Letters to the Editor
Never In My Lifetime
I was shocked by the announcement in April by Park Hill United Methodist Church that they were going to host a sanctioned homeless camp on their property. Actually, not shocked by their plans, because that is what that church has always done — compassionate things. What was shocking was the reaction by some in our community. Never ever in my lifetime of living in Park Hill have I heard other human beings referred to as garbage. Never have I heard a respected institution called “those as***es.” And on and on.
Has our neighborhood become just another place of intolerance and vitriolic speech? I hope not.
Gary Martyn, Park Hill
We Are Here To Help
As Executive Director and Region 4 Lead of the Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado, I wanted to share these free resources with the Park Hill community, where I’m a proud resident.
We offer free resources to families and people with living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. All resources are currently virtual — you can attend a support group, take a live, interactive Zoom class, or take a class 24/7 on-demand. Classes start May 3 and go through the summer. The classes can be accessed at alz.org/co/helping_you/classes_training/classes. You can also call us anytime, day or night, at 303-813-1669.
Thank you!
Amelia Schafer, Park Hill
An Open Letter To Parks Director Happy Haynes
I am writing to you in your role as the Manager of Denver Parks and Recreation to ask you and your staff to reconsider mixed used of the Denver city golf courses.
I have lived in the Park Hill neighborhood for 30 years, and have always enjoyed the City Park Golf Course, sometimes as a golfer, but more frequently as a walker and cross-country skier. My family and I have always been respectful of the greens and high use areas of the golf course. We have only engaged in these activities when the golf course could not be used for other purposes due to snow or nightfall.
We were delighted to see the fences come down from around the City Park Golf Course because they had been so unsightly, but also because this would once again give us access to the golf course for walking and skiing. Denver’s golf courses are wonderful after a snowfall as they give residents a safe place to ski, walk or snowshoe, close to home. Many of the city parks themselves are crisscrossed by roads, making them very impractical for skiing. This is the draw to the city’s golf courses for alternate activities.
My husband and I were recently skiing at the City Park Golf Course and were told we must leave. We were very surprised by this, as we had been skiing the golf course for 30 years.
I [subsequently] spoke with Susie Helmerich, at the City Park Golf Course, about this encounter. She did a very good job of explaining that the golf courses are stand-alone, pay-for-use properties. She explained that some individuals who have sledded and used snowmobiles on the golf course have damaged the property. Due to this, the golf course is discouraging all uses of the grounds other than golfing.
I would like to appeal to you, and the golf community as a whole, to reconsider this policy. It seems as though walkers and skiers have respectfully co-existed with golfers at the city’s golf courses for many years. It would be so unfortunate to limit the use of this property exclusively to golfers, due to a few citizens who have been disrespectful.
There are many neighbors and citizens who do not golf, but who have greatly enjoyed the use of the city’s golf courses over the years through mixed use activities. This practice is also very prevalent in Colorado’s mountain communities. It also seems that this year in particular, with the limitations of the COVID pandemic, is a season to exercise generosity of city facilities. Surely if Bandimere Speedway can make room for legal drag-racing, the city’s golf courses can exercise some discretion in allowing walkers and others to access the grounds after hours or during times of snowfall.
To me, it would be tragic that a renovation of the City Park Golf Course would actually lead to less access to the outdoors for Denver’s citizens.
Respectfully,
Jody Allen-Smith, Park Hill