Greater Park Hill News August 2023

A Sewer Runs Through It

Aurora Pipeline Carves A Path Through Denver Woods And Wetlands: Say Goodbye To Decades-Old Cottonwoods And Other Havens For Wildlife

Third Time’s A Go

After Two Years Of Delays, McAuliffe Safe Route To Schools Finally Built; Final Project Cost Nearly Doubles

Story and photo by Cara DeGette

GPHN Editor

Denver’s sidewalk and safety improvement project for Park Hill students walking to and from school is finally underway after being delayed twice in as many years.

The McAuliffe International Safe Routes To School project kicked off in in April.

Officials with the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) hope to have the project completed by the start of the school year on Aug. 21, though there is a chance additional work will still need to be done.

The final cost of the improvements is $2.3 million — nearly twice the amount Denver officials initially identified when they announced the project in 2021. Last month DOTI spokeswoman Tiffany McCree said the project was initially “scoped” at $1.2 million based on information they had at the time. “As we finalized the scope of the contract, taking in account updated costs for materials and project needs, the amount was adjusted to $2.3 million,” she said.

Project managers last year also cited problems securing bids to complete the project. McCree said that cost overruns will

be paid from a $500,000 Colorado Department of Transportation grant, as well as a mix of DOTI and Elevate Bond funds.

The project came about after neighborhood parents and community leaders voiced increasing concerns over safety for students amid a sharp increase in neighborhood traffic.

When it was unveiled in early 2021, Safe Routes To School was promoted as making improvements to the sidewalks and curbs at intersections that are most frequently used by students walking to McAuliffe International School, at 26th Avenue and Holly Street. Some of the streets along the route did not have sidewalks at all; others were narrow and not well connected. The scope of the project did not include the additions of any traffic signals or bike lanes.

The new sidewalks are being installed between 23rd and 26th Avenues, from Holly Street to Monaco Parkway — with a particular focus on the intersection of 23rd and Kearney.

Other highlights include:

• Building new sidewalks where none currently exist to fill in gaps.

• Upgrading pedestrian ramps.

• Adding new concrete refuge islands at the intersection of Kearney Street & 23rd Avenue.

After it was delayed the first time, the project ended up being bundled with another project to improve safety routes to Cole Elementary School at 32nd Avenue and Humboldt Street. At the time, DOTI spokeswoman Dana Hoffman said the agency planned to have a contractor selected by end of 2021, with work expected to begin in the summer of 2022.

That date came and passed, and in August, 2022, the city announced the project had been delayed for the second time. Project Manager Brenden Paradies said the city had not received any qualified bidders to do the work.

This March, Paradies announced that the project was finally a go. “Thank you for your patience,” he said during a community meeting. “We had challenges getting things going, but we’re happy to see it come to life.”

The project website is bit.ly/McAuliffeSRTS. People can connect with the Safe Routes to School Team at DOTI by email at SRTS@Denver-gov.org.

By Mark Silverstein For the GPHN

I was in for quite a surprise one day early in May when I ventured from Park Hill out to the far northeast side of town, headed to one of my favorite spots for taking photos of birds.

On ebird.org I’d seen that a yellowthroated vireo had been reported at a birding “hotspot” known as First Creek at Green Valley Ranch. The ebird.org website connects birdwatchers and photographers and other nature enthusiasts from all over, and the spotting of the vireo was generating a lot of excitement. I’d never seen a vireo, let alone a yellow-throated one. That was as good an excuse as any for selecting that morning’s destination.

A bike path, aptly named First Creek Trail, enters Denver’s huge Green Valley Ranch subdivision at Tower Road. Moving east, the path follows First Creek as it winds through a wide corridor of mostly-undisturbed woods and wetlands. It opens up east of Dunkirk Street onto an even wider patch of unmolested forested area abutting a delightful pond teeming with wildlife. Further east, the creek runs through and along publicly-owned land, the site of the Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. You get the picture: trees, grasses, vegetation, home for birds, deer, foxes, beavers, raccoons….

That day brought a bigger surprise than the elusive vireo: a visual shock, a jolt to the senses. West of Dunkirk Street, bulldozers had decimated the habitat, leaving a wide muddy brown swath of desolation through the formerly green wetlands. The huge machines were still there; obviously,

continued on page 8

A bulldozer clears a wide swath through Denver’s First Creek Trail northeast of Park Hill for a sewage pipeline being built by the City of Aurora.

Photo by Mark Silverstein

Workers with the new sidewalks at 23rd Avenue and Krameria.

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www.nestmanortho.com

If we Don’t, who will?

Why The GPHN Is Writing About A Sewer In Green Valley Ranch

By Cara DeGette GPHN Editor

Readers of the Greater Park Hill News may be wondering why they are seeing a news story about a sewer project in Green Valley Ranch in this month’s issue.

Let me explain.

First off, we are lucky in Park Hill, to have a community newspaper, to keep citizens informed and, when necessary, to speak truth to power.

Not every neighborhood is so lucky. Denver’s Green Valley Ranch, 12 miles northeast of Park Hill, has a population of about 36,600. That is larger than the roughly 27,500 population of Park Hill, and far bigger than many of Colorado’s cities. Yet Green Valley Ranch has no independent newspaper to inform citizens of issues and events that impact their daily lives.

This is not a big surprise. For the past 20-plus years community newspapers have been struggling, with many of them going the way of the dinosaur. These days, living in a news desert is a common reality for many people, not just in Colorado but all across the country.

So what happens when a community has no newspaper? Who is left to cover the news?

Earlier this year, Park Hill-based photographer and writer Mark Silverstein headed to the First Creek open space area in Green Valley Ranch, one of his favorite spots for photographing birds and other wildlife. What he encountered instead gave him an unexpected jolt. Bulldozers had carved a swath of destruction through the trees and wetlands.

