Filter sub-categories like in layered navigation

Question

I created a new template file catalog/category/list.phtml. This is to display all sub categories of the current category. I have layered navigation which is displaying sub-categories as one of the filters, but I want this new template to work with these filters as well. Right now when i click the subcategory filter, it filters all products on the page, but still displays all categories of the parent category. $_filters is how i am trying to access these filters, but i get nothing. Is there something i am not initializing correctly to have access to these filters from the layered navigation.

<?php
$_helper    = $this->helper('catalog/output');
$_filters = $this->getActiveFilters();

echo $_filters;

if (!Mage::registry('current_category')) return ?>
<?php $_categories=$this->getCurrentChildCategories() ?>
<?php $_count = is_array($_categories)?count($_categories):$_categories->count(); ?>
<?php if($_count): ?>

                    <?php foreach ($_categories as $_category): ?>
                        <?php if($_category->getIsActive()): ?>

                        <?php

                            $cur_category=Mage::getModel('catalog/category')->load($_category->getId());

                            $layer = Mage::getSingleton('catalog/layer');
                            $layer->setCurrentCategory($cur_category);

                            $_imgHtml   = '';
                            if ($_imgUrl = $this->getCurrentCategory()->getImageUrl()) {
                                $_imgHtml = '<img src="'.$_imgUrl.'" alt="'.$this->htmlEscape($_category->getName()).'" title="'.$this->htmlEscape($_category->getName()).'" class="category-image" />';
                                $_imgHtml = $_helper->categoryAttribute($_category, $_imgHtml, 'image');
                            }
                            echo $_category->getImageUrl();
                        ?>

                        <div class="category-image-box">
                            <div class="category-description clearfix" >
                                <div class="category-description-textbox" >
                                <h2><span><?php echo $this->htmlEscape($_category->getName()) ?></span></h2>
                                <p><?php echo $this->getCurrentCategory()->getDescription() ?></p>
                                </div>  
                                <a href="<?php echo $this->getCategoryUrl($_category) ?>" class="collection-link<?php if ($this->isCategoryActive($_category)): ?> active<?php endif ?>" >See Entire Collection</a>

                                <a href="<?php echo $this->getCategoryUrl($_category) ?>"><?php if($_imgUrl): ?><?php echo $_imgHtml ?><?php else: ?><img src="/store/skin/frontend/default/patio_theme/images/category-photo.jpg" class="category-image" alt="collection"  /><?php endif; ?></a>
                            </div>
                            <?php echo '<pre>'.print_r($_category->getData()).'</pre>';?>
                        </div>
                        <?php endif; ?>
                    <?php endforeach ?>


<?php endif; ?>