Greater Park Hill News October 2023

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The Spooky Season

Venture If You Dare, Into Denver’s Macabre Wonderland

For the GPHN

When October turns the leaves of our ancient trees golden and red, Park Hill doesn’t

merely nod to the onset of fall with sweaters and spicy lattes from one of our local coffee joints – it fully embraces the spectral spirit of Halloween in all its eerie splendor. This is not just another neighborhood dotted with the occasional jack-o’-lan-

tern; Park Hill transforms into a macabre wonderland, where ghouls dance on front lawns, haunted houses spring to life with chilling tales, and every street corner seems to whisper of urban legends and playful spooks. Venture if you dare into the heart of Denver’s most bewitched borough, where Halloween is not just a day, but a grand, spine-tingling tradition.

Perhaps the neighborhood’s most wonderful and enduring tradition was born in the tragic and deadly finale of Denver’s so-called “Summer of Violence” in 1993. On Halloween that year, 18-year old Carl Banks, Jr. was chaperoning younger kids as they trick-or-treated and was randomly murdered in a drive-by shooting.

To help rebuild the community’s sense of safety and solidarity, neighbors introduced the “Ghost Posts.” These iconic stations, established at various locations across the neighborhood, function as safe checkin spots for wandering trick-or-treaters. Monitored by vigilant adults, the posts not only provide a sanctuary amid the Halloween revelry but often offer warm treats and drinks to stave off the chilly October air – and are ironically the spots least likely to get spooked by any “real” specters.

Finding phantoms

Adding to Park Hill’s unique Halloween tapestry is another cherished practice, one that might be a surprise to newcomers: trick-or-treating traditionally ends by 8 p.m. Instead of switching off the porch light, however, residents ensure the streets remain bathed in the glow of house lights for maximum safety. A simple sign on their doors signals the end of the candy-giving

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Election 2023

Talk Of The Neighborhood: Landmark Or Demolition On Montview?

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Road Trip! Visit 24 Artists In The Park Hill Open Studio Tour

From Popcorn To Tapas: Kearney Street Grows Up

King Of The Queen’s Gambit

Vickers Boys & Girls Club Celebrates 10 Years In Holly Square

Homecoming Heartbreaker: East Falls To Rock Canyon 26-14

upcomIng gphc mee T Ings

Community meetings are conducted on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., except for July and December. Meetings are held in person at 2823 Fairfax St. People can also attend via Zoom at greaterparkhill.org/join-us/community-meetings

The next meeting is Oct. 5. at 6:30 p.m. The November meeting is Nov. 2

The Ballot Beckons

Campaigns For Nov. 7 DPS School Board Are In Full Swing. Plus, What Do You Know About HH and II? Time To Do Your Homework

Park Hill has many points of pride: knowing how to do a righteous Halloween is one of them. Stepping out for democracy is another.

Every election our neighborhood consistently delivers some of the highest voter turnout of the city. Sure, we just got through with monster municipal primary and general elections this spring — but 2023’s not over. Get ready to dig in for Nov. 7. Three of Denver’s seven-member DPS school board are up for election. Park Hillians will help decide just one of them — the at-large board race. Two other seats up for grabs are in districts that do not include Park Hill.

Denver votes

to voters by the legislature, would reduce property taxes for Coloradans for 10 years. Under HH, the state would then be allowed to keep future refunds as mandated by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) for at least 10 years, with an option of extending that without voter approval. Proposition II, also referred to the ballot by the legislature, would allow the state to keep additional nicotine and tobacco funds that pay for universal preschool.

Auon’tai Anderson, the controversial and outspoken at-large DPS board member for the past four years, is not running for a second term. Anderson has announced he instead plans to run for the state legislature in District 8 (that seat is currently held by Rep. Leslie Herod, who is term limited next year).

Several candidates are vying to replace him. They include security consultant Paul Ballenger, single mom Brittni Johnson, Tattered Cover owner Kwame Spearman and former East High School Principal John Youngquist.

On Nov. 7 Colorado voters will also decide two statewide ballot proposals — HH and II.

Proposition HH, which was referred

Ballots will be mailed to Denver voters on Oct. 16 and must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day. To check your status or to register to vote, go to GoVoteColorado.gov. You can also call the Denver Elections Division at 720-913-8683. There are several sites in and around the neighborhood to drop off your completed and signed ballot: Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center at 33rd and Holly Street, the Museum of Nature and Science in City Park, at the Montclair Recreation Center in the Lowry neighborhood, and at East High School.

After you’ve turned in your ballot, check denver.ballottrax.net/voter/, where you can track it like a package — from printing to acceptance for counting.

See our exclusive Question & Answer news feature with all four candidates on pages 10-11, along with information about public candidate forums scheduled during the month of October and other resources to help get you up to speed.

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All the News About Denver’s Best Residential Community Since 1960 • Volume 62, Issue No. 10 • October 2023 InsIde
ThIs Issue PAGE 2
Calvin Lee makes his move opening a chess game at Cake Crumbs on Kearney Street. Lee is one of 8 to 14 players who convene on Wednesdays and Sundays at the coffeeshop and bakery for games that continue all afternoon. The all-ages club formed after the release of the blockbuster 2020 Netflix drama The Queen’s Gambit, about a fictional American chess prodigy. Members liken the gatherings to the legendary chess cafés of the 17th century. Additional photos are on page 7. Photo by Cara DeGette

2206 Kearney St., 720-735-9800

www.nestmanortho.com

T a lk of T h e ne I ghborhood

Neighborhood Harvest Gathering Is Oct. 12

The Eastside Growers Collective of Northeast Park Hill is hosting its first annual Neighborhood Harvest Gathering on Thursday, Oct. 12. The family-oriented program will include live music, a farmers market, artisan vendors, tours of the garden tour and a free taco bar. A new mural will be unveiled along with a short documentary about raised spiral gardens. The Harvest Gathering is at 33rd and Elm Street from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Contact Charolette for additional information at 720-331-0272.

Celebrate Fall Fest At Axum Park On Oct. 15

The second annual Park Hill Community Fall Festival is on tap for Sunday, Oct. 15 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The free, familyfriendly event is at City of Axum Park, at the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Birch Street and features free food, face painting, bubbles, games and more. If you are interested in joining the EWAP movement (Exercise With A Purpose) and becoming a blockworker who delivers the Greater Park Hill News, connects with neighbors, and promotes overall healthier community, come on by. The Fall Fest is presented by Greater Park Hill Community, Inc, and sponsored by District 8 Councilwoman Shontel Lewis, Be Well and the AMP-athy Project. For more information call 303-388-0918.

Renaissance Revival On montview: To Preserve Or Not To Preserve?

For 90 years the grand old Renaissance Revival-style home has dominated the northeast corner of Montview Boulevard and Elm Street. Now surrounded by the alltoo-familiar fence of doom — suggesting imminent demolition — the city’s Landmark Preservation Commission has identified the house as qualified to preserve as a landmark.

In the wake of the commission’s findings and report, dated Sept. 12, three Park Hill residents — Amy Harris, Bernadette Kelly and Tracey MacDermott — have filed a notice of intent to potentially pursue protected designation for the home. All three are board members of the Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. registered neighborhood organization. The filing kicks in an automatic extension of the deadline from Oct. 5, when a demolition order was likely to be issued if no action was taken. The process now requires a facilitated meeting between

whO wE ARE

Editor: Cara DeGette

Manager: Brenda Morrison

Ad Sales: Melissa Davis and Denise Fisher

Art Director: Tommy Kubitsky

hOw TO fIND US

Voicemail: 720-287-0442

Email: newspaper@greaterparkhill.org

Address: 2823 Fairfax St. Denver, 80207

Website: greaterparkhill.org

Facebook: facebook.com/greaterparkhillnews

Twitter: @parkhillnews

CONTACT US

Story Tips and Letters to the Editor: Cara DeGette: 720-979-4385, editor@greaterparkhill.org

Advertising information:

Melissa Davis: ads@greaterparkhill.org

Denise Fisher: sales_denise@greaterparkhill.org

Deadline for submissions is the 15th of every month

the city, the three signers and the property owner, which is listed as the Rinehart Living Trust.

The Landmark Preservation Commission identifies numerous criteria that determine whether structures or districts qualify for protected status. In the case of 5013 E. Montview Blvd., the commission’s report paints a colorful tapestry detailing the rich history of the old home, which was constructed in 1933.

The first occupants were Christine and Harry Huffman. Described as “an important figure in the history of Denver,” Huffman was a pharmacist-turned-theater owner, who built the Aladdin Theater on East Colfax; he owned several others, including the Bluebird. (The couple later designed, built and moved to the famous and opulent Shangri-La house in the Hilltop neighborhood.)

A later resident of 5013 E. Montview Blvd. was Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Hawley, a prominent community leader in the 40s and 50s who played an active role with the Denver Symphony Orchestra.

The home is also a significant example of the work of a recognized architect or master builder — D.M. Sugg, a notable builder in Denver. It embodies the distinctive visible characteristics of an architectural type — in this case a simplified Italian Renaissance Revival Style.

The commission determined the home fits well with the other homes on Montview, and its integrity is intact. Finally, the report described the house, in a prominent location and with notable physical characteristics, as an established and familiar feature of the neighborhood. “Located on a large corner lot, it is and has been an established and familiar building along East Montview Boulevard for almost nine decades.”

Says Harris: “Maybe we won’t be able to save this house, but we can at least take a stance on historic preservation and educate folks about the significance of the homes in our neighborhood.”

Check back next month for developments on this story.

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.

Circulation is 13,000 and is distributed in the Park Hill Area by neighborhood volunteers.

The Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., is a volunteerbased 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.

This newspaper is made possible through the support of our advertisers and members. If you are not already a member, please consider joining the Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.

The Greater Park Hill News October 2023 Page 2
C O m PIL ED BY C A RA D E G E TTE , E D ITOR , G PHN
OrthOdOntic SpecialiSt OrthOdOntic SpecialiSt park hill'S bOard-certified trent nestman, d.d.S., M.S. 9/13/23, 6:40 PM Greater Park Hill Newspaper Ad (PS).png https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/KtbxLvHDkBSjPNWtTcZZDfGBVXrGVwdVbV?projector=1&messagePartId=0.2 1/1
5013 E. Montview Blvd.

