Introducing new CPFAN President and Board — City Park or Bust!!!!

A man in suit and tie smiling for the camera.


Letter from the President,  Stephen Eppler


Welcome

 Elections were held at CPFAN’s last meeting on May 9.  As the new president, I and the other members of the new CPFAN Board want to create a forum for open discussion of matters affecting the ‘classical pastoral character’ of City Park. We also want to address issues related to Denver City Planning and local urban development that effect parks and City Park, in particular.

Here are some of the current City Park projects in which CPFAN is interested.

As you may be aware, the east playground near the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) is being renovated and improved for nature play.  It is currently in the design stage.  The Dustin Redd Playground has been redesigned and construction will begin in the near future.

The DeBoer Canyon and the Lily pond are south of the east playground and have languished for years since the water flow was interrupted.  Recently, Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR) has been collaborating with the DMNS about restoring this area and reestablishing the water flow in the DeBoer Canyon and the Lily Pond.  This has been a long term goal of CPFAN. We will follow this new development and offer any support we can.

There are many other matters that CPFAN is involved in and where we attempt to accurately represent and advocate for the collective voice of the adjacent neighborhoods.  These include:

  • Efforts to protect City Park from ill-conceived projects. We plan to attend meetings of the newly formed City Park Design Advisory Committee to offer constructive viewpoints of City Park users as to proposed projects.
  • Efforts to preserve the history and cultural legacy associated with City Park.
  • Efforts to get Denver Parks and Recreation to address
    • Improved toilet and hand washing facilities.
    • Improved animal (geese) control.
    • Altered irrigation with potable water or additionally treated used water. The high sodium and other salt contained in the current water is adversely affecting the park’s soil, trees and plant ecology.
  • The continued reconstruction of City Park Golf Course.
  • Ongoing City and County Community Planning and Development and Wastewater projects.
  • Support of historic preservation of the Hut House because of its architectural, cultural and historic significance.
  • Denveright – the East Central Area Plan for the Capitol Hill, North Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Congress Park, City Park and City Park West neighborhoods abuts the western and southern park boundaries.  Park Hill is also targeted.
  • The Colfax Redevelopment project changes transportation access to City Park and increase its urban character.
  • The Upper Montclair Stormwater project on Hale Parkway will affect the hydrology of City Park and City Park Golf Course.
  • Involvement with the VB/I-70 Superfund Community Advisory Group (CAG).
  • Participation in INC – Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation, an umbrella organization representing almost 100 community groups and Registered Neighborhood Organizations.

Because our usual first Tuesday of the month meeting date falls on June 4, the Mayoral Runoff Elections, we are cancelling the June meeting. The next CPFAN meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 2 at Messiah Lutheran Church from 6-8 pm.

We have many exciting programs to present to our membership in the coming year and will announce the program for July in the next couple of weeks. One program is a slideshow, The History of City Park, presented by Kris Haglund and Liz Clancy, the Archivists at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  We are looking forward to learning more about the Crown Jewel of Denver from the many wonderful experts, historians and city officials who can broaden our perspectives about City Park.

Come lend a hand. Get involved. Speak out.

We welcome your participation.