Welcome to CPFAN


 

A city park with trees and people.

Welcome to City Park Friends and Neighbors (CPFAN). Our mission is to actively protect the classical pastoral character of City Park, located in Denver, Colorado. Membership is free.

 

Annual Election May 9 2019


Dear CPFAN Members,

Our annual election meeting has been scheduled for May 9, 2019. The election will be held at the Messiah Church at 18th and Colorado Blvd. Doors open at 6PM. We currently have five people who are committed to serve on the Board. Those who might wish to run for a board position should let us know. Whatever aspect of City Park is of interest to you, your participation is encouraged.

We will set aside some time for a review of CPFAN’s past year and discussion of its future. We will also discuss CPFAN’s mission statement and members’ views on whether it should be expanded, changed or remain the same. We will review the responsibilities of all CPFAN officials, the President, the VP/Treasurer and the Secretary.

The nominating committee will present its slate of board members. Members present will vote on the slate. Elected Board Members will then vote to elect officers, President, VP/Treasurer and Secretary.

Please consider expanding your involvement in CPFAN. And please come to our meeting May 9 at Messiah.

LaMone Noles

President CPFAN

 

Park People 50th Anniversary to be Commemorated

City-wide, Community Tree Planting

FREE TREE APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE JAN. 1

Park People 50th Anniversary to be Commemorated with City-wide, Community Tree Planting Campaign

DENVER, CO – Denver nonprofit The Park People is offering free and reduced-cost trees for Denver’s citizens through its annual Denver Digs Trees program. Street trees – those planted in the public right of way – are free to all Denver residents, yard trees are offered at a very low cost, and homeowners may apply for multiple trees.

Applications are available Jan. 1-Feb. 15, 2019. The tree distribution and sale is on Arbor Day, April 27, 2019.

“This year’s annual Denver Digs Trees Arbor Day tree sale is even more significant, because The Park People will be celebrating our 50th anniversary,†says The Park People’s Program Manager Leah Jean Shafer. “While the traditional 50th anniversary gift is gold, Denver homeowners will be turning their gold into wood and planting a tree or two to help us celebrate.â€

Street trees are free for all Denver residents. Yard trees are $10 for those living in targeted neighborhoods, and $35 for homeowners in the rest of the city. The typical retail cost of a tree is approximately $125, making Denver Digs Trees an affordable, easy way for residents to contribute to the health and beauty of their yards and the entire city. Denver Digs Trees is the only program offering trees for private property, and fees are waived for those who are experiencing financial hardship. Free tree delivery and planting support also is offered for those with physical limitations.

Shafer says a tree planted a half century ago, when The Park People was established, has already spent decades providing oxygen, improving air quality, conserving water, shading neighborhoods, supporting wildlife, and more. With proper care, it could provide this value for generations to come.

Denver Digs Trees 2019
“If you plant a tree this year, imagine what a difference your tree will make in its next 50 years of life,†she adds.

The nonprofit receives numerous positive reports from happy tree owners.

In a recent survey, a homeowner who purchased trees almost a quarter century ago wrote, “It’s 24 years later, and they’re healthy and tall, adding shade in the summer and color in the fall.â€

Another past Denver Digs Trees participant wrote, “I love that small improvements I make today can have enormous impacts decades from now.â€
Trees available on a first come, first served basis include:
• Bur Oak
• Western Hackberry
• Redmond American Linden
• Cleveland Select Flowering Pear
• Autumn Gold Gingko, which hasn’t been available at recent sales. It is known by the nickname living fossil, because the Ginkgo Biloba is one of the world’s oldest living tree species. It was around 350 million years ago!
• Shademaster Honeylocust
• Tulip Poplar
• Prairie Fire Crabapple
• Eastern Redbud
• Patriot Elm
• Fort McNair Red Horsechestnut, which has gorgeous spring flowers. It was the first to sell out last year.
To complete an application or get more information, visit www.TheParkPeople.org, text ‘TREE’ to 797979, or call 303-722-6262 for a paper application.

Denver Digs Trees is sponsored by Xcel Energy Foundation, Denver Parks and Recreation, MDC/Richmond American Homes Foundation, Hank & Cheryl Saipe, Colorado Garden Foundation, OZ Architecture, and Colorado 811.

The Park People is dedicated to preserving, enhancing and advocating for Denver’s parks, recreation resources, open space, and urban forest. Through the Denver Digs Trees program, The Park People has added more than 51,000 trees to Denver’s skyline.

JOIN US FOR CPFAN’s MAYORAL FORUM 2


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JAMIE GIELLIS (Click on image above to read a synopsis of Denver’s Mayoral candidates)

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STEPHEN “SEKU” EVANS (Click on image above to read a synopsis of Denver’s Mayoral candidates)

Join members of CPFAN and extend a warm welcome to Jamie Giellis and Stephen “Seku” Evans, two declared candidates who want to be the next Mayor of Denver. Elections will be held in May, 2019.

