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September 12, 2014 VOLU M E 1 3 | I SS UE 42
CentennialCitizen.net A publication of
A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
Arapahoe project has wide impact Adjacent property owners voice concerns for safety By Christy Steadman
csteadman@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
Lucy was at home in the water during the Puppy Paddle at Holly Pool in Centennial on Sept. 6. The 6-year-old Labrador retriever was skilled at plucking disc-like objects out of the water and returning them to her owner, John Raven, of Centennial.
One last summer splash People were told to stay out, but dogs were encouraged to dive in — to Holly Pool in Centennial, that is, on Sept. 6. The annual Puppy Paddle brought out dozens of people and pets for a summer sendoff at the South Suburban Parks and Recreation facility. Dogs pursued and claimed tennis balls, flying discs and even empty laundry detergent containers. For health reasons, humans were not allowed in the pool.
Others at the Puppy Paddle needed a little direction before hopping in the pool.
PHOTOS BY CHRIS ROTAR
Some dogs were fashionably safe in life vests at the Puppy Paddle.
Course, Colorado meet challenge Cherry Hills draws rave reviews for BMW Championship By Jim Benton
jbenton@colorado communitymedia.com
Rory McIlroy stares down his tee shot at the fifth hole during the second round of the BMW Championship Sept. 5 at Cherry Hills Country Club. Photo by Chris Michlewicz
Cherry Hills Country Club is a traditional, classic course with subtle greens and short yardage to tantalize professional golfers. However, the course held up well during the BMW Championship that concluded Sept. 7, and large crowds left golfers and fans wondering if the 92-year-old club could again host another prominent PGA tournament. Professional Golf Association and Western Golf Association administrators indicated that Colorado and Cherry Hills
would be considered. “The course was good,” said Billy Horschel who won the BMW with a 14-under par 266. “Hopefully we can come back in the future. Hopefully there will be a regular tour (event) out here in Denver because a lot of fans came out this week and supported us. “So hopefully we can get another PGA Tour event back here because it’s a great place.” More than 125,000 fans attended the four days of the tournament — the penultimate stop in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs — at the course in Cherry Hills Village. That impressed Rory McIlroy. “The fans and crowds were amazing all week,” he said. “It’s a beautiful area and it was a pleasure to play in front of so many people.” Course continues on Page 4
While many commuters and residents welcome the widening project of Arapahoe Road between Waco Street and Himalaya Way, some homeowners along the corridor have expressed concerns. The corridor is a two-lane roadway in east Centennial, and it is significantly congested, according to city engineers, causing unsafe driving conditions and limiting access for emergency responders. The $15 million widening project is intended to increase the road’s capacity, and improve safety and mobility on Arapahoe Road. Centennial will share funding of the project with other entities, and its portion of the cost is at least $10 million. The corridor consists of about 1.5 miles. The two-lane roadway will be widened to an interim four lanes, which will provide traffic with two lanes in each direction. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2015, and is anticipated to be a nine-to-12-month project. Thirty-eight adjacent homeowners will be affected by the widening project, as right-of-way and easement from both sides of the road will need to be acquired to complete the project. Project documentation states that the “City will offer fairmarket value for any/all easement and right-of-way acquisition needed along the corridor for the improvements project.” An open house to discuss the widening project brought nearly 300 residents to Grandview High School on Sept. 4. For the majority of the attendees, this was the first opportunity they had to be informed of the project, and many were in support of it. However, meetings with adjacent property owners, those who will have the most impact from the widening project, began in March, said Travis Greiman, engineering manager for the City of Centennial. The meetings were conducted in two phases, the first being an outreach to the homeowners, and the second was the acquisition process, Greiman said. The homeowners were presented with plans for roadside enhancements, such as trees, a berm or a vinyl privacy fence, which is included in the budget, according to project documentation. However, feedback provided by some of the property Project continues on Page 6
Two Grandview High School students sign a banner supporting the Arapahoe Road-widening project between Waco Street and Himalaya Way at an open house Sept. 4. The existing two lanes of the corridor will be widened to four, in order to improve mobility and safety, and relieve traffic congestion. Photo by Christy Steadman