Summer’s End

Bats have long been a symbol of Halloween, and the National Wildlife Federation has a good theory why. Halloween stems from the ancient Celtic festival Samhain, meaning ‘Summer’s End.’ The decaying of the land and oncoming darkness of winter was thought to evoke spirits from ancient burial mounds. To ward off those spirits, the Celts built huge bonfires — which attracted swarms of insects and also bats on the hunt, swooping to capture an insect before darting away. “They were interpreted to be the spirits of the dead, which would only be scared off by their gods’ divine fire.” This Pallas’s Long-tongued Bat was photographed by Mark Silverstein.

October 2023 The Greater Park Hill News Page 3 b a T l and | m a rk Silverstein
Marcy Eastman I am one of your presenting sponsors for the 45th Annual Park Hill Home Tour! 2222 Forest Street 5 Bed | 5 Bath 5,183 Sq Ft | O ered for $2,200,000 Compass is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity. Photos may be virtually Realtor® 720.436.5494 marcy.eastman@compass.com FORSALE MARCY EASTMAN Over 23 years Real Estate experience 22 year Park Hill resident Experience with proven results 303-523-2037 www.ParkHillSpecialist.com SOLD ABOVE LIST PRICE FOR SALE Anastasia's Park Hill SOLDS Speak For Themselves! All properties listed were sold by Anastasia Williamson between 2001 - Present. Data source REColorado & Denver property assessors. 2860 Albion Street • $849,000 4 Beds | 3 Baths | 2,053 SqFt Pristine Cottage 2944 Ash Street • $1,050,000 3 Beds | 3 Baths | 3,632 SqFt Quintessential Two Story 2671 Eudora Street • $772,000 3 Beds | 2 Baths | 2,000 SqFt Beautiful Craftsman Bungalow 2339 Monaco Pkwy 2621 Grape St 2308 Glencoe St 2601 Elm St 1649 Bellaire St 1648 Bellaire St 4512 E. 17th Ave 1775 Leyden St 3075 Clermont St 4114 E. 19th Ave 1612 Bellaire St 1607 Bellaire St 2595 Fairfax St 1558 Clermont St 1647 Clermont St 2816 Dahlia St 2383 Hudson St 2821 Dahlia St 2686 Dexter St 2248 Holly St 1901 Cherry St 2556 Elm St 2615 Elm St 2611 Birch St 2630 Glencoe St 2052 Krameria St 2884 Albion St 2967 Clermont 2886 Cherry 2646 Birch St 1638 Clermont St 2810 Bellaire St 2605 Fairfax St 2677 Ash St 2560 Birch St 2681 Cherry St 2809 Birch St 2514 Glencoe St 2652 Fairfax St 2609 Eudora St 2800 Birch St 3060 Ash St 2810 Olive St 1623 Bellaire St 2037 Krameria St 2084 Forest St 1536 Clermont St 2224 Grape St 2345 Clermont St 2070 Birch St 2865 Albion St 2530 Bellaire St 2820 Birch St 2614 Glencoe St 2840 Clermont St 1929 Bellaire St 1915 Monaco Pkwy 1544 Leyden St 2920 Cherry St 2621 Grape St 2576 Fairfax St 2581 Dahlia St 2389 Cherry St 2829 Clermont St 2960 Ash St 2556 Clermont St 2681 Cherry St 4545 E. 29th Ave 2530 Glencoe St 2895 Birch St 2955 Ivy St 1610 Locust St 2575 Clermont St 4345 E. 16th Ave 2680 Ash St 2861 Birch St 2854 Cherry St 2091 Hudson St 2645 Ash St 2570 Bellaire St 2616 Fairfax St 4326 Batavia Pl 2845 Cherry St 2947 Clermont St 3035 Bellaire St 2670 Grape St 2655 Elm St 1418 Grape St 2680 Ash St 2271 Clermont St 2817 Albion St 2684 Fairfax St 2894 Dexter St 2855 Ash St 3010 Clermont St 2295 Eudora St 3025 Albion St 2668 Elm St 2936 Albion St 2389 Cherry St 2654 Elm St 2514 Glencoe St 2065 Hudson St 2845 Cherry St 1623 Bellaire St 2855 Dahlia St 2825 Bellaire St 2900 Ash St 2681 Clermont St 2829 Ash St 2251 Ash St 2877 Cherry St 2341 Ivy St 2847 Clermont St 3010 Cherry St 2665 Forest St 2517 Elm St 1669 Newport St 3045 Fairfax St 4660 E 16th Ave 2877 Cherry St 2971 Bellaire St 2531 Clermont St 2894 Birch St 2801 Dexter St 3593 Monaco St 2668 Birch St 2664 Cherry St 2032 Holly St 2819 Ivanhoe St 1637 Elm St 2679 Albion St 3610 Magnolia St 1775 Monaco Pkwy 2582 Bellaire St 2233 Holly St 2229 Birch St 2862 Ash St 1855 Cherry St 2637 Eudora St 2542 Ash St 2045 Krameria St 2500 Dahlia St 2943 Birch St 2875 Albion St 2511 Birch St 2349 Forest St 2990 Cherry St 2379 Elm St 2870 Eudora St 2632 Cherry St 1450 Albion St #303 1925 Monaco Pkwy 3050 Bellaire St 2849 Kearney St 1830 Monaco Pkwy 2023 PARK HILL SNAPSHOT 1755 Leyden Street • $997,000 3 Beds | 2 Baths | 2,834 SqFt Storybook Tudor Avg. Sales Price $1,038,000 Days on Market 21 Avg. Price Per Sq Ft • $682

when The Rains Come fast And fierce

Flood Prevention Through Park Hill Requires More Than Just Bigger Pipes; Green Spaces Are Also Critical

This summer, we witnessed severe weather events around the globe. Heavy rains brought flooding in the Northeast, 10 inches of rain fell in Nova Scotia, flooding led to many deaths in India. Last month thousands of people died, and thousands more still missing, after heavy rains led to the collapse of two dams in Derna, Libya, washing entire neighborhoods out to sea.

Closer to home, just 70 miles away Colorado Springs was hit with its largest two-day rainfall in the city’s history. The unusual amount of rainfall has pushed the city to adjust their flood mitigation efforts.

require removing homes and other structures, many of them built decades ago.

In early 2017, the Montclair Vision Implementation team, of which I was a part, convened to provide recommendations on stormwater and drainage problems. A November 2019 report included several recommendations, from incorporating green infrastructure along 16th and Colfax avenues, adding green space to the Mayfair Town Center and making flood prevention improvements to public streets and private properties.

In eight short years, Mother Earth’s rules have changed.

We should all expect to make these adjustments as the climate and storm events become more unpredictable.

Some of you may recall that more than eight years ago, in June 2015, South Park Hill experienced several severe storms resulting in destructive flooding. Cars were totaled, landscaping was washed away and homes were seriously damaged. We reported on much of the damage — and many of us began our education on flooding and stormwater management.

During community meetings, the consensus was that we must understand what led to this severe flooding and how we can work together to fix it. Residents met with council and other city representatives.

We learned a fascinating reality that many of us had not previously known: When South Park Hill was first developed decades ago, homes and streets were actually built over natural water channels. Over time, the loss of permeable land through structures and addition of concrete has further contributed to a higher risk of flooding in the area. When the rains come fast and fierce, the streams still form and gush their natural paths through the neighborhood.

At the time there was a lot of talk that the fix was, we just need to install bigger pipes.

Park Hill’s Brian Hyde, an expert in floodplain management and stream restoration and a longtime contributor to the newspaper, reported back in 2015 that those June storms were not an anomaly. Instead, they are a well-documented pattern.

Hyde knew then, and now, that we needed more than just bigger pipes. His proposal — to restore natural waterways through Park Hill — were considered fairly radical, and certainly not cheap. That’s because “daylighting” those waterways would also

Since then, the city’s Platte to Park Hill drainage project has been completed, including the reconfiguration of the City Park Golf Course. Part 1 of the East 16th Avenue Storm Interceptor project was completed last September, including a new storm main line that transports flows to City Park. These projects may have left many thinking any future severe flooding in South Park Hill is a thing of the past. Unfortunately, it’s not. Phase 2 has not yet started yet, and and this is the part of the project that can help with some of our flooding. Just last August a torrential rainstorm swept through. Once again, 16th Avenue became a river. I moved my car off the street and held out hope that the flooding would not damage homes.

The good news is that the city is expecting to begin Phase 2 late next year or in early 2025. I’m grateful that the stormwater mitigation will begin relatively soon, but it has been many years of stress for residents — especially when a big storm comes in.

And, though there was much hope that the projects would include aesthetic improvements (landscaping, trees, etc.), at this time it does not appear any green space beautification is being considered.

I hope that Denver takes a lesson from Colorado Springs and adjusts our plans. In just eight years, Mother Earth’s rules have changed. The climate crisis has upended our world and we need to pivot to our new normal of unpredictable.

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. She can be reached at traceymacdermott@gmail.com.

Bottoms Up Drink Craft Beer And Love The Planet

For the GPHN

Small breweries can’t afford the minimum 150,000 can order for preprinted aluminum cans so they often resort to full wrap shrink sleeves to label their product.

Shrink sleeves are printed with high-impact graphics and are applied to filled beer cans with heat so they shrink tightly around the can. This allows brewers to label small batches in an attractive way but these plastic labels provide new challenges for recyclers.

Some optical sorters mistake these cans as bottles so they are placed in the wrong material stream. The labels also create challenges for the aluminum pro-

cessors and can reduce the quality of their end product.

So, if your favorite craft beer is labeled with a shrink sleeve, you can easily remove it before dropping the can in the recycle bin. Lightly dent the can to create a space between the can wall and the label, then puncture the label with a kitchen fork or knife. Simply rip the label off the can and throw it in the trash.

Mark Kuhl is an environmental advocate who lives in Park Hill with his family. His handy tips and news about recycling household items appear every month in these pages. A directory of his past columns for recycling everything from paint to Styrofoam to shoes is at greaterparkhill.org/sustainability/recycling-directory/.

The Greater Park Hill News October 2023 Page 4 e a r T h In c r I s I s | op I n I on
TO RECYCLE IT’ S K UhL

Stuff Of Nightmares

No One Stood Up For The Trees, The Wildlife, Or Us

First, I want to thank the Greater Park Hill News for highlighting the immense devastation that is taking place in Green Valley Ranch (Parts 1 and 2 of A Sewer Runs Through It, in the August and September issues). Mark Silverstein’s commitment to shining a light on this outrage has been so appreciated.