The area may not be as popular as, say the Platte River bike trail or the Highline Canal. But it is a destination for many outdoor enthusiasts, including those from Park Hill. So Mark started digging. Turns out the City of Aurora is building a sewer pipeline through the area — including previously protected open space.

Just imagine, if you will, a project of this scope happening with little warning to neighbors in another part of Denver where residents have more clout — and a newspaper. Imagine the public outcry, for example, if the City of Glendale decided to bulldoze the Cherry Creek trail through Denver, chopping down hundreds of trees in its path.

In the past, Denver residents were lucky to have competing daily newspapers, the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News, which provided thorough coverage of these types of major municipal projects. Suffice to say that daily newspaper coverage of Denver’s municipal government has not been occurring for some time.

Though the sewer project is not happening in Park Hill, the story is relevant to our readers — indeed all of Denver. It certainly raises questions about Denver’s recent policies regarding environmental protections and open space.

Yet the only other coverage of this project we’re aware of is a CBS News Colorado story that aired in April focusing on a wildlife photographer’s unsuccessful efforts to protect fox dens that were in the construction zone.

We realize we don’t have the resources to cover every single story in our own back yard — much less the rest of the city. But we will follow up on this story. Because if we don’t, who will?

All that said, while we do occasionally venture outside the neighborhood, our main focus of news coverage continues to be Park Hill.

In the months ahead, expect updates on the Bus Rapid Transit project on Colfax, the latest on sidewalks along Quebec, numerous affordable housing projects underway in the neighborhood, and the latest on the Park Hill Golf Course. And yes, there is a critical Denver school board election heating up this fall.

Thanks for supporting community journalism, and your neighborhood newspaper.

If you have a news tip to share, email editor@greaterparkhill.org. We welcome your feedback, and your letters to the editor.

who we ARe

Editor: Cara DeGette

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Art Director: Tommy Kubitsky

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The Greater Park Hill News is published by Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. (GPHC) on the 1st of each month. Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily the opinions of GPHC. GPHC does not necessarily endorse the companies, products or services advertised in The Greater Park Hill News unless specifically stated. GPHC reserves the right to run any advertisement.

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The sewer line construction underway at the end of June. Photo by Mark Silverstein

Drummer Boy

Northern Flickers excavate nesting cavities in cottonwood, pine and willow trees, preferring the dead sections that offer plenty of room for the females to lay their eggs. The male Flicker often returns to his favorite drumming spot, which is often the noisiest he can find. According to Audubon, Northern Flickers are still abundant, but recent surveys indicate declines in populations since the 1960s, as encroaching development may drive the woodpeckers away. This Northern Flicker was photographed by Mark Silverstein at First Creek Trail, where cottonwoods and other trees were recently chopped down for a sewer line (see pages 8-9).

Hopeful For Denver In A Post-Hancock World

I’ve had many conversations regarding our outgoing Mayor Michael B. Hancock. In her opinion column last month, Greater Park Hill News Editor Cara DeGette captured the most egregious decisions and outlandish proposals made during his too-long tenure.

I am hopeful that we are embarking on a new path.

Thank you for always shining a light in dark corners.

Veronica D’Annibale, Park Hill

New Mayor, New Ideas

In last month’s Open Book column titled “Advice For A New Mayor,” Anya Nitczynski wrote, “I believe it would be beneficial to create spaces and times designated for younger age groups in public spaces.”

This may work but also may face its own challenges. It is on record that offering free admissions into recreation centers, as opposed to approving overtime pay for cops, did reduce violence in the city.

My concern is with what engages the youth in Ms. Nitczynski’s recommendation — movies versus sports. We are aware of how similar gatherings have turned out in the past even when closely supervised. Recall Jazz in City Park and the Denver Nuggets parade, just to mention two.

Newly-inaugurated Mayor Mike Johnston’s transition team sounds inclusive and he mentioned in one of the debates that he will tap into the ideas of those that had an unsuccessful bid for the mayoral contest.

So I’m sure it will all work out like clockwork.

Idy Etuk, Park Hill

In Praise Of Principal Dennis

This is not a dictatorship. That was my first thought when I heard that McAuliffe

Principal Kurt Dennis had been fired by DPS for speaking out about safety concerns at his school.

I was born in China and adopted at 10 months old. I became a U.S. citizen under U.S. and international law when my plane touched down in the U.S. Unlike the U.S., China has an authoritarian government meaning that they don’t have free speech and whistleblower laws.

According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, whistleblowing is getting “the right information to the right people to counter wrongdoing.” Did

Principal Dennis not do this? Principal Dennis spoke out about a potentially dangerous student at his school to those who should know. Not only did Principal Dennis jeopardize his job, but he also protected students from going to school without knowing about the danger at their school.

Principal Dennis spoke out after the March 22 shooting at East High School to inform parents that, like East, they also had students who needed to have pat downs for guns each day before school.

As someone who is a McAuliffe International School alum, I know firsthand that Principal Dennis is a supportive, encouraging principal who only does what’s best for students. He is the only principal that McAuliffe has ever had and under his leadership, McAuliffe International School won the Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon Award in 2020. McAuliffe was only one of three schools in Colorado to receive this award that year. It is questionable that DPS decided that Principal Dennis was suddenly not a fit manager immediately after he blew the whistle on the danger at his school.

Although DPS is trying to keep its people in line (acting like dictators), we’ll keep fighting for what’s right. But, unlike China, we have free elections which can change our leadership. Elections for the DPS Board are in November.

Madeleine Senger, Park Hill

Editor’s note: In a July 7 letter to the McAuliffe community, DPS Superintendent Alex Marrero claimed that Principal Dennis was fired for sharing private student information, not for raising concerns about school security in a March interview with 9News. Dennis’s July 6 firing spurred a public outcry, with parents, students and other supporters rallying in support of the longtime principal. The DPS school board is expected to vote this month on whether to accept or reject the firing.

