All the News About Denver’s Best Residential Community Since 1960 • Volume 60, Issue No. 8 • August 2021 presentation seeking city council approval in August, 2018. According to the deal, the developer of the Park Hill Commons project on Fairfax is paying $650,000 toward the park. City taxpayers are on the hook for the remainder — nearly half the overall cost of a park that was initially billed as a developer-funded project. And, in the latest twist in the years-long saga, the park itself is being built by Gilmore Construction — which is owned by Scott Gilmore’s brother and other family members. Scott Gilmore’s wife is city Councilwoman Stacie Gilmore, who represents District 11 in the Far Northeast The Gilmore Construction sign, which hung on the fence for months, disappeared in late July, shortly after area of the city. Stacie Gilmore a reporter inquired about the company’s contract with the city to build Fairfax Park. Gilmore Construction is voted in favor of the land-swap owned by the brother of Scott Gilmore, the city official who negotiated a controversial land swap for the park. deal negotiated by her husband. The .4-acre park is slated for completion this month, with an opening ribbon-cutting and celebration scheduled Aug. 26. According to a flyer recently produced by the city’s Parks and Recreation department, the park will include a small Fairfax Park Was Once Touted As A Developer-Funded Project, But playground and water play area, shaded arTaxpayers Are Now On The Hook For Half The Cost. In A New Twist, Parks eas for picnicking, seating and green space. While there is relief the park will finally Director Scott Gilmore’s Brother Landed The Contract To Build The Park open this month, the latest details have left Story and photos by Cara DeGette much of the year. some incredulous. The pocket-sized park — the result of Editor, GPHN “Fundamentally what this is about is that a controversial land-swap deal negotiated Scott Gilmore negotiated this deal and in The much-anticipated public park at by Denver’s deputy parks director Scott the end, his brother and other family mem29th and Fairfax is nearing completion — Gilmore — currently has a $1.2 millionbers are financially benefitting from the a welcome development for surrounding plus pricetag. The amount far exceeds what deal,” says Tracey MacDermott, chair of residents and business owners who have Gilmore estimated would be the top end endured construction noise and dust for of the cost of building the park during his continued on page 5
All In The Family
A Tale Of Ferret Survival At The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Story and photos by Reid Neureiter For the GPHN
continued on page 11
continued on page 5
Inside This Issue
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In 1979, the black-footed ferret, North America’s only native ferret species, was declared extinct. That was a mistake. In a triumph for the conservation movement, the black-footed ferret, (“BFF” for short), while still endangered and not quite thriving, is at least surviving on the grounds of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge just six miles north of Park Hill. The Refuge even has a public exhibit with two post-reproductive “ambassador” ferrets — a male named “Hops” and a female named “Yo.” The ambassadors help to educate the public about endangered spe-
cies, biodiversity and importance of habitat protection. In July, the Greater Park Hill News was given exclusive access to view and photograph the feeding of Hops and Yo, as the exhibit remains closed to the public out of fear that the animals may be susceptible to the COVID-19 virus. The black-footed ferret’s near-extinction is the story of Western expansion and habitat loss. The ferrets are prairie dog hunters, and in the wild their diet consists almost exclusively of the charismatic rabbit-sized rodents. The ferrets make their dens in empty prairie dog tunnels. Prairie dogs were considered pests in much of the American West. Beginning in the early 1900s, large-scale poisoning campaigns decimated the prairie dog
A recent marked increase in air traffic flying directly over Park Hill has rattled some residents this summer — some of whom still vividly remember the ear-splitting roar of airplanes during the 80s and early 90s, when Stapleton Airport was right next door. Denver International Airport officials say the increase in air traffic over Park Hill is a temporary annoyance. One of the airport’s main north/south runways on the west side of the airfield — the runway is called 16L/34R — is closed and undergoing construction. “This runway typically contains approximately 40 percent of our operations,” said DIA spokeswoman Alex Renteria. “That runway is pretty important to us.” The runway, one of six at the airport, is heavily used by departing aircraft from DIA. While it’s under construction, many airplanes are now taking off in a flight pattern that takes them directly over Park Hill. Construction on 16L/34R began in midMay and is expected to be completed by
Time To Crack Open A Few Good Books
Upcoming Events: ’We’re Just So Happy To Be Back!’ The Sweet Return Of Competitive Cycling
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Back From Extinction
Editor, GPHN
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Yo, the female ambassador black-footed ferret, greets a visitor.
But in 1981, in Meeteetse, Wyo., a ranch dog named Shep brought a weasel-like carcass back to his owners. It was correctly identified as a black-footed ferret and conservationists discovered a remaining holdout population of about 100 animals. That population too was then ravaged by the plague, leaving only 18 survivors. At the time, the black-footed ferret was considered one of the rarest mammals on the planet. In 1986 the decision was made to try to save the species by capturing the surviving animals to start a U.S. Fish and Wildlife-managed captive breeding program. The resulting Species Survival Plan involved establishing six captive breeding facilities across the country. One of those, in Larimer County in northern Colorado, now houses two-thirds of the world’s captive breeding population of black-footed ferrets. Of the 18 captured ferrets, only eight reproduced in captivity. Thus, with one recent exception, the world’s entire existing population of black-footed ferrets is descended from those eight animals. That means the species also is at risk of genetic problems due to inbreeding. However, technology is already in play to address the lack of genetic diversity. Last year, on Dec. 10, a black-footed ferret was successfully cloned. “Elizabeth Ann” was created from the frozen cells of “Willa,”
By Cara DeGette
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A ranch dog named Shep
Noisy Airplanes To Fly Over Park Hill Through September
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populations, and thus, the ferrets as well. In addition, agricultural development of the Great Plains meant that 98 percent of the shortgrass prairie habitat where prairie dogs and ferrets live has been plowed under. In a triple whammy, black-footed ferrets are singularly susceptible to canine distemper and the sylvatic plague. So, by the 1970s, the species was believed to have gone the way of the dodo bird — succumbing to habitat loss and disease.
Brace For Takeoff
Making Inroads On The Frontlines Of The Climate Crisis
The Bounty Of Summer At Farm Stand Mondays
Upcoming GPHC Meetings Community meetings are currently conducted virtually on the first Thursday of each month. The next meetings will be Aug. 5 and Sep. 2 at 6:30 p.m. Link to attend at greaterparkhill.org/ join-us/community-meetings/
Ed/Equity Corner | opinion
5 Ways To Be Antiracist Resources To Help Guide Your Journey By Erin Pier For the GPHN
trent nestman, d.d.S., m.S. park hill'S full-time
OrthOdOntic SpecialiSt 2206 Kearney St., 720-735-9800 www.nestmanortho.com
303-858-8100
2501 Bellaire St FOR SALE $950,000 Craftsman Bungalow Nina Kuhl
1642 Locust St U/C $1,449,900 Timeless Tudor 4 Bd Ann Torgerson
920 S Emporia St FOR SALE $750,000 4 Bd | Green School Ann Torgerson
2340 W Harvard Ave FOR SALE $555,000 Englewood Duplex Roberta Locke
1101 S Josephine St SOLD! $1,150,000 Gorgeous Tudor Steve LaPorta
2080 Locust St U/C $825,000 3 Bd Tudor Home Nina Kuhl
708 Jersey St SOLD! $850,000 Updated Mayfair 3 Bd Ann Torgerson
1632 Pontiac St SOLD! $645,632 Charming 3 Bd|2 Ba Roberta Locke
Many neighbors are hungry for actionable ways they can engage in antiracist work. While there is no quick fix for the racism, injustice and inequity that are woven into the fabric of the systems that surround us, there are steps we can take every day that will lead us in the direction of meaningful change. This month, we bring you Five Ways To Be Antiracist. 1. Be An Active Voter. From education, criminal justice, and human services, to financial institutions, housing, and healthcare, every system serves to maintain disempowerment for Black and Brown people. The work to truly build an equitable society requires the rebuilding of systems at the political level. Educate yourself on the issues at stake, recognize the powerful impact of state and local politics, and VOTE. (Register to vote at GoVoteColorado.com.) 2. Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is. Be intentional about where you spend your money, and shop at local, Blackowned businesses. Download BBLK (pronounced Black), from bblkapp.com. This app, founded by Denver residents Raymond Murphy and Mariam Kazadi, provides easy access to addresses, hours of operation, and phone numbers for more than 1,100 Black-owned businesses nationwide. 3. Show Up For Racial Justice and Equity Events. Check out the websites and local Black Lives Matter Facebook pages for events and ways to get involved. Stay tuned to Park Hill Neighbors for Equity in Education and EdEquity Corner. When you show up for these events, recognize how personal experience shapes worldview, and if you are white, acknowledge that you will never fully understand the Black experience. 4. Educate Yourself. Commit to learning more about systemic racism and its effects on Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). Some of our favorite reads include: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander; Caste: The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson; Mothers of Massive Resistance: White Women and the Politics of White Supremacy by Elizabeth Gillespie McRae; Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own by Eddie S.
