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JULY 4, 2014 VOLU M E 9 4 | I S S UE 1 9 | 7 5 ¢
EnglewoodHerald.net
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A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Officials discuss river plan Agencies talk about planned amenities along South Platte By Tom Munds tmunds @coloradocommunitymedia.com
World War II veteran Selwin Hewitt, left, and Vietnam veteran Joe McCue — who both live in the neighborhood — took part in the groundbreaking ceremony that marked the start of the makeover of Duncan Park. The two park neighbors were among about 100 people who attended the June 24 celebration. Photos by Tom Munds
Park makeover celebrated Neighbors, city officials gather as work begins at Duncan Park By Tom Munds
tmunds@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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ENGLEWOOD HERALD
(ISSN 1058-7837) (USPS 176-680) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, the Englewood Herald is published weekly on Friday by Colorado Community Media, 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT Littleton, COLORADO and additional mailing offices.
A party atmosphere prevailed June 24 as more than 100 people gathered for the ceremony celebrating the Duncan Park makeover. Work has started on the project on June 2. Existing facilities, including the playground, were demolished and all the grass has been removed from the south end of the park. The exception is a grove of trees that will remain as part of the makeover. Phase one will include the construction of a pavilion, restrooms and a basketball court that also marked off for other activities like hop scotch. Two playgrounds will be involved, one designed to toddlers to 5-year-olds and a second playground designed for 6- to 12-year-olds. Phase one is scheduled to be completed in August. The work then shifts north for phase 2 which will involve the creation of athletic fields and a lighted sidewalk that will circle the entire park. The work on Phase 2 is scheduled to be completed by late fall. There was June 24 celebration included free food, a display of the park design, speeches and a symbolic ground breaking. “Duncan Park is important to this neighbor-
Christine Maschka gets a kiss from her dog Duncan. The dog is the unofficial mascot of Duncan Park. Maschka was in the park about a month ago when her husband surprised her with the pup so she thought it would be appropriate to name the dog in honor of the park. hood,” Englewood Mayor Randy Penn said. “Area residents attended meetings and took part in the project to develop the design that is being used for the makeover. The goal is to make Duncan Park better and a friendlier gathering place.” Residents gathered under the tent to chat and Park continues on Page 9
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P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Park neighbors, left to right, Anna Och and Devon, Christina and Trevor Dumpert each dig their shovel into dirt as part of the June 24 groundbreaking celebration marking the start of the makeover of Duncan Park. The ceremony included speeches and members of the city council turning dirt. Then residents and park neighbors were invited to take shovels and help with the event.
Englewood city officials gathered on the riverbank June 23 as Laura Kroeger, of Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, explained proposals for revitalizing a stretch of South Platte River near Oxford Avenue and the Broken Tee at Englewood Golf Course. “This would create unique recreation amenities in this area along the banks and in the South Platte River near the Oxford Avenue Bridge,” she told the city officials during a June 23 tour of the area. “A lot of partners are working together on this project. The Army Corps of Engineers is cooperating with us and the drawings are about 30 percent complete.” She said a project of this size doesn’t happen often and there is no similar project anywhere in the Rocky Mountain region. The proposed project involved major work to revitalize a seven-mile stretch of the South Platte River from the southern border of Littleton to the northern border of Englewood. Kroeger said work is already underway on the portion of the project in Littleton near South Platte Park. However, there are portions of the project to revitalize about 4.5 miles of the river from Union Avenue to the northern border of Englewood. One aspect of the proposal is to extend the pedestrian-bike path on the east bank of the river and create a trailhead just north of Oxford Avenue. The new eastside trail would lead into the trailhead that would be adjacent to the Broken Tee Golf Course at Englewood. Improvements would include expanded parking, a 125-seat pavilion and a playground. The Army Corp of Engineers has given permission to soften the banks of the river in that area by planting landscaping and create a handicapped accessible path leading down from the trailhead to the river amenities. Kroeger, Bill Neumann, a representative of DHM Design, and Rick McLaughlin of McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group, used drawings as visual aids as they explained the concept for the stretch of the river near Oxford. The discussion was followed by a walk along the riverbank to point out where the amenities are planned. “It would be a low-flow recreation area,” Neumann said as he pointed to the area where the amenities would be built. “There would be wading areas, a water slide and, a short distance away, there would be pools that should be areas for good fishing.” Kroeger said funding is being assembled and plans are to begin work in October 2015. The entire project includes work along a seven-mile stretch of the river from the southern border of Littleton to the northern border of Englewood. It is an expensive proposal with a price tag of about $12 million. The funding got help when Arapahoe County pledged $5 million toward the project.