We love your letters, and give preference to those that address an issue that has been covered in the newspaper, or a topic that is Park Hill or Denver-specific. Send letters to editor@greaterparkhill.org, and include your full name, and the neighborhood in which you live. Deadlines are the 15th of each month, for the following month’s issue.

A Call for Leadership

Reinstate Kurt Dennis As Principal Of McAuliffe

By Eve Chen

For the GPHN

As a Taiwanese-born Australian who migrated to Colorado in 2015, I was confronted with the stark reality of school shootings and the pervasive issue of gun violence. It became my mission to protect my child from these very real dangers.

Since the onset of the pandemic, I made the difficult choice to keep my child at home in remote learning mode, and, truth be told, it was a relief to not have to worry about her safety.

However, as my 11-year-old completed her studies at Denver Online Elementary, I became acutely aware of the limitations this approach placed on her social circle and the missed opportunities for extracurricular activities. In late March, following yet another school shooting, I stumbled upon a 9News interview featuring Principal Kurt Dennis. He fearlessly spoke out against the failed policy that mandated educators to perform pat-downs on at-risk students following the tragic shootings at East.

Principal Dennis’s unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of the

students, his strong leadership and vocal advocacy for sensible policies, and his track record of academic excellence promoted me to “choice” my child into McAuliffe. In an era rife with uncertainty and fear, the leadership of this courageous and dedicated educator was a source of immense comfort.

However, the sudden and wrongful termination of Principal Dennis last month shattered my trust in Denver Public Schools. The abrupt removal of an influential figure was not only a tremendous blow to our entire school community but also a clear indication of the flawed leadership on DPS board and district administration. Four months after a preventable shooting, it is clear they have no plan for my child’s safety, let alone the well-rounded education that Kurt has consistently delivered.

The actions and inactions of the DPS board of education and the district administration reflect a severe lack of judgment and a blatant disregard for the best interests of the students they are meant to serve. Swift action was warranted.

With fellow McAuliffe parent and security expert Paul Ballenger’s suggestion and help, we launched a petition the night we learned of Kurt’s termination. The petition collected more than 5,500 signatures in less than five days. That is a clear demonstration of how truly beloved this school leader is — and how many parents out there agree with my assessment of the decision made by the DPS superintendent Alex Marrero. Our children deserve leaders who will champion their safety and education with unwavering commitment. I refuse to accept anything less, and I will continue to fight for a change that reinstates the trust and security we once felt in our school community.

Eve Chen is a parent of a 6th grader who is about to start at McAuliffe International School. She chose McAuliffe because of the outstanding work Kurt Dennis has accomplished for the school in the last 12 years. She lives in Denver.

Photo by McLeod9 Creative

McAuliffe International School alum Elliot Guinness speaks in support of fired Principal Kurt Dennis during a July 11 rally at the school. Photo courtesy of Eve Chen

Ground-level ozone is invisible and the Front Range’s biggest air quality issue. Created from pollutants like car exhaust, ozone is a leading cause of respiratory problems.

Improving our air quality takes all of us, and there are many ways to help.

We encourage you to #JustSkipTwo car trips a week, mow your lawn after 5 p.m., don’t idle your car, telework a few days each week, and take the bus, bike, or walk.

Sign up for air quality alerts and learn more about the simple steps you can do to help.

SimpleStepsBetterAir.org

Righting Climate wrongs

Clean Air And Water Should Be A Basic Human Right

By Tracey MacDermott For the GPHN

On Aug. 1, Coloradans celebrated our 146th year of statehood. We have much to be proud of. The Centennial State is known for our expansive Rocky Mountains lining the West and the Great Plains to the East, Red Rocks . . . and our NBA champs, the Denver Nuggets!

Colorado seems to have it all: Skiing, stunning hiking trails, tasty microbrews, legal access to marijuana, Fourteeners to climb, plus a few notable folks who have contributed to our history — including that frozen dead guy. With all our surrounding beauty and opportunities for recreation, our history, like that of the rest of the country, is not without injustice and tragedy.

Prior to the Spaniard’s arrival, Colorado’s residents were comprised of Native tribes, including Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Pueblo, Shoshone and Ute. Colorado’s second governor was John Evans. His culpability in the horrific massacre at Sand Creek left approximately 230 Cheyenne and Arapaho people dead.

There have been stepped-up efforts to remove Evans from the mountain that bears his name. In addition, groups and government agencies have lately added land acknowledgements to kick off meetings. While these are a start, we have a long way to go to rectifying the unspeakable damage to our Native American communities in Colorado.

and work with relevant stakeholders. A subtask force would have been formed to study related issues impacting tribes. In a double blow, in June — after Colorado’s legislative session ended — the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the Navajo Nation regarding water rights along the Colorado River, denying their request to secure more water.

Now some good news: Colorado’s HB 231242, passed and will require oil and gas industries to reduce their use of fresh water, and increase recycled or used water in its operations. This is a huge win for Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate, the group that championed this bill. It’s also a win for our state’s fresh water supplies.

More good news: HB 23-1252, dealing with thermal energy, also passed. This bill authorizes the “Colorado energy office to award grants for retrofitting existing buildings for installation of a geothermal system for heating and cooling under the single-structure geothermal grant that the office administers and for generating geothermal energy.” It’s an important step towards lowering our carbon pollution.

Native Americans, like other marginalized communities, are suffering the brunt of the climate crisis.

Our state’s environmental history too, is a mixed bag of good and bad.

Colorado has been known for its brown cloud, diminishing snowpack and more recently, devastating wildfires. Our state has failed year after year to meet air quality standards. The Colorado River is divided between seven states and is drying up from over-allocation and climate change. So many depend upon the Colorado to simply live — including Native Americans living on reservations, which have rights to about one-fourth of the river. Yet, is estimated that 30 percent of the people in Navajo Nation live without running water.

How we address climate inequities and continuing disservice to the original occupants of our state will determine how we will be viewed by future generations.

Speaking of addressing the climate, Colorado’s legislature was busy this near — and the result was a mixed bag.