The destruction of our green spaces has been nothing short of a nightmare. When my family moved here almost six years ago, we chose to build our first home here because of the trees.

We were told by Oakwood Homes that the space behind our home was slated for a Denver park and would never be developed. We paid a handsome premium for a lot right along the green space.

First Creek Park and Exploration Zone opened in 2019 with a bike path, creek access, natural play features, and paths throughout the trees. At the ribbon cutting, Denver Councilwoman Stacie Gilmore proudly proclaimed the space was preserved for our children. My backyard has been my happy place and my refuge. The green space has provided adventure and escape for my kids in the midst of the city. Families of deer would often walk past us. A red fox had become a regular visitor along our fence. Owls and hawks have nested back there. A bald eagle was regularly spotted last winter. Simple and spectacular moments with the natural world. A true gift.

In the past months, it all has become unrecognizable.

The trees came down in February. It was absolutely traumatic. Several century-old cottonwoods, a mature olive, right behind our home. They had provided shade and privacy and beauty. They belonged to the animals and the earth. They were not ours to take. The day I heard the chainsaws, I ran back there in disbelief. “This isn’t a park, it’s an easement,” I was told by the foreman. “The Metro District owns this and can do whatever they want.”

Why didn’t they put the pipeline under city streets, and protect the trees and open space and wildlife habitat? Why didn’t they let the residents who would be so profoundly impacted know the scope of the devastation? “Because we knew they would get upset.” Upset is the understatement of all understatements. I pointed out the enormous cottonwood behind my home, on the very edge of their path of destruction. Surely we could spare that one? “They’ve all been approved [for removal].”

As the trees began to fall, I desperately called every entity I could think of. Councilwoman Gilmore’s office, Denver’s Parks

and Recreation department, Aurora Water, Denver Forestry. It became clear I could do nothing to stop this evil plan.

For those who live here, the cost has been immeasurable.

Since late spring, we’ve had construc tion vehicles behind us almost daily. Our backyard has not been usable all summer because of the dust and noise. Remember the monsoons? Because Aurora Water had decimated the 100 feet behind our homes, not a single prairie grass or shrub or tree was there to hold that water in the ground.

We literally had a river running behind our home, threatening our properties. Not to mention the destruction to the Explo ration Zone. All the dirt they moved in washed into the park, and the washout contributed to a complete flooding of the zone. This happened three times over the summer, causing obvious setbacks and sending more dirt into the park.

It’s still a huge mess. Aurora Water has promised they will return the park to the condition they found it. We will see.

To add insult to heartbreak, the construction project shut down all access from our neighborhood into the green space. We haven’t been able to enjoy any part of the park all summer. Metal fences and concrete barriers were put up to ensure this.

We should have been informed that this would also be a condition of the project. We should have known all of this. We should have had a voice.

It’s disheartening that no one involved in the planning and passing through cared about the earth and the animals and the people more than the bottom line. That’s the sad, hard truth. No one stood up and said, “This is wrong.” Not the Denver City Council, not Parks and Rec, certainly not the Metro District. And the people of Green Valley Ranch, the ones who would have stood up, had no say, because we had so little information.

Someone needs to be held accountable. Our trees can’t be replaced, the wildlife may not return, but these spaces need to be as healed as much as possible. A light needs to continue to shine bright on this atrocity until that happens, and so no other community experiences this kind of careless carnage.

Jenna Hawkins is a resident of Green Valley Ranch.

Editor’s note: Mark Silverstein’s series, A Sewer Runs Through It, appeared in the August and September issues. The stories, detailing Aurora’s sewer project through Denver’s First Creek Open Space, can be read at these links:

Part 1: tinyurl.com/ASewer1

Part 2: tinyurl.com/ASewer2

Journalism At Its Best

Thank you so much for running the excellent (and horrifying) series in the August and September issues about the devastation of the First Creek Trail and its trees and wildlife.

I look forward to additional installments, in which I hope to continue to learn how this injustice was planned and approved without public input.

This is independent journalism at its best. Great photos, too. And congrats to Mark Silverstein for getting his vireo pic!

By the way, as far as local news goes, don’t

Fill ’Er Up

I’ve appreciated the series by Mark Silverstein about the Aurora sewer project. If he still has gas in the tank, I wonder if he could do a Part 3 that addresses “lessons learned” and policy recommendations for city council and issues of intergovernmental coordination and relations?

Thanks for all you do.

Christine Martell, Park Hill

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

October 2023 The Greater Park Hill News Page 5 l e T T e rs T o The e d I T o r
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The view from the author’s backyard on May 12, after heavy rains. With many trees gone and shrubs and prairie grasses bulldozed, there was nothing to hold the flooding, muddy waters to the ground. Photo courtesy of Jenna Hawkins

23rd Avenue And Kearney Street

from Popcorn To Tapas

This Business Block Has Grown Up With The Neighborhood

A century ago 23rd Avenue and Kearney Street marked the eastern outskirts of Park Hill. In a June, 2015 Greater Park Hill News exclusive, Historian Phil Goodstein provided a history of the emergence of the block as a business hub — including halcyon days when the Tower movie theater dominated the block.

“As Park Hill boomed after World War I, the demand for neighborhood retail increased,” Goodstein wrote. “Neighbors,

working with city hall and real estate investors, recognized this in 1926 when they agreed the 2200 block of Kearney Street was ideally posed for small stores, and got it zoned for that purpose. Seeing a demand for their services, soon a number of groceries and pharmacies emerged. The early 1930s saw the addition of a couple of neoTudor apartment houses [to the block]. Filling stations were soon part of the mix at the corner of 23rd Avenue, including a body shop.

“Development continued following World War II. No attraction pulled more

people to the block than the neighborhood cinema, the Tower Theatre at 2245 Kearney St.”

Through the 1950s, the Tower packed ’em in. Saturday afternoon children’s matinees were especially popular, Goodstein noted. Some sneaked into the theater along the side exits, and after the show they spent their 25 cents admission charge across the street at Candy Land. During the 1950s, the other businesses on the block adopted the Tower theme: Tower Drugs, the Tower Beauty Salon, Tower Realty, Tower Barber Shop, and Tower Chef Restaurant. A Piggly

Wiggly also did brisk business during the 40s and 50s.

By the ‘80s, the movie house ran its course and closed. A Korean Full Gospel Church moved in, using the space only on Sundays. As for the rest of the block, groups of what Goodstein describes as “rowdies” roamed the surrounding neighborhood.

But, time has proven, no one can keep Kearney Street down. In 1983 Dardano School of Gymnastics opened. A decade or so later Oblio’s Pizzeria started cooking, and Grape Expectations established its roots.

There have been a few recent business bumps. In 2010 the popular Perk Hill coffeeshop closed after clashes with the landlord.

And, who can forget the battle of Bardenay? In 2017 an out-of-state restaurateur announced plans to open a 236-seat distillery and restaurant in the old movie theater

The Greater Park Hill News October 2023 Page 6
The art deco light pole was placed at the corner of 23rd and Kearney in 1991, part of a $200,000 streetscape improvement project. A clock was originally in the round piece at top, but it disappeared shortly after installation. Diners enjoying brunch at Bistro Vendome. The French restaurant moved from Larimer Square to Kearney Street in February. It opened in the space that was formerly Tables restaurant. Kearney Garage opened on the block in 1940. A Standard Oil station that was originally across the street is now the Art Garage.

site. Suffice to say many neighbors didn’t warm to the concept. Organized neighborhood pushback included an opposition website, a yard-sign campaign and a list of specific good-business-promise demands. The owner pulled out of the project.

Six years and one pandemic later, the business block is hopping. Lucina Eatery and Bar opened last year in what was part of the old Tower Theatre space. The Park Hill Dance Academy and a gymnasium, Mighty Movement, also opened. Kearney Garage, operated by the Heber family for 30 years, was sold to Pride Auto Care, which has vowed to continue the repair shop’s tradition of excellence.

Oblio’s, a Park Hill institution since 1996, has a new owner. Cake Crumbs, the coffeeshop and restaurant that Denon and Sean Moore opened in the early 2000s, was recently bought by its third owner, Marc Sivak.

Tables restaurant, the much-loved creation of Amy and Dustin Barrett, closed last year. In a move that generated headlines for months, the venerable Bistro Vendome departed its longtime digs in Larimer Square and opened in the former Tables space in February.

In the restaurant world, that leaves Neighbors the oldest kid on the block. Entering its 13th year, Neighbors is a cozy and classy joint that advertises simply as specializing in wine, food and friends. Co-owner Greg Ruedi says his mission is to create a fun, memorable place to hang out. Plus, he likes good wine.

As for the changes on the block?

Ruedi misses his friends at Tables, he says, but he is gratified by diehard neighborhood support. The goodwill shared among the business owners, he says, is something to cheer.

“We all borrow cups of sugar from each other. It takes a village to to make the street successful.”

This is the third in a series highlighting happenings, historical insights and new developments in the several business blocks and districts in Park Hill. The first installment, focusing

on Oneida Park Center at 23rd Avenue and Oneida Street, can be read at greaterparkhill.org/summer-at-oneida-park/). The second, focusing on 23rd and Dexter, and can be read at greaterparkhill.org/businessnews-center-of-the-universe. Other blocks will be featured in the months ahead. To share your business news tips, email editor@ greaterparkhill.org.

Camaraderie And Strategy

The Queen’s Gambit, an all-ages, all-levels chess club, meets on Wednesdays and Sundays at Cake Crumbs. Anywhere from 8 to 14 members regularly show up, and everyone is welcome to join.

Pictured clockwise from top; Jan Martin; Michael Day and Teri O’Sullivan, (with Bernard Grant and Rod Graber in background); Patrick Vance.

The Businesses On Kearney Street

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ritual. (And if you’re looking for one of those signs? Dee and Steve Ciancio, part of the visionary group that began these safety-driven Halloween traditions 30 years ago, still offer them to anyone in need.)

The heart of this story isn’t just about safety; it’s about a community coming together, generation after generation, to ensure that the spirit of Halloween lives on, both in fun and in collective care.

