Chronicle Parker
Parker 8-30-2013
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 44
August 30, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourparkernews.com
Creative minds eye vision for downtown Panel seeks to establish plan for future growth By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com
Brother-sister Soap Box Derby racers JP and Allison Pankoff, of Parker, have racked up roughly 100 trophies during their careers. Allison, 14, placed second in the National Derby Rally national championships in Bowling Green, Ky. Photo by Chris Michlewicz
Racing is how Parker family rolls Soap Box Derby competitors among tops across nation By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com There is nothing more pure in racing than a side-by-side duel that ends with a photo finish. Just ask Parker teens Allison and JP Pankoff, who have racked up nearly 100 trophies over their careers as Soap Box Derby racers. Things have changed a bit in the sport, one that has become somewhat of a lost art with the advent of video games and skateboards and smart phones. Whereas the car-building process took a year for one race during the heyday of Soap Box Derby racing, the drivers now bring their vehicles to organized competitions all over the country throughout the year. There is very little difference between the
cars — slight modifications for track conditions and the like are allowed — and races are ultimately decided by the skill of the drivers. As the Pankoffs’ dad, Buzz, puts it, a race is “one giant physics experiment.” It’s a straight race at a 6 percent grade for 1,000 feet. The cars reach up to 40 mph, and many sprints are decided by inches. Allison, 14, laments the fact that she was edged out of first place by a mere .010 seconds during the National Derby Rally national championship in Bowling Green, Ky., July 28-Aug. 3. But she and her family are nonetheless proud to take second in a highly competitive contest against the best racers in the country. The Pankoffs consider it a “family win.” Together, they travel, discuss car adjustments, and, if all goes as planned, celebrate. The educational piece is a bonus, but Buzz Pankoff doesn’t lose sight of the biggest benefit.
“The foremost thing is using it as another outlet to spend time with the kids,” he says. “That time is irreplaceable.” Buzz Pankoff, who acts as coach along with his wife, Judy, grew up racing Soap Box Derby cars and passed the tradition on to his kids. JP, a 15-year-old sophomore at Legend High School, recently retired from the sport, but enjoyed an accomplished career. He began racing Soap Box Derby cars at the age of 9. JP says someday he will probably introduce his own children to the pastime. For now, he is using his knowledge to help his little sister on the racetrack. And it’s clearly working. “He gave us all of the information we needed to make both cars competitive,” said Buzz Pankoff, referring to the recent derby nationals. In almost the same breath, he gives a nod to his daughter’s abilities, noting that second place in a national competition is a major achievement.
Parker’s forward-thinking minds are spearheading an effort to determine the future of the downtown district. The 25 members of the Creative District Steering Committee have been hard at work since a launch meeting in March. The group of stakeholders — made up of property owners, professional artists, business owners, cultural organizations and elected Mariner officials — has already developed a vision statement and a prioritized list of strategic actions. The committee was formed after the January 2012 announcement that the Town of Parker had been designated as an emerging creative district by the state’s Colorado Creative Industries Division. The woman who created that title, Elaine Mariner, is now the town’s arts and culture director, and she is eager to see the process through full circle. “Parker feels like the right community with the right intentions,” she said. “It’s still in the developmental stage, but there is so much foundation for bigger things.” Around the same time, the Town of Parker began to update its downtown action plan, which hadn’t been updated since 2002. It contracted with a nonprofit called Downtown Colorado Inc., which conducted an assessment and provided a list of recommended actions to help the district grow into the future. Mariner said it “made sense to combine the processes,” and now all of the players are at the same table with a common goal to turn downtown Parker Downtown continues on Page 8
Event features four days of hunter, jumper shows Equestrians getting ready for liftoff at Colorado Horse Park By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com A new event at the Colorado Horse Park will have equines and their riders hurdling their way to $15,000 in prize money The inaugural Colorado Fall Classic II features four full days of hunter, jumper and equitation classes Aug. 29-Sept. 1. In the Grand Prix arena, spectators will witness awe-inspiring jumping ability and speedy turns. The hunter ring will host competitions based on “beautiful, even striding and perfectly executed jumps,” said Carrie Wirth, a communications specialist working on behalf of the Colorado Horse Park. The A-rated show will have the nation’s top competitors going head-to-head on new footing that’s on par with that found at the best equestrian jumping venues on
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the European circuit, Wirth said. The horse park recently invested $1 million to upgrade footing in the pre-arena, hunter arena and schooling arenas. “It makes a tremendous amount of difference in the way a horse can jump and land; there are only so many jumps in a horse,” she said. “It helps them perform at their very best.” Jumping at heights greater than 1.5 meters, the horses are a sight to behold for those who have never seen them perform. Wirth also describes the obstacles and intricate course designs as a “unique art form.” The estimated 300 to 400 visitors per day during the Colorado Fall Classic II will be treated to not only the finest hunter-jumper and equitation shows, but will also have the chance to enjoy the scenery from the elevated equestrian venue. The views of the Front Range, combined with a full season of events, prompted some riders to spend their summer in Colorado. Attendance at the Colorado Horse Park was so good and demand was so high for more hunter-jumper shows that organizers added six weeks to the season, including four weekends that extend the show schedule into October. Shows continues on Page 8
Kristen VanderVeen and “Bull Run’s Eternal” clear an obstacle during the Summer in the Rockies series in July. The upcoming Colorado Fall Classic is among the last equestrian events at the Colorado Horse Park. Courtesy photo