First the bad news: Senate Bill 23-295, creating a Colorado River Drought Task Force, ended up being scrapped. The bill was designed to develop programs to address drought in the Colorado River basin

A third bill worth noting, HB 23-1210, also passed. The bill ensures that “carbon management projects, except for agricultural, forestry, and enhanced oil recovery projects, are eligible for money under the industrial and manufacturing operations clean air grant program.” Carbon capture is a hotly debated solution. Environmental leaders and groups had opposed this bill, citing expense, group-think behavior and efficacy. Many of these leaders would prefer that we focus on not putting carbon in the atmosphere in the first place.

Colorado’s legislature is done for the year, but the work on climate and climate injustice does not end. Native Americans, like other marginalized communities, are suffering the brunt of the climate crisis. They should have the ability to lead on decisions that impact their land and resources. So, this Colorado Day I urge you to raise your voice in solidarity with our Native American communities. We must ensure their right to access to clean water and air. Let’s work together to secure a livable and equitable future for all.

Tracey MacDermott is an at-large member of the board of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., and immediate past chair. She was trained as a Climate Reality Leader in 2017, and is currently the Statewide Co-Chair of the Climate Reality Project for the 100% Committed Campaign.

If you could see Colorado’s air, you would want to improve it.

Making friends with Robot

A Complex And Meticulous Analysis Of AI In Two Words: It’s Scary

By Anya Nitczynski

For the GPHN

It feels like recently there’s been exponential growth in the world of AI — that’s Artificial Intelligence for those who are just getting their heads around it.

The truth is, various types of AI have been integrated into our lives for decades (think Siri, social media algorithms, even recent space rovers) in a somewhat covert way. Still, the release of language processing services like ChatGPT seemed to create a shockwave.

Some of us are worried AI will kill creativity. We’re worried AI will kill human connection.

Three months after the release of ChatGPT, the social media platform SnapChat released an AI software feature that is powered by ChatGPT. SnapChat is used in a similar manner as — and sometimes an alternative to — texting. People send pictures, videos, and chats to each other; it’s a way to keep in touch.

It’s relatively easy to keep Classic ChatGPT out of your life if you would like to. If you don’t access the website, don’t make an account and don’t download the app, it’s easy to forget about. By contrast, the SnapChat AI appears at the very top of all your messages and is impossible to delete or even move further down your list of friends. SnapChat AI users can send pictures, videos, and chats to the AI — communicating with it in the same exact manner as their friends.

My complex and meticulous analysis of this groundbreaking AI development is as follows: It’s scary! An AI feature built into a huge social media platform that a majority of my peers use daily that is unavoidable, undelete-able, and designed to be communicated with and act like a friend . . . is terrifying to me. It already feels like the social and emotional growth of people my age was stunted during the pandemic and returning to normal life and picking up those pieces is hard enough without a robot trying to be friends with us.

This is not to say that all AI is bad or that chatbots are an evil innovation and I doubt any SnapChat users are entirely replacing real life connections with AI.

The general adolescent perspective is lighthearted (it is fun to mess around with this software) but is also one of growing awareness that this reality could sour fast. Some of us are worried AI will kill creativity. We’re worried AI will kill human connection. There isn’t a lot we can do about that except cultivate the creativity and human connections within ourselves and each other.

Anya Nitczynski is a rising junior at Denver School of the Arts. Her column appears monthly in these pages.

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To Brighton

FirstCreekTrail

The Sewer’s Path

E. 56th Ave.

Dunkirk St. Picadilly Rd.

Green Valley Ranch Golf Club

Green Valley Ranch Blvd.

First Creek Trail Tower Rd.

First Creek Open Space

This map shows the path of Aurora’s sewer project as it runs through Green Valley Ranch in northeast Denver. The new pipeline — shown in red — begins in Aurora (at bottom right) and cuts a diagonal swath along First Creek through publicly-owned land that includes First Creek Open Space, the Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, and First Creek Trail. The pipeline eventually connects with an existing line (at top left) north of 56th Avenue that leads to a treatment plant in Brighton. Rendering by Tommy Kubitsky

they weren’t done doing the deed. What was this construction project? And why was it uprooting this previously protected area that has long attracted birds and birders and people out to enjoy a stroll through nature?

Shock and dismay and sadness

News of the yellow-throated vireo had lured several friendly birders to the scene, all with their telltale binoculars. Everyone I spoke with expressed the same shock and dismay and sadness at the habitat destruction. That sadness came with a collective shrug of the shoulders, a “what can you do? (nothing)” sense of resignation — that I wanted to resist.

I wanted to know more: like at what point in the planning of this mysterious municipal project was there an opportunity for the birders and nature lovers to be heard?

I climbed over the ubiquitous orange plastic fencing and walked along the edge of the freshly-bulldozed strip, where the construction fencing butted up against the backyard fences of suburban homes. I spoke with a homeowner who reported surprise when his backyard view of the natural area had suddenly changed so dramatically for the worse. He didn’t know what the construction was for, or when it would end.

I took some photos of the devastation and the heavy equipment. A machine operator stopped to speak with me. He explained he was clearing the path for an Aurora sewer project, building a line cutting through portions of Denver and then connecting with an existing line north of 56th Avenue.

The operator didn’t feel great about plowing through the wetlands. He grew up in Colorado and lamented the open space that’s been lost to so much development. But a job’s a job.

I asked him why the sewer was routed through the wetland and open space instead of — like most sewer lines — going under city streets. The reply: “traffic” and “cost.” The bright side, the operator said, was that the contracts called for restoring all the habitat and replanting all the vegetation. He said his job was to leave the area “exactly” as it was before the construction crews arrived.

I wondered how the decision gets made to disrupt a wildlife corridor instead of disrupting automobile traffic? And, do contractors really put everything back the way it was? Is that even possible?

Apparently not.

The stumps of 322 trees

A few days later, back out in the field with my camera, I bumped into Kel Klink. Kel’s home overlooks the open space and the golf course that First Creek flows through.