who we are 7184 E 2nd Ave SOLD! $880,000 Lowry 5 Bd on Park Nina Kuhl
4119 Ames St 2074 W 66th St SOLD! Rep Buyer SOLD! Rep Buyer Midtown Townhome Moutain View Cottage Steve LaPorta Steve LaPorta
1620 Little Raven SOLD! Rep Buyer Downtown Condo Ann Torgerson
Editor Cara Degette Manager Melissa Davis Art Director Tommy Kubitsky
how to find Us Voicemail: 720-287-0442 Email: newspaper@greaterparkhill.org Address: 2823 Fairfax St. Denver, 80207 Website: www.greaterparkhill.org Facebook: facebook.com/greaterparkhillnews Twitter: @parkhillnews
contact us Story Tips and Letters to the Editor: Cara DeGette; 720-979-4385, editor@greaterparkhill.org Advertising information: ads@greaterparkhill.org
Nina Kuhl
303-913-5858
Steve LaPorta
303-525-0640
Roberta Locke
303-921-5842
Ann Torgerson
303-522-5922
Classified ads: Melissa Davis; 720-287-0442 (VM), newspaper@greaterparkhill.org Deadline for submissions is the 15th of every month
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Glaude Jr.; For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood... and the Rest of Y’all Too by Christopher Emdin. Pick up a notebook and the book, This Book is Anti-racist by Tiffany Jewell. Commit to completing the 20 lessons for self-reflection on understanding your identities and how they are valued in our society. Make a plan for how to take action. Better yet, invite a friend to join you. Buy these recommended books and more from Blackowned bookstores. Netflix offers a rich variety of TV series, documentaries and movies featuring Black stories for adults as well. Check these out: 13th; LA 92; I am Not Your Negro; Teach Us All; When They See Us; Dear White People; What Happened, Miss Simone; and The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson. Listen to a podcast and learn more about how racism impacts education. We recommend: Nice White Parents, by Serial and the New York Times, and The Integrated Schools Podcast, by PHNEE’s own Andrew Leftkowits. Educators may also enjoy Teaching to Thrive by The Abolitionist Teaching Network as well as the podcast Teaching While White. 5. Educate Your Children. Ensure your children are exposed to media featuring BIPOC characters. Take a look at your home library, and read the blog post 7 Questions We Should Ask about Children’s Literature from Oxford University Press (blog.oup.com/2017/09/ childrens-literature-race/). Ensure your children have access to books featuring a wide array of culturally and racially diverse protagonists, written by authors who represent the groups they’re writing about. Beyond books, ensure white children view TV series and films featuring non-white and BlPOC characters. A few PHNEE favorites: Motown Magic; Doc McStuffins, The Who Was? Show; Emily’s Wonder Lab, as well as Spiderman (2018), and of course, Black Panther. Finally, join us on Aug. 11 as we resume our monthly equity discussions. To register, go to tinyurl.com/EdEquityAug21. Erin Pier is a mother of three, Stedman parent, and school psychologist at AUL Denver. She is a member of PHNEE, which works toward diversity, equity, and inclusion in all schools in the neighborhood. A longer version of this column appeared in the October, 2020 issue. Check out the group’s Facebook page, or send an email to info@phnee.org.
The Greater Park Hill News is published by Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. (GPHC) on the 1st of each month. Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily the opinions of GPHC. GPHC does not necessarily endorse the companies, products or services advertised in The Greater Park Hill News unless specifically stated. GPHC reserves the right to run any advertisement. Circulation is 14,000 and is distributed in the Park Hill Area by neighborhood volunteers. The Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., is a volunteerbased registered neighborhood organization that: promotes the character and vibrancy of Park Hill; provides resources, information and advocacy; and preserves quality of life and the history of the neighborhood through community participation.
This newspaper is made possible through the support of our advertisers and members. If you are not already a member, please consider joining the Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.
The Greater Park Hill News
August 2021
Birdland | Mark Silverstein
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Owl Wisdom
Great Horned Owls are sometimes called tiger owls, or hoot owls, for their deep hooting voices. With their long, earlike tufts and intense yellow-eyed stares, Great Horned Owls are the quintessential owls of storybooks. They are most active during the night, especially at dusk and before dawn and their feathers help them blend in almost flawlessly to their surroundings. This pair was spotted along the First Creek Trail northeast of Park Hill by photographer Mark Silverstein.
Marcy Eastman Realtor®
Laura Hudgins Realtor®
marcy.eastman@compass.com 720-436-5494
laura.hudgins@compass.com 720-480-9692
Compass is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Anastasia Williamson lives and works in Park Hill. She loves this neighborhood for its architectural and cultural diversity. That kind of expertise qualifies her as a true Park Hill resident expert. It’s why Anastasia ranks as one of Park Hill’s most successful Realtors. Clients know her expertise translates into top dollar for their properties.
With every home I sell in Park Hill in 2021, I’ll make a contribution to the Greater Park Hill Community
JUST LISTED
SOLD ABOVE LIST PRICE
SOLD ABOVE LIST PRICE
SOLD ABOVE LIST PRICE
33 Corona Street #308 • $344,000 2 Bed | 1 Bath | 739 SqFt Charming Condo
1840 Monaco Parkway • $1,153,000 5 Beds | 4 Baths | 2,954 SqFt English Tudor
1775 Leyden Street • $1,370,000 5 Beds | 4 Baths | 3,336 SqFt Beautiful Mediterranean
4512 E 17th • $886,000 4 Beds | 4 Bath | 2,400 SqFt Corner Lot Two Story
SOLD ABOVE LIST PRICE 1648 Bellaire • $870,000 4 Beds | 3 Baths | 3,136 SqFt Modern & Classic Bungalow
Anastasia’s Park Hill SOLDS Speak For Themselves! 3075 Clermont St 4114 E. 19th Ave 1612 Bellaire St 1607 Bellaire St 2595 Fairfax St 1558 Clermont St 1647 Clermont St 2816 Dahlia St 2383 Hudson St 2821 Dahlia St 2686 Dexter St 2248 Holly St 1901 Cherry St 2556 Elm St 2615 Elm St 2611 Birch St 2630 Glencoe St 2052 Krameria St 2884 Albion St 2967 Clermont 2886 Cherry 2646 Birch St 1638 Clermont St 2810 Bellaire St 2605 Fairfax St 2677 Ash St 2560 Birch St
August 2021
2681 Cherry St 2809 Birch St 2514 Glencoe St 2652 Fairfax St 2609 Eudora St 2800 Birch St 3060 Ash St 2810 Olive St 1623 Bellaire St 2037 Krameria St 2084 Forest St 1536 Clermont St 2224 Grape St 2345 Clermont St 2070 Birch St 2861 Albion St 2530 Bellaire St 2820 Birch St 2614 Glencoe St 2840 Clermont St 1929 Bellaire St 1915 Monaco Pkwy 1544 Leyden St 2920 Cherry St 2621 Grape St 2576 Fairfax St 2581 Dahlia St
2389 Cherry St 2829 Clermont St 2960 Ash St 2556 Clermont St 2681 Cherry St 4545 E. 29th Ave 2530 Glencoe St 2895 Birch St 2955 Ivy St 1610 Locust St 2575 Clermont St 4345 E. 16th Ave 2680 Ash St 2861 Birch St 2854 Cherry St 2091 Hudson St 2645 Ash St 2570 Bellaire St 2616 Fairfax St 4326 Batavia Pl 2845 Cherry St 2947 Clermont St 3035 Bellaire St 2670 Grape St 2655 Elm St 1418 Grape St 2680 Ash St
The Greater Park Hill News
2271 Clermont St 2817 Albion St 2684 Fairfax St 2894 Dexter St 2855 Ash St 3010 Clermont St 2295 Eudora St 3025 Albion St 2668 Elm St 2936 Albion St 2389 Cherry St 2654 Elm St 2514 Glencoe St 2065 Hudson St 2845 Cherry St 1623 Bellaire St 2855 Dahlia St 2825 Bellaire St 2900 Ash St 2681 Clermont St 2829 Ash St 2251 Ash St 2877 Cherry St 2341 Ivy St 2847 Clermont St 3010 Cherry St 2665 Forest St
2517 Elm St 1669 Newport St 3045 Fairfax St 4660 E 16th Ave 2877 Cherry St 2971 Bellaire St 2531 Clermont St 2894 Birch St 2801 Dexter St 3593 Monaco St 2668 Birch St 2664 Cherry St 2032 Holly St 2819 Ivanhoe St 1637 Elm St 2679 Albion St 3610 Magnolia St 1775 Monaco Pkwy 2582 Bellaire St 2233 Holly St 2229 Birch St 2862 Ash St 1855 Cherry St 2637 Eudora St 2542 Ash St 2045 Krameria St 2500 Dahlia St
2943 Birch St 2875 Albion St 2511 Birch St 2349 Forest St 2990 Cherry St 2379 Elm St 2870 Eudora St 2632 Cherry St 1450 Albion St #303 1925 Monaco Pkwy 3050 Bellaire St 2849 Kearney St 1649 Bellaire St
• Top Park Hill Realtor • Over 20 years Real Estate experience • 21 year Park Hill Resident
Page 3
Community Announcements Helen Wolcott’s Art Show Returns Aug. 21 and 22
Helen Wolcott’s twice-yearly extravaganza — a nearly 50-year tradition of artisans and craftspeople who gather at her Park Hill home — will resume this month. And after more than a year of being sidelined by the pandemic, Wolcott is ecstatic. “We’re just so happy to be back,” she says. Wolcott’s twice yearly art shows began in the 1970s during the thick of the court battle over school integration, in which Park Hill was at the heart of the struggle. “During all those hours in court, we realized that we were all artists of a different kind,” she says. The artists/social justice warriors thus banded together for another purpose: promoting art and beauty. The shows were held for 45 years at Wolcott’s house, at 2309 Clermont St., but were halted while the pandemic raged.
