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October 8, 2015 VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 38
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Lone Tree makes pitch to businesses The city’s population is likely to reach 31,000 by 2035 By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando@coloradocommunitymedia.com Lone Tree Mayor Jim Gunning did his best to entice more businesses to make the city their home during the Lone Tree Commercial Real Estate Forum at the Lone Tree Arts Center. “I think you can call this area almost a
new gold rush in Colorado,” Gunning said. During the city’s Sept. 23 presentation to possible new businesses and developers, the mayor touched on Lone Tree’s ideal location, friendly business environment Gunning and connection to transit as key factors in its growth and success in recent years. “We’re very strong in some very specific areas,” said Jeff Howell, the city’s
economic development director. “Retail is obviously one. Office is a strong and growing part of our portfolio. And healthcare and medical, especially with Sky Ridge Medical Center. We’re also a transit-oriented community. We have two light-rail stops, one at Park Meadows mall one at Lincoln station and a new one coming in by Sky Ridge.” Lone Tree is located 20 miles south of downtown Denver at the junction of C/E-470 and I-25. It is also less than 10 miles away from the Denver Tech Center.
The Park Meadows mall and shopping area bring in countless shoppers and tourists to the city each day. The city currently has $3.6 million in retail space bookended by Cabela’s on the south side of the city and the mall on the north. In addition, the city of Lone Tree does not collect a property tax. “We’re a city of 12,500 and we have a budget of close to $50 million,” Gunning said. “That’s extraordinary for a city our size. Most of it comes from sales taxes. Development continues on Page 13
Pumpkins, hay rides at fall fest Festival will be held at Schweiger Ranch By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando@colorado communitymedia.com
Students from Highlands Ranch High School spent the day volunteering for the annual Out of the Darkness Walk at Coors Field on Oct. 3. Photos by Alex DeWind
Students raise awareness about suicide Out of the Darkness walk outgrows Highlands Ranch venue By Alex DeWind adewind@coloradocommunitymedia.com About 75 students from Highlands Ranch High School stood out in their white volunteer shirts among the more than 3,000 men, women and children crowding the stands at Coors Field for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Walk. “It’s been a tradition at our school for about six years now,” Highlands Ranch High senior Krista Reed said of the walk, held Oct. 3. “It was after we lost a student to suicide.” That student was 16-year-old David Cole. After his death, his mother, Sheri Cole, decided to devote her life to suicide awareness. She is now the Rocky Mountain area director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and helped moved the walk from Highlands Ranch High School to Coors Field this year. “To see the level of people coming together and the level of support for each other is amazing,” said Cole. “I think it’s sort of indescribable.” The event featured various speakers, a silent auction, a butterfly release ceremony and workshops. The turnout was much larger than expected, Cole said. For the high school student volunteers, the event is a tradition. “We just want to raise as much awareness as possible to prevent this from happening in the future,” Reed said. This year, the butterfly ceremony was more symbolic than ever, Reed said. A mother who had recently lost her son set
The city of Lone Tree is getting into the fall spirit Oct. 10 when it hosts the Fall Festival at historic Schweiger Ranch. The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the ranch, 10822 Havana St. “People always love the pumpkin patch and hay wagon rides,” event coordinator Katie Maltais said. Hay wagon rides will be provided by Colorado Carriage Company. Pumpkins will be $5 each. There will also be Noah’s Ark Petting Zoo and the Cave of Confusion. The cave is a 3-D maze built inside of a trailer that winds up, down and all around in a twisting, urning, seemingly endless corridor. Also new this year will be a bluegrass band, Caribou Mountain Collective. “Last year, Schweiger Ranch had finished a fair amount of refurbishment throughout the property and we added in some signage for self-guided tours,” Maltais said. “It was fun to see things from over 100 years ago and understand how the farm came to be.” Schweiger Ranch is owned by RidgeGate, which allows the city the use of it for this event. The city asks that people park in the parking lot behind the green gate on the way to Schweiger Ranch and ride a tractor in. Keep an eye out for signage. There will handicap parking near the event site.
Attendees of the Out of the Darkness Walk wrote sticky notes in remembrance of loved ones lost to suicide. a butterfly free, but it didn’t fly away. Instead, it rested on her shoulder for the entire walk. “The butterfly stayed with her until she left the field,” said Reed. “It’s pretty incredible to witness moments like that.” Even though the event has grown and relocated, it still has heavy ties to the community of Highlands Ranch where it started. “I think the new venue offered more
people the chance to become aware of the cause,” teacher Shannon Tuffs said. “But we were still able to contribute from Highlands Ranch High School — that’s important.” At the end of the walk, Reed and her two classmates sat in the stands, holding multi-colored balloons and smiling. “It’s really about finding that balance between having hope for the future,” Reed said, “and still remembering the loved ones that you’ve lost.”
File photo