Kel knows a lot about the sewer project — which is called First Creek Interceptor. He has filed open records requests. He has copies of the bid specifications, detailed engineering drawings of the project, photos, and email correspondence between neighbors and city officials.

Aurora reports that the First Creek Interceptor will move wastewater by gravity. When complete, the new pipeline will allow the city to replace three aging pumping stations that currently push Aurora wastewater north to a treatment plant in Brighton, some 20 miles to the north. A map of the sewer route shows that the First Creek Interceptor allows Aurora to take a diagonal shortcut through the natural areas of Denver’s Green Valley Ranch.

Kel has walked the four-mile route of the planned sewer through Green Valley Ranch, through all the public spaces between Tower Road on the west and Piccadilly Road (the Aurora border) to the east. He counted 322 stumps where trees were cut down earlier this year, as part of the project.

Kel offered to give me a tour. With the detailed engineering maps in hand, Kel walked me through the area. The maps, which he had obtained through his open records requests, duly showed the location of every tree. Kel pointed out the corresponding freshly-cut stumps at our feet. Some stumps were huge—four and five feet in diameter (I measured).

Aurora

Kel Klink, a nearby resident, used this Google aerial view map to illustrate the number of cut-down trees he counted along a portion of First Creek Trail adjacent to the Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.

The bulldozed swath above abuts a pond next to Dunkirk Street. The pond has been home to ducks, turtles, frogs and beavers; pelicans and herons regularly visit. Foxes, great horned owls and mule deer also live in the impacted area. Photos by Mark Silverstein

The maps show that when it’s finished the sewer line itself will travel along a narrow easement. But the engineering maps also show a much wider swath on each side — a temporary construction easement where trees are cut down and shrubs are cleared. Kel thinks the construction easement is larger and far wider than needed, resulting in unnecessary damage to the wildlife habitat and natural areas.

“If they had sharpened their pencils when they did those drawings, maybe some of those trees could have been saved,” he said.

Replacing trees with saplings, somewhere else

Kel also showed me the note printed on each page of the engineering maps: “Remove and replace existing trees and shrubs as required for construction.” Yup, “replace” is what it says on paper. But when it comes to “replacing”trees, what happens in real life doesn’t match up.

“100 Year Old Cottonwood Trees Are Being Cut.” That’s the subject line of an email exchange that one of Kel’s alarmed neighbors initiated with Denver City Councilwoman Stacie Gilmore. With photos included, the email questioned whether the construction could be accomplished with less destruction to the trees and the wetlands. Kel’s neighbor offered to give city officials a tour so they could see the devastation firsthand.

Councilwoman Gilmore responded that the trees had been approved for removal by Denver Forestry, which had issued a permit. As for replanting, Gilmore enclosed a few sentences from Denver Forestry explaining that the removed trees actually would not be replaced.

In a later email, Denver Forestry Operation Manager Ben Rickenbacker explained that “these trees needed to be removed as part of the pipeline project.” He said that Denver won’t plant trees where it doesn’t

“If they had sharpened their pencils when they did those drawings, maybe some of those trees could have been saved.”

— Kel Klink

have functioning irrigation. To replace the old-growth canopy lost from the sewer project, Denver will plant saplings in nearby parks, where there is irrigation.

Denver officials didn’t accept the offer of a tour of the impacted area — which is a stone’s throw from then-Mayor Michael Hancock’s house. Kel’s neighbors have been understandably disappointed in the City’s response. In my efforts to learn more, I’ve met additional neighbors who are also disheartened at the impacts of the construction. One resident says she is distressed by noticeably less wildlife activity during her morning walks by the pond. Another characterized the tree-cutters in X-rated terms when emailing photos to me.

What I’ve learned so far is that “replacing” mature trees that are “in the way” means planting a sapling somewhere else — preferably in a nearby park. Still unanswered though, is why all these trees and all this wetland “needed” to be cleared.

Could the sewer have been routed under city streets instead? Could the construction easement have been narrower to minimize the impact on natural areas? What is the process for Aurora to get the OK to dig up Denver’s trees and wetlands? When the decisions to bulldoze ahead with the project were made, was there anyone to speak up for the wetlands, for the trees, for the habitat that shelters the wildlife?

Read more next month. Oh, and I almost forgot: That first day I was there, the yellowthroated vireo did make an appearance. I spotted him in a tree that was still standing.

Cottonwood Condo

Aurora’s Sand Creek Park Pays Homage To A Tree That Provides Critical Habitat For Wildlife

Aurora’s sewer project has felled mature cottonwoods along First Creek Trail in Denver. Yet one of Aurora’s own municipal parks features a tribute to the trees, which provide important ecosystems for wildlife.

The Cottonwood Discovery Area, in Sand Creek Park at 2700 Peoria St., celebrates the trees as “one of Aurora’s most active wild living spaces.” The exhibit is set along one of the trails, amidst stands of old Cottonwoods. It includes a totem pole-like art structure, along with an educational placard, describing the critical habitat that the trees support. This is what it says:

“Have you ever looked inside the bark out into the branches of a Cottonwood Tree? If you did, you’d find one of Aurora’s most active living spaces: The Cottonwood Condo. Like humans use condominiums as places to go about daily life, wildlife uses cottonwood trees as places to go about the daily business of eating, sleeping, having little ones and finding shelter from wind, rain and sun.

“Take a look up into the branches of a nearby cottonwood, or peer under some loose bark. What do you see?

• Squirrels, raccoons and songbirds doze in the shade of cottonwood leaves and branches on a warm summer day.

• Great horned owls, red-tailed hawks and great blue herons use the canopy at the top as nesting spots to raise fu-

ture generations of birds to hunt, fish and swim along Aurora’s riparian corridors.

• Beetles, centipedes, millipedes, rolypolies, earthworms and other decomposers feast on wet, rotting parts of the tree at the base.