Each candidate will have 45 minutes  to speak about their vision for Denver and to answer questions from the audience.
WHEN:  Tues, Dec 4, 6-8 PM,
WHERE:  Messiah Community Church, 1750 Colorado Blvd. 80220

Lisa Calderón and Penfield Tate squared off against … themselves because this was a mayoral forum, not a debate


by David Sachs

The Denverite 11/14/2018

Mayoral candidates Lisa Calderón and Penfield Tate III met at a Park Hill church Tuesday evening for a forum, kicking off Denver’s next political season.

This was not a debate. Each candidate (two of 10 so far) got about 45 minutes to wax politic and take questions from a crowd of about 120 people attending the City Park Friends and Neighbors meeting. Most of the audience was older, with some younger blood mixed in.

Both candidates relayed well-polished talking points about development, homelessness, transparency and transportation. Calderón, a justice professor at Regis University and criminal justice advocate, shared a few more specific policy goals than Tate, an attorney and former state senator. She also grabbed the most enthusiastic cheers. Both mayoral hopefuls laid down plenty of rhetoric aimed at the policies of Mayor Michael Hancock’s administration.

Here’s how things went.

Neither likes the expansion I-70 through north Denver neighborhoods.

The Colorado Department of Transportation’s I-70 widening, which is backed by the Hancock administration, was a big topic Tuesday because neighborhood advocates who are fighting the project showed up.

Tate said he has always favored bending the highway through Adams County, around the dense neighborhoods of Elyria Swansea and Globeville, instead of through them. That statement elicited the biggest cheers he got all night.

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Penfield Tate speaks during a public forum for Denver mayoral candidates at Messiah Community Church in South Park Hill, Nov. 13, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

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Lisa Calderón speaks during a public forum for Denver mayoral candidates at Messiah Community Church in South Park Hill, Nov. 13, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

 

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

 

INVITATION TO HEAR MAYORAL CANDIDATES LISA CALDERON & PENFIELD TATE


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Join members of City Park Friends and Neighbors (CPFAN) and give a warm welcome to Denver Mayoral Candidates LISA CALDERON and PENFIELD TATE.
Each candidate will have 45 minutes to address the group and answer questions.

WHEN: Tuesday, November 13, 6-8PM, Social Hour 8-9PM
WHERE: Messiah Community Church, 1750 Colorado Blvd, 80207 (Parking in rear)

 

Lisa Calderon: https://lisa4denvermayor.org
Penfield Tate: https://www.tatefordenver.com

 

Improvements to Stapleton’s Central Park and Greenway Park Playgrounds: Take the Surveys

Improvements to Stapleton’s Central Park and Greenway Park Playgrounds: Take the Surveys


From: Parks and Rec <parksandrecreation@denvergov.org>
Date: October 19, 2018 at 4:21:52 PM MDT
Subject: Improvements to Stapleton’s Central Park and Greenway Park Playgrounds: Take the Surveys!

Constructed approximately 10 years ago, Stapleton’s Central Park and Greenway Park playgrounds are now in need of improvements.

As Denver Parks and Recreation begins the design process for upgrading these two playgrounds, we want to hear from you about what you’d like to see in the future. Please take the surveys below to tell us what you love about the current playgrounds as well as what you would like to see in the future. Each survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Greenway Park Playground Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GreenwayPlay

Central Park Playground Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CentralPlay

This is just the start of the playground outreach! You will begin to see more about this project over the next few months and we plan to be out in the playground/host public meetings in order to hear directly from you.

Please contact parksandrecreation@denvergov.org with any questions or for more information and visit www.denvergov.org/parks.

If you would like to be involved with supporting the future outreach for this effort in Stapleton, please email parksandrecreation@denvergov.org with your contact information.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY FROM DENVER PUBLIC WORKS


DENVER ­— Denver Public Works would like the public to be aware of private construction work and paving that will both impact traffic flow along our roadways in the coming days.

York Street from 23rd to 26th Avenues

Starting Tuesday, August 7, work will be underway to repave York Street from 26th to 23rd Avenues. On Tuesday through Thursday, the southbound lanes will fully close and there will be one lane of traffic northbound.

Then, on Friday, August 10 until Sunday, August 12, York will fully close from 26th Avenue through the intersection of 23rd Avenue. Visitors can access the zoo from the Colorado Boulevard entrance while work is underway.

Detours will be in place for drivers, pedestrians, and people on bikes.

 

All work is weather dependent and subject to change.

Denver Dog Park Master Plan: 2018 Technical Update


From: Parks and Rec <parksandrecreation@denvergov.org>
Date: July 25, 2018 at 2:16:54 PM MDT
Subject: Denver Dog Park Master Plan “Technical Update” Underway: Public Survey Available Now!

Denver Dog Park Master Plan: 2018 Technical Update

Denver Parks & Recreation (DPR) is in the process of implementing a “technical update†to its current Dog Park Master Plan, which was completed in 2010.

