Westy Connection Fall 2023

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Forty Years of FrightMARE Westminster's renowned attraction celebrates four decades of scares

4 Fall 2023

It's Recreation, Not school!

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Fungi Fortune:

The story of Westminster's Adults find fun and mushroom tower community in lifelong WWW.WESTMINSTERCO.GOV learning programs

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CONTENTS 4

It's Recreation, not school!

Adults find fun and community in lifelong learning programs

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Progress On the New Drinking Water Facility

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FALL EVENTS guide

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Forty Years of Frightmare Westminster's renowned attraction celebrates four decades of scares

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Neighborly Advice

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Hope on the green Legacy Ridge hosts new golf program for military service members

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Fungi Fortune: The story of Westminster's mushroom tower

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Connect with Us VISIT www.westminsterco.gov CALL 303-658-2400

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Get Connected with the westy Word Blog Your hub for City happenings, stories, and neighborly advice at www.westminsterco.gov/ TheWestyWord

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City Council Members

Nancy McNally Mayor

nmcnally@ westminsterco.gov

David DeMott Mayor Pro tem

ddemott@ westminsterco.gov

Bruce Baker

Lindsey Emmons

Obi Ezeadi

Sarah Nurmela

Rich Seymour

bbaker@ westminsterco.gov

lemmons@ westminsterco.gov

oezeadi@ westminsterco.gov

snurmela@ westminsterco.gov

rseymour@ westminsterco.gov

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It’s Wednesday morning and class is about to begin. The excitement is palpable and everyone is happy to be here, surrounded by friends. The students aren’t talking about what to wear to homecoming or hatching a plan to miss curfew. Perhaps in the back of their minds, they’re thinking about what to make for dinner or are trying to remember if they closed the garage door. This is Beginning Tap class at The MAC and it’s not for kids — it's for adults!

The City of Westminster offers many adult learning programs that are designed to fulfill your curiosity. Maybe you always wanted to try ballet, maybe you've been wanting to reenact that unforgettable pottery scene from “Ghost,” or maybe you would love to play lead guitar in a rock band.

Whatever your passion, it’s not too late, and Westminster is here to help get you started.

Jennifer Jensen, a recreation specialist with the City, loves creating different adult learning programs. “Life's 4

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rough,” she said. “I think that giving yourself the opportunity to do something that you enjoy helps get through the negative.

I think we need an outlet for our mental health. We’re giving you a safe opportunity to do something you enjoy.”

JORDAN ALLEY AND CHELSEA FRITTS THROW CLAY AT THEIR FIRST WESTMINSTER POTTERY CLASS.

Lena Murphy-Colm, who teaches dance, agrees. Her Beginning Tap class attracts adults of all ages, including some in their 20s. She thinks classes of any kind — be it her dance class or one of Westminster’s many other offerings — are important for young adults. “People in that age group need a release and quite often they don't have a release from the daily grind.

You know, day after day: wake up, eat, go to work, come home, cook, eat. I think that release is so important. It gives your brain a break from some of the monotony as well.”

On the surface, Nancy Mungia, a busy mom of two, doesn’t seem like someone who would take a beginning guitar class. But that’s part of why she signed up in the first place. “I have two young kids at home and kind of felt

STUDENTS EAGERLY WATCH AS MARTHA COFRAN DEMONSTRATES HOW TO MAKE A PLATE USING HER POTTERY WHEEL.

like I was losing myself,” she said. Mungia’s husband took the class first and one day he asked for her help figuring out the tune.

She has a background in music, so while he was showering, she picked up his guitar and was able to play the song he was trying to learn. “I just kind of enjoyed getting back into that musical side,” she said.

The thought of trying something new as an adult can be scary, especially if you’re doing it by yourself. Jan Weller has been taking tap class for years and has some familiar advice for people who might be scared to take a class: “Just do it. You just have to do it, and if you do it once you'll be great.”

LENA MURPHY-COLM SHOWS HER TAP CLASS HOW TO BUST A MOVE.

GUITAR TEACHER HENRY SHERMAN FEELS THE RHYTHM WITH HIS CLASS.

Patti Barnes, one of Weller’s classmates, agrees with that mentality. She says she was nervous with the “first-dayof-school jitters” when she enrolled in Beginning Tap, “but, I just push myself to do it. I’ve never regretted trying something new.”

Jensen says the fear of signing up for a class alone shouldn’t stop you. “Even if you don't have friends that want to do it, you might meet some new

friends; you might meet a significant other.” Jensen says she’s heard of people who go into a class hoping to learn a new skill and come out with a life partner.

Before teaching pottery, one of the City’s most popular classes, Martha Cofran had an entirely different career in engineering. After her children grew up, she decided it was time to follow her pottery passion. She has advice for people who might be afraid to try something new. “Nobody is born knowing how to do anything. We all started out in the same place.” She likes to remind her students that “it’s recreation, not school. You’re going to learn but have fun too.”