• Snakes and toads find shelter in holes in the trees, under bark, and in soft, rotting wood of fallen cottonwoods.”

— Mark Silverstein

This panorama image was created by Kel Klink, who lives nearby, to highlight the number of trees that were cut down. The arrows point to stumps; all trees in a 100-foot swath between survey markers have been decimated.

Some of the stumps where trees once stood are five feet wide — big enough for two grown men. Photo by Mark Silverstein

The yellow-throated vireo. Photo by Mark Silverstein

Cottonwood Discovery Area and exhibit at Aurora’s Sand Creek Park. Photo by Cara DeGette

aT T he lIB rary Back-To-School fun Ahead

From Hopes To Dreams: These Programs Will Help Get You In The Groove For An Exceptional Year Ahead

By Leslie Williams

Pauline Robinson Branch Librarian

Hello neighbors! Everyone having a good summer? We hope you are having a chance to get outside and enjoy the good weather.

Here at the Pauline Robinson branch, we are still waiting for the exact date we will close for our long-planned building renovation. As soon as we have it, we will let you know. In the meantime, during the month of August, we will celebrate back to school.

On Wednesday, Aug. 9, the Pauline Robinson branch is hosting a Back-to-School Jamboree from 2:30-3:30 p.m. We will have games, prizes, resources to get ready for school, snacks, and more at this free community event.

When you visit libraries throughout the city this month, you can expect to see one or all of the following highlighting backto-school themes:

Back-to-School Displays: Suggested books about back-to-school titles focused on developmentally relevant themes.

Encouragement Wall: An interactive wall where kids and families can take a sticky note with encouraging words to get

them through the school year, or leave a sticky note of their own to encourage others. Or both.

Hopes and Dreams Wall: An interactive wall where kids and families can share their hopes and dreams for the school year on sticky notes.

Decorate a Composition Book: Receive a composition book and stickers to decorate it.

Visit the Denver Public Library’s events page, denverlibrary.org/backtoschool for more details Here’s to a wonderful school year ahead.

August Programs

Pauline Robinson Branch

Back-to-School Jamboree | Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Games, prizes, resources to get ready for school, snacks, and more are all a part of this free community event.

Drop-In Tech | Wednesday, Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Need help navigating the internet, email, or social networks like Facebook? Have questions about your phone or tablet? Want to know how to access eBooks on any device? Drop by to get your questions answered and learn how to use tech more effectively.

Park Hill Branch

All-Ages Storytimes | Tuesdays, 10:1510:45 a.m.

Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for children of all ages and their parents or caregivers.

Baby Storytimes | Thursdays, 10:30-11 a.m.

Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their parents or caregivers.

Toddler Storytimes | Fridays, 10:15-10:45 a.m., repeated at 11-11:30 a.m.

Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their parents or caregivers.

Anyone 6th-12th grade is welcome to join and help with library programming and resources.

Writing Circle | Thursdays, 3-4 p.m.

Join our circle to hone your writing skills and share your work.

Nature’s Educators - Colorado Natives | Wednesday, Aug. 5, 3-4 p.m.

Learn what makes Colorado’s habitats such a great place for some of our feathered, scaly, and slimy neighbors.

Foam Party | Wednesday, Aug. 9, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Ann Lincoln will turn the Park Hill Library lawn into a giant dance party/bubble bath playground.

Kids Book Celebration | Thursday, Aug. 17, 4-5 p.m.

For kids kindergarten through 5th grades. This month we ask readers to read books about the Titanic or Molly Brown. Parents of young children need to attend with their child.

No Strings Attached Book Chat | Saturday, Aug. 19, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Read whatever you want and attend whenever you can. Share a recent read, an old favorite, or anything in between.

Lost Department Stores of Denver w/ Author Mark A. Barnhouse | Saturday, Aug. 19, 2-3 p.m.

Join Denver historian Mark A. Barnhouse for a look at the grand stores that once were the city’s pride.

Puzzle and Board Game Swap | Saturday, Aug. 26, 10:30 a.m.-noon

Bring a puzzle or game, take a puzzle or game. Please bring complete puzzles and board games only.

Greater Park Hill has two public libraries: The Pauline Robinson branch library is at 5575 E. 33rd Ave., and the Park Hill branch library is at 4705 Montview Blvd. For hours of operation and additional upcoming programs for both neighborhood libraries, visit denverlibrary.org/events/upcoming,

So much reading, so little summer left. But never fear, you can still fit in plenty of book time during the school year. Credit: Denver Public Library

The Eastern Amberwing only grows to about one inch long, making it one of the smallest dragonflies in North America. It’s also the only type of dragonfly that mimics a wasp. They don’t sting, but, as described by Wikipedia, they have yellow and brown stripes on their abdomens. When they are perched, they wiggle their bodies and wings in wasp-like fashion. These built-in defenses helps keep predators away. Both male and female Eastern Amberwings have red spots on the outer edges of their amber-colored wings. This skimmer was photographed in Park Hill by Mark Silverstein.

The ABCs of Pet Care

Tips To Keep Your Furry Companions Happy And Healthy

By Margot K. Vahrenwald, DVM, CVJ

For the GPHN

Can it really be back-to-school time?

How about a simple list of things you can do to keep your pets happy and healthy – a little schooling on pet care if you will.

1. See your veterinarian regularly for preventive care, as well as when you have noticed a problem that has lingered longer than 24 hours. Proper preventive care protects against the multitude of common diseases just waiting for a host. Treating illness earlier rather than later improves the odds for a full recovery and/or better management of common chronic diseases for your pet’s comfort. Additionally, your veterinarian is your educated resource in the face of much misinformation on the internet.

2. Vaccinate your pets. Rabies vaccinations are required by law for dogs, cats and ferrets. Other vaccinations truly do protect against the microbial world just waiting for an opportunity to cause illness. The cost of vaccinations is pennies in comparison to the cost of treating preventable diseases.

