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JULY 3, 2014 VOLU M E 5 0 | I S S UE 46 | 5 0 ¢
Northglenn-ThorntonSentinel.com
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A D A M S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Permanent bathrooms planned for parks Sports Complex, Northern Light Ball Fields to receive improvements By Tammy Kranz tkranz@coloradocommunitymedia.com Long-awaited amenities are planned for the Thornton Sports Complex and Northern Lights Ball Fields — permanent bathrooms. The city plans to work with a company to design and start construction on the restrooms this year, according to Diane Van Fossen, the city’s capital projects and planning manager. “The goal is to have the new restrooms completed in 2015 in time for use during the spring sports seasons,” she said. The Northern Lights Ball Fields, 13800 York Street, served more than 900 participants in 2013. The Thornton Sports Complex, 10370 McKay Road, has multi-use fields and served more than 2,500 participants who were part of the Thornton Baseball Association, Adams County Family YMCA and Thornton Junior Football League and Cheerleading. “However, team participants are not the only consideration in the need for restrooms; the additional family members attending as spectators such as parents, siblings and grandparents can raise the number of restroom users exponentially,” Van Fossen said.
Visitors have been using portable toilets at the parks, and the city has received many calls about when permanent bathrooms will be installed, said Mayor Heidi Williams during an Open Space Grants ceremony with the Board of County Commissioners on May 19. “Being the sixth largest city in Colorado and first largest in Adams County, we have so many citizens that really do utilize all of our parks and recreation,” she said. The total cost for the project at both locations is $774,000. The city is using annual proceeds from the Adams County Open Space Grant to fund the project. This year the city received $387,000. “We do not expect the participation levels to increase due to the addition of flush toilets, but believe that the upgrade will offer users a more pleasant user experience while enjoying Thornton’s park amenities,” Van Fossen said. She said the bathrooms are still in the design phase but she expects the bathrooms to have up to five stalls and three sinks per restroom. The project also entails installing a concession pad at the Thornton Sports Complex, which will have an electrical pedestal for vehicles to plug into and serve beverages and snacks. “The Thornton Sports Complex does not currently have a dedicated space for this activity,” Van Fossen said. “The Northern Lights Ball Fields has an existing concession building to allow snack sales, so a separate concession vehicle pad is not necessary.”
The city of Thornton plans to install permanent bathrooms for Northern Lights Ball Fields and the Thornton Sports Complex. Park visitors now have to use portable bathrooms like shown here at the Sports Complex, 10370 McKay Road. Photo by Tammy Kranz
Cities gear up for Fourth By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@coloradocommunitymedia.com POSTAL ADDRESS
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P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Various cities across Colorado are gearing up for July 4 celebrations, and Thornton and Northglenn are no exceptions. The city of Northglenn will host its all-day event at E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park, 11800 Community Center Drive. The event kicks off with a Boy Scout Pancake Breakfast at 7 a.m. at the Ponderosa/Blue Spruce Pavilions — cost of the meal varies on the order, which can include pancakes, egg, sausage, milk and juice. At 7:30 a.m. the Firecrackers and Flapjacks Run, a four-mile run and walk, starts on the southeast side of Webster Lake. This run is followed by the Bike, Trike and Wheelchair & Patriotic Pooch Parades starting at 9:30 a.m. on the northwest corner of Webster Lake. The annual car show between City Hall and the Northglenn Recreation Center — just across the street from the park - begins at 10 a.m. and the awards ceremony will be at 2:15 p.m. New this year, the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Webster Lake will host the show and receive the proceeds from the entry fees. “When we were looking for a way to take the
car show to the next level, partnering with such a great organization was the obvious step,” said the city’s Communication Manager, Jason Rogers. “The Webster Lake Relay will help us tremendously in organizing the show and in return the proceeds will go towards a good cause.” Judith Tannehill, event chair for Relay for Life of Webster Lake, said this event will help the organization’s bottom line, which is to raise funds to find a cure. “The funds Relay for Life collects stays for this community,” she said. There will be a free Playful City USA Water Play Area on the southwest side of Webster Lake 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Chris Daniels and the Kings — which is known for having a three-piece horn section performing swing, R&B and jump blues style music — will perform 6:30-8 p.m. at the southeast stage. This concert is followed by a military recognition, and then the fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. Most of the activities are free and the event is a family-friendly one, so the city is asking people not to bring alcohol. The city of Thornton’s event will start at 4 p.m. at the Carpenter Park Fields, 108th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. Food vendors and the beer garden open at 4 p.m. as well as live music from
The American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Webster Lake is hosting the annual car show for the city of Northglenn’s July 4th celebration this year. Entry fees and proceeds from the sale of these carvings will go toward the local chapter. Courtesy photo Syke 96, the 2014 Thorntonfest Battle of the Bands winner. At 5:45 p.m. the Thornton Community Band will perform, followed by the Kory Brunson Band at 7:30 p.m.. At 9:30 p.m. there will be a parachutist jump and then the fireworks right after.
County increases permit fees Fees have not been revised since 1994 By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@coloradocommunitymedia.com For the first time in more than two decades, Adams County has increased fees for permits and associated work for its planning and development, neighborhood and transportation departments. The Adams County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the rate increases — and in some cases, establishing a fee for services — during their regular June 24 meet-
ing. “It’s important to note that these fees have not been revised since 1994, which is roughly about 21 years,” said Deputy County Manager Ray Gonzales. “In many cases, Adams County charges significantly less than any other counties and cities in the metro area for these services.” He added that no fees had been charged for a number of these services. The rate increases went into effect July 1. The county is using a phased approach to implement any fees that will be increased by more than five times. The second increase for these services will be Jan. 1, 2015. District 3 Commissioner Erik Hansen said
it was reasonable to charge for these services and that increasing the fees will not scare off business. “It’s unfortunate that it creates a little bit of a sticker shock, so I appreciate what you’re doing in terms of phasing it in for certain people, but you know at the end of the day we’re talking about specific fees for specific purpose — building permit fees, storm water inspection fees — in some cases we weren’t charging for fees for anything whatsoever when everybody in the metro area was charging these fees,” he said. Some of the services that were not being charged before, but now have a fee, include Fees continues on Page 11