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This month’s sale and show will take place Saturday, Aug. 21 and Sunday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. The show includes the work of artists and artisans who display and sell their creations. Wolcott specializes in costume and silver jewelry. Other participating artists include Cristina dePalma-Vega (fabric and paper art), Carmen Curtis Basham (pottery), Suzie White (fused glass), Elizabeth Potts (abstract art/assemblages), Robin Wilton (weaving), Anne Heine (knitting), Pamela Bliss (hand-made soaps), Anita Kienker (quilted creations), and Patricia Foster (fine art/painting and cards). Everybody is welcome. Bring a friend, stop by, and celebrate with a glass of sangria or a cup of herbal tea.
Home Tour and Street Fair Slated For Sept. 12
The Park Hill Home Tour and Street Fair — an annual neighborhood tradition that showcases the homes and architecture of many of Park Hill’s homes — will happen this year on Sept. 12. Organizer Jen Mathes reports that this year’s event will feel more like the “normal” home tours of pre-pandemic days. Between five to seven homes will be featured. Unlike past home tours, participants will not be invited into the homes for in-person walk-throughs. Rather, organizers plan to photograph the interior of each home and create a virtual slideshow. One or two volunteers will be in the front yard of each home presenting the virtual tour and sharing information about the featured home, including history, updates, remodels and interesting facts. The Home Tour is the largest fundraiser of the year for Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., and proceeds benefit the many programs of the Registered
Neighborhood Organization. Tickets are available online at parkhillhometour.org, which also has links to additional info on sponsors, vendor information and more. The annual street fair, which is held on the same day as the home tour, will resume as an all-day event on Forest Parkway between Montview and 19th Avenue. The street fair, which is free and open to all, includes vendors, food trucks, wine and beer, a kids zone and live entertainment. A sustainability zone will offer electronics recycling. Check the September issue of Greater Park Hill News for additional info and updates about the Home Tour and Street Fair.
Get Out Your Walking Shoes
Park Hill’s iconic neighborhood walking group, Walk2Connect Park Hill Sunrise, was sidelined — as were so many activities — during the pandemic. But the morning walks have resumed, and are open to all. The group meets at 7:15 a.m. every Tuesday in front of Honey Hill Cafe, at 23rd and Dahlia Street, and heads out from there, finishing usually no later than 8:15 am. Founder Jonathon Stalls and member Andy Sweet provided this overview: “Our group has been meeting for over nine years and has nurtured an amazing community of regulars. This is a one-hour walk and we tend to have about three or four routes, including along 17th Avenue Parkway, along 28th Street in north Park Hill, and around the east side of City Park. “The walks are casually hosted by one of four volunteers. While our walk would average 12-25 in the past, we now usually have between 5 and 12 people. The age range is 20s up to 70s and the “topics” are whatever we feel like sharing or engaging about. “We always encourage participants to share announcements, invitations, hand out flyers on local events, and more at the end of our walk in our closing circle. Participants are also invited to share personal updates or follow up to stories from prior weeks. “We think that this walking group is one of the many things that make Park Hill a great place to live. “Our walk is low-key, moves at a conversational pace (2-3 miles an hour), is open to all (walkers, powered strollers), and fun! We would love for you to consider joining us!” RSVP by visiting the Mile High Ramblers group on Meetup or by emailing Stalls at jonathon@intrinsicpaths. com.
Looking For Outstanding Colorado Women
The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame is seeking nominations of outstanding women for its Class of 2022. The deadline is Oct. 1. Visit cogreatwomen.org for detailed information and to download a nomination form. Founded in 1985, the Hall now includes 172 contemporary and historic women with ties to Colorado who have made remarkable achievements in medicine, business, philanthropy, politics, education, engineering and activism. “Too often, the contributions of women have been overlooked,” says board chair Barb Becker. “Women are virtually ignored in history books. The mission of the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame is to inspire by celebrating and sharing the enduring contributions of Colorado’s extraordinary women.” Nominations are judged by a selection committee comprised of community members from around Colorado, using these criteria: · Made significant and enduring contributions to her field · Elevated the status of women and helped open new frontiers for women and for society · Inspired others, especially women and girls, by her example Inductees for the Class of 2022 will be announced next May. Check the Women’s Hall of Fame website listed above for a full list of past inductees.
The Greater Park Hill News
August 2021
A Denver Parks and Recreation banner, on the fence surrounding the park. In late July, the Gilmore Construction sign, which was to the right of the banner, disappeared.
Family, continued from page 1 Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. “It just stinks.”
‘We could have gotten it all’ The park had its genesis in 2016, when the city paid Xcel Energy $50,000 for the abandoned substation on the west side of Fairfax Street between 28th and 29th avenues. At the time, Scott Gilmore, who works directly under Parks and Recreation department Director Happy Haynes, said he envisioned a basic dog park at the site. The city, he said, didn’t have the money to build a park with more amenities. Developer Ben Maxwell, who had recently purchased the entire east side of the block, subsequently approached the city with a proposal: Maxwell would pay to build an identically-sized park on the east side of the street, in his Park Hill Commons residential and commercial project, if the city agreed to give him the Xcel parcel on the west side of the street. “The concept was this was going to be built by the developer, and we’d get a nice park instead of just a dog park — that is what got us so excited,” said Leslie Twarogowski, who at the time was the chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. “That was the whole hook of the land swap, and what made it so palatable — that the developer was going to pay for the whole park.” In the final negotiations, however, Maxwell agreed to pay $650,000; Gilmore said the city would pay all costs beyond that to build the park. At the time of the land swap the former Xcel property, had an estimated market value of $1.5 million. During the August, 2018, hearing to approve the deal, several members of the city council offered support, but also sharp criticism over what they called a failure by the city to negotiate a better deal. “The math,” said then-Councilman Ra-
fael Espinoza, “is in the developer’s favor.” “Much was made of this being a gift, and it is … to the developer,” he continued. “The developer is not going to build this park, but [he] could have. We could have gotten it all.” Council members also grilled Gilmore on the final cost of the park, which he estimated would range from $750,000 to $1 million. That would bring the final cost to taxpayers at $100,000 to $350,000 (an amount that has now jumped to nearly $600,000). “As the parks department we have committed [city funds] to fill in the gap,” Gilmore said. In the end, the council approved the land swap 12-0. “Essentially in the end the developer will have paid just half of the total project,” Twarogowski recently said. “It’s not totally surprising that the costs have gone up over time, but it’s just not what was originally pitched to the public.”
Understanding the facts The city’s initial land-swap deal with the developer was largely kept beyond public view. After controversy erupted, the Parks and Recreation department embarked on an extensive process to collect public opinions about the park’s preferred design and features. According to the city, last December, Gilmore Construction submitted the lowest of three bids to build the park. The work order — totaling $693,000 — is part of a larger, $15 million contract that the company has with the City and County of Denver. The president of Gilmore Construction is Jake Gilmore, Scott Gilmore’s brother. Several other members of the Gilmore family are listed on the company’s website as part of the leadership team.
