Talk of the Neighborhood
Compiled by Cara DeGette, Editor, GPHN
The following is a synopsis of what was discussed during the Feb. 7 Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. monthly meeting. The next community meeting is Thursday, March. 7, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at 2823 Fairfax St. The April meeting will be Thursday, April 4 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome.
City Park News
Board Member Ryan Hunter, who represents GPHC, Inc. on the City Park Neighborhood Advisory Committee, provided an update on several projects happening at City Park. The reconstruction of the golf course just north of the park is currently on schedule, he said. The course has been closed for the past year and a half while the city is reconfiguring it to incorporate a stormwater detention system. Saunders Construction is finishing its work, and the course is scheduled to be turned back over to the Denver Parks and Recreation department in May.
In other news, the Denver Zoo is moving forward with improvements to the Gate 15 area, which is behind the elephant compound near Duck Lake on the north side of the park.
Updates are underway at the Dustin Redd Playground (people can check out the project at denvergov.org/ parkprojects). While construction is underway, kids can use the smaller playground on the east side of Ferril Lake near the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Hunter reported that once the Dustin Redd updates are completed, the city is planning to make improvements to the smaller playground, incorporating the theme of nature play.
Fairfax Park Update
Gordon Robinson, director of planning, design and construction for Denver Parks and Recreation, provided an update on the ongoing design plans for a small park at Fairfax Street at 29th Avenue. The park will be built within the Park Hill Commons residential and commercial development project currently under construction on the east side of the street.
The park was initially slated to be built on the west side of the street and has been the source of much controversy for the past two years. Numerous possible designs for the park have been drafted, and Robinson said the city is still accepting comments on what people want the park to look like (people can complete a survey on design alternatives at denvergov.org/parkprojects). Also up for consideration is the name of the park. The cost of the park is estimated at $800,000, of which the developer of Park Hill Commons has committed $600,000. Robinson said the Denver Parks and Rec department will pay the remaining $200,000. “We are budgeting the shortfall,” he said. “We want to build the park you want.” Notices for future public planning meetings will be posted on Nextdoor and Facebook social media sites. Gordon said the department also plans to leave flyers announcing upcoming meetings at homes in the surrounding neighborhood.
Park Hill resident Shanta Harrison, who serves on the advisory committee for the project, urged neighbors to make sure to attend the open houses and make their voices heard, rather than potentially grumbling about the outcome after it’s too late.
Lopez Versus Perl
Paul Lopez, currently a city councilman representing Denver’s west side, addressed the audience to make his pitch for Denver Clerk and Recorder. Lopez is running against public interest attorney Peg Perl, who attended the Greater Park Hill community meeting in November to provide an overview about why she is running for the position.
The Denver election to decide the race is May 7. Interviews with both Lopez and Perl appear on page 4.
Rezoning at 1900 Glencoe
Sylvia and Adam Dowd provided an overview of the zoning variance request that they have submitted to build a modest addition on the attached garage at their Tudor-style home, at 1900 Glencoe St.
Adam Dowd said they solicited the support from neighbors living in the immediate vicinity. All are in support save one, who indicated a desire to “abstain” from weighing in. “We worked hard with the architect to come up with design that is consistent with the neighborhood,” Sylvia Dowd said. GPHC, Inc. board members voted unanimously to submit a letter of support for the variance.
GPHC Update
Board Chair Tracey MacDermott provided an update on the operations of the Registered Neighborhood Organization. In January, the emergency food pantry served 41 families, for a total of 136 individuals. The weekend food program, which provides food over the weekends to students attending several schools in the neighborhood, currently serves 100 students. (Check out page 16 for a list of items that are currently needed for both programs.)
On Thursday, March 14 GPHC will hold a free Seed-Bomb Making Workshop, to assemble packets of pollinators that people can distribute through the neighborhood for unexpected bursts of flowers. The workshop starts at 6:30 p.m. at the GPHC office, 2823 Fairfax St.