DENVER – Mar.17, 2016 – Today, City Park Alliance, a national organization dedicated to urban parks, announced the selection of Denver as the host city of the bi-annual Greater & Greener International Urban Parks Conference in 2019.  Mayor Michael Hancock was joined by city officials and community members and  celebrated the announcement in Denver’s Civic Center Park by planting a tree signifying Denver’s commitment and dedication to working toward a greater and greener Denver.  Below are highlights from the announcement and celebration:

• The proposed theme of the 2019 Greater and Greener Conference, Connecting Urban Parks + Urban Lifestyles, explores the interrelationships between creating, sustaining and connecting vibrant urban parks to urban lifestyles. Denver is truly going through a modern renaissance and provides a global example of connecting urban parks and urban lifestyles.

• Denver is joining the ranks of major cities such as New York, Minneapolis and San Francisco in holding this conference. The opportunity to host Greater & Greener 2019 will highlight our unique park system on a national and international platform.  With the Rocky Mountains as our backdrop and a world class park system throughout the Denver metro area, there will be no shortage of great learning opportunities to inspire innovative solutions to everyday challenges faced by urban communities.

• As cities compete to recruit jobs and grow their economy, Denver has become a top choice due to our high quality of life that promotes creative urban spaces. Denver parks are a major factor in the high quality of life that is attracting new residents at an unprecedented rate.

• Denver Parks and Recreation spaces and facilities are unrivaled in the Rocky Mountain West. The Denver Parks and Recreation system spans over a 148-year history, from the first park created in 1868 to nearly 20,000 acres of urban parks and mountain parkland today.  Denver Parks and Recreation provides a broad range of programs, services, facilities, and park amenities in the City and County of Denver. The city’s park system encompasses more than 250 urban parks totaling close to 6,000 acres, more than 14,000 acres of pristine mountain parks and 240 miles of trails and walks comprising 80-miles of off-street multi-use trails.

• Denver is renowned for its healthy lifestyles and urban conservation. As stewards of Denver’s legacy, we are continually adapting to changes in population, technology and culture while also maintaining innovative programs and safe, beautiful and sustainable places.

• The variety of amenities that we are able to provide is possible due to the strong partnerships we have built with organizations who value the idea that outdoor spaces promote health, environment stewardship and community bonds.  We will continue to work with our generous partners to grow a park system than supports resident wellbeing and the economic vitality of our city.  This process has involved turning forgotten industrial areas along the Platte River into beautiful urban spaces while revitalizing historic neighborhoods with new and inspiring park developments.

• Through planning efforts such as The Outdoor Downtown, project city leaders are engaging neighbors to ensure that as density increases, we maintain our Rocky Mountain roots with many opportunities to connect with nature and recreate in fresh air

• Now near completion, the River Vision project along the South Platte River, has transformed what was once legal dumping ground into a series of parks along a regional trail, providing water access and environmental education opportunities.  Johnson Habitat Park is an outdoor classroom enhancing educational programming and hosts camping trips for neighboring youth who might not otherwise experience the joy of sleeping under the stars.

• In one of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods, an effort to Re-Imagine Play will soon provide a one-of-a-kind, multi-generational playground that invites people of all ages to create new park experiences and be active outside

• Greater & Greener 2019 will not only allow us to share Denver’s green space success stories, but provide an amazing opportunity to learn more about public space and urban landscape management from leaders throughout the world

EXPLORING ROLE OF PARKS IN MAKING CITIES LIVEABLE

“City Parks Alliance” Cites Denver’s Commitment

To Meshing Urban Needs and Outdoor Recreation Culture

DENVER, March 17, 2016 – The City and County of Denver has been selected by City Parks Alliance to host the organization’s  bi-annual Greater & Greener International Urban Parks Conference in 2019.

The conference, which is expected to attract roughly 1,500 people from 200 cities and 20 countries, brings together professionals and political leaders from around the world to explore the power of public parks to transform urban landscapes.

Denver was one of 10 cities selected last year to compete to host one of the next three biennial conferences after the upcoming Greater & Greener 2017: Parks Connecting Cities, Cultures, and Generations conference in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.  Denver was named the host of the summer event in 2019, with Philadelphia winning the honor in 2021 and Seattle in 2023.

“Denver was selected because of where it stands right now in showing the power of public parks and open spaces to transform an urban environment,” said Catherine Nagel, executive director of City Parks Alliance. “Across its geographic fabric, Denver has demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the critical role that parks and open space play in securing the environmental, social and economic well-being of residents.”

“Here in Denver, our residents value having parks, trails and open space right in our backyards because it allows us the ability to lead active and healthy lifestyles,” said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “We are proud to have been chosen to host the Greater and Greener Conference, and are excited to showcase all the great work we’re doing to build a healthy, resilient and sustainable city.”

Greater & Greener 2019 is expected to attract park and recreation leaders, city planning and design professionals, public officials from the health, transportation and public works sectors, neighborhood advocates, funders and innovators. Attendees will tour the Denver area to gain an understanding of what’s worked for the city while also participating in conference sessions to explore the issues, challenges and opportunities facing today’s urban parks. The economic benefit of hosting the conference is estimated to be $2.4 million.

“We’ve accomplished a lot here and this opportunity to host Greater & Greener will put our city on a national and international platform,” said Allegra ‘Happy’ Haynes, the executive director of Denver Parks and Recreation.  “But this conference also allows us to establish a dialog with fellow professionals from around the world and explore different levels of engagement and services.  So for us, this is just like hosting the Super Bowl!”

Denver, while known for its Rocky Mountain setting, has been experiencing extensive population growth in its downtown urban core.  “We have to be thoughtful on how we meet the social, recreational and cultural needs within a growing city,” Haynes added. “For example, these new residents are interested in trails and bicycling as part of a healthy urban lifestyle.”

“That has led the city to focus on linear parks as well as destination parks while also improving its green infrastructure,” added Amy Harmon, the founder of Denver’s Urban Market Partners and a board member of City Parks Alliance. Since 2012, the City and County of Denver, along with numerous community partners, have invested $35 million in River Vision, an initiative to re-establish the South Platte River’s natural wildlife habitat, improved water quality and created new recreational and cultural experiences in some of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods.

Much of the work accomplished is heavily dependent on a broad and diverse range of partners that have stepped forward to collaborate, according to Haynes and Harmon. Those partners include the Denver Arts & Venues, Civic Center Conservancy; Downtown Denver Partnership; Urban Market Partners; Great Outdoors Colorado; National Park Service; Colorado Open Lands; Denver Mountain Parks Foundation; The Colorado Health Foundation; The Greenway Foundation; The Park People; The Trust for Public Land, University of Colorado – Denver, Visit Denver and Urban Drainage Flood Control District.

The partnerships “reflect an incredible range of different perspectives that in turn provide a more holistic picture that helps us create the whole city that we want,” says Haynes, noting one project the city has launched, Re-Imagine Play at Paco Sanchez Park, is aimed at finding new ways to connect today’s kids and families with an innovative outdoor play environment.

http://www.greatergreener.org

City Parks Alliance is the only independent, nationwide membership organization solely dedicated to urban parks. It leads and serves a community of diverse organizations, championing high quality urban parks throughout the nation. CPA’s vision is that everyone in urban America will have access to parks and green spaces that are clean, safe and vibrant. www.cityparksalliance.org.