K8e Orr, members of the native community. “It’s an Uto-Aztecan name, given to the sacred space of the oldest community that resided in Manitou Springs over 7,000 years ago, and has now been returned to the spirit of the mountains by this recent and most empathetic community,” said Pulido. “We often document our history and our stories as separate entities, but from this point forward and because of the gift that’s been bestowed, the history of our community shall be written together.”
Orr thanked the Council for renaming the rocks. “Giving a name and a story to a landmark is a powerful thing,” she said. “The narrative these sacred rocks have carried for far too long has held a negative connotation and went against its own nature. By giving back Bear Brothers its true cultural name and story we are honoring the land, recalling her original medicine and the lessons of the four directions. Always remind yourself the tallest man stands on love. Thank you, Council, for growing with us and paving the way for others. Together we welcome this new cycle of medicine in the Tava region.”
Giving a name and a story to a landmark is a powerful thing. – K8e Orr
Former OSAC chair recognized
Manitou Springs City Council recognized former Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC) Chair Tim Beeson for his work as chair. “I have the honor of introducing Tim Beeson this evening who has recently stepped down from the role of OSAC chair,” said Gillian Rossi, the Manitou Springs Parks and Recreation director. “Serving as the OSAC staff liaison I’ve been privileged to get to work with Tim over the past two years on some truly exciting projects, including an important acquisition in Black Canyon Open Space connecting the open space to the community, leading to the completion and approval of the recent master plan. I’ve worked with a lot of volunteers and boards over the past several years and can confidently say that Tim is one of the most dedicated and passionate open space advocates out there.”
Councilor Judith Chandler, the Council liaison to OSAC, thanked Beeson for his service. “I just want to tell you what an honor and a privilege it has been to be the council liaison to an incredible group of dedicated volunteers,” she said. “Under your leadership so many projects were gotten underway and many have been completed … thank you for your incredible service to the Manitou community.”
Plan Manitou 2.0 adopted, Earth Day proclaimed and more
● Council adopted the Plan Manitou 2.0 document. Plan Manitou 2.0 is an update to the original Plan Manitou adopted in 2017. According to the Council memorandum, “Generally, communities are encouraged to update their comprehensive plans every 5 to 7 years or so to ensure the plan’s goals and policies remain relevant, and to consider recent changes and challenges that could affect implementing the plan. This update focused on the document’s Part 3, the Action Plan, which identifies numerous priorities and action items meant to implement the Plan. These priorities were reviewed and prioritized to further help the City achieve its goals.”
● Council approved the $450,000 contract with Pyramid Construction for the 2025 Street Maintenance project, which authorizes a Pyramid to mill and pave several roadways and perform some patching.
● Council also finalized the $920,541 contract with iiCon Construction that authorizes the contract to rehabilitate the existing Dillon property buildings into restrooms and Parking Department Offices.
● Council formally issued a proclamation recognizing Earth Day on April 22, 2025.
● Council appointed Frank DeLay to the City Planning Commission.a
● Council also approved the rezoning of 56 city-owned parcels of land after second reading and public hearing.