Currently, there are more than 50,000 dogs registered in the City and County of Denver and 12 designated off-leash dog parks. Much like Denver’s human population growth, it’s expected that the number of dogs will continue to increase. To help alleviate the various issues that arise from an increasing dog population in a growing city, many municipalities are looking towards dog parks.

What’s a “technical update�

The term “technical update†is used to describe the re-examination of an existing plan. After almost 10 years of use and changing city demographics, Denver’s 2010 Dog Park Master Plan is now outdated.

Visit the project page to find more information and resources, including Frequently Asked Questions.

Online survey open until September 30, 2018:

This survey is intended to identify the public’s needs and priorities for current and future dog parks in Denver. The input gathered will inform details of the technical update.

Whether you’re a dog owner or not, we need your input—thank you for your time and feedback; and for sharing this survey with your neighbors!

Take the dog park survey now! | (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/denverdogs)

COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE


 WHEN: Thursday, August 16, 2018 – 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
WHERE:            Carla Madison Recreation Center

2401 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80206
Overflow parking is available in the East High School student lot on the north side of East 16th Avenue.

 

The City and County of Denver and Saunders Construction are hosting a community open house to share updates on the redesign of City Park Golf Course.

There will be stations with information on the following aspects of the project:

  • Clubhouse final design
  • Interpretive/historical exhibits design concepts
  • 23rd Avenue intersection design concept
  • Stormwater irrigation
  • Golf course routing and design
  • Construction progress update

Scheduled to reopen in 2019, the City Park Golf Course Redesign project includes an updated 18-hole golf course with natural landscaping, a new clubhouse and maintenance facility, stormwater detention that provides increased flood protection to thousands of homes, and a reforestation program with a net gain of 500 trees. The basis of design for this project was developed from an iterative, collaborative process with a cross-section of members within the community. The redesign maintains sweeping vistas and park like feel of the course.

Mile High Youth Corps


Has an amazing opportunity for the youth in your neighborhood ages 18-24. Mile High Youth Corps has corpsmember positions open for Fall Forestry. We are a non-profit organization that bring young people together from diverse life experiences to grow in service to their community, the environment and their own development.

Corpsmembers earn a bi-weekly living stipend of $760.00 and upon the successful completion of their service, they receive an Americorps education award of $1,583.36. This scholarship is good for up to seven years and can be used for trades, training, and higher education.

Contact:

Vivian Eden

Administrative and Outreach Associate | Mile High Youth Corps

303-433-1206 | Ext. 221

1801 Federal Blvd. | Denver, CO 80204

 

Future use of Park Hill Golf Course Visioning Process Community Forum


Future use of Park Hill Golf Course Visioning Process Community Forum
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
6-8 pm,
Clayton Early Learning Campus, Administration Building
3801 Martin Luther King Blvd.
It’s tempting to breathe a sigh of relief but please stay engaged and forcefully relay your desire for the 155 acres to remain a golf course or be preserved as open space. Please support the golf course and frequent the clubhouse. It has a great pub for lunch, great views, golf shop with PHGC caps and shirts, etc. Great for events, too.

It is still important that as many people as possible attend the next Clayton-sponsored public meeting on July 10. Because we taxpayers invested $2 million in a perpetual open space conservation easement in 1997, we need to insist that our investment is honored.

Resolution in Support of Designating and Developing a Community Park at 2857 Fairfax Street


If resolution is not visible please go this link  https://dev.cpfan.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/CPFANFairfaxResolution.pdf

 

 

Whereas Denver is growing by 1100 people every month, and Park Hill, like most neighborhoods, is facing pressures of increased density, including access to parks;

and Whereas Park Hill is a neighborhood that cherishes its livability and its diversity, providing open arms to new neighbors of all races, income levels, and faiths, and these values are threatened by increasing housing prices and gentrification;

and Whereas Denver’s Designated parks are protected by the City Charter;

and Whereas the City & County of Denver acquired a parcel at 2857 Fairfax Street from Xcel Energy in 2015 for $50,000, with the stated intention of developing a neighborhood park, including identifying the parcel on the list of candidates for Designation;

and Whereas the City, on November 2, 2017, signed a Letter of Intent to trade the Fairfax parcel for an equal-size parcel with HM Capital in the middle of its mixed use commercial development along the east side of the entire 2800 block of Fairfax Street;

and Whereas the City and HM Capital negotiated this arrangement and signed the Letter of Intent without informing Park Hill residents, and subsequently misled the Park Hill community about their agreement;

and Whereas during November and December, 2017, Greater Park Hill Community demonstrated its commitment to supporting the development of the park by conducting a community-inclusive, volunteer process, focusing on the near neighbors, and producing a concept design for the park, including drawing and documentation;

and Whereas, the city continued its deception by spending $30,000 to duplicate the community’s process and denying the existence of an agreement with HM Capital;

and Whereas any land exchange or sale must be approved by City Council, and Park Hill’s Council Representative is Chris Herndon;

