Talk of the Neighborhood
Compiled by Cara DeGette, Editor, GPHN
The following is a synopsis of what was discussed during the Jan. 4 Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. monthly meeting.
Fairfax Pocket Park Update
Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. board member Kevin Wiegand provided an update on progress related to a pocket park for the former Xcel Energy substation land on the west side of Fairfax between 28th and 29th avenues.
The City Parks & Recreation department obtained the land from Xcel and originally planned a park at the site. However, the developer of the block-long residential and commercial project across the street has proposed a land swap with the city. City officials, including city Councilman Chris Herndon and Parks Director Scott Gilmore, have worked privately with the developer on the proposal to build the park inside the development project. In exchange, the developer would take ownership of the Xcel property for a future development. Herndon and Gilmore have said they support the land-swap idea (see the November issue of GPHN, at greaterparkhill.org for additional details on the plan).
However, nearby residents and members of the GPHC board have held a series of public meetings and developed a plan to privately fund and build the park in its original location at the site of the former Xcel substation.
In his presentation, Wiegand said he and other volunteers fliered homes within a ¼-mile radius of the park location seeking input on the plan. He described the park as being safe and welcoming to all neighbors.
The group has held three community meetings in recent months, drawing between 30-50 people. People have voiced a desire for several amenities, he said, including picnic areas, children’s play areas, a flower garden, a shade structure, green space, food trucks, a mural and other public art, and a water feature.
“One of the goals is inclusion,” Wiegand said. “We want the park to be welcoming to everyone.” The brick wall that currently surrounds the property would be largely removed for safety, save for the wall against the alley to mitigate noise from the properties to the west of the proposed park.
Wiegand said he and other organizers plan to reach out to Councilman Herndon and the city’s parks and recreation department with hopes of moving forward with a meeting. (Note: the city is planning a separate meeting on this issue on Thursday, Feb. 22, at Stedman Elementary School from 5:30-7:30 p.m. See page 6 for additional details.)
Radon Testing Update
Patricia Iwasaki of the group Taking Neighborhood Health to Heart provided an update on the environmental justice campaign on radon testing that was launched last year. Neighborhoods include Park Hill, Stapleton, Montclair, and East Aurora. Radon is an odorless and tasteless gas that is found in 1 of 9 homes in Colorado and can cause lung cancer. Iwasaki urged people to have their homes tested for radon, which is free and takes about 30 minutes. If
radon is above acceptable levels, there is funding for mitigation
systems for those who qualify via Denver Urban Renewal Authority. If you are interested in having your home tested, contact david.pfotenhauer@colorado.edu.
Executive Director Update
Sierra Fleenor, executive director of Greater Park Hill Community, provided an update of the work and achievements by staff and volunteers of the Registered Neighborhood Association in 2017.
Thanksgiving Tallies
• In November GPHC distributed 327 Thanksgiving meals to neighborhood families.
• The final tally included 300 turkeys, nine turkey breasts, 161 frozen pies, 200 fresh rolls, 515 pounds of fresh vegetables and about 4,735 cans, boxes, and packets.
• Collectively, 110 volunteers donated 276 hours in a two-week period.
• More than 65 individuals and organizations made donations to support the work of GPHC.
Emergency Food Pantry
• In November, 76 households and 252 individuals were served by the pantry (in addition to Thanksgiving).
• In December, 63 households and 192 individuals were served. (Fleenor noted that the year before, GPHC served 36 households and 99 individuals – which marks a whopping 75 percent increase in the number of families receiving food from the pantry from December, 2016 to December, 2017.)
• In 2017, an average of 50 households per month received food via the GPHC pantry.
Weekend Food Program
• More than 220 students received food for weekends, when school is not in session. Participating schools and organizations include the Boys and Girls Club, Roots, Smith, and Park Hill elementaries.
Certified Green Status
In 2017, GPHC received Certified Green Business Status from the Denver Department of Environmental Health. Fleenor highlighted a few notable achievements related to sustainability efforts in Park Hill:
• GPHC is 100 percent powered by wind.
• The organization sponsored several stormwater quality forums.
• Recycled paper is used for printing needs.
• Park Hill Home Tour & Street Fair qualified as a Certifiably Green Denver event in 2017.
• The organization offered seven garden, compost, and sustainability workshops in 2017.
• GPHC offers free farm stands to keep fresh food from ending up in landfill.
Plans for 2018
• Focus on bees: Bee Careful Campaign; beekeeping workshops with Vine Street Farms
• Rain gardens and water conservation with CU Boulder’s Community
• Engagement, Design and Research Center
• Radon testing kits and educational forum with Taking Neighborhood Health to Heart
• Eating sustainably and affordably workshops with We Don’t Waste