All the News About Denver’s Best Residential Community Since 1960 • Volume 61, Issue No. 4 • April 2022
Angels On Ice
Sidewalks At Last City Announces Plan For Walkways Along Quebec and 17th Avenue. Some Are Excited, Others Criticize 5 To 8-Foot Wide Concrete Paths As ‘Overkill’
East High Hockey Wins First State Championship Title Story and photos by Reid Neureiter
By Cara DeGette
For the GPHN
The East High ice hockey team was crowned Colorado State 5A champions after a hard-fought 6-3 victory on March 8 at Ball Arena over two-time defending champs Valor Christian. The Angels squad not only dominated its in-state competition but also finished the high school season as the MaxPreps No. 1 ranked high school team in the country. The team, which plays its home games at the Big Bear facility in Lowry, has been in existence for just eight years and is the only hockey program in Denver Public Schools. So, while officially playing under the East banner, in reality it is a combined DPS program that includes players from other DPS schools, as well as out-of-district schools that don’t have hockey programs. The team includes six students from East, three from South High, two each from Northfield, George Washington, Brighton, plus players from North High, Strasburg, and Colorado Connections Academy. Head
Editor, GPHN
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This is where the fortunes turned. The main focus of Messiah’s ministry and vision is a deep shade of green — that is, a commitment to the environment and being good stewards of the earth. The new boiler Path Of Destruction Leads To Climate Win At Messiah Church system reduces the church’s carbon footprint by a whopping 90 percent. Story and photo by Cara DeGette ing, smelled the gas and saw the vandalism. ”The old boiler was put in in 1949, which It was a miracle the gas hadn’t caused an by the way is the same year I was born,” said Editor, GPHN explosion. But the thieves, who were never Edwards. “The new boiler is significantly Here is a story about how Messiah Comcaught, left a path of devastation that cost more efficient — Hallelujah! munity Church turned a tragedy into a at least $300,000 — not an insignificant “It’s serendipitous in a way, to take what green victory. sum for a small congregation. was truly a horrible situaLate last August, on a Sunday night, With winter approaching, the tion and at least make some thieves broke into the church, at 18th and church had to bring in an out“The new boiler good stuff from it. Without Colorado Boulevard. They broke through side source of heat until a new the robbery, who knows how is significantly an outside door, and then broke through system could be installed — long it would have been bemore efficient — an office door. which was also a big expense. fore we got a new boiler? “Our hypothesis is this particular group They’ve also spent money for We’ve been able to take this Hallelujah! of folks felt breaking in on a Sunday eventbetter security. “It was just a step to live out our mission, — Sue Edwards ing would be the best time, as they might mess,” said Sherrill Morris, a and that’s a gift to all of us.” find offerings from earlier in the day,” said member of the church council. Sue Edwards, the president of the church council. Failing to find any cash, the thieves instead grabbed a laptop. They rummaged through cabinets and stole a sound system belonging to a group that uses space in the church. They found a big old safe that had not been used for so long no one in the church remembered its combination. They lugged the safe into the sanctuary, hauled it up onto a chair, and somehow got it open. They might have found a few old coins, but nothing even close to worth the trouble. “That was one of the few things that made me laugh,” Edwards said. Then the thieves got busy in the basement. Using tools they brought, they started sawing through pipes to steal the copper that feeds the boiler. In the process they cut through a water pipe, flooding the basement. Then they cut into a natural gas pipe. “They were smart enough to leave at that point,” Edwards said. The next morning, a parents group that Sue Edwards, left, and Sherrill Morris, with the new boiler. meets at the church came into the build-
Inside This Issue
Goalie Noel Friedman displays the state championship banner at the Ball Arena after East defeated Valor Christian on March 8. Friedman, a sophomore who lives in Park Hill, saved 32 shots over the course of the game.
Coach John Kopperud says the entire DPS community came together to support the team at the championship game — a turnout that broke the attendance record. “I can’t say just how spectacular the fans were,” he said.
A Green Victory
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Of the players in the championship game, none shone brighter than 16-year-old East sophomore goaltender Noel Friedman, a Park Hill resident who lives with his fam-
In March, Denver officials rolled out a $2 million project to build 2.1 miles of concrete sidewalks in an area that has long challenged anyone trying to walk or roll through southeast Park Hill. The project involves building the sidewalks on both sides of Quebec Street between 12th Avenue and Montview Boulevard. Additional sidewalks would stretch along 17th Avenue between Monaco and Rosemary streets. Like much of the rest of Park Hill, both areas have stretches of inconsistent and nonexistent sidewalks, making pedestrian and wheelchair access difficult and, at times dangerous. Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) officials presented the details of the project and its timeline during a March 8 Zoom meeting designed for residents living nearby.
Margaret Bingham Caught Her Words, And Won An Essay Writing Contest At McAuliffe
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Welcome To Helen Wolcott’s Spring Art Extravaganza
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Letters To The Editor: Why Are We Letting Our Neighborhood Get Scraped?
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April 22 Is Earth Day. Here’s A Place We Can Turn To For Inspiration
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Remembering Joe Blake And Ron Miles. Their Roots Ran Deep In Park Hill. They Will Be Missed.
Upcoming GPHC Meetings Community meetings are conducted virtually on the first Thursday of each month. The next meetings are April 7 and May 5 at 6:30 p.m. Link to attend at greaterparkhill.org/ join-us/community-meetings/