It is Resolved by City Park Friends and Neighbors that we request City Council and the Department of Parks and Recreation to work cooperatively with our Greater Park Hill neighbors to:

  • Keep the former Xcel property that is already owned by the City and County of Denver.  That is, don’t swap parcels with HM Capital, the developer of Park Hill Commons on the east side.  
  • Demonstrate the city’s commitment to a pocket park in this neighborhood by designating the former Xcel property proactively, i.e. right away, before the park is developed, thereby ensuring this valuable property is safe from commercial exploitation.
  • Demonstrate the city’s commitment to creative cooperation with neighborhoods by engaging in a collaborative process with the Park Hill community to design, fund, and build a pocket park on the former Xcel property.  Show good faith with Park Hill’s citizens and exploit the volunteer talent, expertise, and labor available within the community.

 

CPFANFairfaxResolution

 

In Memoriam City Park Golf Course


Water line relocation in 23rd Ave & York Street


Construction to close lanes on York Street and 23rd Avenue near City Park Golf Course
Saunders Construction and their subcontractor, Iron Woman Construction, are scheduled to begin a waterline relocation project starting the week of February 26, 2018. The project extends along East 23rd Avenue and York Street. *Note: Access to the Denver Zoo, Denver Museum Nature and Science, and City Park on 23rd Avenue will remain open the entire time.
Construction will be done in stages to minimize impacts to the public during special events and peak periods of traffic. Detours will be in place for pedestrians, bicycles and vehicle traffic. The contractors will make sure traffic continues to flow safely through the work zones.
Project Info:
The costs for the waterline relocation is approximately $5 million and is part of the City Park Golf Course Redesign project. The work will take roughly 2 1/2 months to complete. The project includes the following:
• Realignment of Denver Water’s pipes, to remove them from inside of the City Park Golf Course site and install them in East 23rd Avenue and York Street
• Repaving and resurfacing the road as needed
Traffic Impacts:
• 23rd Avenue: Partial lane closures on 23rd Avenue between Steele and York Streets, with flaggers controlling traffic.
• 23rd Avenue weekend closures: There will also be full closures of all lanes on East 23rd Avenue between Steele and York Streets on the weekends of March 3 – 4, March 10-11, and potentially on March 17-18 if additional time for the work is needed.
• 24th Avenue: Full lane closures on 24th Avenue between York Street and Gaylord Street.
• York Street: Two lanes of York Street will be closed with one lane open in each direction.
The majority of the construction work will take place Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with some night work as necessary. Please note that this schedule may change due to bad weather or other unexpected conditions. For more information, please call the project hotline at 303-386-9150 (TTY: 720-512-7257) or go to the website at www.CPGCredesign.org.
The City and County of Denver, Denver Water, Saunders Construction, and Iron Woman Construction would like to remind drivers that wearing a safety belt is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. Please drive cautiously in construction zones.

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Kudos to


A green sign with the words join cpfaKudos to … Bridget Walsh, the recipient of an INC 2018 Neighborhood Star Award on behalf of CPFAN at INC’s Annual Banquet on Jan 31, 2018 … CPFAN Officers & Board Members, Hank Bootz, John Van Sciver, Steve Eppler, Georgia Garnsey, Jacqui Lansing, Keith Loftin, Lou Plachowski, Jackie Victor, and Bridget Walsh who actively serve and protect our park land and open space … Attorneys Aaron Goldhamer and Tony Vaida, who worked countless hours on behalf of the plaintiffs in the City Park Golf Course lawsuit … new RNO’s – Neighbors of Overland North, Montbello Improvement Association, Overlook at Park Hill, and Far Northeast Neighbors who are ready to protect the integrity of their parks and open space … and the members and friends of CPFAN who provided tremendous support by attending our rallies and special events, signing petitions, writing letters to city officials and just “being thereâ€. Looking forward to another great new year.

Blueprint Denver workshops: Moving beyond “areas of change,” “areas of stability”


From: CPD Communications <CPDCommunications@denvergov.org>
Date: January 31, 2018 at 4:33:07 PM MST
To: CPD Communications <CPDCommunications@denvergov.org>
Subject: Blueprint Denver workshops: Moving beyond “areas of change,” “areas of stability”

Hello from Denver Community Planning and Development!

Denverites have called for a more inclusive city with strong and authentic neighborhoods. To achieve that, we must move beyond Denver’s “areas of change†and “areas of stabilityâ€Â model, established in 2002.

Based on your input in Denveright’s Blueprint Denver planning effort, city planners are working on a new approach to managing land use in our city.

The new concept acknowledges that all places in our city are constantly evolving in pursuit of becoming complete in their own way — not just through enabling or limiting development, but through quality-of-life infrastructure like safe sidewalks, housing options, transit access, parks and open space. Diversity, affordability and good urban design/architecture are key to complete neighborhoods as well.

