INC PARC met September 20 at Brookdale, 2020 S. Monroe. Present were co-chairs Cindy Johnstone and Maggie Price, Brad Cameron, Ronnie Crawford, Michael Lewis, Greg Sorensen, Tom Morris, John Riecke, Myles Tangalin, Diana Helper, Katie and Steve Fisher.

PARC discussed issues for DPR in updating the Game Plan as part of DenveRight, now being planned by the city. All are urged to attend the Community Visioning Workshops October 4 and 5 to voice comments, and take the survey at denveright.org. Cindy will pass along PARC comments which include:

• Great need of improvement of Denver’s “acres of park per 1000 citizens” ratio.
• More pocket parks, more separate playing fields, more open space Required of developers for new construction.
• Address the subject of Parkways, define, create one cooperative Policy that serves DPR, Public Works and Planning.
• Clarify the identity of responsibility for land in parks, parkways, school property, CDOT, gulches, rivers, Arts & Venues. How does this fit in Game Plan?
• Review realistically the present categories of parks– festival, regional, neighborhood, etc. with consideration of impact on surrounding neighborhood from use (crowds, noise, parking, trash, inability for neighbors to use the park.
• Continue the Park Designation process, including every park not now designated, with full explanation for any “park” for which there is a valid reason it can’t be designated.
• Continue to work on improvements to S. Platte area, water quality.
• Take very seriously the benefits of quiet park spaces and calming nature on the health of all citizens. These are proven to lower blood pressure, ease tensions, evoke happiness.
• Create a Process, to include all changes proposed for public park land, to give citizens an opportunity for representation by an elected official: return the power of decision-making to City Council, as originally given in the City Charter, rather than the present policy of decision-making by city managers appointed by the mayor.

Additional discussion matters:

Ronnie reported on the recent highly successful Carp Slam, and improvements at Grant-Frontier Park.

Katie told of removal of picnic tables at Ruby Hill Park after a citizen expressed concern that the grass around/under them was not being mowed.

Diana reported three driveways were constructed in the Historic Buchtel Blvd. Parkway with no notification.

PARC objects to grass being replaced by concrete in park property. (Suggest DPR send weekly notice to RNOs listing work activity scheduled, as PW does.)

Brad Cameron presented an updated draft  Park Designation Policy received from Scott Gilmore that Parks & Rec apparently intends to take to PRAB later this Fall.

parks-designation-policy-9-16

Meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Next meeting 6 p.m. October 18.

–Diana Helper, PARC member