New internet provider comes to Brighton

Nebraska-based Allo beginning work to build fiberoptic-based network in city

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Crews from Nebraska-based internet provider Allo Fiber will begin work this week installing their highspeed internet, telephone and TV services in Brighton.

Allo Fiber representative Nichole Spady said the company plans a groundbreaking ceremony at noon Feb. 22, at Barr Lake State Park. Spady said the company hopes to begin o ering high-speed internet to portions of the city this year.

“We have been experiencing growth in a lot of di erent directions, in our home state as well as Colorado and Arizona,” Spady said. “We have been in the business of bringing ber to homes for at least 20 years.” e company, which started in Scottsblu , Nebraska in 2003, currently o ers its services in a handful of Colorado communities, including Erie, Greeley and Breckenridge.

“We are always looking to grow,” Spady said. “We have conversations ongoing with other community leaders through various regions. If they are interested, we have a page on our website where people can ll out a form requesting we come to their city, and we recommend they send that along to their leaders.” e company website puts the company’s Brighton o ce location at 139 N. Main St.

Higher speeds, up and down

Fiber optic internet service uses cables that are thinner than standard cable TV coaxial cables with potentially faster speeds across the internet, but uploads and download speeds.

“I can’t speak to the speeds that coaxial cable o ers but ours starts at one gig, with symmetrical speeds in either direction — uploads or downloads,” she said. “ at really is something we can brag about.” e company is paying Brighton $700 per month to lease the land for their hub. It’s a ten-year lease with options to extend it. e company has not released price packages for Brighton. In other markets, Allo o ers telephone, internet and television services all bundled together or individually. In Greeley, the company charges up to $185 per month for the fastest 2.3-gigabit internet and $105 per month for single gigabit internet speeds.

Brighton councilors discussed a land lease agreement at their Feb. 7 meeting with Allo for a 1,250 squarefoot portion of the city-owned lot at 14950 Brighton Road. e company is building a central hub for the new ber optic network in Brighton there, Deputy City Manager Marv Falconberg said.

Falconberg said the construction work across Brighton should take 18 months to complete.

Allo representative Jacob Higashi told councilors the work will start on the western side of the city along Interstate 76 before moving east. e company will place signs along construction sites and plans to mail information about their service to Brighton residents.

Television service in Greeley begins at $26 per month for local channels and $81 for local and basic TV channels like ESPN, Discovery, A&E, TBS and the like. Premium channels like HBO and Apple TV are also available.

“We are di erent than a cable TV provider, in that it’s not via coaxial cable,” Spady said. “We actually bring ber-optics into the home but everything is available.” e company is designing its network in Erie now, with actual construction underway in the neighborhood south of Isabelle Road and east of 111th St.

Phone service in Greeley currently costs $15 per month.

Packages for all three in Greeley cost $190 and $186 for gigabit internet and television.

Councilors were generally pleased to have a new internet provider for residents.

“I’m glad that you’re here,” Councilor Peter Padilla said. “I think competition is a good thing and this helps to begin advance technology and availability across the city. Competition for companies that have been at it a long time is always a good thing.” than $41 million back to the cities, towns and counties that paid a Mile High Stadium-supporting sales tax through 2011.

Brighton, which levied the tax along with a number of other Front Range communities, received $454,084.93 as a part of that agreement. According to the District’s lease agreement, that money must go towards youth activity programs.

Councilors agreed in January to accept the money.

“We outlined four different uses for this funding; the playground structure at the Rec Center, our own youth programs — an expansion of those — as well as a community youth programs grant. Those are already in the works. We took that direction and we ran with it.”

The fourth option was a partnership with Brighton’s 27J School district.

$12.99 per student

Barber-Perrotta said that

$150,000 of it will be given to Brighton’s 27J School District to be used on activities at the schools within Brighton’s limits.

“Based on your feedback, we did broaden those categories to include not just physical education and sports equipment but to include those arts and humanities programs you wanted to fund, as well as uniforms,” she told councilors. “That is something we heard from a number of those principals when we reached out. Uniforms is a big need for the schools.”