Regional centers and corridors would take on the most growth, while the remainder of Denver’s places would evolve in smaller ways. Ensuring the proper scale and intensity for all places — and appropriate transitions between residential areas and other places — are key to livability.

Come to one of several Blueprint Denver workshops in February and March to learn more about potential strategies for land use and transportation in your neighborhood and citywide.

Creating a Complete City: Blueprint Denver Workshops

  • Feb. 20, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., 3950 S. Holly St., Denver (Council district 4)
  • Feb. 21, 5:30 – 7 p.m., 5100 Lincoln St., Denver (Council district 9)
  • Feb. 22, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., 1900 W. 38th Ave., Denver (Council district 1)
  • Feb. 22, 6 – 8 p.m., 1625 S. University Blvd. (Council district 6)
  • Feb. 27, 5:30 – 8 p.m., 1498 Irving St., Denver (Council district 3)
  • Mar. 7, 6 – 7:30 p.m., 4800 Telluride St., Denver (Council district 11)
  • Mar. 15, 5:30 – 7 p.m., 2000 Valentia St., Denver (Council district 8)

More workshops are being scheduled. Check our website for information on workshops in council districts 2, 5, 7 and 10.

CALL FOR ACTION Park Hill Golf Course Alert!


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December 17, 2017

 

CALL FOR ACTION

Park Hill Golf Course Alert!

Dear CPFAN Members,

On January 2, 2018, Denver City Council is holding a one-hour courtesy public hearing allowing citizens to express their views on the City’s proposed condemnation ordinance for securing 25-35 acres in the Park Hill Golf Course (PHCG) for a detention pond and 50 acres of “staging†during the construction period.

This Call for Action is a great opportunity for the community to show City Council how much citizen interest there is in the future of PHGC. The traffic and environmental impacts of more massive development could be topics to address as well as citizens’ desire to preserve and enhance the 155 acres of PHGC as either open space or a golf course. The time limit for speakers is 3 minutes. If you do not want to speak, there will be an opportunity to stand and show your support for preserving PHGC as either open space or a golf course.

Council Chambers are located in the City & County Building, 1437 Bannock St., Room 451. If you are able to attend the meeting, please arrive by 5:30 pm. Speakers may sign up at the time of the recess prior to the public hearing. During the recess, council staff will distribute speaker cards at the speaker’s podium. Complete the card, including your address, and return it to council staff. The speaker card must be signed by the speaker. No sign-ups will be accepted after council is back in session.

I hope you can attend this meeting to let City Council know our support for preserving PHGC as either open space or a golf course.

Sincerely,

LaMone Noles

President, City Park Friends and Neighbors

president@cpfan.org

(720) 988-4433

 

HERE IN TIME FOR HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING


This says it all . Get yours now, $10, supplies limited

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Get two!!

Contact hankbootz@msn.com for more info

Greed will take away what Mother Nature has preserved for us for so long

“If our elected leadership was listening, it would help," In all, 261 trees are scheduled to be chopped down starting Nov. 1. “It’s like watching an execution,"

Three Things You Can Do! It’s Not A Done Deal

Dear Denver City Council, It is time for Denver City Council to speak up and represent the interests of their constituents. Unfortunately, In 2010, through changes to the Denver Zoning Code, Denver City Council ceded complete control over our precious Denver parks to the Mayor, through his political appointee, the Manager of Denver Department of Parks and Recreation. This move has proved disastrous for Denver parks including Washington Park, Hentzel Park, City Park Golf Course (CPGC), Overland Park Golf Course and potentially for future parks such as the promised Fairfax Pocket Park in Park Hill. This rampant misuse of our heritage, our parks, must stop. Please take back Denver City Council's power to manage and defend our parks with genuine input from your constituents. Bring accountability, trasnparency and integrity back to the management of Denver parks. Change the Denver Zoning Code, now.

District Court Decision on City Park Golf Course (CPGC)

CITY PARK FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, please contact: LaMone Noles President, City Park Friends and Neighbors 720 988-4433 President@CPFAN.org https://dev.cpfan.org Twitter: @cpfan_dnver Face Book:https://www.facebook.com/CityParkFAN/ District Court Decision on City Park Golf Course (CPGC) Thursday, October 26– Today’s Ruling in MacFarlane vs. City & County of Denver, issued on very narrow legal grounds, was a loss for thousands of parks advocates and their efforts over recent years to preserve existing Denver parks, increase the amount of park acreage per resident, and limit the discretion of the Director to alter a park’s purpose. This ruling, however, will

PRESS RELEASE :DEM PARTY RESOLUTION REGARDING PLAN TO EXPAND I70

Contact: Aaron Goldhamer Tel.: 303.534.0401 Email: agoldhamer@keatingwagner.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Denver, CO October 18, 2017 On Tuesday, October 17, 2017, the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Denver passed a resolution strongly condemning the present plan to expand Interstate 70 through Denver. The resolution condemned the social and environmental injustice posed by the project, as well as the irreparable harm it presents, and urged fulsome consideration of alternative options to expand I-76 and I-270 instead. The resolution passed overwhelmingly. Meanwhile, on Monday, October 16, 2017, various citizen-plaintiffs offered a flurry of filings in two cases related to the project.