Other spirits that continue to live on are Park Hillians from ages past—departed from this mortal coil yet loathe to leave the neighborhood they loved. And who can blame them? McAuliffe International School has a whole cohort of phantoms. One haunts a girls’ bathroom. Another’s ghostly singing has been recorded on a staff member’s mobile phone. That apparition possibly dates to six decades ago when the school’s gymnasium was used as a morgue after a horrific plane crash at nearby Stapleton Airport.

A charming Queen Anne on Montview was the site of a scandalous society murder in 1917, leading to generations of future residents reporting unexplained bumps and crashes late at night.

A notorious Colorado serial killer buried bodies in the backyard of his rental in the northwest part of the neighborhood, leaving an impression of evil that lingers 20 years later.

Yet, perhaps the most otherworldly spot lies inside the gothic parapets of Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church. The apparitions there groan, smoke cigars, hold dinner parties, and have even been cap-

tured in photographs, according to church staff and worshippers over the years.

The secrets of the house

If your house isn’t similarly haunted, never fear. It seems that sometimes even the spookiest of hauntings take some time to manifest. Dan Danbom, proprietor of The Printed Page bookstore on South Broadway and a collector of many of Denver’s little-known stories, recalls the tale of a Spanish-style home with a blue tile roof and stucco near Monaco and 23rd Avenue.

When he was a child, his relatives, a mother-anddaughter duo, moved into the house. It was, Danbom describes, the perfect gothic setting for paranormal activity.

“The rain had kind of made the blue dye on the tile run so it looked like it had tears coming down the front of the house on the stucco … it was a spooky house,” he says. Perpetually drawn dark velvet drapes gave the interior a similar silent and foreboding vibe.

Danbom’s mother, an avid newspaper reader, imparted knowledge to Dan and his brother that the family didn’t dare share with the two ladies living alone in the house — the former resident had hanged himself in the dark recesses of the basement.

Although Danbom and his brother never uttered a word of the home’s tragic history, they secretly hoped the childhood boredom of coerced visits to stuffy elder relatives would be broken by some thrilling ghostly antics. They were disappointed: nary a shadow or whisper materialized to spook them.

Fifteen years ago, things changed. Danbom dropped by a promising-looking garage sale at the house next door to his relatives’ former home. He couldn’t resist sharing the story of the haunted house to the people running the garage sale. They nodded knowingly. Yes, that makes perfect sense, Danbom remembers them saying. “The people who live there would see impressions on the bed after they made it as if someone had been sleeping on it, and they would smell tobacco although no one smoked, and other weird stuff that happened in that house,” he says, “and that kind of sends a chill down your spine.”

Rattling from fenceposts

On Oct. 31, Park Hill will embrace the long-standing rituals that have become established tradition for the spooky season. Life-sized skeletons will rattle from fenceposts and lounge on porch chairs all over the neighborhood. Neighbors will set up smoke machines and compile spooky playlists, and stock up on full-sized candybars.

Block parties will put the Monster Mash to shame and even the adults will deck out like backup dancers from Thriller. Residents, as always, will take pride in passing out the kind of trick-or-treats that draw vanloads of excited children from all over the metro area. And all of this will be drawing on tradition as deep as the roots of the gnarled trees along our famous parkways and boulevards.

So as the most bewitching day of the year approaches, keep two things in mind: stay safe, and stay spooky.

The Greater Park Hill News October 2023 Page 8
Spooky, continued from page 1

Parents’ fears Grow Amid Safety Debates

DPS School Board Races Highlight Painful Rifts Emerging After East Shootings And The Mess At McAuliffe

Like so many, I’m scared. Last school year began with my then-East High School senior texting a video of police cars and yellow tape from the window where he was on lockdown at Carla Madison. We know what followed: more lockdowns, shooting, and tragically, injuries and death.

There may be no more primal urge than protecting our children. The public debate that has followed about what school safety means will affect our votes in upcoming school board elections. It has also revealed deep and painful rifts in our neighborhood.

Guns are everywhere, and deaths are going up in Colorado as they have across the country. In 2021, 82 people aged 19 and under died by firearms in Colorado, according to CPHDE data analyzed by the Colorado Sun. We have a lot of company in tragedy: In Philadelphia, Chalkbeat reported in March 2023 that 78 students had been shot so far during that school year, 17 fatally. In New York City, over a similar time period, more than 60 school-aged children were shot, according to Campus Safety Magazine

Amidst all these painful deaths is a stark fact: Black children and teens were five times as likely as their white classmates to die from gunfire, according to a 2023 Pew Research report.

In Denver, largely white, affluent parents mobilizing in private Facebook groups such as P-SAG and McAuliffe Strong are pushing to change DPS’s “discipline matrix” to create tougher penalties. Demands go beyond firearm offenses to such violations as drug possession and sale.

Travel through the social media mirror to Black activist and community leader Jeff Fard’s Facebook Live show, and a different Denver emerges — one where guests and commenters express that racial inequity is intrinsically intertwined with discussions of school safety.

Many proposed changes to the discipline matrix would mark rollbacks from reforms made after the 2020 pandemic era protests over George Floyd’s death, and from a general movement toward restorative justice practices in schools with the goal of reducing racial inequities in discipline enforcement.

Last summer, thousands of community members signed a petition protesting the firing of McAuliffe International School principal Kurt Dennis. Dennis had gone on 9News following the March shootings at East, raising alarm that a student at McAuliffe, who faced attempted murder charges,

posed a threat to the school.

A few weeks later Dennis faced criticism about the use of a “incarceration” room at his school – that students of color had been locked in this room in a manner that violated DPS rules. Dennis asserted that it was a “de-escalation” room used in limited circumstances with the agreement of parents, and not just with students of color.

For many parents who have had positive experiences at top-performing McAuliffe, trust in Dennis is absolute. But trust is not automatic from everyone. Fard has said he does not think Dennis is racist, but that he works in a racist system. Meanwhile, the jury is still out on certain claims — including how many students were locked in the room.

Facebook groups provide a way to share information and organize, but there is a lot of bad behavior — individuals held up for ridicule and doxxing, conclusions leaped to, posters expelled or made unwelcome when they disagree. TV news often leans into the sensational.

Over at Boardhawk , longtime Denver education journalist Alan Gottlieb publishes scorching online criticisms of the school board, as well as pro-schoolinnovation analyses. Chalkbeat Colorado publishes long-form news stories, such as a 2020 investigation into the use of “seclusion” rooms throughout the state; disparate rates of discipline by race at McAuliffe and districtwide; and how Denver differs from neighboring counties on expulsion policies.

Our local dilemma is drawing national attention from politicized corners: the conservative outlet National Review has been closely following Dennis’ firing.

Meanwhile, parents are terrified. Gun violence may be everywhere, but we want our schools to be safe, sacrosanct. There are big decisions to make, informed by our values. If more students are expelled, where do they go? Are we safer if they’re on the streets?

Many have voiced support for special schools with wraparound services, but would we be willing to open our wallets for those, and where would they be located? How do we allocate limited resources among needs such as mental health services and security measures, while making sure students are learning?

We need school leaders who tell us what they want to do, and also, why.

October 2023 The Greater Park Hill News Page 9
Nancy Watzman is a Park Hill parent. Shiva Latchmansingh contributed research.
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There may be no more primal urge than protecting our children.

Election 2023, continued from page 1

DPS In The Spotlight

Denver Public Schools is at a crossroads. The outcome of the Nov. 7 school board election will likely help determine which path the largest school district in Colorado takes next.

The past several years have been marked by a multitude of challenges in DPS — a pandemic, a new superintendent, board infighting and personality clashes, and concerns over school safety — just for starters.

The volunteer board is the official policy-setting body of

Brittni Johnson

brittni4dps.com

How long have you lived in Denver?

I was born and raised in Denver. List any previous public service positions that you’ve held.

I am a first-time candidate.

What are the three main goals you have for DPS if elected?

1. I plan to advocate for safe and equitable safe environments that focus on mental health.

2. I envision a school district where standardized tests

Kwame Spearman

KwameforDenver.com

How long have you lived in Denver?

I was born at Rose Hospital and raised in Montclair. My mom taught at Park Hill Elementary. I attended Smiley and East — so I have always considered Park Hill my second home. I left Denver to attend Columbia University, Yale Law School, and Harvard Business School. After working at Bain and living in NYC for a decade, I returned home to Denver to purchase Tattered Cover.

List any previous public service positions that you’ve held.

I’ve served on several not-for-profit Boards in Denver, including the Denver Public Schools Foundation, Colorado Education Initiative, East High Friends and Family and the Downtown Denver Partnership.

What are the three main goals you have for DPS if elected?

1. Establish a 100% Culture of Excellence and Safety. We should aspire in four years to see 100 percent of graduating students career and college ready and 100 percent of third graders reading on level. We can accomplish this by offering more educational pathways, like trade-based curriculums to give more options and reasons for students to stay enrolled. We also need to ensure that parents can select the right learning

the district — hiring (and firing) the superintendent and establishing a vision for the city’s schools. The board is comprised of seven members. Five of them represent specific districts in Denver, and the other two are elected at-large by voters all over the city. The four-year positions are staggered, meaning not all seats are up for election the same year.

This year, voters in Park Hill will weigh in on just one position that is up — the open at-large seats. Four candidates are in the running. Here are their responses to a series of questions the Greater Park Hill News posed to them about their goals and priorities.

do not dictate a child’s future and where teachers are supported, valued and adequately compensated. I am committed to creating a more diverse teaching staff that reflects the communities they serve.

3. I aim to create a community-based educational model that includes wraparound supports and programs that go beyond the traditional curriculum.

Describe your style of leadership, in 10 words or less.

Leadership driven by the love for our kids and community.

The shootings at East High School and the ongoing controversy over the firing of Kurt Dennis have dominated headlines about DPS for months. As a board member how would you have responded to these controversies?

As a parent to three DPS students, I cannot imagine the impact the East High School tragedies had on all of the families and students involved. All students should be able to attend school without the constant fear of a school shooting or gun violence-related incident happening. As a board member, I would have felt it my duty to ensure that all affected had the mental/emotional support needed for the following week, followed by an open meeting with the community to allow a chance for all voices to be heard.

