1) NE Denver Summer Crime Statistics

A shooting incident in Fred Thomas Park on August 4 raised neighbors’ concerns about crime. District 5 Lt. Kevin Hines said by email on Aug. 21 that the investigation of that incident is a high priority, and partly for that reason the Homicide Unit is handling the investigation (although no homicide was involved). In response to our inquiry about the use of Shot Spotter technology, Hines confirmed that technology is being used in locations where incidents of gun fire and violent crime are the highest. The July report of the District 5 Community Advisory Board showed there were 86 Shot Spotter Alerts in June in the District. NE Denver Crime statistics at right were pulled from the Denver Police Dept. website.

SUMMER CRIME STATISTICS

2) I-70 Nighttime Noise Variance Approved

The variance for nighttime noise levels during I-70 construction has been approved by Denver’s Board of Public Health & Environment through Sept. 6, 2021. A press release from Denver Dept. of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) states that “without the variance, construction work would take twice as long to get finished and air quality issues may increase. A longer project may also impact emergency services during daytime hours because high traffic volumes could create longer response times for ambulances, fire and police… DDPHE has not documented any founded noise violations associated with this project.”

3) Planning Board Recommends Zoning Code Changes for Group Living

Currently, Denver’s definition of “household” limits the number of unrelated roommates who may live together to only two. The Denver Community Planning and Development Department released new recommendations approved by the Planning Board proposing: Up to 5 adults of any relationship, and unlimited relatives, in any dwelling unit; Up to a maximum of 10 unrelated adults in larger dwelling units; Minimum off-street parking requirements for larger households in single-unit uses; Prohibit rent-by-the-room configurations in low-intensity residential zones. The proposal will move to City Council, where a public hearing is expected in October.

4) StoryCorps: Submit Thoughts on Central Park Name Change by Sept. 4

The local organization Brave Coalition is working with National Public Radio’s StoryCorps program to find a range of perspectives on changing the community’s name from Stapleton to Central Park. If you’d like your thoughts to be considered, complete the survey at https://surveys.storycorps.org/oss-partner-bravecoalition by Sept. 4. StoryCorps has been encouraging people to tell their stories for 17 years, with programs aired through podcasts, NPR broadcasts, and other formats. All StoryCorps stories are archived at the American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress.

5) New City Park Golf Course Opens Sep. 1

The redesigned 135-acre City Park Golf Course offers “an 18-hole Par 70 with returning 9’s, full-size driving range with ability to hit woods, large practice area and putting green, state-of-the-art maintenance facility, and a dedicated 4-hole course for the First Tee of Denver program, a nonprofit that teaches youth core values and life skills through the game of golf.” The clubhouse offers “a new public restaurant, west facing patio with an unobstructed view of the Denver skyline and mountains of the Front Range, pro shop and various gathering spaces for community groups and private parties up to 200 people.” Visit https://www.cityofdenvergolf.com/city_park/

Happy Haynes, director of Denver Parks and Recreation, speaks at a media event for the opening of the new City Park Golf Course and Club House, which has a stunning view of the Denver skyline and the Front Range. Mayor Michael Hancock is pictured behind her.

6) Reminiscences from 1966 & 1946: Eisenhower Chapel and Ashley Elementary School

Eisenhower Chapel, Lowry

A recent online comment on our February 2019 article about Lowry’s historic Eisenhower Chapel reminded an Arvada couple, Carl & Virginia, of their wedding day. “My husband & I were married in the chapel on Friday, May 6, 1966. He was stationed @ Lowry @ the time. The chaplain who married us was on the same plane that my husband was on when they were sent to Viet Nam a few months later. If I remember correctly, there was no charge to be married there. It made us proud when it was put on the Registry of Historical Sites.”

An Ashley Elementary School alum wrote to say he attended when singer Judy Collins was there, commenting in response to our January 2014 article when Zachary Rahn became the new principal: “It’s 7 years after this story and I hope that Principal Rahn’s plan has succeeded. I attended Ashley from 1946 to 1951 and my favorite teacher was Mrs. Beech. The folksinger Judy Collins attended Ashley at the same time.”

7) Youth Program Locator: New Online Search Tool at DenverGov.org

The Office of Children’s Affairs and the Denver Afterschool Alliance have launched the new Youth Program Locator (https://www.denvergov.org/youthprogramlocator/) where families can search online for virtual and in-person activities offered by a variety of organizations across the city. Programs are available for youth ages 3 to 18 years old.