SAVE THE 261 TREES AT THE GOLF COURSE

Thank You to all of you who came out to support our precious trees [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”4″ gal_title=”261 Tree Rally”]

EMERGENCY! CPGC TREES MARKED FOR DESTRUCTION

CITY TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING TONIGHT AND SATURDAY! COME   Oct 12, 2017 — Trees in City Park Golf Course from Colorado Blvd. to York St. are banded with yellow tape, marked for imminent death ( within the next few days) You can help to stop this destruction. The city is holding public meeting tonight, Thursday, and Saturday morning to hear what YOU have to say about their plans to destroy historic City Park Golf Course and hundreds of trees. PLEASE SHOW UP. BE VOCAL. RALLY YOUR FRIENDS. DON”T BE SILENCED. CLICK HERE FOR MEETING DETAILS: http://mailchi.mp/20de8794e99b/emergency-cpgc-trees-marked-for-destruction-city-to-hold-public-meeting-tonight-and-saturday-come

Historic Denver Feedback on Cultural Landscape Report for City Park Golf Course

1)      The report generally provides a solid overview of the course and its development, and the photographs and maps are useful visual aids.  While the document would have been more helpful at an earlier stage, it should still be useful in informing design decisions. 2)      We concur with the proposed period of significance for the reasons documented in the CLR and because the proposal is reasonably consistent with the proposed period of significance for the remainder of City Park, which is currently undergoing a master planning process.  We also concur that the course currently exhibits good integrity. 3)      The underlying

ANOTHER NAIL IN THE I 70/ PLATTE TO PARK HILL COFFIN?

Contact: Aaron Goldhamer Tel.: 303.534.0401 Email: agoldhamer@keatingwagner.com  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Zeppelin Plaintiffs Move to Enjoin I-70 Widening Project  Denver, CO September 18, 2017   On Friday, a group of Denver citizens—including developer Kyle Zeppelin—filed a motion in Federal court to enjoin the Colorado Department of Transportation (“CDOTâ€) from proceeding with its controversial plan to expand I-70 through Denver.  If the motion is successful it could bring a halt to the highway project, which has been derided by critics as an expensive and backwards-thinking boondoggle that threatens the health of predominantly low-income and Latino neighborhoods in north Denver.  CDOT and the

Clayton Early Learning – Park Hill Golf Course Community Forum

Please join Clayton Early Learning for Community Forum #3 to continue the community discussion regarding the future of Park Hill Golf Course. The meeting will take place from 7PM-8PM on Thursday September 21, 2017 on the Clayton Campus in the Administration Building. The campus is located at 3801 Martin Luther King Boulevard (Colorado Blvd/Martin Luther King Blvd.) Questions? Please contact Liz Adams ladams@crlassociates.com This raises several questions: Can the City release a perpetual Conservation Easement granted to the City for fair value? Even if it can, should it? What is the value of the 25-are Inundation Easement? What compensation is

A Message From Brad Evans, Ditch The Ditch

Hello Friends, Over the last 30 days, we’ve seen significant progress Ditching The Ditch. We’ve put CDOT, the City of Denver, and their boondoggle ditch project on the ropes. The tide has turned, and we are seeing a BIG results! We need your help, we’ve received a $6000 matching dollar challenge, and we can double it with your help! https://www.gofundme.com/film-campaign With four lawsuits pending against this project, community outcry has been tremendous. The road to victory, however, is still a long one. While these legal disputes continue to wind their way through the courts, now is the time to fortify the battle

NO VERDICT YET/ CITY TO “DONATE” PARK LAND TO DEVELOPER?

CITY PARK FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS Sep 7, 2017 The city proposes to give a piece of publicly owned property that was supposed to be a green, public park…. to a private developer. Such a deal for whom? This property is located on the 2800 block of Fairfax. Denver Parks & Recreation told Park Hill residents that this property would be made into a public park. Now the city ( Denver Parks and Recreation) proposes to hand it over to a private developer in the form of a “LAND SWAPâ€. City Councilman Chris Herndon appears to be facilitating this swap. Instead

Four Days In Court, A Recollection

 By: Christine O’Connor Overview: During the four day J. D. MacFarlane vs. City & County of Denver trial, the City continued to dig itself deeper and deeper into a hole. What came through loud and clear —and which will persist regardless of the final opinion in the case — is that the City looked very foolish for pushing forward with a $45 Million “golf course redesign project†on the most urban and most treasured golf course in Denver in order to support its obligations to CDOT. Here is a concise timeline of how this project evolved for NEW Ditch the