Raining Dogs And Cats: A Few Handy Resources

1. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (wsava.org). Nutrition guidelines for selecting pet foods and guidelines for feeding dogs and cats.

a. tinyurl.com/BestFoodforPets

b. tinyurl.com/SavvyCatNutrition

c. tinyurl.com/SavvyDogNutrition

2. Books for your shelf or e-reader

a. Dogs for Dummies by Gina Spadafori

b. Cats for Dummies by Gina Spadafori

c. Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right by Sophia A. Yin

d. The Cat Whisperer: Why Cats Do What They Do – and How to Get Them to Do What You Want by Mieshelle Nagelschneider

3. Spay and neuter your pets. Prevent unwanted pregnancies, undesirable behaviors and the risk of loss or injury from a pet following their romantic hankerings.

4. Get pet insurance. Start a plan when your pet is a puppy or kitten. Insurance helps to cover wellness care and also helps give you more pet care dollars when faced with potentially costly illnesses or accidents.

5. Teeth really are important. Start early and brush daily. Get regular dental assessments and cleanings as needed. Good oral health and health care truly can add years to your pet’s life, keep them comfortable and make it much more pleasant when they breathe in your face.

6. Train your dog. Every puppy needs to be well socialized and every dog benefits from training. This means proper classes with a trainer and continuing work at home every day. (Even cats can be trained).

7. Keep your cat indoors. There are so many risks in our urban neighborhoods, such as injury or illness from contact with feral cats, urban wildlife or being hit by a car.

8. L earn how to trim your pet’s nails or claws. Start when they’re young and calmly, efficiently trim nails regularly as a best practice in pet care.

9. A lways use a leash on your dog outdoors, preferably a regular leash and not a retractable leash. Having a leash on your pet keeps them under control and safe.

10. Avoid the dog park. Dogs parks seem like great idea, but often are filled with poorly socialized, unvaccinated dogs. If you do go, check it out a few times at different times of the day before using.

11. Manage your pet’s diet. Control the volume fed by properly measuring, and keep them on a high-quality non grainfree diet. Keeping your pet at a healthy weight has a huge impact on their longterm health. Ask your veterinarian for nutritional information and review your diet choice with them.

Dr. Margot Vahrenwald is the owner of Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center at 2255 Oneida St. For more information, visit www. parkhillvet.com.

The challenges facing today’s retirees are unique. Higher inflation, skyrocketing healthcare costs, longer life expectancies, and complex Social Security rules all make much of the conventional retirement wisdom of the past obsolete. In this new era, it’s crucial that you take a fresh look at the challenges ahead and create a comprehensive plan to address them.

For 30 years, we’ve been working with people like you to address the challenges of the transition from accumulating their nest egg to using it to support their retirement lifestyle. Get in touch today to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Tiny Skimmer

By Lori Midson Executive Director, GPHC, Inc.

Between January and July of this year, visits to Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.’s food pantry have increased by more than 500 percent compared to last year. The registered neighborhood organization’s food shelves desperately need some love. If you’re at the grocery store, please consider donating a few items from the list below, or shop directly from GPHC’s Amazon food pantry needs list: tinyurl.com/GPHCAmazon

• Canned fish and meat

• Peanut butter

• Pasta sauce

• Canned tomatoes

• Canned tomato sauce

• Hearty soups and stews

• Cereal and oatmeal

• Canned and dried beans (especially kidney, refried and pinto)

• Canned vegetables

• Bags/cartons of instant mashed potatoes

• Bags of white rice

• Condiments (jelly, mustard, ketchup, mayo, salsa, cooking sauces)

• Shelf-stable milk

• Canned fruit (peaches, pineapple and fruit cocktail)

• Salt and pepper shakers

• Boxes of mac-and-cheese

• Pancake mix and syrup

• Travel-size toiletries

• Size 4,5 and 6 children’s diapers

Food and toiletry donations are accepted between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and between noon and 5 p.m. on Tuesdays. Feel free to bring things by to GPHC world headquarters, at 2823 Fairfax St. Donations are also accepted by appointment. If you’d like to schedule a donation outside of office hours, send an email to director@greaterparkhill. org, or call 303-388-0918.

Out of respect for clients, please only donate items that have not expired. And please, do not leave donations outside the office door. Thank you for your understanding.

who we Are, what we Do

The Board of Directors of GPHC, Inc.

The Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., is a volunteer-based registered neighborhood organization that promotes the character and vibrancy of Park Hill, provides resources, information and advocacy, and preserves quality of life and the history of the neighborhood through community participation.

The GPHC board is comprised of volunteer at-large representatives, as well as 10 district representatives. If you are interested in volunteering or serving on a committee, contact current GPHC Board Chair Shane Sutherland at chair@greaterparkhill.org for details.

The following are current board members, and their best contacts. Many representatives prefer to be contacted through the main office, at 303-388-0918 or info@ greaterparkhill.org. The GPHC world headquarters is at 2823 Fairfax St.

If you have an issue you’d like to discuss about the neighborhood, contact your board representative.

For those board members who don’t have a phone or email contact listed, leave a message at the main GPHC number and it will be forwarded to your elected representative.

• Board Chair Shane Sutherland: chair@greaterparkhill.org

• Secretary and Zoning/Property Use Chair Bernadette Kelly

• Treasurer Heather Shockey

• District 1 Amy Harris

• District 2 Brenda Morrison

• District 3 Heather Shockey

• District 4 Currently vacant

• District 5 Sophie Milam

• District 6 Phebe Lassiter

• District 7 Jon Bowman

• District 8 Nam Henderson

• District 9 Doug Schuler

• District 10 Colette Carey

• At Large Maria Flora

• At Large Shanta Harrison

• At Large Tracey MacDermott

• At Large Laurel Mohr

• At Large Louis Plachowski: lplachowski@gmail.com

• At-Large Leslie Twarogowski

• Youth Services Chair Rick Medrick

• Blessed Sacrament Rep. James Groves

• Park Hill United Methodist Rep. Jacqui Shumway

How Is Your Garden Growing?

