Category Archives: Parks and Waterways

Temporary Directive to Suspend Access to Parks for Illegal Drug-Related Activity

Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation Posted on by

Like many cities across the country, Denver is experiencing an epidemic of heroin use. Hospital admissions, treatment, calls for service, and accidental heroin overdose deaths are rising. The Cherry Creek bike trail and several of our Downtown parks have become hot spots for drug sales and use, jeopardizing the public’s ability to safely enjoy some of our treasured outdoor recreation areas.

To address this complex issue, several city departments have been working together the past few months on a multi-faceted approach. We have been deploying additional police officers, drug prevention and treatment specialists, behavioral health professionals and paramedics to the trail and nearby parks. Police have made 128 felony arrests, the vast majority of them for drug sales, along the trail. An estimated 3500 needles have been collected this year along the trail and from parks throughout the city, including those placed in the needle deposit box.

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Upcoming Cherry Creek Dam Public Meetings

Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation Posted on by

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, is hosting a series of public meetings to provide information on the current progress of the Cherry Creek Dam Safety Modification Study, including potential changes to the Water Control Plan, and to gather public input on the current suite of alternatives. Cherry Creek Dam, located in the Denver Metropolitan Area, has a hydrologic deficiency that could result in overtopping and failure during an extreme storm event. While the probability of such an event is low, the consequences would be high and as such requires these analyses.

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Environmental Learning for Kids Awarded Great Urban Parks Campaign Grant

Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation Posted on by

Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK) is a Denver-based, 501(c)3 organization established in 1996 to address the growing need to introduce and educate Colorado’s urban youth about science, leadership, and careers.

Nineteen years later, ELK continues to provide strong educational support, good role models, and opportunities for positive community action for youth, helping them to become engaged, productive, and successful members of society. For more information about ELK please visit www.elkkids.org.

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Ruby Hill Bike Park Opens

Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation Posted on by

The Ruby Hill Bike Park is a regional amenity located within the City and County of Denver along the South Platte River. The park’s natural topography with more than fifty feet of elevation difference between the top and bottom of the bike park provide a great riding experience as well as views of the city skyline. The bike park will provide a family-friendly environment where riders of all skill levels can come and practice biking skills. The bike park is designed with a series of trails and features of varying size and difficulty that allow novice to experienced riders to develop skills and confidence as they progress through the unique challenges of each of the trails and features. The following features are incorporated into the bike park:

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Urban Flood Control District Report regarding danger of Cherry Creek

Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation Posted on by

Dear Friends of Denver Parks,

Attached is the 2016 report of Paul Hindman, Executive Director of Denver Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, regarding the possibility of Cherry Creek Flooding and/or the dam failing in the event of a severe thunderstorm.

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Supreme Court denies Friends Of Denver Parks Petition for Review

Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation Posted on by

Although the city and DPS prevailed in the lawsuit, Mother Nature someday may have the last word. Cherry Creek Dam is a 141 foot high earth dam designed to collect water from the Cherry Creek basin and prevent downstream flooding. The dam retains water in the reservoir; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases water downstream into Cherry Creek through three tubes at the base of the dam. In the event of a severe thunderstorm, the Corps must release enough water through the discharge tubes to prevent the reservoir water level from rising too fast. If the reservoir water level rises so fast that water overtops the dam, the water will wash away the dirt on the back side of the dam, and the dam will undergo catastrophic failure.

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Cole residents tell Denver planners not to take homes for drainage plan

Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation Posted on by

The city needs to find a place in northeast Denver to retain water when heavy rains flood the storm-drainage system, but residents are trying to stop Public Works from selecting an option that would raze three blocks of the Cole neighborhood.

“We really want to stop that from happening; a lot of people have lived there for generations,” said Warren Karberg, a Cole resident who could potentially lose his home.

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