UPDATE:TRIAL TO SAVE CPGC FROM DESTRUCTION DAY#2

Another big thanks to the crowd (somewhat smaller, could use some new faces Wednesday or Thursday!) who sat for parts of the J.D. MacFarlane vs. City & County of Denver trial today!  We will start Wednesday at 9 am, 1437 Bannock, Courtroom 269. Plaintiffs’ Attorneys Aaron Goldhamer and Tony Vaida continued to present the Plaintiffs’ case Tuesday in Judge David Goldberg’s Courtroom.   Tuesday’s first witness  — put on the stand as part of the Plaintiffs’ case — was Director of Parks & Recreation Happy Haynes, and she was asked numerous tough questions about her knowledge of parks’ policies such as the 2001 City Park Master Plan which recommends Preservation for

Tree Hugger In Chief

And I can tell you about my drive every day from the urban heat island we know as downtown Denver, on my way home, as soon as I hit City Park, the thermometer on my car measuring the outside temperature, goes down 5 degrees. So I know from my own research and from my personal experience that we couldn’t survive and we couldn’t thrive in our city without the wonderful influence of the trees.

Neighbors fight to save trees ahead of trial involving Denver’s City Park Golf Course

Trial is set for August 21 By liz.gelardi@kmgh.com There’s new sense of urgency surrounding the fight to save trees at Denver’s City Park Golf Course. Denver City Council is set to vote on contracts related to a controversial drainage project at the golf course. The work involves a stormwater drainage project and course redesign. The proposed contracts are on the agenda for Monday, August 14, after the vote was delayed by a week. Councilman Rafael Espinoza requested the delay and sent a letter to Mayor Michael Hancock Friday morning asking him to deny the contracts. “It doesn’t make any sense to

Please Write Your Council Person, Subject Line: Council Bill 17-0823, 17-0824, 17-1826

    This Monday, Aug 7, 2017 Council members will vote to enter into a contract for the excavation of City Park Golf Course.  The legal challenge is set for trial August 21. Please copy the below addresses, the letter and email  to our Council members and urge them to respect the judicial and public process. Copy and paste these addresses for 13 members of City Council. Albus.Brooks@denvergov.org, kniechatlarge@denvergov.org, ortegaatlarge@denvergov.org, MaryBeth.Susman@denvergov.org, paul.kashmann@denvergov.org, Paul.Lopez@denvergov.org, kevin.flynn@denvergov.org, kendra.black@denvergov.org, wayne.new@denvergov.org, stacie.gilmore@denvergov.org, jolon.clark@denvergov.org, Christopher.herndon@denvergov.org, rafael.espinoza@denvergov.org, Subject Line: Council Bill 17-0823, 17-0824, 17-1826 To Denver City Council: I am a Denver resident writing to urge you

Future of Park Hill Golf Course:

Let your voice be heard in favor of More Open Space, less Development! Please join Clayton Early Learning for Community Forum #2 to continue the community discussion regarding the future of Park Hill Golf Course. The meeting will take place from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Thursday August 10, 2017 on the Clayton Campus  in the Administration Building. The campus is located at 3801 Martin Luther King Boulevard (Colorado Blvd/Martin Luther King Blvd.)

Questions? Please contact Liz Adams ladams@crlassociates.com

Press Release July 31, 2017

City Park Friends and Neighbors LaMone Noles, President   For Immediate Release July 31, 2017 CPFAN issues response to Mayor Hancock’s plan to appear at the Denver Press Club’s celebration of its placement on the National Register of Historic Places City Park Friends and Neighbors (CPFAN) applauds Mayor Hancock for honoring the Denver Press Club upon its placement on the U.S. National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places with a plaque and celebration on August 2, 2017.  The National Register exists to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.  Listing the Denver Press Club on the National Register implies

Resolution Regarding Overland Park Golf Course

Whereas, Overland Park Golf Course, designated in 1956, is an important part of Denver’s park system, providing affordable and accessible golf to Denver’s citizens continuously since its founding in 1895;
and Whereas, the Hancock Administration proposes to lease Overland Park Golf Course to a commercial promoter for the next five years to hold a music festival that will close the golf course for five weeks during prime golf season every summer;

It’s Full Steam Ahead In The City Park Golf Course Lawsuit

We have just four weeks to go to the trial, where our attorneys will demonstrate to the Court that not only the golfers who play 50,000 rounds of golf a year at CPGC, but thousands of other Denverites will be deprived of use of CPGC for ANY park purpose during this extended stormwater project chosen as construction support for the I70 expansion.  Our lawyers will also show that— contrary to all the fancy PR coming from Denver — this project was not chosen to “improve” the Golf Course, and in fact will destroy the historic landscape design that earned the Golf Course its place on the National Register of Historic Places.

Opponents of CDOT’s I-70 Widening File Suit Against the Federal Highway Administration

The suit takes specific aim at the agreement Denver reached with CDOT in 2015 that put local taxpayers on the hook for a project to funnel stormwater away from the 40-foot ditch the agency plans to dig to widen the freeway. The FHWA approved an EIS that did not account for the flood protection project, and the lawsuit aims to “show that both the City of Denver and CDOT intentionally hid the connection between the Platte to Park Hill Drainage Project and the Central I-70 project,” according to a press release.

