Transcript Wheat Ridge 4/11/13
Wheat Ridge
April 11, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwheatridgenews.com
Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 29, Issue 42
E-Days bring springtime rays
50 cents
Blaster the Burro struts his stuff down Colfax. Photos by Glenn Wallace
Jeffco nixes ‘nature place’ at Crown Hill
Public outcry leads to Jeffco Open Space’s decision not to build play area By Sara Van Cleve
svancleve@ourcoloradonews.com
Colorado School of Mines students guide school mascot Blaster the Burro from Golden down Colfax Avenue to the State Capitol on April 5.
Annual event of School offered pride and wacky events By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com Things got rolling for E-Days 2013 with a burro walking down Colfax. The Colorado School of Mines annual weekend of fun traditionally begins with the school mascot, Blaster the Burro, pulling an ore cart down West Colfax, all the way to the State Capitol Building. Nowadays, the ore cart is left at home. More than a 150 Mines students accompanied Blaster this year, wearing event shirts. On their shirts were the words, “We have the endurance to go all the way.” “This weekend is just a celebration of all the hard work that all of our students do, giving them something to look forward to,
some balance,” Student Activities Office Associate Director Kelli Bell said, calling last weekend the most successful E-Days in recent memory. Bell said much of the weekend’s many activities are student organized. Several of the special events reflected the student body’s engineering bent. There was the Tesla Coil demonstration on Friday, cardboard boat Clear Creek races Saturday, followed by a trebuchet (catapult) launch. “They really worked hard and really believe in providing this for their fellow peers,” Bell said. Competing in the boat race was the dynamic duo of Gabriel Alvarado and Carlos Tasayto, both juniors. They had the bad luck of their boat disintegrate within sight of the finish line, as the crowd laughed. “Well, we made it further this year!” Alvarado said, before heading down the creek bank to pick up more pieces of their foundered craft. The team of Nic Martin and Ryan Logan did much better, maneuvering their
canoe-shaped cardboard craft, with Pabst Blue Ribbon beer case packaging featured prominently on the prow. Their paddles: Franzia box wine packages. Martin admitted that his team had a pretty strong advantage over many of the competitors. “Well, we’re both civil engineers and both in the Mines kayak club too,” Martin said, while trying to dry out his soggy canoe before competing in the finals. “It’s awesome that the whole school is out here, cheering for us … well to fail, but still,” Martin said. Part of that crowd was Tom Godfrey, watching his daughter compete in the boat race. “This is a blast, and it’s cool that a college is doing something like this for the kids,” Godfrey said. The E-Days festivities ended with a bang on Saturday night. Mines students, alumni and family were treated to a concert by AWOLNATION. As the band’s last notes echoed into the spring evening, the E-Days fireworks show began.
Jefferson County Open Space decided to forgo the concept of a “Nature Place” from its plans for Crown Hill Park. Crown Hill is an open space park nestled between Lakewood and Wheat Ridge at 9307 W. 26th Ave. Some residents even call the park the community’s “crown jewel.” After hearing the public’s input through comments sent to Jeffco Open Space by residents, information collected at a March 11 community meeting and the results of an independent survey, the environmental learning and nature play features called Nature Place will not be built, according to a statement from Jeffco Open Space. The proposed Nature Place would have built three nature-focused play areas that would allow for digging, climbing boulders and a climbing structure to give guests of various ages an “elevated perspective” of the park. Many citizens have voiced opposition to development of the park, wanting to keep its natural serenity intact and protect wildlife from development that could hinder their habitats. Jeffco Open Space also asked residents about whether the current fitness equipment at Crown Hill that was installed in the 1980s should be replaced and the possibility of building a seasonal pergola near the restrooms and parking lot. After collecting community comments and surveying residents, Jeffco Open Space found residents’ opinions were split nearly in half for those that wish to see the equipment replaced and a shade structure built and those that do not. Jeffco Open Space is hosting a public meeting from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 30 at Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, 4005 Kipling St., regarding the projects at Crown Hill Park. The meeting will include a presentation of public comments and the survey results, a recap of confirmed projects and a timeline for implementation and a discussion of projects that have yet to reach a consensus. The meeting will also consist of group discussion addressing the fitness and shade elements to reach a possible resolution.
Council approves park at 44th Avenue, Kendall Street By Hugh Johnson City Council approved the city staff’s request to move forward with the con-
struction of a new park at 44th Avenue and Kendall Street at the April 1 study session. Council’s approval al-
POSTAL ADDRESS
lows the project to enter the design development phase. The new park will feature two separate lots for play as well as irrigated bluegrass fields and a pair of playgrounds for kids of all ages. Joyce Manwaring, director of Parks and Recreation,
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said the goal of the project was to create a highly visible neighborhood park with immediate curb appeal. Council allotted $900,000 for the design and construction of the new park. The money comes from the Open Space and Conservation Trust Fund. Jefferson County Open Space awarded the project a grant in the amount of $211,000. On Jan. 14, council contracted DHM design for the park’s layout. The city held public input meetings on Feb. 20,
March 6 and March 13. Based on input from the March 6 meeting, Parks and Rec settled on the two lot design for the park. With parking lots only able to accommodate 13 vehicles, the city is emphasizing the park’s neighborhood feel. The park will feature a multi-use sports court that allows for half-court basketball. The decision to use a half court as opposed to a full court is a preventive measure to keep people who don’t live in the community
from using and monopolizing the courts. While the city is using irrigated bluegrass for the fields, native grass will be used in the areas surrounding the fields in an effort to conserve water. Per a request from Councilman Mike Stites of District III, city staff will look into putting in AstroTurf to avoid watering altogether. The city will move forward with the development design phase, which will include a price estimate for park’s construction.