December 31, 2015
LIFE
THIS WEEK IN
LOCAL
VO LU ME 71 | ISSU E 8 | 50 ¢
Mother Cabrini Shrine offers visitors a sense of peace page 12 A publication of
A DA M S C OU N T Y & J EF F ER S ON C OU N T Y, C OLOR A DO
WestminsterWindow.com
‘Wouldn’t you want to live there, Mom?’ Son’s question starts extravagant house lighting display By Corrie Sahling csahling@coloradocommunitymedia.com It all started 20 years ago around Christmastime with a house draped in lights. “Wouldn’t you want to live there, Mom?” asked Janice Snidow’s then-3-year-old-son as the family drove by the decorated house. “The day after that Christmas, I went out and bought a bunch of lights,” Snidow said, smiling. “And the next Christmas, my son saw another house that was more decorated
and, ‘Wouldn’t you want to live there, Mom?’ So, the day after Christmas I went out and bought more lights. We’ve been adding every year since.” The extravagant Christmas decorations at the Snidow house in Thornton take weeks to set up. Everything is hooked to a timer. “It all turns on at the same time, whether or not I’m here,” Snidow said. The preparation is a team effort. The whole family works to decorate for the holiday. The son that began it all is now 23, and he brings his girlfriend to help. “All three kids are involved,” Snidow said. “They love it.” To no surprise, the decorations bring a Lights continues on Page 8
For 20 years, the Snidow family has been decorating their house for Christmas and adding more each year. Many of the pieces were handmade or were bought at auctions — so they are decorations that can’t be found elsewhere. Photo by Corrie Sahling
Top Westminster stories of 2015 By Corrie Sahling csahling@coloradocommunitymedia.com From the Downtown Westminster Plan to the opening of a new Health Campus the 2015 year was filled with economic development and growth for the city of Westminster. Below are some of the most interesting stories from 2015, in no particular order. Downtown Westminster In May, the city of Westminster announced a new approach in the development process of the future downtown area. Instead of using a single developer, the city decided to move forward with a block-by-block approach. Moving along with those plans, the city signed its first developer — the Alamo Drafthouse. Despite some campaigns by candidates who objected to the approach, the November elections confirmed the city’s direction. St. Anthony North Medical Campus After almost two years of planning, designing and building, the St. Anthony North Health Campus opened its doors to the public on March 3. Ground was broken on the 350,000-square-foot facility at 144th Avenue and I-25 in Westminster in early May 2013. The campus is incorporating a new “health neighborhood” approach to wellness care and offers more than 40 primary and specialty care medical practices in the Orchard Neighborhood Health Center. Since opening, the Health Campus has featured local artists’ work around the building and has unveiled a one-of-akind statue in its main lobby. Tolling on U.S. 36 On July 22, tolling began in the express lanes from Federal Boulevard to 88th Street in Louisville/Superior, which was the first completed phase of the U.S. 36
Westminster students cheer on their football team during their homecoming game in October against rival school, Northglenn. Westminster won 50-12, enroute to a historic undefeated regular season. Photo by Corrie Sahling Express Lanes Project. As more toll lanes opened, the company in charge of the project, Plenary Roads Denver, monitored the use of the lanes. One month after the opening of more lanes, the company said it was difficult to tell if numbers would stay consistent. An initial problem with HOV users being wrongfully charged at the Sheridan exit for about two weeks was fixed and all drivers who were recorded at the exit at the time were refunded.
The Express Lanes offer drivers a choice to pay to use the lane, or to drive in the general-purpose lanes at no cost. The charge to drive in the lane depends on the time of day, number of passengers, type of vehicle and whether or not a transponder is being used. Bees and chickens Following an Aug. 10 city council meeting, Westminster city council began allowing residents to keep backyard chicken and bees with a 5-2 vote. The
ordinance went into effect on Nov. 8, 90 days after the meeting. To legally keep chickens and bees, residents will need to live in a single-family detached home, the home’s HOA covenant must allow it, and the keeper must apply for a permit and pay a one-time fee (the amount is to be decided). Residents supported passing the ordinance, with extra support coming from the education that it could offer
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Year end continues on Page 5