As it relates to the firing of Kurt Dennis, I would have reviewed the full recorded documentations of misconduct alleged by the superintendent. As a board member, I would look at the facts of Mr. Dennis’s firing, making an informed non-bias ruling as to whether or not I would vote in favor or against the firing. However, it is unaccept-

environment for their child, and that we have strong neighborhood schools. During the same period, we should also see 100 percent of teachers, students and staff reporting significant increases in safety and perceptions of safety. We can do this by acknowledging that while we need Student Resource Officers presently, we can aspire to remove guns from our schools and recruit community officers to keep our schools safe.

2. Elevate Teacher Profession and Pay. I’ve launched a Teachers’ Bill of Rights that includes increases in teacher compensation to become the highest paid in the region, access to better benefits such as maternity and paternity leave, IVF and egg freezing subsidization and mental health support. I will lead referendums to fund these increases.

3. Advocate for Teacher-Housing Partnerships. I remember when DPS teachers could live in Denver. Presently the city is unaffordable for the very individuals who are committed to educating the future of our city. As the second-largest landowner in the city, DPS should lease unused or vacant land to not-for-profit developers. These developers can build housing specifically deeded to our educators.

Describe your style of leadership in 10 words or less.

Bridge builder, pragmatist, and fighter for all students and teachers.

The shootings at East High School and

Media Links & Resources

9News Breakdown of Ballot Issues HH and II

tinyurl.com/9NewsBreakdown

Colorado Sun Breakdown Of Campaign Cash

Dark money groups have begun to fuel the campaigns on both sides of Proposition HH. Special interest groups are expected to play a role in DPS school board elections this year. As of Sept. 11 in the at-large race, candidate John Youngquist raised nearly $50,000, Kwame Spearman raised more than $36,000 and Paul Ballenger reported nearly $14,000. Read the full report at coloradosun.com/2023/09/11/ proposition-hh-colorado-fundraising/

able for a DPS school to use any sort of seclusion room for students in any capacity.

Equity is an important and touted value in DPS but Denver’s schools don’t all have the same resources. Do you believe DPS’ portfolio model of charters, innovation schools and traditional neighborhood schools can lead to a truly equitable district? Briefly explain how you see this model developing in the next decade.

I’m running precisely because the current model, as implemented today, is not working and is not equitable. When charter schools were first introduced, they provided educators with the opportunity to enrich their curriculum. It was the hope that with this new flexibility educators would be better prepared to help all students regardless of circumstance. Unfortunately, corporate interests have corrupted this process in the pursuit of private profit and the choice and charter model has yet to demonstrate any evidence that it is effective at closing achievement gaps, particularly those underscored by race and family income levels. Our most vulnerable students are not given the same opportunities to participate in quality public schools when wealthy families redistribute their per-pupil funding outside of their neighborhood schools. Further, this puts valuable neighborhood schools at risk of closure due to low attendance. School choice has also led to extremely inequitable transportation issues across the city. Wealthier families have the opportunity to drive their children across town to the higher funded schools, creating traffic and environmental hazards that could be avoided. The hope behind school choice in innovation has not been reflected in the evidence since its creation.

In the next decade, I would like to push DPS to move towards a model that prioritizes traditional, neighborhood schools and a portfolio that funds schools equitably based on need and puts the needs of students above arbitrary test scores.

the ongoing controversy over the firing of Kurt Dennis have dominated headlines about DPS for months. As a board member how would you have responded to these controversies?

I was one of the first members of the Parent Safety Advocacy Group (P-SAG) after the East shooting. It was so impressive to see how the community could affect DPS outcomes. I also co-organized and co-led the rally for Kurt Dennis. Over 350 people attended to showcase their support for Kurt. I believe that all our DPS educators deserve due process before termination. And that we should listen to all community voices.

As a board member, I’ll continue to innovate and lead on difficult issues, with community involvement and support.

Equity is an important and touted value in DPS but Denver’s schools don’t all have the same resources. Do you believe DPS’ portfolio model of charters, innovation schools and traditional neighborhood schools can lead to a truly equitable

district? Briefly explain how you see this model developing in the next decade. The DPS family of schools provides enormous opportunities — if we can ensure access. Transportation for every family to the education opportunities they want must be a priority. The next phase of the model must prioritize cooperation over competition, ensuring that all families have great neighborhood schools so their kids have a chance to succeed.

The Greater Park Hill News October 2023 Page 10
Kwame Spearman

How long have you lived in Denver?

46 years. I attended elementary, junior high and high school in Denver, graduating from Thomas Jefferson in 1984.

List any previous public service positions that you’ve held.

I have never run for office. I am a 35-year public educator.

What are the three main goals you have for DPS if elected?

1. Safe schools and redesigned mental health services for children and school staffs.

2. Transparent and strong organization.

3. Complete focus on teaching and learning; ensuring that our children gain the academic growth that they deserve.

Describe your style of leadership, in 10 words or less. Deep listener. High integrity. Prioritizes responsibility and results.

The shootings at East High School and the ongoing controversy over the firing of Kurt Dennis have dominated headlines about DPS for months. As a board member how would you have responded to these controversies?

As a former principal of East High and Dad of two students at the school, I understand what did not happen and what should have happened regarding the shootings. I would not have voted to remove School Resource Officers from schools without first investing in student mental health and partnerships with our community safety partners that would’ve mitigated the likelihood of shootings. I made a request (along with 16 other principals), prior to the DPS board’s decision to expel SROs from schools, to put those supports in place. The board and leadership did not respond to warnings that the schools were not prepared for these circumstances. Last year, I went to East High School four times to pick up my kids under these circumstances. As a board mem-

Paul Ballenger

paulfordps.com

How long have you lived in Denver?

Three years. I lived in Erie, Colo. prior.

List any previous public service positions that you’ve held.

No elected positions, but I have proudly held the title of US Marine, Firefighter, EMT and Army officer.

What are the three main goals you have for DPS if elected?

My focus at the board level will be on

ber, I would require our superintendent to act, plan with our safety partners, listen to students, staff, and parents, and commit to the types of measures that increase security in our schools.

As a board member, one of my responsibilities would be to ensure that we as board and staff follow our own DPS policies and due process. I’d also ensure that actions as a district are aligned with federal and state laws. Regarding the firing of the principal at McAuliffe, I would’ve required that a full report from an independent agency be developed, reviewed that, and then made a decision to approve or deny the request from the superintendent based on those findings.

I’d note that issues related to equity in the application of disciplinary measures, especially to Black students, is a priority for me. I disagree with lockable rooms as a school practice and, in fact, I demanded that similar rooms be removed from elementary schools in a neighboring school district when I served as chief academic officer.

Equity is an important and touted value in DPS but Denver’s schools don’t all have the same resources. Do you believe DPS’ portfolio model of charters, innovation schools and traditional neighborhood schools can lead to a truly equitable district? Briefly explain how you see this model developing in the next decade.

To me, equity means that people get what they need when they need it. This inherently means that schools don’t receive the same funding, but that we have the responsibility to design a system that allows students to receive the services that they need when they need them. The reality of our district is that about half our schools are “district-run” and the others are either “innovation” or “charter” schools. We need a board capable of directing the district in the complex work of: defining our current context (three months), creating a vision for the future (six months), designing our future system based on this vision (12 months), and distributing resources to ensure that students experience equitable levels of success (18 months).

safety, improving educational outcomes, restoring governance and community building. The three main priorities in the district are safety, student and teacher retention and overall educational outcomes.

Describe your style of leadership, in 10 words or less.

Servant, collaborative and diplomatic leadership focused on representative democracy.

The shootings at East High School and the ongoing controversy over the firing of Kurt Dennis have dominated headlines about DPS for months. As a board member how would you have responded to these controversies?

Not fire him. If he broke any policies by speaking to press he should have been counseled and then provided the resources he highlighted as missing from his school.

The board members that spoke to press about the seclusion room were way out of line with some of their insinuations.

Micah Klaver [who was briefly appointed interim principal of McAuliffe but then put on leave] should be reinstated.

Equity is an important and touted value in DPS but Denver’s schools don’t all have the same resources. Do you believe

Up Close And Personal

DPS At-Large Candidates Forums In October

Educate Denver

Wednesday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m.

Regis University, 3333 Regis Blvd.

Educate Denver is a group comprised of longtime Denver leaders in business, philanthropy, education, faith organizations, public policy, and community development. Co-chaired by state Sen. James Coleman and Rosemary Rodriguez, participants include past DPS board members Anne Rowe, Theresa Peña, Elaine Gantz Berman, Nate Easley and Barbara O’Brien and former mayors Wellington Webb and Federico Peña. Check out the group’s website at educatedenver.org

Lowry United Neighborhoods

Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Eisenhower Chapel in Lowry, 293 Roslyn St.

Lowry United Neighborhoods is hosting a candidates forum for candidates running for the open at-large board seat. Topics to be addressed include board responsibilities, school safety, ensuring student attainment of basic education competencies, the role of “soft money” in campaigns, and more. This forum will be moderated by Lowry resident Todd Neff.

DPS’ portfolio model of charters, innovation schools and traditional neighborhood schools can lead to a truly equitable district? Briefly explain how you see this model developing in the next decade. Yes I believe in equity and the continued need for more effective equity policies in DPS. I believe district leadership should look at several key areas:

1) Resources: Ensure schools are equally resourced with appropriate staff, facilities, technology and equipment. This comes down to proper budgeting, planning and coordination.

2) Ensure we are recruiting and retaining our educators of color. Representation is important and so is mentorship.

3) Break down subdistricts to smaller clusters of schools that can be mutually supporting. Shared resources, best practice and peer leadership/development groups.

4) Bringing innovation centers to disadvantaged communities (i.e. Cherry Creek Innovation Center). These centers focus on a child’s talents and interests, provides exceptional education and training, provides certifications and pipelines 6students into rewarding skilled and great paying careers — here in Denver.

FaithBridge School Talks

The Denver group several planned “dialogue circles” for board candidates in October.

• Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. Montbello High School, 5000 Crown Blvd.

• Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. West High School, 951 Elati St.

• Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. George Washington High School, 655 S. Monaco St. Pkwy.

FaithBridge describes its mission as committed to building and bridging relationships and resources to ensure an equitable and excellent education for every child. The group’s executive leader is Vernon Jones, and the founder is state Sen. James Coleman. Check out the group’s website at faithbridgeco.org.

