‘Horrible’ Conditions Spark 311 Campaign

By Cara DeGette
Editor, GPHN

It’s been 16 months since Westside Investment Partners lost its gambit to develop the Park Hill Golf Course. Since then, the 155-acre property, surrounded by a chain-link fence, has fallen into weedy disrepair. The turf and native grasses on the former golf course appear dead. Many of the hundreds of mature trees appear dead, half-dead or stressed.

On July 14 the group Save Open Space Denver launched a campaign to call attention to the “horrible” conditions there, urging supporters to call the city’s 3-1-1 hotline. Though privately owned, the property is protected from development by a city-owned conservation easement. Later in the month the group issued a statement indicating “we are satisfied that the city is aware and will address the issue.”

During his campaign for Denver mayor last year, Mike Johnston said he supported buying the land back from the developer for a regional park. Last month, at a public event on East Colfax, Johnston said the city is currently in “active negotiations” with Westside over the golf course site.

“There are some things I can’t share ‘cause that negotiation is in process,” Johnston said. “But I’ll share that we have the same commitment to want to be able to make that a legacy project for the city. We think it ought to be long-term open space, and we also want to negotiate a price that’s fair for taxpayers and that protects residents . . . I’m optimistic we will get to a deal.”