Construction began earlier this year. • This will be a public park that will be (Beyond construction, other costs include owned, designed, constructed and mainplanning, design work and community tained by Denver Parks and Recreation outreach, which puts the current tally at [DPR]. slightly over $1.2 million.) • DPR will procure and complete the design The city’s ethics code requires employees and construction of the park.” to avoid favoritism and not hire or superThe way we want it vise immediate family members because it is a conflict of interest. In addition, “as a While the contract to Gilmore Congeneral rule, you should avoid situations struction was awarded through DOTI, where your private interests – financial other signs make it clear the new park is or non-financial - may affect or appear to a Parks and Recreation project. A banner affect your objectivity, independence, or hanging on the fence at the construction honesty in performing your official duties.” site on Fairfax includes the Denver Parks In the case of the Fairfax Park project, and Recreation’s logo (not DOTI). city officials say they do know that the The project manager for the park is Gilmore Construction company is owned Chris Schooler — who works in the Parks by relatives of Scott Gilmore. They mainand Recreation department — not DOTI. tain that the ethics code doesn’t apply, Schooler’s duties include coordinating behowever, because the city’s Department of tween DOTI and the Parks and Recreation Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) department, “to make sure [the park] is — not Parks and Recreation — is the debuilt the way we want it,” Gilkison says. partment that actually hired Gilmore ConIn effect, that means Schooler is overseestruction for the job. ing the work being done by the company Gilmore Construction is one of 11 conowned by his boss’s brother. struction companies that currently have “That is a really compromising position master on-call contracts with DOTI. to put an employee,” says Maria Flora, the Cara Sequino, a manager with DOTI, parks and open space committee chair for described the planning of the park and the GPHC, Inc. “This doesn’t even come close actual building of the park as “completely to passing the smell test.” separate” from one another. “Scott Gilmore is not involved in this For past coverage about the Fairfax park construction project,” said Arthur Gilkiand the city’s land-swap deal, go to son, the executive assistant for the Parks greaterparkhill.org/category/park-onand Recreation department. “it is [DOTI’s] fairfax/ project.” Sequino and Gilkison’s claims, however, are contradicted by the Parks and Recreation department’s own past claims. In a May 9, 2018 public notice issued shortly before the city council vote, DPR underscored in no uncertain terms that they were responsible for all aspects of the park — including construction. The update, which is published on the city’s website, noted the following, (bold is theirs) “We want to make sure all neighbors A recent rendering of the park under construction. understand the following facts: Credit Denver Parks and Recreation
KimDavis
Real Estate Broker, Co/Owner Maison of Colorado,with Compass
#303.218.8373
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Airport, continued from page 1 the end of September. The project, which is being overseen by Senior Operations Manager Sarah Steves, includes rehabbing the runway’s original concrete material, installing LED lighting and new signage. DIA marked its 25th year in operation last year. Madeline White, who lives near 16th and Kearney Street, said she has noticed the airplanes often fly over in loud but brief bursts throughout the day. One Monday morning in July she said she counted 30 planes flying overhead in the span of just a few minutes. Then, the skies were clear for many hours, before another burst of airplanes passed overhead. White said she spoke with one neighbor who was having lunch with friends in her back yard, and had to pause conversations when the noise became so loud. Other Park Hill residents have reported the noisy air traffic seems to be the worst in the morning and early evening hours. Numerous Park Hillians have called the noise information line at DIA (303-3422000) to complain about the increase in traffic. The airport’s website has a section dedicated to noise management and other August 2021
information, including an online system that allows people to track air traffic. The link is flydenver.com/about/administration/noise.
JUST SOLD: 2763 Galena Street, 80238 CENTRAL PARK - Multiple Offers 4 Bdrm/ 4 Bath, 4,242 Total Sq. Ft. SOLD Price: $1,267,000.
FOR SALE: 9997 MLK Blvd, #105, 80238 CENTRAL PARK 3 Bdrm/ 3 Bath, 2,009 Total Sq. Ft List Price: $510,000.
A home just the way they want it... Denver International Airport Senior Operations Manager Sarah Steves is overseeing the construction on the 26-year old 16L/34R runway, The project is scheduled for completion by the end of September. Photo courtesy of DIA
The Greater Park Hill News
UNDER CONTRACT:
12855 W Nevada Place, 80228 LAKEWOOD 3 Bdrm/ 3 Bath, 1,443 Total Sq. Ft. List Price: $555,000.
JUST SOLD:
21062 E JEFFERSON CIRCLE, 80013 TALLGRASS - Multiple Offers 4 Bdrm/ 2 Bath, 3,977 Total Sq. Ft. SOLD Price: $656,000.
Page 5
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The Magic Of Diversity The Best Of All Worlds Makes Me A Better Person, And A Better Artist By Anya Nitczynski For the GPHN
Summer is coming to an end and schools are starting to open up. Personally, I’m excited! I’ve missed my classmates this summer. At my school, Denver School for the Arts, colleagues in your major become like family. One thing I love about my particular major in my particular grade is our sense of community and diversity. We’re the most diverse class in our major — racially, ethnically and economically. Over the years, this diversity has enriched and added to our collective art. In theatre, one of the biggest things we get told is that we need to strengthen and be an active part of our ensemble. This means to be there for each other, to trust each other, to increase our connections onstage. It’s probably no surprise to hear that a diverse ensemble increases the quality of our work. Behind the scenes, I get to be exposed to different music, cultural traditions, food, etc. This enriched learning environment makes it easier to act onstage. I remember one specific time in seventh grade when I was sitting in a circle with some of my peers. We were discussing scenes we were doing, and what it would take to successfully pull them off. We talked about how they weren’t scenes specifically designed for a diverse cast, but the day
when we performed it became abundantly clear to me just how essential diversity is to a good performance. The difference in perspective and experience added something that couldn’t otherwise be replicated. It’s hard to explain the kind of magic that was in those scenes that day, but anyone who was there could definitely feel it. Outside of school and performance, diversity adds a level of enrichment to my personal life. My friends of different backgrounds expose me to new music and food and clothing styles and so much more. In return, I can share my culture (usually my religious traditions) with them. It’s a symbiotic relationship. I’ve learned and gained so much from my diverse bubble of peers and I could not be more grateful. The experiences I’ve had, and the opportunities I’ve gotten to address my internalized discrimination, is invaluable. So in closing, a note to my peers: thank you. Thank you for being wonderful and bringing wonderful gifts to the table. Thank you for working with me and giving me a platform to grow and change into someone I’m proud to be. I love you guys! Anya Nitczynski is a rising freshman at Denver School of the Arts. Her column appears monthly in these pages.
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August 2021
Sweet Return To The Streets Of Downtown Denver For cycling aficionados, July is usually a month for celebration, punctuated by the World’s biggest bike race, the Tour de France. Last year was a lost year for Colorado bicycle racers, with most events cancelled because of the pandemic. The lost year made the July 17 return of competitive bicycle racing to downtown Denver that much sweeter. The Mike Nields Memorial Bannock Street criterium, in the Golden Triangle neighborhood near downtown, ran on a closed 1.25 mile course directly in front of the Hamilton wing of the Denver Art Museum, pictured above. More than 250 racers of different age groups and experience levels raced in 13 separate contests, including the women’s and men’s pro racers, who competed for $2,000 in prize money in their respective events. Cyclists interested in attending or competing in upcoming bicycle races should check the race calendar of the Colorado Cycling Association, at coloradocycling.org. Photos by Reid Neureiter
Rough And Rugby
This summer the East Boys Rugby team won its seventh Colorado state championship with a dominating 36-5 victory over Legend High School’s Titans Rugby Club on June 26 at Douglas County’s Echo Park Stadium. Pictured is East Rugby’s Quaid Hunt (who is a junior at South High, but plays for the Angels), plowing through the Titan defense on an impressive run with the ball. Photo by Reid Neureiter
To make sure lead stays out of your water, we’re starting with your pipes. Denver Water is committed to delivering safe water to our community. So, we’re replacing customers’ lead pipes, one impacted property at a time. To find out if you’re one of them, visit our website.
Learn more at DenverWater.org/Lead
August 2021
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Earth In Crisis | opinion
Cracking Down On Toxic Air, Plastic, Gas Goal Is Carbon-Free Power by 2035. That’s Good News.