Although it might sound like a cliché, Mungia says adult classes really are about having fun. “Everybody is learning and it’s ok if you mess up. Just have fun and find confidence in your desire to do it.”

This fall, the City is offering a variety of adult learning classes. Scan the QR code below to view a detailed list and to register for classes.

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DRINKING WATER FACILIT Y PROGRESS ON THE NEW

Beginning in fall 2023, work will begin on a new, modern water treatment facility in Westminster that will reliably provide 15 million gallons of water per day (MGD). The new facility will be built on property the City acquired on Westminster Boulevard just north of 98th Avenue, a site that had been previously destined for development. The new drinking water facility will allow Westminster to retire portions of the Semper Water Treatment Facility, the aging water treatment plant located off 90th Avenue and Pierce Street that was built over a half-century ago.

When the community raised concerns about affordability, the City carefully reevaluated the project to ensure it could continue to deliver clean and safe drinking water in a financially responsible manner. City staff identified nearly $100 million in cost savings after analyzing updated water consumption data and rightsized the facility to meet Westminster’s reduced water treatment needs. The City also significantly cut water rates for all residents, and capped future rate adjustments to 4.5% or less annually over the next ten years.

The 40-acre site will allow the City to add additional treatment technology and processes as future regulations and detection capabilities change. While the City has not seen detectable levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in its water supply, the new facility will be able to incorporate new treatment systems as the technology and regulations standards are developed.

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Modern Technology to Protect Westminster’s Water

The new facility will provide enhanced treatment processes including modern filtration design and mechanical systems to actively remove particulates from the water. Ozonation is an additional process that may be included in the facility based on City Council’s approval. Ozonation provides a second layer of disinfection against bacteria and viruses, reduces heavy metals including iron, manganese, and lead, and addresses pollution related to wildfire and algae blooms.

The Project is Underway

Design of the new drinking water facility, including enhancement of the trails adjacent to Hyland Ponds Open Space, is already underway and scheduled for completion in late 2024. The facility is expected to begin treating water by spring of 2028. The City will launch an environmental assessment this fall with public comment taking place from September 12 through October 12.

Additionally, a public open house event will be held on October 5.

Scan the QR code for more details.

F a m il y D a

FALL EVENTS

We have tons of fall fun lined up for this season! From our new week-long cultural arts event in Historic Westminster to Westy Fest at City Park, or Boo at the View at West View Recreation Center, there is something for everyone to enjoy as the leaves change.

For a full events calendar, scan the QR code above, or visit: www.westminsterco.gov/Events.

Ci ty Co u n ci l To w n Ha ll Thursday, Sept. 21

| 6:30 p.m.

Crown Pointe Acad emy 2900 W. 86th Av e.

Oakhurst Park C o m m u n it y B B Q

West mins ter Arts Week Sept. 23-30

k West Oakhurst Par g Dr. ti n n 9311 Lark Bu

Veterans Da Ceremony y

Friday, N

ov. 10 | 10 :3

0 a.m.

Armed F orces T 6001 W. ribute Garden 104th Av e.

y, Sept. 16

nce

| 6:30 p.m .

City Park Recreati on Ce 10455 Sh eridan B nter lvd. $10/resid ent $13/non-r esident

re Park a u q S p o h is B BBQ C o m m u n it y Thursday,

Sept. 28 |

5 p.m.

uare Park Bishop Sq er St. ok o H 8150

Find the full schedule and more information at www.westminsterco.gov/ SpecialEvents

. 12 | 3 p.m.

Thursday, Oct

Saturda

We sty Fes t

B o o a t t h e v ie w

Saturday, Oct.

28 | 3 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 21 | 12 p.m.

West View Recr eation Center 10747 W. 108th Ave.

City Park 10455 Sheridan Blvd.

Sponsored by Westminster Federal Credit Union

Presented by Intermountain Health, supported by Premier Members Credit Union, Xfinity, NMAA, SCFD, Smile Heroes of Denver, and School of Rock Broomfield

H o n o r th e L a n d & S tr e a m s

11 | 8-11 a.m.

Saturday, Nov. Citywide event ember 1 Register by Nov

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“Dad passed back in 1999, and the family kept it going,” Holder said. “It was too cool to let it die, and until this day, it’s still a family-run business.”

Holder’s father bought the property when it was just old swamp land, and slowly but surely turned it into the unsettling scene that makes up the haunted compound today.

“My dad was a straight entrepreneur and just fell in love with haunted houses,” Holder remembered. “He would set up mini haunted houses in his backyard for his parents and friends so my dad was in the haunted house game since he was 10 years old!”

There

is a place in Westminster where it feels like Halloween yearround. Drivers who are unfamiliar with 108th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard might think they’re looking at an abandoned farm on the side of the road, but residents of Westminster know this spot is home to something much more sinister.

