YES for Parks and Open Space is a group of dedicated and passionate volunteers who care deeply about the environment and Denver’s vanishing open space. From top to bottom, NO ONE in this group is getting paid for their efforts, no one. This group came together voluntarily because of the shared sense of the importance of saving the last piece of open space and park land in NE Denver.
In just the last decade, Denver dropped from 11th to 22nd in park land per capita leading to overcrowded parks or non-existent recreational opportunities for families. Parts of Denver are beautifully green; however, portions of the City are increasingly devoid of green space. This lack of natural landscapes, in parks and open areas, magnifies summer heat (more about the “Heat Island Effect”), increases air quality issues, and depresses the quality of life for residents in these areas. One area particularly underserved with parks and open space is northeast Denver, specifically the communities around Northeast Park Hill. Fortunately, the Park Hill Golf Course offers a great way to help equalize this disparity!
Many Northeast Denver residents have been clear that they want the Park Hill Golf Course preserved as an open space and recreational property, and the residents across the City of Denver have supported them, as witnessed by the votes on two ballot initiatives in the November 2021 election. Ballot initiative 301, approved by 63.55% voters, requires citywide voter approval before commercial or residential development is allowed in any parks or any city-owned land with a conservation easement (for more information click here). Ballot initiative 302, defeated by 62.59% voters, would have exempted the Park Hill Golf Course property from the same citywide voter approval.
What is clear from these two ballot initiatives – moving development of properties under Conservation Easement protections from City of Denver decision-making to a city-wide vote – is that the City of Denver has lost residents’ trust regarding development decisions. This loss of trust has now been confirmed, since (despite the vote) Westside Investment Partners, Inc. (the developer) and the City of Denver have moved forward with development plans. Westside’s credibility regarding the validity of their public process has been questioned, as has their claim that development of Loretto Heights honored the potential for the larger community of that property. The City of Denver reputedly sold out its true constituents (City residents) with the Fairfax Park land swap (see page 8 here), and many (most, if the 301 & 302 votes are representative) Denver residents are wary of the current City leadership’s willingness to do what is best for Denver.
Meanwhile, Denver has increasing heat, air quality and water issues. In August 2021, The Gazette reported that “No other populated area in the country carries as high an environmental risk as a few square miles just northeast of downtown Denver, according to a study from ATTOM Data Solution.” Since the Park Hill Golf Course property was undeveloped during this study, and since the area is of meaningful size and a rare parcel of green in NE Denver, development of this property will intensify the problem.
We need you in this fight with us!
If you can, please use our Donate link to help our cause.
We hope you will join us in our vision of keeping Denver the “City within a Park”.
Thank you