The scenic drive to the Summit of Mount Evans is one of the most “Colorado” experiences one can have. Starting in Idaho Springs west of Denver, the 28-mile road rises past Echo Lake at mile 14 and Summit Lake at mile 23, to the summit parking lot, marking the end of the highestelevation paved road in North America. There is a high probability of seeing the resident mountain goats and bighorn sheep on the way up. The sheer drop-offs on one side of the road are breathtaking, with spectacular views of other “fourteeners” — Mount Bierstadt and Gray’s and Torreys Peaks — to the west. The road was closed all last year due to the pandemic. This year a timed-entry reservation is required, and can be obtained online at recreation.gov. A little secret: if you arrive at the ranger station at Echo Lake Lodge before 8 a.m. or after 6:30 p.m., no reservation is required. Photo by Reid Neureiter
What’s In The Fridge Open It, Find It, Slice It, Eat It Or Freeze It by Mark Kuhl
Check out the EPA website, at epa.gov, and search “Reducing Wasted Food at Home” for great tips — their first thriftiWe’ve all heard that an embarrassness recommendation is to “Shop in your ing amount of food in America goes to refrigerator first” before buying more. waste. Much of this waste happens along They also explain the difference between the supply chain. Luckily there are lo“sell-by,” “use-by,” “best-by” and expiracal nonprofits like We Don’t Waste, tion dates. KUH which are eager to recover qualAdditionally, if you’re a local S T’ ity unused food from the food gardener with a bumper crop, industry and deliver it to nonthe Park Hill food pantry profits that are feeding hungry would love to take those vegpeople. gies off your hands. Check out At our end of the supply page 14 for more on the MonO L RECYC chain — the home kitchen — day free farm stand happening we should strive to consume what all summer in the neighborhood. we bring into the home with minimal Mark Kuhl is an environmental advocate waste. Fresh produce has a short shelf who lives in Park Hill with his family. life and is therefore a high percentage His handy tips and news about recycling of the food we discard. If you can’t conhousehold items appear every month sume your fresh produce before it spoils in these pages. A directory of his past then skin it, slice it, place it in a reusable columns is at greaterparkhill.org/sustaincontainer and into the freezer for future ability/ recycling-directory/. soups or smoothies. For the GPHN
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Tracey MacDermott is chair of the board of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. She was trained as a Climate Reality Leader in 2017, and is currently the Statewide Co-Chair of the Climate Reality Project for the 100% Committed Campaign.
Welcome To The Top
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This year may mark the beginning of when our country began to enact meaningful legislation in order to fix the climate crisis. At the federal level, President Joe Biden has committed to cutting U.S. greenhouse emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and have a carbon-free power system by 2035. Meanwhile at home, the Colorado legislature ended its session in mid-June, passing several climate-related bills. It was a busy session, giving a much-needed hand to assist in resolving our worsening climate catastrophe. Here are some important bills that passed: HB21-1162: Management of Plastic Products: The bill, approved by Gov. Jared Polis, allows for the phase-out of single use plastic bags, polystyrene cups and containers and reverses a law that prevented municipalities from passing their own ordinances to address plastic waste. This is a great start to reducing the amount of plastics, however you also can help with this effort by refusing single-use plastics. Per the fact sheet for this bill, more than 1,000 tons of plastic particles in dust and rainwater a year contaminate national parks, including Rocky Mountain National Park. Grocer Whole Foods once led the way regarding single-use plastic. In March US PIRG and Student PIRG sent a letter to the retailer asking them to commit to a comprehensive plan for phasing out single-use plastic. Call them and ask them to once again lead on plastic reduction. You too can lead by reducing your use, including declining single-use plastic purchases while grocery shopping. HB21-1189: Increase Air Protections for Toxic Air Emissions: This new law requires real-time fence line monitoring of air toxins, improved transparency, monitoring in schools, workplaces, homes and public spaces. The bill covers four facilities: Suncor, Phillips 66 Terminal, Sinclair Terminal and Goodrich Carbon. Air toxins disproportionally harm communities of color. This environmental justice law will begin to correct injustices. If you are looking on ways to stop contributing to toxic air, consider reducing your emissions by taking public transit, demand that RTD convert their buses to all electric, and stand up against environmental injustices. HB21-1238: Demand Side Management: The goal of this bill is to reduce or replace the need for gas in buildings. It provides low-income families home weatherization assistance while requiring reducing Co2 emissions. The public should be able to tap into rebates, which will allow for a break on
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Chair, GPHN, Inc.
solar, heat pumps and other technologies. If you have not done so already, the website zeroenergyproject.org can help guide you on potential energy improvements for your home. Ultimately, all our buildings should be net zero. HB20-1064: Community Choice Energy Study Bill: This will study whether Community Choice Energy is right for our state. The drafters intended to promote competition and breaking up monopolies. It would allow communities to source their electricity from local solar or wind farms, therefore gaining control of their energy sources. States, including New York, California and Ohio, have some form of community choice. Learn more about what others are doing and how this might work in Colorado. Unfortunately, the PERA Divestment bill — which would have mandated that Colorado’s Public Employee Retirement Association divest from fossil fuel investments — did not make it out of committee. At the federal level, Colorado Congresswoman Diana DeGette has introduced legislation to create a federal clean-energy standard, which requires electricity producers to eliminate their net carbon emissions by 2050. The program would award companies with credits for every megawatt of electricity they produce without emitting carbon. Said Rep. DeGette: “The science is clear, the only way to avoid the worst effects of the climate crisis is to take steps now to cut our carbon emissions. At the same time, we need to ensure the steps we take to do that also continue to provide Americans with the affordable, reliable electricity they need.” DeGette’s bill leaves a provision in which the target could be lowered to 2037 should technology develop sooner. If technology develops to get us to 100 percent reliable zero emission electricity, financial incentives for companies will be available should they implement the technology immediately. So yes, this month there are reasons to celebrate good news on the climate front at both the federal and state levels. Yet, we still each need to do our part. What changes will you make in your home next month? Please share your ideas with me at chair@ greaterparkhill.org.
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By Tracey MacDermott
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12th 2021 www.parkhillhometour.org Page 8
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August 2021
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A B C D Just a few miles away, this view shows the devastation from last October’s wildfire, from Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park near the Grand Lake Park entrance.
Views Of The Forest Rocky Mountain National Park, Burned And Unburned Story and photos by Reid Neureiter For the GPHN
A recent visit to the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park revealed the devastation of last October’s East Troublesome and Cameron Peak fires. The National Park Service reports that fires impacted more than 30,000 acres — approximately 10 percent of the popular mountain park northwest of Denver. The extent of the damage is shocking to anyone driving into the Park from Grand Lake, with the first few miles of Trail Ridge Road passing through vast swaths of incinerated forest and downed burnt tree trunks. Portions of the park look as if a nuclear bomb had exploded. A few miles further, in areas where the fires didn’t reach, the for-
est is intact and lush. Rangers have issued directives that visitors may not stop or park along the roadside from the Grand Lake Entrance to the Onahu Trail (approximately three miles beyond the entrance), due to the hazard from trees along the road. Nor is there any access to trails, picnic areas or parking areas along this section of the road. While most of the damage is on the west side of the Park and the Park’s northern border, the fires crossed the Continental Divide, with the resulting damage closing the Park’s Beaver Mountain section. Anyone planning a visit can check for current closures and view an interactive map showing the impacted areas at nps. gov/romo/learn/fire-information-andregulations.htm.
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Garden Walk Redux
A Resounding Success Organizers Seeking Beautiful Gardens For Next Year’s Event By Jean Ercolini
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The numbers are in, and this year’s Park Hill Garden Walk was a resounding success — the best in our 21-year history. Total revenue was $18,467, an increase of 42 percent from 2019 (the event wasn’t held during the 2020 pandemic year). We realize part of this success is a result of being denied such events for over a year. Nevertheless, thank you to everyone who attended. Ticket sales were off the charts, totaling $11,567. This was a 43 percent increase over 2019. The increase to online ticket sales were up nearly 77 percent. Retail sales partners who sold tickets included City Floral, Ace on The Fax, Cake Crumbs, Spinelli’s and Park Hill Book Store. Sponsorships also saw a significant increase with total sponsorships coming in at $6,900 — a 40 percent increase over 2019. Sponsors included Denver Water, City Floral, Ace on The Fax, Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center, Anastasia Williamson at Kentwood City Properties, Esters Neighborhood Pub, Ivy Street Design, Long Table Brewhouse, Van Camp’s Quality Hardwood Floors, Oneida Park Dental Studio, Nestman Orthodontics, Park Hill Commons, Natalie Hengel with 8Z Real Estate, Ciji’s Paws ‘n’ Play, CrockSpot and Sexy Pizza. We would like to extend an enormous thank you to everyone who made this year’s Garden Walk a huge success. This includes the eight gardeners (including two in the Mayfair neighborhood), 14 artists, our garden photographer, numerous volunteers, our sponsors, our retail ticket sale partners and several hundred attendees. Garden photographer Ed Demafiles donated
his time and skills, photographing each of the eight gardens as well as the gardeners. Check out his work at edwindemafilesphotography.zenfolio.com. It was wonderful seeing our neighbors out and about and strolling through the gardens. Mother Nature cooperated throughout the Spring with lots of rain and the day of the event was sunny and beautiful. We could not have scripted it better.
