News In Brief, February 2021
Compiled by Cara DeGette, Editor, GPHN
The ACLU, Civil Rights, Protests and the Police
The aftermath of last year’s protests against police violence, along with Colorado’s newly enacted police reform legislation SB 217 and the violent incident at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, have all fueled conversation and concern. Denise Maes, the public policy director for the ACLU of Colorado, will discuss these topics at the League of Women Voters of Denver virtual briefing on Monday, Feb. 15, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Maes will address how SB 217 is impacting the issue of civil rights in policing, as well as police reform proposals from Denver’s mayor and city council. The Capitol incident also brings up the issue of “selective policing,” and how the ACLU is addressing this locally and nationally.
Maes sits on various municipal boards and commissions that review police and jail-related matters. The public is invited to participate. The link to the briefing can be obtained at lwvdenver.org.
Construction Zone Ahead. Check Out These Maps
Denver Water has searchable maps that help people track projects that are planned, in progress and completed in specific neighborhoods all over the city.
Water mains are replaced for various reasons, including repairing or avoiding main breaks, replacing corroded pipe, alleviating water quality problems, increasing available hydrant flow and improving area delivery
The link to the citywide searchable project map is denverwater.org/project-updates/pipe-replacement.
Another online map is available that shows areas in the neighborhood where work its being done to replace lead pipes. That map is at denverwater.org/your-water/water-quality/lead. Customers with general questions can also contact Denver Water Customer Care at 303-893-2444, Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Your Feedback Wanted For City Park Nature Play
The City Park Master Plan Update that was completed in 2018 indicated a desire for natural play experiences in the southeast corner of City Park, just west of Park Hill.
In 2019, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Denver Parks and Recreation entered a partnership to explore the creation of these community-desired spaces. Water has been identified as an important element in the design of natural play spaces.
A team was contracted by the museum last September to explore the feasibility of restoring the historic DeBoer Waterway in a sustainable and innovative way, while creating natural play experiences in City Park. They are now seeking further community feedback to help shape the space. Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the project through Feb. 15. Visit dmns.org/natureplay for project updates, and sign up for email notices by sending an email to natureplay@dmns.org and asking to be added to the project email list.
Group Living Plan Going To Council On Feb. 8
The Denver City Council is holding a public hearing and is expected to vote on changes to the zoning code that governs Group Living homes on Feb. 8. The city council’s Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted in December to advance the proposal. The changes deal with everything from conventional households to residential care. Among the changes under consideration: to allow up to five unrelated adults to live together in a house (the number allowed is currently two in a house and four in a duplex or apartment).
Details on the proposed Group Living changes is at denvergov.org/groupliving. Written public comments will be accepted up to and during the final public hearing on Feb. 8. To submit written comments for inclusion in the final staff report, email them to planningservices@denvergov.org. Comments must be received by the Thursday before the public hearing to be included in the staff report. Comments may also be emailed directly to City Council members at dencc@denvergov.org.
Instructions for how to participate in the public hearing is at denvergov.org/citycouncil.
Free COVID-19 Testing At Clayton Campus
Clayton Early Learning is now a free community COVID-19 testing site in partnership with COVID Check Colorado. The testing site is open to the public every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. People must register in advance at this link: primarybio.com/l/cdphe or through the general link on the COVID Check Colorado website, covidcheckcolorado.org.
The testing location is directly off of Martin Luther King Blvd., just west of Colorado Blvd. When heading west on MLK, turn right at the sign that marks Clayton’s West Entrance, or search for 3601 MLK Blvd. in your mapping device. Once on the Clayton campus, follow the signs and remain in your vehicle. Tests will be completed via nasal swab or saliva sample, and results are provided within 72 hours.
St. Joe’s COVID-19 Mural Honors Caregivers
Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Saint Joseph’s Hospital partnered with local artists Karlee Mariel and Raj Chaudhuri to create a two-story mural for their team members to honor their extraordinary strength, courage and relentless commitment to providing world-class patient care.
The mural is located at the employee entrance to the hospital, at 1375 E. 19th Ave.
The idea for the inspirational mural was generated by Saint Joseph’s Hospital physician Dr. Christy Chaudhuri, based on her experience witnessing the care her colleagues exhibit daily as they battle to save lives during the pandemic.
In a news release, Chaudhuri noted that doctors and nurses don’t get to be tired, visibly sad or quit during this time. She wanted to create the mural to visibly thank her coworkers for their grit and determination and to represent the human element behind the battle with COVID-19.
Denver Water Hoping For A Big, Wet Winter
Despite some blips of snow this season, angry red splotches of drought continue to scar Colorado on the U.S. Drought Monitor map. In response, Denver water planners say a strong, wet winter will be needed to fill the city’s reservoirs to 100 percent of capacity this year.
“The hot, dry summer really impacted soil moisture,” said Nathan Elder, Denver Water’s water supply manager, in a news release. “You saw that when one of the biggest wildfires we had in 2020 (the East Troublesome fire, Colorado’s second-largest wildfire in history) started in October.
“We’ll need above-normal snowpack to get to a normal runoff, because the soil will take a portion of the runoff before we see the water in the streams or our reservoirs.”
Water planners highlight a number of factors of concern:
• Snowpack conditions in mid-January were below normal in Denver Water’s collection system.
• The majority of Denver Water’s collection system is considered to be in “extreme drought” on the U.S. drought monitor map.
• Soil moisture measurements are indicating conditions rank in the bottom five for moisture for 30 years of measurements between 1981 and 2010.
• During the spring runoff, that thirsty, dry soil will snatch water from the melting snow, meaning there likely will be less water available for streams and reservoir storage. Forecasts currently indicate streamflow later this year could be 67 percent to 83 percent of average.
• Denver Water’s reservoir storage stands at 78 percent full, a few percentage points below normal for January.
The bulk of the winter is still ahead of us, including Colorado’s snowiest months of March and April, Elder said. And three-month climate outlooks predict “slightly greater odds” for below-normal precipitation above Denver Water’s collection system and across the metro area.
Seeking Local Artists For A Big DAM Mural
The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is looking for a local artist or multiple artists working in collaboration to submit a mural project proposal for the reopening of the museum’s Martin Building, slated to open this fall.
The large-scale mural is expected to tell a story of the Denver metro area’s vibrant and creative scene, and serve as a beacon of welcoming to students, families and visitors of all ages who enter the museum’s doors near Denver’s Civic Center Park downtown, according to a news release. The mural will be approximately 12 x 28 feet and remain up for up to three years.
DAM identified the ideal artist(s) for the project will have experience working in a variety of environments, have strong local ties, be interested in projects with participatory experiences for the public and interested in collaborating with museum staff in project planning. The artist(s) will receive $10,000, and a supplemental materials budget. Additional support, such as installation, marketing and promotional support, will be provided by the museum.
The deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 12, at 11:59 p.m. For additional details, check out denverartmuseum.org/en/martin-building-reopening-mural. The link to apply is https://bit.ly/3npnUUv