HISTORIC DENVER SPEAKS UP FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC CITY PARK GOLF COURSE


 

CDOT Response June 2017

 

 

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Continued Community Opposition to I-70 Expansion and Denver’s Stormwater Project

Opponents say the expansion would displace at least 56 households and worsen local air quality.  More than 80 percent of residents in the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood are Latino, and a third of the residents live in poverty. Opponents of the highway expansion used those demographics in a lawsuit to stop the project, saying that poor and minority communities would be disproportionately impacted. In April Federal civil rights investigators found that CDOT’s plan would be less discriminatory toward  Elyria-Swansea and Globeville, than any other option studied. Hear an interview with Candy CdeBaca

YOUR INPUT NEEDED ON CITY PARK MASTER PLAN UPDATE

Please click the following link to take a short survey on your desires/ideas/hopes regarding the future of City Park. In particular, please fill in the final entry where your personal comments are requested. Your responses will help shape the future of City Park. https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/denver-parks-and-recreation/planning/park-facility-projects/city-park-master-plan.html

PRESS RELEASE: CITY PARK FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS (RNO) LAWSUIT INFO

PRESS RELEASE: CITY PARK FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS (RNO) CPFAN Contacts: Maria Flora 303.345.7811 / Bridget Walsh 720.440.3562 Government Secrecy Largely Prevails in MacFarlane et al v. Denver Fight Continues to Save Historic City Park Golf Course (CPGC) While Richard Nixon could not assert an “executive privilege†to prevent the public from knowing the truth behind Watergate, the City of Denver, is using “deliberative process privilege†to withhold information in City Park Golf Course law suit.   On June 5, 2017, the Denver District Court heard arguments regarding the City’s assertion that 220 documents (7,400 pages) should be protected by the

 



Dear City Park Friends and Neighbors:

We need your generous help to win the legal battle to save City Park Golf Course.

Why does City Park Golf Course need to be saved?

As you know, the city is proceeding with its plans to “repeal and replace†City Park Golf Course as part of its agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation to provide drainage for the I-70 lowered highway project.

The golf course will be closed, fenced off, and dirt removed to substantially lower below grade the western end of the park. Trees will be lost and it is likely that the existing clubhouse will be torn down. Then a completely new course will be designed around the drainage facility.

How can we save it?

Since the City Park Golf Course project is only one piece in a very large interconnected series of projects that include local, state, and federal involvement, the best, and possibly only, way to stop its destruction is through the lawsuit initiated by Aaron Goldhamer, representing JD MacFarlane (former Colorado Attorney General).  Recently a number of other neighbors and Council Member Rafael Espinoza have requested to join as plaintiffs.

Why is the lawsuit a good bet?

The City Park Golf Course lawsuit contends that closing the park (City Park Golf Course is a designated Denver park) for 18-24 months and giving it to the Public Works Department to construct a stormwater detention facility violate Colorado common law and the Denver City Charter. Both common law and the Charter protect parks for the public to use for park and recreation purposes. And no park may be leased or sold without a vote of the people (Charter section 2.4.5) and no franchises other than to concessionaires may be granted in parks (Charter section 2.4.6).

We believe that this suit is the right thing to do and that it stands on the right side of the letter and spirit of the common law and the Charter.

How will my donation be used?

Aaron is conducting the litigation pro bono, but he needs our help with funds to pay for expenses related to the suit, including deposition costs, court fees, document production costs, and expert witnesses.   He has asked us to raise $20,000 by the end of this month.  We are calling on every member of CPFAN to help with a donation.

Where do I send my donation and how will the money be held?

Aaron’s firm, Keating Wagner Polidori Free, has established a client trust account for the City Park Golf Course litigation.  Donations can be made:

  • online at GoFundMe webpage View The Big Lie
  • by check made out to “Keating Wagner Polidori Free, P.C. Client Trust Account†indicating in the lower left corner “CPGC Lawsuit†and mailed to 
 Keating Wagner Polidori Free, P.C., Attn: Aaron Goldhamer
          1290 Broadway, Suite 600
          Denver, CO 80203

Please donate today!

Many of you have already contributed.   If you have not yet donated, please do so today.

Thank you!

CPFAN Board:  Hank Bootz, John Van Sciver, Louis Plachowski, Jacqui Lansing, JD MacFarlane, LaMone Noles, Vicki Eppler

P.S.  Don’t miss a bonus opportunity to boost your donation’s value:  Susan Barnes-Gelt will match new contributions to the GoFundMe page up to $2000.  Thank you, Susan!

 


Read the latest plans from the Denver Zoo about beautification of the Gate 15 area.


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Sign our petition to stop Denver Mayor Michael Hancock from destroying an historic public park to put in an industrial storm drainage sump. Click the button at left to see more and sign the petition.

Read more on our issues page.


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