YAASPA Forum

Friday, Oct. 20 beginning at 5:30 p.m. manuel High School, 1700 E. 28th Ave. Sponsored by Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism (YAASPA). Read more about the group at yaaspa.org.

October 2023 The Greater Park Hill News Page 11
JACK A. VICKERS BOYS & GIRLS CLUB 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Friday, October 27 | 4 - 6:30 p.m. Join us for an evening honoring 10 years of serving kids and teens alongside our community partners! Food, drinks, games, a trunk-or-treat, and fun family activities. Scan to learn more & view our community partners.
Jack A. Vickers Boys & Girls Club at the Nancy P. Anschutz Center 3333 Holly
St, Denver, CO 80207
John Youngquist

Vickers Boys & Girls Club Turns 10

Community Anniversary Party Is Planned For Oct. 27 With Meals, Trunk-Or-Treat And A Celebration Of Community

In 2008, Holly Square, a thriving retail center and social hotspot for almost 50 years, fell victim to gang-related activities and was burned to the ground. Yet, despite the devastation, the community refused to let violence define its children’s futures.

Following the arson at The Holly — as the block at Holly Street and 33rd Avenue is affectionately known — residents of the neighborhood rallied together with city leaders to form the Holly Area Redevelopment Project (HARP). Their mission was simple: to bring connection and healing to a neighborhood scarred by violence through a space that would provide neighborhood kids with safety, education, and opportunity. HARP began exploring ways to nurture the good in their community and bring about social change.

In spring of 2009, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver was welcomed as a partner in this process. It was evident that, in order to help bring hope and healing to the community, its children needed a safe space to socialize, learn, and play.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver turned to one of its longtime supporters, The Anschutz Foundation. The foundation agreed to contribute $5 million towards the capital development of a new community center, named for Nancy P. Anschutz to honor her commitment to Denver’s youth.

The center houses the Jack A. Vickers Boys & Girls Club, along with other nonprofit partners dedicated to strengthening

families and providing positive places for the community to connect and thrive.

The Club provides a safe space for kids and teens to spend time outside of school, offering a range of programs focusing on education, character development, and healthy lifestyles. Every year the club offers more than 500 members opportunities and resources. Members from other Boys & Girls Clubs converge from all over the city for teen nights, holiday parties, tech and photography tutorials, field trips, and competitions.

Over the years, the programs offered have developed and changed, but they have always supported youth development in three foundational areas: academic success, character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Today, mental health is also a key focus. Members are additionally exposed to diverse college and career paths, develop supportive relationships with peers and trusted adults, and develop their socialemotional skills.

“This anniversary marks a decade of beautiful partnership between the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver and the surrounding community partners in Northeast Park Hill,” says Erin Porteous, chief executive officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. “We’re proud to serve in this diverse and vibrant community.”

10-Year Party Is Oct. 27

Everyone Is Welcome

On Oct. 27 Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver is collaborating with surrounding community partners at the Nancy P. Anschutz Center and the Northeast Park Hill community to host a 10-year anniversary celebration for the Vickers Club.

The event is from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the club, at 33rd Avenue and Holly Street. There will be meals, family-friendly activities, a trunk-or-treat event, and the opportunity to connect with neighbors and other community partners. Everyone is welcome.

The Greater Park Hill News October 2023 Page 12
In 2018 singer Katy Perry made a surprise visit to the Vickers Boys & Girls Club during a Denver stop of her “Witness” tour. After several hours hanging out with about 50 Club members, Perry, a longtime partner and fan of the Boys & Girls Club of America, thrilled the kids with comped tickets to her concert at the Pepsi Center that night. Photo credit McLeod9 Creative Club members made this photo into a card for namesake Jack A. Vickers for his 90th birthday in 2015.
E 23rd Ave, Denver, CO 80207 Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm + Saturday-Sunday 11am-5pm always open at kyndredshop.com A Curated, Interior Design Shop
Photo courtesy of Lauren Kamm
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Slow Down: Artists At work

Park Hill Open Studio Tour Is Oct. 14 and 15

Story and photos courtesy of Joyce Nielsen

For the GPHN

You can walk to and from many of the 14 open studio locations on this year’s Park Hill Open Studio Tour.

The studio tour, an annual Park Hill tradition since 2013, is Saturday Oct. 14 and Sunday Oct. 15 and features 24 artists at work in their studios.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, hop on your bike, or take a stroll through the neighborhood, or swing by a few of the studios as you are out and about to meet a few of the talented artists at work in Park Hill, glassblowing, painting, firing ceramics and spinning.

The tour itself is free, but the work is for sale — including handcrafted jewelry, unique wooden art, candles and soaps, pottery, bowls, pots, steel sculptures. Along the way you’ll find paintings of every kind, from watercolors to oils, realistic and abstract landscapes, whimsical animals to felted wool.

A map of individual artists, their studio locations and specialties is at right. (Hint: During

the weekend look for the yard signs making each location.) Brochures with additional information can be picked up at the Art Garage, on the corner of 23rd Avenue and Kearney Street.

14 Studios, 24 Artists, 2 Days

1. 2 630 Ash St. Andrea Cordon: Multimedia abstractions

2. 2 075 Ash St.

Joyce Nielsen: Abstract oil, acrylic, multi-media paintings

3. 1430 Birch St.

Francis mackey: Functional and decorative pottery

Kathy Adams: Handcrafted jewelry

4. 2 610 Dexter St. Rodgers Naylor: Urban and rural landscapes in oils

5. 2 510 Dexter St. Christine Hillhouse: Realistic and abstract oil paintings

6. 4 933 E. 22nd Ave.

Barbara Hoffman: Functional pottery

Sarah Christensen: Handmade functional ceramics

Glenne Stoll: Felted wool, hand-painted canvases

7. 4 857 E. 17th Ave.

Jean Smith: Clay pieces

Rebekah Robinson: Water images

8. 2 044 Elm St. [Enter through alley]

Karrie mcBryde: Glass objects d’art

Cecilia Coats: Fabric and paper collage animals

Suzie White: Fused glass

Joe Trussell: Writer

9. 2 539 Glencoe St. Brian Cotese: Silicone soaps and candles

10. 2 251 Forest St. Joanna Hillhouse: Abstract acrylic paintings

Nancy Cole: Ceramics

11. 2 690 Krameria St. [Enter through alley]

David Haas Howard: Wood creations

12. 2 460 monaco Pkwy.

Susan Tattershall: Wood bowls

Arabella Tattershall: Steel sculptures

13. The Art Garage – 6100 E. 23rd Ave.

Patricia Barr Clarke: Watercolors

Benjamin Sherif Clarke: Acrylics, pastels, watercolors

14. 1705 Newport St. Jamie Gray: Mixed media, sculptures, jewelry, paintings

October 2023 The Greater Park Hill News Page 13 Love how you feel at home. Our signature process makes it easy to create the pace you want. Call to schedule a consultation | gatherandspruce.com | 720.990.5085 More style • More joy • Less disruption Cherstin Toney Creative Director & Interior Designer Search Gather & Spruce on
Pottery by Nancy Cole. Fleurs de Rouge by Joyce Nielsen.
Roadmap Of The Tour E. 17th Ave Colfax Ave. Krameria Dexter St. Elm St. Birch St. E. 23rd Ave E. 26th Ave Montview Blvd. 3 2 1 4 5 6 8 10 9 11 13 12 14 7
Animal creation by Cecilia Coats.
A

aT T he lI brary we Are Still here!

Pauline Robinson Library Closes For Renovations; For Now, Visit Us Across The Street At Hiawatha Davis Rec. Center

The Pauline Robinson Branch Library

officially closed for our long-anticipated building renovation on Saturday, Aug. 26.

The renovation is part of the Elevate Denver Bond, passed by voters in 2017.

It will include an addition to the east of the library that will have a 600 square-foot community room, as well as new public restrooms, two new study rooms and a teen space. The work is expected to take several months; check back in these pages for regular updates.

To learn more about the renovation, visit

our website, denverlibrary.org/paulinerobinson-branch-library-bond-updates.

While the library’s physical space will be restricted for nine months to a year, we will still have a presence in the neighborhood. Thanks to the partnership with Hiawatha Davis Jr. Recreation Center, we will be able to offer limited library services there on Mondays through Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Hiawatha Davis is on Holly Street at 33rd Avenue, just across the street from the library.)

On Tuesdays, our digital navigator will be available by appointment. On Wednesdays, our bookmobile will be at Hiawatha Davis from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. for book checkout.

We look forward to seeing you in our new space soon. As a reminder, the Park Hill, Sam Gary and Ford-Warren Branch Libraries are just a short distance away for your full-service library needs. If you cannot easily access any of our library locations, home delivery may be available to assist you. Reach out to homedelivery@denverlibrary.org or call 720-856-1351 to inquire about eligibility and options.

October In-Person Programs

Park Hill Branch Library

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.

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

Writing Circle | Thursdays 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Group-led adult writing group.

Hispanic Heritage month Papel Picado

Craft | Friday Oct. 13, 2-3

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and learn about Latin America with a themed craft. Come to this hands-on program and learn how to make Papel Picado (perforated paper garland). All materials will be provided.

No Strings Attached Book Chat | Saturday Oct. 14 , 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Read whatever you want, attend whenever you can.

Kids Book Celebration | Thursday Oct. 19, 4-5 p.m.

A monthly book celebration for kids in kindergarten* though 5th grades which meets the third Thursday of every month at 4-5 p.m. We will explore a book, series or theme every month and do activities and crafts related to what we read. *Parents of young children need to attend with their child.

Quaint Holiday Collage Cards | Wednesday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m.-noon

Snip, Glue, Repeat. Enjoy a charming hour collaging handmade holiday cards to give to loved ones.

Talking About Death Won’t Kill You | Saturday Oct. 28, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Do you have a death plan? How do you let your loved ones know your wishes? Consider what you can do while you are healthy and what you want done after you’ve gone. Bringing questions and items of comfort is encouraged.

Greater Park Hill has two public libraries: The Park Hill branch library is at 4705 Montview Blvd. For hours of operation and additional upcoming programs, visit denverlibrary.org/events/upcoming, and select the facility you are planning to visit. The Pauline Robinson branch library is at 5575 E. 33rd Ave. It is currently closed for renovations.