Pick a veggie, leave a veggie. Every Monday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. all summer long, the Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.’s fresh farm stand is open to anyone who wants to come by and pick up some free, fresh produce. Are you a home gardener with an abundance of zucchini or cucumbers or even kohlrabi? Bring your extras on over. The objective is to encourage sharing among neighbors and reduce food waste in the process. It’s all happening at 2823 Fairfax St. Pictured above, from left: Clementine, 10, Jose, Vivienne, 10, and Jennifer Bolton. Volunteer Deb Rosenbaum is at right. Photo by Cara DeGette

a n nouncemen T

Home Tour & Street Fair Oct. 1

Park Hill, with roots dating back to the 19th century, is known for its diverse style of homes — from the classic Denver Square to modest mid-centuries. The Park Hill Home Tour began in 1978, the brainchild of a local realtor who had the idea to showcase the rich history and diverse architecture of the neighborhood. Over the years, the ticketed event has evolved into a popular community fundraiser and tradition. Running the day of the Home Tour is a free daylong Street Fair on the parkway at Forest Street and Montview, which features

local vendors, food trucks, live entertainment, children’s activities, and a wine and beer garden.

This year’s Home Tour & Street Fair is set for Sunday, Oct. 1. Tickets are available at parkhillhometour.org.

Calls are also out for vendors to participate in the street fair — food trucks, crafters, artisans, nonprofits, local businesses, bath-and-beauty product merchants, plant retailers, etc. can reserve their spaces now.

Make sure to check out next month’s issue for a sneak preview of the homes featured on this year’s tour.

g r ea T e r p a rk hI ll r e sources

Active Minds

Active Minds has transformed itself during the pandemic from a live, in-person series of lectures to a web experience. Check out free lectures on topics ranging from music to history, current events to foreign affairs. A complete schedule of upcoming events is at activeminds.com

Art Garage 6100 E. 23rd Ave., artgaragedenver.com, 303-377-2353. The Art Garage is a nonprofit visual art community center whose mission is to offer arts-based programs that inspire, empower and promote creative self-expression by people of all ages, backgrounds, and ability levels. Check out ArtGarageDenver.com for details.

square miles, is as diverse and robust as the neighborhood itself. The GPHN maintains a list of Park Hill’s places of worship at the website above. Contact individual places of worship for information about their current state of operations.

Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. 2823 Fairfax St., greaterparkhill.org, 303388-0918

The GPHC neighborhood association community meetings are conducted virtually and in person on the first Thursday of the month, except for December and July. The next community meeting is Thursday, Aug. 3 at 6:30 p.m. The in-person meeting is at 2823 Fairfax St., and also accessible online. Check greaterparkhill.org for information

gphn c l ass I f I eds

CoNCReTe

Concrete work and repair. Driveway, patios, and sidewalks. Small jobs are welcome. 25 years experience. Free estimates. 303-4290380

eLeCTRICIAN

1-Turn Electrical Contractor, Senior discount; bonded and insured. Jason, 720-275-8299

MASoNRY SeRVICeS

Masonry Services- Brick, Stone, Concrete, restoration, tuckpointing, chimneys, retaining walls, city sidewalks. Licensed, bonded, and insured. www.thebrickandstoneguy.com

References. Call Shawn 303-907-9223

PAINTING

PREMIER PAINT WORKS since 1993. Denver’s Residential Paint Specialists. Int/Ext Neat, conscientious craftsmanship by polite, respectful, honest & fully insured crew, impeccable references. Call or text John at 720-849-3921.

Interior and exterior painting. Prep, power washing, professional. Owned and operated by Park Hill resident with over 20 years of experience. Free estimate. JR Painting 720485-7207 or jpabz04@gmail.com

PLASTeR RePAIR

THE WALL REBUILDERS Interior plaster (and drywall) repair. We repair cracks, holes, crumbling walls, etc. Specializing in older homes, though we fix houses of every age. Dan and Laura Pino 303-698-1057

ReADING VoLUNTeeRS

Reading Volunteers needed to share reading with students in grades kindergarten through 8th grade. One hour a week. No experience necessary. Contact: Pil 2011@ partnersinliteracy.org.

ReNTAL INSPeCTIoNS

For landlords looking to get their rental license.

Visit havensinspects.com or call 720 4983612

RoofING

Residential reroofing and repairs, 17 years experience, licensed, bonded, and insured. Gutter replacement and cleaning. Call Shawn 303-907-9223

SKI & SNowBoARD CARe

Affordable ski and snowboard waxing and tuning. Providing pickup and delivery to your residence. Visit site for details: www.centralparkskiboardtuning.com

TRee TRIMMING

Tree trimming and trash removal. General yard work and clean up. Gutter cleaning. Please call 303-429-0380

TUToRING

Elementary/Middle School Math Support

– Veteran teacher, professional license, flexible with location and scheduling, love partnering with families and students! Call/ text Seth 720-770-0218

Former DPS educator specializing in elementary literacy instruction (reading and comprehension, writing, and spealling) seeks to create success and confidence in all learners! Maureen, 303-898-7744

TUCKPoINTING

Over 25 years of experience. Fully insured. Mortar color and brick matching, broken brick replacement, cement chimney crown replacement. 12 years Chicago union experience. Mr. Chimney and Home Masonry Repair. Call Chuck Bahnsen 303-948-7999

wINDowS

Double-hung window RESTORATION includes replacing sash cords (ropes) and removal of excess paint on wood and metal plus lubrication for smooth opening and closing. 40-year resident of PH. Contact David - 720-550-2786

To ADVeRTISe IN The CLASSIfIeDS CoNTACT BReNDA MoRRISoN newspaper@greaterparkhill.org 720-287-0442 (voicemail) the deadline for submitting a classified ad is the 15th of every month

Design and Renovation Specialists