School Superintendent Chris Fiedler said those schools have 11,543 students between kindergarten and high school, so the money will be broken up that way.

Each Brighton school will receive $12.99 per student for upgrades to PE equipment, sports and safety equipment, arts and humanities programs and uniforms. Individual school principals will decide how to best use their school’s share, she said

“The reason is that those principals are ultimately on the front lines,” Barber-Perrotta said.

“They are going to know what they need the most and what will benefit them the most in this program.”

Fiedler agreed. It’s the fairest way to divide the money.

“I want to be very clear to presume to know what our principles need for each of their buildings,” Fiedler said. “Bear in mind, we have one building that will turn 100 years old in 2026. Thats’ Brighton Heritage Academy. And then we have schools like Brighton High School that was built when Eisenhower was president.”

Exanding playground

Parks Manager Ryan Smith said another $150,000 will be used to expand the Brighton Recreation Center Playground used by the city’s daycare and summer camp program. That fenced-in park at the N. 11th Ave. location was originally built in 2004.

Plans call for expanding the playground area to make room for more children.

Work installing that new equipment should begin in May and is expected to take about two weeks to complete. Smith said the city wants to have the work completed before the summer camp at the recreation center is set to begin.

ADA Park, tennis courts

Smith also reviewed plans for two other park improvement projects set to begin this spring, redoing the busy playground at Donelson Park at 4500 Midland St. and replacing the tennis courts at Colorado Park, 254 Miller Ave.

Neither of those parks would be paid with Brighton’s share of the Bronco’s sale rebates.

Work on Donelson Park would begin in March and wrap up in June. Work on the tennis courts would begin in April and be finished in June.

E Agle View A Dult C Enter

1150 Prairie Center Parkway • Brighton, CO 80601 • 303-655-2075 • www.brightonco.gov

Eagle View Adult Center Update –Feb 22-Mar 1, 2023

Eagle View Adult Center is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 303-655-2075 for more information. e January and February Newsletter is available. Cards, Games and Pool

If you like to play games like bridge, pinochle, dominos, scrabble and pool… Eagle View is the place to get connected. Check out the newsletter for playing times.

VOA Lunch

A hot, nutritious lunch is provided by Volunteers of America, Mondays and ursdays at 11:30 a.m.

Please reserve your VOA meal in advance: For Mondays reserve the ursday before, for ursdays reserve the Monday before.! Call Eleanor at 303-655-2271 between 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Mon. & urs. Daily meal donations are appreciated.

$2.50 Donation per meal if age 60+. $8.50 Mandatory charge if under 60

Low Vision Support Group

Beyond Vision invites Lorrie Spoering to explore low-vision reading options available through Colorado Talking Book Library. 1:00 p.m. Wed. Feb 22. Free. Deadline: Fri. Feb 17

Streetcar Neighborhoods

Once upon a time, Denver had one of the largest streetcar systems in the nation. e streetcar allowed folks to begin their suburban dreams, and brought generations of workers, revelers, and everyone else downtown to pursue their various purposes. Presented by Denver History Tours.

1:30 p.m. Wed. Feb 22. $5. Deadline: Fri. Feb 17

Readers eatre Performance

Drop in for the free show and support our hard-working acting troupe! Play is done in time to take advance of the VOA lunch a erwards. RSVP necessary for lunch two days in advance Call 303-655-2271.

11:00 a.m. urs. Feb 23. Free

Canada to Mexico by Bicycle - Part 1 e Rocky Mountains and the Desert Southwest have some of America’s best scenery along with a unique history. In his talk, Joe Wiggins will discuss the northern half of his solo bicycle trip starting in Alberta, Canada, and then across Montana and Wyoming.

1:30 p.m. urs. Feb 23. $5. Deadline: Tues. Feb 21

Our mission is to lower energy costs and provide the healthiest quality air possible. For anyone, business or residential, we will increase e ciency of your system by using the very latest techniques, the latest technologies and top of the line products. We will provide the highest quality of work possible. Our professional sta will assure a high level of professionalism that cannot be matched in our industry. We guarantee our products and services.