Community Announcements

OOPS!
In an effort to extend information about Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., membership opportunities to more people, a recent mailing resulted in some duplication. The GPHC apologizes for any inconvenience and appreciates your continued support!

SAVE TIME, FIND PRESCHOOLS ONLINE
The Denver Preschool Program’s online Find a Preschool tool at dpp.org is a great place to search for Denver preschools. The Denver Preschool Program (DPP) is a sales tax-funded initiative that generates about $11 million annually to fund preschool tuition support for all Denver’s 4-year-olds, who – regardless of family income – are eligible for tuition support from DPP.  You can find out how much your family can receive with DPP’s online Tuition Credit Calculator.  All this and applications for DPP can be found at dpp.org.

NEW POLICE BOUNDARIES, PARK HILL STILL D2
In mid-July, the Denver Police Department reorganized under new districts in an effort to improve response and balance workloads. The new maps were created using data related to crime statistics. Park Hill remains in District 2, which has expanded south to 6th Avenue and to the northern section of Five Points.

FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS
The Denver Office of Economic Development (OED) has issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for projects to be funded in 2014. OED is soliciting proposals in three areas – housing, neighborhood development or services, and economic development. Proposals should be submitted online at denvergov.org/oed. OED is seeking exceptional projects and related services that make a positive impact on neighborhoods in a noticeable way. The NOFA makes available public funds that could be used by non-profit and for-profit providers to facilitate the development of viable urban neighborhoods by providing quality affordable housing, an enhanced living environment and expanded economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents. The deadline to submit funding applications is Monday, August 5, 2013.

DENVER DAYS AUGUST 3-11
Mayor Michael B. Hancock’s Denver Days is a weeklong event in August dedicated to getting neighbors together through gatherings, service and activities. Neighborhoods are encouraged to host potlucks, block cleanups, paint a senior’s house, guided walks, and more. Denver Parks & Recreation is waiving the permit fee for reserving a park for Denver Days. Visit denvergov.org/denverdays for more information.

HUNGER FREE COLORADO’S FOOD TRUCK
“Your Neighborhood Food Truck” is serving up access to computers and personal support to help local residents apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as well as offer referrals to nearby food pantries and other children and senior nutrition programs. On board, residents can receive one-on-one assistance with available food resources, complete SNAP applications and connect with other partnering agencies. Visit hungerfreecolorado.org for more information.

MAYOR’S DESIGN AWARDS
The Denver Community Planning and Development department is seeking nominations for the annual Mayor’s Design Awards. The Mayor’s Design Awards honor projects throughout the city for excellence in architecture, design and place-making. The awards are presented to Denver homeowners, business owners, nonprofits, artists and others for their contribution to the public realm through innovative design projects.
Nominations are due September 1, 2013. To nominate a project for the Mayor’s Design Awards and view past winners, please visit denvergov.org/mda.

ALLEY ART WANTED
If you’ve installed or contributed to an interesting bit of art in an alley in northeast Denver, let Jack and Pam Farrar know soon. The Farrars will be judging the 6th annual Park Hill Alley Art Contest and awarding great prizes to the winners this October, including a custom piece by stained glass artist David Wilson. Other prizes will be donated by local merchants and institutions and the winners will be written up in the Greater Park Hill News. Eligible art includes: natural art, such as gardens; person-made art such as paintings, sculptures or other types of installations behind residences; or art in public or quasi-public spaces. The art and/or garden has to be clearly visible from the alley. You don’t need to contact us to be eligible (we’re already driving up and down alleys), but it will assure that your masterpiece is “appraised.” The following elements may boost your entry’s chances for fame: originality, humor, creative use of materials, color, irony, hidden meaning, weirdness, neighborhood collaboration, beautification, and nifty integration of natural and man-made stuff. The Farrars can be reached at 303-388-5204 or denverfarrar@comcast.net.

PROJECT GREER STREET’S INAUGURAL CLASS GRADUATES WITH DISTINCTION
The students of the inaugural class of Project Greer Street have graduated from high school with distinction. The class members are Leonard Davis (East High School), Jaycee Floyd (East High School), Malik Taylor (Montbello High School), Mark Dean, Jr. (South High School), Anthony Sanford (East High School), Maurice Diawara (East High School), Jabari Holland (East High School), and Ashi Geberkidane (East High School). Together, the students were awarded more than $250,000.00 in scholarships and institutional grants. Project Greer Street, a ground-breaking educational enrichment program for African-American males, was launched by Park Hill residents Yvette Sally and Ronald Sally. For more information, email projectgreerstreet@gmail.com

HANCOCK’S STATE OF THE CITY
Mayor Michael B. Hancock delivered his second State of the City Address in July at the Forney Museum of Transportation. “Construction and development are driving our economy forward, positioning Denver as the ideal place to start a business, build a career and raise a family,” said Hancock. He noted that Denver added 15,000 jobs and 1,000 new businesses in the last year and that the city’s unemployment is down two points since 2011 and the housing market is one of the strongest in the nation. He also highlighted that Denver has eliminated its budget deficit and is restoring essential services cut during the recession, such as street paving, library hours and public safety. In addition, he highlighted: Measure 2A, new DIA flights, the My Denver Card, efforts made by the police department, rail developments, and his Denver Days initiative. The complete text of the speech is available at denvergov.org/mayor.

QUEBEC ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS
Denver Public Works is hosting a public meeting to launch the Quebec Alternatives Analysis effort that will seek to improve multimodal mobility on Quebec Street in northeast Denver. The study will focus on identifying and implementing transportation solutions ranging from immediate actions to improvements phased over a maximum of 5-10 years. The first public meeting will introduce the purpose and process of the study and begin gathering input that will shape the study’s focus and decisions, and will take place from 5:30 to 7:30pm at the Colorado Free University Ballroom’s John Hand Theater, 7653 E. 1st Place on Wednesday, August 7th.

SAND CREEK RECEIVES REI GRANT FOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Denver Metro REI has bestowed $10,000 to the Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership (SCRGP) to expand their successful volunteer program. The SCRGP Neighborhood Partners Environmental Team (NPET) works in Commerce City, Denver, and Aurora along the Sand Creek Regional Greenway Trail.  In 2012, nearly 600 volunteers worked for over 2800 hours, resulting in over $62,000 in labor and maintenance saved for the community.  The grant will expand this very successful program in 2013-2014 by recruiting even more volunteers to participate in over 20 volunteer events throughout the year. To participate in the NPET, contact Katie Lampe at klampe@sandcreekgreenway.org or 303.468.3262, or visit www.sandcreekgreenway.org.