Seeking Gardens For 2022 Identifying gardens to be showcased is a key component of the Park Hill Garden Walk. Ideally, we would like to lock up the 2022 list of gardens this summer so that we can take photos of the gardens in bloom for next year. If you are interested or if you know someone with a beautiful yard who we should contact, reach out to Carla Finch at carla.j.finch@gmail.com or Patty Mead at prmead416@gmail.com.
Seeking Park Hill Garden Walk Volunteers We are continually looking for volunteers to work the day of the event. Volunteers work in three-hour shifts so they can attend the Garden Walk the other half of the day, and get a free ticket to the event. If you are interested, contact Kate Blanas at klblanas@gmail.com. The Park Hill Garden Walk committee is made up of eight people, who work for months to make the Garden Walk a reality. The funds that are raised support the programs of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., including its food programs. Learn more and get involved in the Greater Park Hill Community at www.greaterparkhill. org.
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August 2021
Ferrets, continued from page 1 who lived more than 30 years ago. “Although this research is preliminary, it is the first cloning of a native endangered species in North America, and it provides a promising tool for continued efforts to conserve the black-footed ferret,” said Noreen Walsh, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Mountain-Prairie region. “Successful genetic cloning does
not diminish the importance of addressing habitat-based threats to the species or the Service’s focus on addressing habitat conservation and management to recover black-footed ferrets.”
Curiosity traps the ferret Though there have been challenges, the captive breeding program has been suc-
cessful enough that the ferrets are being reintroduced into the wild in 30 locations across the country (and in Mexico and Canada). According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge was chosen as a ferret reintroduction site because of its healthy expanse of shortgrass prairie and abundance of black-tailed prairie dog colonies. In October of 2015 and again in September 2016, ferrets from the Larimer Conservation Center were introduced onto more than 1,300 acres of the Refuge’s prairie. Biological Science Technician Erin Mihlbachler, described the Refuge’s annual ferret population survey. Because the ferrets are nocturnal, the survey happens at night, from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., with rangers and technicians shining powerful lights across the grassland. The ferret’s eyes are reflective, allowing the surveyors to pinpoint the prairie dog mounds where the animals can be found. Mihlbachler said that small mammal
traps then are placed near the mound where the ferrets have been seen. As the ferrets are extraordinarily curious, they will investigate and usually will be trapped within minutes for an annual check-up. All of the ferrets are pre-vaccinated for rabies, canine distemper, and plague, giving them the optimal chance of survival. The wild-born kits that are trapped during annual surveys are vaccinated and microchipped before being re-released. Mihlbachler said that a 2019 survey showed a healthy Refuge population of 88 adult ferrets. An outbreak of sylvatic plague in the Refuge’s prairie-dogs subsequently spread to the ferrets, and the most recent survey, in September 2020, only 27 adult animals were found. While the ferrets are predators, they are themselves preyed upon by hawks, owls, badgers and coyotes. Mihlbacher said one of the ferret surveys was interrupted when the surveyors saw a great-horned owl snatch one of the rare ferrets for its dinner.
Erin Mihlbachler, biological science technician at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, outside the black-footed ferret exhibit at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.
In the wild, black-footed ferrets’ diets consists almost entirely of prairie dogs, like the one pictured here. The ferrets live in the burrows that were built by the prairie dogs.
Hops, welcoming a guest at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.
Inquisitive, Intelligent, And Undeniably Cute Ferret Ambassadors Hops And Yo Solve The Dinner Puzzle Black-footed ferrets are members of the Mustelid family, which also includes weasels, badgers, otters, wolverines, mink and ermine. The ferrets are 19 to 24 inches in length and weigh between 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. With droopy mustache whiskers, bandit-like black masks, and characteristic black feet, they are inquisitive, frenetic, and undeniably cute. The feeding process for the ambassador ferrets, Hops and Yo, is a fascinating process. During a recent visit Lissette Montano, an intern at the Refuge’s visitor’s center, stimulated the ambassadors by providing their food (previously frozen and re-heated mice) as puzzles to be solved. The dead mice were placed in paper lunch bags, which were then rolled up. A rock was placed on top of the bags. The male ferret, Hops, was quicker at solving
August 2021
his dinner puzzler, quickly removing the rock, unwrapping the bag and taking the first of two mice to a hole to eat. Mihlbacher said new toys — such as cardboard boxes or plastic balls — are routinely incorporated to keep the intelligent and hyper-curious animals stimulated. Adult ferrets are solitary animals, and so Hops and Yo are in separate enclosures. “Otherwise,” said technician Erin Mihlbacher, “there would be problems.” While the black-footed ferret exhibit at the Refuge remains closed to the general public, people can see the prairie dog towns where the Refuge’s wild ferrets live near mile marker 5 on the Refuge’s Wildlife Drive. More information about blackfooted ferrets and recovery efforts can be found at blackfootedferret.org.
The Greater Park Hill News
— Reid Neureiter
Page 11
GPHC Command Central Lana Cordes, Executive Director
Acts Of Kindness
Force Of Nature
Thanks To Donors And Volunteers By Lana Cordes
dors, entertainment, food, and more to bring this beloved tradition back to the Parkway and beyond. The Did you attend the Park Hill event will take place Sunday, Sept. Parade on July 4th? What a blast! 12. Check out page 4 for more info, Many, many thanks to orgaas well as in next month’s issue of the nizer Justin Bresler and the team newspaper. Details are also at parkhfor pulling it off in such a short illhometour.org. amount of time. Live music, dancGPHC’s operations are supported ers, water blasters, candy, horses, Lana Cordes heavily by volunteers and almost encars, costumes… This parade had tirely by donors. In 2021, I’m sharing it all on a sunny, hot afternoon. Just as the a quote each month to express our grati4th should be. tude for our donors and volunteers: Next on deck is the Park Hill Home Tour “The smallest act of kindness is worth & Street Fair! Our volunteer team is workmore than the grandest intention.” ing diligently to finalize the home list, ven- Oscar Wilde Executive Director, GPHC, Inc.
DONORS
AARP #995 Queen City Ace on the Fax City Floral Cure D’Ars Catholic Church Dahlia Campus Farms and Gardens The Denver Beer Company Hakala & Hakala PC Kona Ice Oblios Pizza Park Hill United Methodist Church The Spicy Radish Spinelli’s Market St. Thomas Episcopal Church The Urban Cookie LLC Christine Allen Penny Ashley-Lawrence Sharon Basala William Beaver Lori Becker McKezie Beecherl Carolyn Benoit Simon Blamires Joy Bloom Alex Brown Ellen Brown and Terry Haussler Jasmine Brubaker Thomas J Burke Carol and John Burtness Jennifer Calderone Inga Calvin Cheryl Campbell Anthony Caravella Colette Carey Barbara Cavender G. Kevin and Virginia Conwick Frederica Crews Nina Cruchon Emma Cummings Mary Curlee Jennifer Darrow Christine Davidson
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Delaine Deal Colin Deihl and Dina Clark Elizabeth Devine Erin Donovan Diane and Wayne DuBois Scott Esserman Carla Finch Anne & Joe Frank Duane and Jean Gall Bobbi Gillis Geneva and Luther Goldsby Princess Gray Simon and Elizabeth Hambidge Amy Harris Lola and Arlen Hershberger Adrian Hill Paula Hoffman Barbara Holme Christine Horvath Dana & Bill Hughes Bill Juraschek Chris and Sharon Kermiet John Kerr Marcia Lamb and Jackson Turnacliff Andrew Lefkowits Deborah MacNair & Sharon Wilkins Siri Martin Jeff Mayfield Rex and Nina Mcgehee Carolyn and Rick Medrick Michelle Minard Stefan and Brenda Mokrohisky Norman Mueller and Christy Murphy Harriet Mullaney Chuck E Nelson Chris and Erin Nielsen Hilary O’Byrne Laura Olson Ellen Reath and Craig Maginness Samantha Lehni Reeves Kurt Reisser
Mary Salsich Shelly and Stuart Scales Ashley Schinske Susie Seawell Jacqui Shumway and Joe Breely Nancy Simmons-Walker Sonia Simone and Todd Plumb Ashish Singh Jean and Bob Smith Laurel Sparks Sarah Speicher Pamela Tarquin Wendi Torres Patricia Triggs Moore Carmen Valentine Nancy Vanburgel and Deborah Sycamore Nancy Watzman Robert and Jean West Jack Wiegand Pam Willet Sally Wolf Marcella Wolfe Guy and Susan Wroble
VOLUNTEERS
Sue Bruner Mike Bufton Barbara Cavender Kevin Doyle Claudia Fields Jamie Fields Maria Flora Amy Harris Noni Horwitz Erika Hutyra Megan Jamison Debra Lovell Mike Quigley Dezmarie Roberts Sandy Robnett Deb Rosenbaum Mary Salsich Madeleine Senger Heather Shulman Aleta Ulibarri Nikki Wiederaenders
WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR DELIVERY RADIUS
to include Central Park, North Central Park, Lowry, Mayfair, Montclair, Hilltop, City Park and Congress Park.