The Greater Park Hill News October 2023 Page 14
CHRISMERMAN Your neighbor with vast experience buying & selling historic Park Hill properties. Simply scan the QR code and receive a FREE home value analysis! I’ve got you covered in Park Hill. 303.358.4294 cmerman@livsothebysrealty.com chrismerman.com
Morgan Barnes, a clerk at the Pauline Robinson Branch Library, surrounded by boxes and empty shelves. Barnes and other employees spent several days in late August packing up books and materials for storage while the library is being renovated. Photo by Cara DeGette
Kate HaKala, DDS 2009 to 2023 Over a Decade of 5280 Top Dentist 425 S Cherry #100, Denver, CO 80246 www.hakalafamilydentisty.com HaKala Family DentiStry 303-321-8967
Rendering of the Pauline Robinson Library renovation. Source: Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure

homecoming heartbreaker

For almost 50 years, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) has been helping Coloradans just like you become homeowners. It’s possible and it’s never too late to start. Start by learning the process. As your knowledge grows, confidence will replace uncertainty. And soon, you could be holding the keys to your new home—imagine that!

“CHFA assisted me in homeownership by equipping me with the knowledge and education necessary when making such a huge decision and commitment. The down payment assistance made it less stressful and provided more assurance in the initial loan process.” -Celize

October 2023 The Greater Park Hill News Page 15 With respect to its programs, services, activities, and employment practices, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or any other protected classification under federal, state, or local law. www.chfainfo.com/tomorrow own a home to house your dreams. own your tomorrow. Celize CHFA homeowner Colorado Springs
It was a tough first loss of the season for East High football on Sept. 8. East Angels took on the Rock Canyon Jaguars in its annual homecoming game at All City Stadium. Angels fans turned out in force, providing a raucous backdrop. It was a hard-fought match, but in the end, East fell by a score of 26-14. Photos by Reid Neureiter East cheerleaders encourage the packed student section crowd to get rowdy. The home-side student section was packed with Angels at All City Stadium as East took on Rock Canyon in its annual homecoming game on Sept. 8. East flag bearers celebrate an early Angel touchdown against Rock Canyon by sprinting through the end zone. East junior running back Sean Campbell stiff-arms a Rock Canyon defender on the way to picking up some ground yards.

In One fall Swoop, It’s Autumn Again

The Height Of Event Season Is Upon Us

I’m breathing a sigh of re…leaf. We’re finally flirting with the finish of a long summer.

I know some of you are saddened by summer’s end, and while I’ll miss the early morning slaps of sunshine and the beams of light well into the night, I absolutely love autumn. There’s the crisp, cool air, the rustling of amber leaves, no more bikini body anxiety, the arrival of football season, bike rides though brisk breezes, corn mazes, pumpkin patches and haunted houses, boots and sweater weather and mountain hikes that meander through whistling Aspen groves.

Autumn is also synonymous with Greater Park Hill Community’s main event season. Between the months of October and November, we’re crazy-busy. We’ve got our annual board meeting and board elections, the Park Hill Community Fall Festival, the continuation of our no-cost farm stand every Monday at 10 a.m. and our annual Thanksgiving Giveaway. And, of course, as you read this we’ll just be recovering from our 45th Annual Park Hill Home Tour & Street Fair. Whew!

Our annual board meeting — which we highly encourage you to attend — takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 2823 Fairfax St. If you can’t be there in person, you may attend via Zoom. Festivities

begin at 6 p.m. with a free reception (beer, wine and food will be served) followed by a presentation highlighting organizational and board activities and accomplishments over the past year.

The meeting also includes honors to our tireless volunteers and community members, plus board elections for Districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 and three at-large seats. If you’d like to run for a board seat, vote in the board election or simply attend the meeting as an engaged neighbor, you’ll find all the details at greaterparkhill.org/join-us/annualmeeting.

Fresh on the heels of our annual board meeting comes the Park Fall Community Fall Festival, Sunday, Oct. 15 at the City of Axum Park at Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Cherry Street.

Fall Fest is a festive, free and familyfriendly gathering that celebrates the amazing block workers who bundle and deliver the award-winning Greater Park Hill News to homes and businesses in and around Park Hill. The festival is sponsored this year by Be Well, the AMP-athy Project, Councilwoman Shontel Lewis and Denver District 8 and runs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Come on over and bring the kids for facepainting, games, bubbles, food and more.

Next month we trot toward our annual Thanksgiving Giveaway. Last year, we distributed more than 10,000 pounds of Turkey Day fixings to nearly 500 families, seniors and students in and around

Essential food Pantry Needs

This year between January and September, visits to our food pantry skyrocketed, and our food shelves desperately need some love. If you’re at the grocery store, please consider donating a few of these items.

• Canned meat

• Cereal and oatmeal

• Pasta sauce

• Canned tomatoes

• Canned/jarred pasta sauce

• Hearty soups and stews

• Canned a nd d ried b eans (especially k idney, refried and pinto)

• Canned vegetables (all kinds)

• Bags/cartons of mashed potatoes

• Pancake mix and syrup

• Cornbread and biscuit mix

• Ramen

• Travel-size toiletries

• Size 4,5 and 6 children’s diapers

• Paper towels, boxes of t issues a nd toilet paper

Our address is 2823 Fairfax St. We accept food and toiletry donations between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and between noon and 5 p.m. on Tuesdays. We also accept donations by appointment. If you’d like to schedule a donation outside of our office hours, please send an email to director@

the neighborhood. We’ll start requesting donations of both funds and food in the coming weeks as we prepare to feed even more struggling families this year. Please consider supporting this huge endeavor as you plan your holiday giving and food drives.

We’ll also have multiple volunteer opportunities to help with sorting, organiz-

Businesses/Churches/ Groups

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church

Brothers BBQ

Cure D’Ars Catholic Church

Curtis Park Deli

Dahlia Campus Farms and Gardens

Denver Children’s Home

Denver Food Rescue

Ivy Street 2200 Block

Mayfair Community Garden

Messiah Community Church

Oneida Street Neighbors

Overture 9th & CO

Park Hill Branch Library

Park Hill Congregational UCC

Park Hill United Church of Christ

Park Hill United Methodist Church

Park Hill Urban Gardens

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

Starbucks

The Urban Farm

Individuals/Families

Carol Ahnen

Celia Alires

Ginny Allen

Raymond Allen

Ally Bailey & Matt McConville

Janey and Harmon Alpert

Surendra Amin

Marie Andrews

Annie and David Pratt

Armand Lebovits and Mona Estrada

Penny Ashley-Lawrence

Katherine Atkins

Laura Avant

Dede Barry

Cathy Bauchwitz

Deborah & John Beltz Wangerin

Simon Blamires

Zana Brown

Jennifer Calderone

Inga Calvin

Deborah Cella

Christina and Dan Manzanares

Christine and Daniel Allen

Liz Clymer

Charlie Curlee

Diane Dash

ing, assembling, distributing and delivering food boxes throughout the month. Watch our website and Facebook page for updates.

Thank you, as always, to our donors and volunteers for your kindness, in-kind and financial contributions, involvement and dedication to GPHC. You are so appreciated.

Christine Davidson Anonymous Donors

Duane and Jean Gall

Ellen Reath and Craig Maginness

Scott Esserman

Steve Farley

Carla Finch

Denise Fisher

Anne & Joe Frank

Mike Freehling

Virginia Fuller

Sandra Garcia

Gary and Carolyn Martyn

Colleen Gill

Bobbi Gillis

Andrea Gordan

Elaine Granata

Eldridge Greer

Tanya L. Greer

Lisa Haddox

Christine Hager

Amy Harris

Adrienne Hill

Jim Hoops

Romi Howell

Adam and Laura Huff

Lee Huntington

Brian Johnson

Kate Johnson

Joncee and Glen Feakes

Liz Jones

Bill Juraschek

Jan Kennaugh

Chris and Sharon Kermiet

John Kerr

Patricia Kimitch

Karen and Steve Kudebeh

Lana and James Cordes

Edward Lapine

Bev Laughlin

Morgan Lemp

Patrice Lewerenz

Leslie Lloyd

Roberta Locke

Lola and Arlen Hershberger

Mary Murphy and John Brink

Matthew and Elizabeth Spohn

Wayne May

Patricia Mead

Rick and Carolyn Medrick

Lori Midson

Norman Mueller and Christy Murphy

Harriet Mullaney

Chris and Erin Nielsen

Patti Kato and Marty Esquibel

Janet Peterson

Samantha Lehni Reeves

Erin Reynolds

Gloria Richardson

Mary Salsich

Karin Schumacher

Adam Scoville

Susie Seawell

Paula Sehein

Kait Speth

Mary Jo Starmer

Johnlyn Stephens

Christopher Stewart

Emma Stewart

Melinda and Scott Stewart

Michele Swenson

Blair Taylor

Karen Thoreaux

Karen Thurlow

Wendi Torres

Angela Vanderlan

Robert and Jean West

Caron Wetter

Linda Will

Sally Wolfe

Debbie Zucker and Brian Field

Food Programs Volunteers

Deb Rosenbaum

Noni Horwitz

Linda Lovell

Emily Clark

Mark Pressey

Elliott Midson

Heather Selph

Carrol Rhead

David Addor

Beverly Miller

Heather Shulman

Claudia Fields

Nam Henderson

Tracey MacDermott

Heather Shockey

Bernadette Kelly

Shane Sutherland

Jacqui Shumway

Amy Harris

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 rep-

• 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

The Greater Park Hill News October 2023 Page 16
gphc c om mand c e n T r al
NOVEMBER 17 - 19 A FESTIVAL ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL ReelAbilities International Film Festival is dedicated to promoting and celebrating awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities.

Jumping Jack Flash

The scientific name of this jumping spider is Cosmophasis umbratica, but it’s more commonly called a green iridescent garden jumper. These types of jumpers are commonly spotted on green vegetation — just look for their brilliant flashes of color. They are mostly active when exposed to sunlight in the morning and the earlier side of the afternoon. This iridescent jumping spider was photographed by Park Hill resident Mark Silverstein on Lembeh, an island in Indonesia. However, with about 6,000 described species in this spider family, jumpers can be spotted all over the world, including in your back yard.

Tricks And Treats

Pet Safety For Halloween And All Year ’Round

Finally, the air is getting a little crisp and by Halloween we will have our usual first dusting of snow.

October is National Animal Safety and Protection Month and with that in mind, here’s a top 10 for keeping your beloved family members safe now and throughout the year.