WE ARE PARK HILL STRONG!
In July, seven volunteers from the Montview Boulevard Presbyterian high school mission project proved to be a force of nature, sprucing up, cleaning up, and beautifying the back garden at Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.’s world headquarters at 2823 Fairfax St. Their projects included working and cleaning up the vegetable and other gardens and the back patio, repainting the benches, painting a mural on the back wall, cleaning out and reorganizing the greenhouse and starting a compost pile. Above, left to right: Rachel Ackermann, Violet Eleson, Nick Simmons, Ben Simmons, Mike Bufton, Bryson Browning and Meg Parent. Photos by Lana Cordes
GPHC, Inc: Who We Are, What We Do, Our Mission
The Mission and The Officers of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. The Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., is a volunteer-based registered neighborhood organization that promotes the character and vibrancy of Park Hill, provides resources, information and advocacy, and preserves quality of life and the history of the neighborhood through community participation. The Greater Park Hill Community board is comprised of volunteer at-large representatives, as well as 10 district representatives. If you are interested in volunteering or serving on a committee, contact current GPHC Board Chair Tracey MacDermott at chair@greaterparkhill.org for details. The following are current board members, and their best contacts. Many representatives prefer to be contacted through the main office – at 303-388-0918 or info@ greaterparkhill.org. If you have an issue you’d like to discuss about the neighborhood, contact your board representative. For those board members who don’t have a phone or email contact in the list at right, leave a message at the main number and it will be forwarded to your elected representative by GPHC Executive Director Lana Cordes. The GPHC office is at 2823 Fairfax St.
• Board Chair Tracey MacDermott: chair@greaterparkhill.org • Secretary and Zoning/Property Use Chair Bernadette Kelly • Treasurer and District 3 Rep Heather Shockey • District 1 Amy Harris • District 2 Ryan T. Hunter • District 4 Kevin Wiegand • District 5 Ken Burdette • District 6 Vacant • District 7 Jon Bowman • District 8 Nam Henderson • District 9 Doug Schuler • District 10 Colette Carey • At-Large Maria Flora • At-Large Shanta Harrison • At-Large Louis Plachowski: lplachowski@gmail.com • At-Large Sandy Robnett • At-Large Shane Sutherland • At-Large and Community Planning Chair Lisa Zoeller • Community Safety Chair Geneva Goldsby • Public Information Chair Melissa Davis: newspaper@greaterparkhill.org • Youth Services Chair Rick Medrick
The Greater Park Hill News
August 2021
This long-horned beetle was spotted on a stalk of wheatgrass, but you usually can see them hanging out on the leaves of milkweed plants — hence their name. Milkweed Borers make a distinct buzzing sound when they fly, and when startled, they emit a shrill noise. The website BugGuide reports that, when the beetles interact with each other, they make a “purring” noise. Photo by Mark Silverstein
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Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. is a 501(c)(3). Our tax ID number is 84-6049695. You will receive an acknowledgment and tax receipt. Members receive our monthly email communication. GPHC will not sell/release your information for any purposes and you may opt out at any time.
Park Hill VET
The ‘Glamorous’ Life Of A Veterinarian A Typical Day During Pandemic In One Word: Hectic By Margot K. Vahrenwald, DVM, CVJ Minutes can make a huge difference. It can take only a minute to save a life or change the life of patient. But on the other side, minutes can be frustrating – why hasn’t the veterinarian called me back? Why can’t I get in to see my veterinarian with my pet today like I used to be able to? We are hearing and seeing this frustration on a daily basis, but owners can’t see nor know what our days are like in our roles in the veterinary team. That frustration sometimes comes out in verbal abuse to the one who answered the phone or a rapidly written, angry review — neither of which helps owner, pet and veterinary team. You may see us smiling and joking in our positions because stress handled with humor is better than a breakdown into tears. But like ducks, we’re trying to keep it calm and smooth above the surface when below we’re paddling like mad. Know that this is not just a local issue to Denver area veterinary practices, but also is global in scale. There were already pressures on the veterinary industry, but the pandemic has literally ripped a hole in the fabric of daily practice. Demand for care exploded at the same time that we physically lost team members to the new demands of childcare, remote/home schooling, parent or grandparent care and more. As we come out of pandemic restrictions, we continue to lose people to burnout, or the desire to have a different worklife. At least once a week we receive emails from our area emergency hospitals informing us they can only receive critical cases or cannot take any more cases at all because of volume. And, we try as best able to help them, by admitting and working in more urgent cases at our practices – with fewer staff. The following is a typical veterinarian’s day in our pandemic era. I’m breaking it down to minutes because I think the impact is more significant when you see how it looks on our end: August 2021
• Scheduled appointments: 14 or more seen as a daily average = 420-480 minutes • Admits/work-ins: 1 to 4 patients daily per doctor = 30 to 120-plus minutes • 15-25 callbacks/emails per day: 75 to 200-plus minutes • 3-8 same-day urgent calls/emails from owners: 30-160 minutes • 10-20 prescription requests (refills, written, online pharmacy): 30-60 minutes • 4-10 cases needing further research, review of referral records from specialists/ ER or calling/emailing specialists about patients, etc.: 60-90 minutes • Finishing exam notes: 30-90 minutes • Total day’s minutes average: 938 minutes (15.6 hours) For one of our receptionists, pre-pandemic they might have answered 50 to 60 phone calls personally, checked voicemail for a few messages every hour, fielded 2550 emails in/out, checked out 20-30 clients, hauled a few cases and bags of dog food, cleaned exam rooms and more. Now the call volume maxes out our multiple lines so frequently that there are many more voicemails to check and very few times of day when the phone lines are not constantly ringing. The juggle of what can be scheduled becomes difficult and cages are full of our day’s procedure pets and admitted patients. Know that we want to help as many patients as possible no matter the practice, but that the tidal wave of needed care is going to take a while to normalize. We squeeze and push in as much as we can humanly do in this field – and, we will continue to do so. But we cannot do it all all the time.
The Greater Park Hill News
Dr. Margot Vahrenwald is the owner of Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center at 2255 Oneida St. For more information, visit www. parkhillvet.com.
YOU’VE SPENT 30 YEARS BUILDING YOUR NEST EGG. NOW COMES THE HARD PART: MAKING IT LAST ANOTHER 30.
CALL 303-803-1016 TO LEARN MORE
Kuhn Advisors, Inc 2373 Central Park Blvd., Suite 100 Denver, Colorado 80238 Phone: 303.803.1016
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Greater Park Hill Resources
Active Minds
Active Minds has transformed itself during the pandemic from a live, in-person series of lectures to a web experience. Check out free lectures on topics ranging from music to history, current events to foreign affairs. A complete schedule of upcoming events is at activeminds.com
Art Garage
6100 E. 23rd Ave., artgaragedenver.com, 303-377-2353. Check the website for schedules.
Blunders and Beers
Blunders and Beers is a Park Hill Chess Club that meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at Longtable Brewhouse, 2895 Fairfax St., beginning at 6 p.m. All skill levels are welcome. Bring a board if you have one.
Denver Police District 2
3921 Holly St., 2.Dist@denvergov.org, non-emergency number is 720913-1000. For emergencies, dial 9-1-1.
Denver Public Schools
dpsk12.org Check the website for resources and updates. Call the helpline at 720423-3054 for support in many languages.
Faith Community
greaterparkhill.org/faith Greater Park Hill’s faith community, home to over 30 places of worship in just four square miles, is as diverse and robust as the neighborhood itself. The GPHN maintains a list of Park Hill’s places of worship at the website above. Contact individual places of worship for information about their current state of operations.
Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.
2823 Fairfax St., greaterparkhill.org, 303-388-0918 The GPHC neighborhood association community meetings are currently conducted virtually on the first Thursday of the month, except for December and July. The next meeting is Thursday, Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. Link to attend at greaterparkhill.org/join-us/community-meetings/. Check greaterparkhill.org for information and details to participate. The September meeting is Thursday, Sept. 2.
Libraries
denverlibrary.org See the “At the Library” feature in this month’s issue for updates and resources offered by the Park Hill and Pauline Robinson branch libraries.
Northeast Park Hill Coalition
The Northeast Park Hill Coalition hosts its monthly meeting the second Thursdays of the month. Check its Facebook page @ Northeast Park Hill Coalition for updates.
Park Hill Community Bookstore
Established in 1971. Denver’s oldest nonprofit bookstore. Used and new books. 6420 E. 23rd Avenue. 303-355-8508. Members and volunteers get discounts and book credits. The bookstore is open; check parkhillbookstore.org for current hours.
Photo by Leslie Williams
Sculpture photos by David Schlose
THIS MONTH AT THE LIBRARY
Farewell, David
In-House Artist Leaves A Legacy Of Paper Sculptures By Leslie Williams Pauline Robinson Branch Librarian
Our beloved David Schlose will be retiring soon. A quiet soul, he is our shelver and inhouse artist. Not only has he helped with all things books over the years, he has befriended customers and staff and shared wise stories about past careers and current events. We wanted to acknowledge him before he left, by dedicating this month’s article about him and sharing images of the paper sculptures he has folded by hand in his free time. We asked Schlose to tell us about his journey at the library. Leslie Williams: How long have you been at the library? David Schlose: Five years and eight months — long enough to appreciate our community. LW: Why did you want to work at the library? DS: I LOVE books. I can learn and earn at the same time. How cool is that? LW: What is your most enjoyable memory about being here? DS: Laughter and camaraderie. Being able to make a positive contribution to the customers and the staff. And, of course, the sculptures.
LW: Tell us more about paper sculpturing past-time. DS: While looking for an easy (and cheap) hobby, I discovered 3D paper sculptures – paper, knife and glue, how simple (ha ha!). I found a few (quite a few) patterns that I found appealing but I don’t have the wall space for these figures, so you and I discussed whether or not they would be appropriate for the library to display them. And now I can’t keep up (at least with patterns I want to build – dinosaurs, animals, Marvel and Star Wars characters like Black Panther and Yoda, Game of Thrones dragons). My original intention was to provide a couple of examples of dinosaurs, African wildlife and Colorado wildlife. My thought was that they might appeal to our young patrons, and add color and life to our environment. We took a poll with our young patrons choosing between six different figures and the “Rasta Lion” won. A final note: Words cannot express the impact Schlose is leaving on our branch and community. We are grateful for his dedication and service over the past five years. Please stop into the Pauline Robinson Branch Library, at 5575 E. 33rd Ave. and say hello (and farewell) to him, and view his incredible paper sculptures.
Park Hill Peloton
A recreational group of road cyclists that roll from Park Hill once or twice a week. Check the current status of their rides on the Park Hill Peloton Facebook page.
Sie Filmcenter
2510 E. Colfax, denverfilm.org, 303-595-3456. Check the website for updates and information about its Virtual Cinema.
Free Zoom Tai Chi
Free morning beginner Tai Chi classes on Zoom every Friday at 10 a.m. and Saturday at 8 a.m. Register at taichidenver.com/beginner-taichi-zoom-class/. Longtime Park Hillians Jacqui and Joe, who teach the class, will send you the link to join.
Walk2Connect
www.walk2connect.com Park Hill Sunrise Walking Trips have resumed after the pandemic hiatus. The walks happen every Tuesday from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Meet in front of Honey Hill Cafe on 23rd & Dexter. for a casual, conversational-paced community walk. Check out details on page 4. Everyone is welcome to join.
Submit your neighborhood events and resources to editor@greaterparkhill.org • Deadlines are the 15th of the month, for the following month’s issue. Page 14
Farm Stand Mondays The bounty of summer is ripe for picking and ready for eating. Stop by the farm stand outside the office at Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. any and every Monday through October until 2 p.m. and stock up on fresh and delicious veggies and fruits from neighborhood gardens, plus other goodies that have been donated by local grocers. The office is at 2823 Fairfax St. Drop off your excess harvest and pick up a few ingredients at the same time. It’s all for sharing, and it’s all free. Pictured here is Silas and DaShawn Wilkins, with some corn and knobby squash. Photo by Cara DeGette
The Greater Park Hill News
August 2021
GPHN Classifieds Concrete
Piano Lessons
Concrete work and repair. Driveway, patios, and sidewalks. Small jobs welcome. 25 years experience. Free estimates. 303-429-0380
Piano lessons – all ages! Text Mozart at 720-434-0434. $35 half hour.
Electrician
Licensed, reliable, affordable, prompt. We hang and repair drywall too! References available. Text/call Jake @ 720-434-0434.
For Sale
Income property for sale. Beautiful 4-unit apartment complex in West Washington Park. The location is prime. Fully refurbished, in-unit HVAC units, in-unit washer/driers. Can be rented as Airbnb, corporate, or long-term rental. Fully furnished, decorated, and stocked. Call at 303261-2577 or visit www.incomeproperty4saleDenver.com for more information.
Plaster Repair
THE WALL REBUILDERS Interior plaster (and drywall) repair. We repair cracks, holes, crumbling walls, etc. Specializing in older homes, though we fix houses of every age. Dan and Laura Pino 303-698-1057
Brush & Hammer- 303-895-5192 Affordable-reliable services. Clean gutters, repair, replace, wood fences, gates and decks, interior painting, install small paver or flagstone patios and walkways.
Residential reroofing and repairs, 17 years experience, licensed, bonded, and insured. Gutter replacement and cleaning. Call Shawn 303-9079223
Lawn Care
Aeration – Sod fertilizer – Power rake – Lawn mowing, Rototilling – Hauling – Stump removal – Weed control – Lawn mower repair – Shrubbery care – Small trees removed 720-327-9911
We offer online, call-in, curb-side pickup or come on by. Full indoor dining and outdoor patio available.
VAIL PLUMBING & HEATING - The Older Home Specialist. Repair, service, remodel. Evaporative coolers. Licensed, insured, guaranteed. 303-329-6042
Handy Man
Cut Rate Hauling - A trash, clutter, and junk removal service. Estate clean up, eviction clean up, construction debris, etc. denvercutratejunk.com Call Ruben today 720-434-8042
OUR SUMMER HOURS ARE MON-SUN 7-7 COCktAilS & ligHt FARE HAppy HOUR 4-6
Plumbing
Plumbing & Sprinklers - Repair or replace, disposal, toilets, water heaters, faucets, sinks, drain cleaning, sump pump, water pressure regulator. Sprinkler blow out, repair and install. www.vertecservices. com 720-298-0880
Hauling
NEW HOURS!
Roofing
Tree Trimming
Tree trimming and trash removal. General yard work and clean up. Gutter cleaning. Please call 303429-0380
Windows
Double hung window RESTORATION includes replacing sash cords (ropes) and removal of excess paint on wood and metal plus lubrication for smooth opening and closing. 40 year resident of PH. Contact David 720-550-2786.
Sod installation. We also provide premium gutter cleaning services, tree trimming and trash removal. References available. 303-4290380
Masonry Services
Masonry Services- Brick, Stone, Concrete, restoration, tuck pointing, chimneys, retaining walls, city sidewalks. Licensed, bonded, and insured. References. Call Shawn 303-907-9223
4628 E 23rd Ave, Denver CO 80207 www.honeyhillcafe.com • 720 242 6048
Twenty years of experience working with Denver’s classic homes Numerous Park Hill references Design and Renovation Specialists
720-338-0748
www.CitySideRemodeling.com
HOUSE CLEANING Many Park Hill & Central Park References Mask & Gloves Worn At All Times • Additional Disinfectant Now The Norm • Park Hill Resident • PaulinaLeon22@hotmail.com
20 years experience • Paulina Leon 720-628-6690
MAYFAIR VISION CLINIC
Adult and Children’s Vision • Complete Visual, Eye Health and Glaucoma Testing • All Types of Contact Lenses • Frames with One Year Guarantee • Most Insurances Accepted • Free Adjustments and Minor Frame Repair • 15% Discount for Senior Citizens
Dr. Janice I. Jarret 1336 Leyden
Across from Safeway
To advertise in the Classifieds contact Melissa Davis
303.333.9898
newspaper@greaterparkhill.org 720-287-0442 (voicemail) the deadline for submitting a classified ad is the 15th of every month
Ireland’s Finest Painting Co.
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(303) 512-8777 irelandsfinestinc.com
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August 2021
The Greater Park Hill News
Page 15
FOR SALE
11 N Ogden St. $875,900
3 Bed, 4 Bath Light-Filled Townhome • Floor-to-Ceiling Palladian Windows • Mountain and Downtown Views • 2 Car Attached Garage
FOR SALE
855 Dahlia St. #102 $410,000 2 bed, 2 bath Beautiful Spacious Condo Private Yard Garage Parking
Keith Combs 720-218-9614 kcombs@denverrealestate.com
Jaden Combs 303-324-1437 www.combssellhomes.com • DenverRealEstate.com
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The Greater Park Hill News
August 2021