1. For Halloween and the coming holiday season, keep pets indoors and especially keep away from the door when there are lots of comings and goings. We don’t want any escape attempts or unexpected aggression from fear, anxiety and stress. Make sure all cats and dogs are microchipped and the microchip contact information is kept current so if anyone does escape, they can be reunited when found. And, especially around Halloween, keep your beloved black cats safely indoors.

2. Holiday décor and special plants/flowers can also offer hazards. Decorative displays of pumpkins, Easter lilies and Christmas trees offer a host of temptations to curious canines and felines. Make sure that they do not have access to taste or tear apart displays that can be potentially toxic.

3. Holiday treats and sweets are not meant for pets. Chocolate, especially dark or baking chocolate, can be dangerous, even lethal, for cats and dogs. Xylitol, a sweetener to replace sugar in candies and baked goods, is also highly toxic. Keep all the goodies out of reach of pets and seek emergent veterinary care if any signs of toxicity such as vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, acute weakness or seizures.

4. Retractable leashes should only be used for walking dogs in open areas. They are a source of frequent injury to dogs and their walkers in more crowded situations. For local walks and visits to veterinary offices and other businesses, use a simple leather or nylon leash for better control and safety.

5. Supervise all interactions between young children and pets. Young humans don’t

r eg I s T ra TI on

m embersh I p

2823 Fairfax Street, Denver, CO 80207 • 303-388-0918 • greaterparkhill.org

Complete this form for new membership registration or renewal. You can also register/renew online at greaterparkhill.org/donate

Your Name:

Household Name:

Business Name (if registering business membership):

Address:

Email: Phone:

Individual/Household memberships: [

Business memberships

Any amount your budget allows is deeply appreciated

Would you like to make an additional donation to support our programs? [

Greater

Please make checks payable to Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.

have the ability to see body language cues given when pets are stressed by attention and situations can easily escalate. And, we know masks (and costumes) can be scary. Make sure pets have the ability to get away somewhere quiet when the kids are having fun.

6. W hen all the celebrations are done, make sure that cleanup is immediate. Bones, food scraps and trash should all be out of reach of pets to prevent tempting investigation and tasting. Watch out for package ribbons and strings.

7. Winter weather can make walks challenging when the streets and sidewalks are deiced or not cleared. Make sure to clean paws and remove any snow balls. Use unscented baby wipes to clean off any possible chemicals. Baby wipes are great all year round to clean paws, legs and underbelly to reduce any environmental allergens that can lead to itchy skin as well.

8. W hen the weather does get cold, remember if it is too cold for you to stay outside, then it is also too cold for your pet to be outside for long periods of time.

9. Safety inside your home is also key. Pet proof your life by making sure that all harmful chemicals and cleaners are stored out of reach of pets. Many detergents, cleaning agents, automotive fluids, gardening products, paints and glues can cause significant issues if ingested, and also can be an irritant if inhaled or in contact with the skin and fur.

10. Human medications are a huge source of danger for pets. All prescription and over-the-counter medications, but especially birth control, beta blockers, topical prescription cancer and dermatological ointments, ADHD medications, antidepressants, and cholesterol-lowering medications, should be stored out of reach.

Be safe out there.

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.

October 2023 The Greater Park Hill News Page 17 b ugland | m a rk Silverstein p a rk hI ll Ve T
] Individual
] Sponsoring
] Other
or Family ($35) [
($100) [
$____
(Include
[ ] Non-Profit
]
listing on web directory):
($150) [
Business ($250)
]
]
] Greater Park Hill News $____ [
Food Programs $____ [
General Programs / Operations $____
a
Park Hill Community, Inc. is a 501(c)(3). Our tax ID number is 84-6049695. You will receive an acknowledgment and tax receipt. Members receive our monthly email communication. GPHC will not sell/release your information for any purposes and you may opt out at any time.
nnual

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

Active Minds

The organization’s mission is to expand lives and minds by providing outstanding educational programs. Check out free lectures on topics ranging from music to history, current events to foreign affairs. Active Minds currently offers both virtual and inperson programs at venues around the city, including in and near Park Hill. 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

6:30 p.m. at 2823 Fairfax St., It is the annual meeting and election of board members of GPHC, Inc. Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 plus three at-large seats are up for election. Check greaterparkhill.org/join-us/annualmeeting/ for information on how to participate in person and online. The November meeting is Thursday, Nov. 2.

Libraries

denverlibrary.org

See the “At the Library” feature in this month’s issue for updates and resources offered by the Park Hill and Pauline Robinson branch libraries.

Northeast Park Hill Coalition

The Greater Park Hill News October 2023 Page 18
Serving Park Hill and saving marriages since 1979. Licensed General Contractor 303.324.6250 • kujawaconstruction.com Markets Change but... Our experience and expert guidance have not and we will bring you Home! Contact us today! Judy Wolfe Realtor® 303.549.6406 Jay Epperson Realtor® 303.886.6606 www. wolfe-epperson.com   

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

GUTTERS

Cleaning, repairs, and replacement. Gutter Cleaning prices start at $150 – House, Garage, Porches, and walks. 303-907-9223 / skmehaffey@gmail.com

MASONRY SERVICES

Brick, Stone, Concrete repairs, restoration, tuckpointing, chimneys, retaining walls, city sidewalks; planter boxes. 303-907-9223/ skmehaffey@gmail.com

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

Interior, exterior, small jobs welcome; sheetrock repairs and texture. 303-907-9223/ skmehaffey@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: Pil2011@partnersinliteracy.org.

RENTAL INSPECTIONS

For landlords looking to get their rental license. Visit havensinspects.com or call 720498-3612

ROOfING

Repairs, Inspections, Flashings, Hail Damage, and reroofing. Licensed, bonded and insured. Gutter replacement and cleaning. 303-907-9223/ skmehaffey@gmail.com

SKI & SNOwBOARD CARE

www.centralparkskiboardtuning.com Ski and snowboard waxing and tuning. Free pickup and delivery to residence. Visit website or text Brett 303-929-7294

TREE TRIMMING

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

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

Window and Gutter Cleaning. Call Bob at Twin Pines Window Cleaning 303-329-8205

Design

October 2023 The Greater Park Hill News Page 19 gphn c l ass I
eds 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 www.CitySideRemodeling.com Twenty years of experience working with Denver’s classic homes Numerous Park Hill references 720-338-0748
f I
and Renovation Specialists
4628 E 23rd Ave, Denver CO 80207 www.honeyhillcafe.com • 720 242 6048 Full indoor and patio seating available. OpEn EvEry DAy At 7Am Wine and local beers • Happy Hour daily HOUSE CLEANING Providing 25 years of personalized cleaning service in Central Park & Park Hill Paulina Leon 720-628-6690 Deep & Detail-Oriented Cleaning • Offices/Homes/ Apartments/Airbnb • Move-in/Move-out • Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products (upon request) • Magnificent References Prep, power washing, professional. Owned and operated by Park Hill resident with over 20 years experience • Free estimate • Senior citizen and veteran discount. JR Painting 720-485-7207 or jpabz04@gmail.com InteRIoR & exteRIoR PaIntIng MAYFAIR VISION CLINIC Dr. Janice I. Jarret Adult and Children’s Vision • Complete Visual, Eye Health and Glaucoma Testing • All Types of Contact Lenses • Frames with One Year Guarantee • Most Insurances Accepted • Free Adjustments and Minor Frame Repair • 15% Discount for Senior Citizens 303.333.9898 1336 Leyden Across from Safeway FALL IS COMING! Do your double-hung windows open, stay open? I can fix them & insulate them. Other Questions? Call David, experienced restorer! 720.550.2786 4624 East 23rd Ave., Denver DE ntA l Arts 5280 Best Dentist 2022 cosm E tic & fA mily DEntistry thomas J. croghan D.D.s, P.c. 303-377-8662 complete and comprehensive dental care for the whole family! 5280 Best Dentist 2023 Ireland’s Finest Painting Co. Bringing Color to Park Hill Years + 10% OFF all interior jobs performed in December - March 2024 (303) 512-8777 irelands nestinc.com We’re Getting Busy, Call Today!
The Greater Park Hill News October 2023 Page 20 Get your New eGress wiNdow 720.626.4221 www.DenverEgressWindow.com Financing options: 12 Month/No interest/no payments • 5.99% 3 years Call our office to set up your free estimate Not valid on prior estimates; Offer may not be combined with any other sale, promotion, discount, coupon and/or offer Compass Real Estate Denver Compass Real Estate Denver Art Garage Art Garage Ben Lusz, PorchLight Real Estate Group Ben Lusz, PorchLight Real Estate Group Bruz off Fax Bruz off Fax Davis Investments, LLC Davis Investments, LLC Division One Construction Division One Construction Ed Moore Florist Ed Moore Florist Friends in Cabinetry Friends in Cabinetry Long Table Brewery Long Table Brewery Applebaum Architects Applebaum Architects A HUGE thank you to our 2023 Home Tour & Street Fair Sponsors. Their A HUGE thank you to our 2023 Home Tour & Street Fair Sponsors. Their in-kind and financial contributions make this event possible. Please give in-kind and financial contributions make this event possible. Please give some love to these businesses that support our community. some love to these businesses that support our community. Mark Baker, Equity Colorado Mark Baker, Equity Colorado Mary Gerwin, PorchLight Real Estate Group Mary Gerwin, PorchLight Real Estate Group Mayfair Liquors Mayfair Liquors Montessori Children’s House of Denver Montessori Children’s House of Denver Montview Presbyterian Church Montview Presbyterian Church Nestman Orthodontics Nestman Orthodontics Seto Family Denistry Seto Family Denistry Sexton Lawton Architecture Sexton Lawton Architecture Sexy Pizza Sexy Pizza SunShare Community Solar SunShare Community Solar Tighe Brothers Distillery Tighe Brothers Distillery Keith Combs 720-218-9614 Jaden Combs 303-324-1437 www.Combssellhomes.Com with over 45 years in Denver real estate, we’re here to help you navigate this ever-evolving market. on the market 738 S. Grape St. $719,950 Sold 25 n downing St., Penthouse #1 $2,300,000 Under ContraCt 2552 e. alameda, Unit 132 $2,395,000 Sold 1736 leyden, Park hill listing $1,299,000

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