Generations of Coloradans have made terrifying memories inside the wooden barn and set of structures on site where props from some of the most iconic Hollywood horror movies are on display. The Frightmare Compound has been a community tradition since 1983, and this Halloween, the renowned attraction is celebrating 40 years of fright.

Josh Holder, the current owner, has been running Frightmare for decades to carry out the legacy of his father, the mastermind behind the haunted attraction.

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In addition to a cast of characters lurking around the site to scare guests, each scene features eclectic items Holder’s family has collected over the years, including real vehicles, historic mining and farming equipment, and even a small airplane. Holder also gets some help from the experts in Tinseltown.

“We have guys in Hollywood that make custom props for us. These guys that are building for anything from "The Exorcist" to "Halloween," they got off a scene there and go make something for Frightmare,” Holder said.

It’s not just Hollywood that Holder draws inspiration from. He and his family travel the world looking for the newest and most terrifying ways to captivate guests, and it requires some homework too.

“We study a lot of the science of fear. We try to hit all five of your senses. We want to make sure that you’re stepping on something weird while smelling something that you see, while something is touching you.”

Each year, new scenes are added to the attraction, and for the 40th anniversary celebration this Halloween, Holder has found a frightening way to pay homage to Grace Church in Arvada, the group Holder’s father initially worked with to start the haunted house.

scream and don’t make it through!”

Frightmare opens for the season in late September and is open through early November. For pricing and ticketing information visit: www.thefrightmarecompound.com.

Four decades later, that small group of church members has grown into a cast and crew of more than 100 people. Holder begins hiring in August or September, holding what he refers to as “monster auditions.”

“It’s like America’s Got Talent, but zombiestyle!” he exclaimed.

When you think of Halloween in Westminster, Frightmare likely comes to mind. The small business draws in big crowds of people looking for a good scare each season.

“I want to thank Westminster because these are the people that have been there with us through thick and thin,” Holder said. “It’s a great community here and I love the fact that it’s a staple in Westminster. It’s just cool to see these grandparents who are now bringing their grandchildren here 40 years later.”

Speaking of children, Frightmare recommends their attraction for those 12 years or older, but there are always exceptions.

“We have little kids younger than 12 that go through and have a great time, and we have grown men that WWW.CITY0FWESTMINSTER.US WWW.WESTMINSTERCO.GOV

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NEIGHBORLY ADVICE ’

We re here to help!

For general inquiries and assistance, contact a Community Assistant.

Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

303-658-2400

(then press “0” from the menu options)

Leaf and pumpkin recycling event Saturday, Nov. 4 & Saturday, Nov. 11

is live The City of Westminster’s government access channel is back! Westy TV is transmitted over the Comcast cable system on Channel 8 in Westminster. Tune in for live City Council meetings and videos showcasing City events and programs. Westy TV is on the air 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For technical support, please contact Comcast.

10001 Alkire Street | 8 a.m. to noon.

Westminster residents can recycle bags of leaves and pumpkins for free. Please bring leaves in bags; plastic bags will be emptied and returned to the resident, and compostable bags or paper bags can be put in the bin as is.

Staff will be onsite to facilitate the event. No other debris is accepted in the leaf recycling bins. Pumpkins must be free of paint and decorations, including candles. This event may be impacted by weather.

Before you go, check for updated details at: www.westminsterco.gov/ TreeLimbRecycling

Best Places to See Fall Colors in Westminster Skip the drive to the mountains and enjoy the changing fall foliage in our own backyard! Whether you want to take photos or just take in the beauty of the colors, Westminster's Forestry team compiled a list of the best leaf-peeping spots in the city.

Mushroom Pond (10978 Federal Blvd.)

Margaret’s Pond (104th Ave. & Legacy Ridge Pkwy.)

Semper Farm Open Space (92nd Ave. & Pierce St.) check out westminSter's fall colors here!

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Need a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant?

We’re here to help with all your health needs and concerns.

A primary care provider (PCP) is the first person you go to for health questions and concerns. When you choose one of our PCPs, you form a relationship with someone who knows your history and is here for you, year after year. Your primary care provider is your partner in health through every stage of your life and we’re here to help you find someone just right for you.

“PCPs are generalists who see babies, kids and adult patients for common ailments including respiratory infections, headaches, back pain, rashes and urinary infections,” said Angela Bryant, PA-C, a PCP at SCL Health Medical Group - Westminster. “They also manage chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, anxiety and depression.

A PCP can teach you ways to stay healthy, treat you when you are sick, and help you get more advanced care when you need it.”

“A PCP can teach you ways to stay healthy, treat you when you are sick, and help you get more advanced care when you need it.”

You should establish care with a PCP who truly listens to your concerns, offers advice and allows you to make decisions regarding your health that you both think are best.

“Even if you have never had a primary care provider, developing a relationship with one now will allow you to reach out to someone who can give advice if you are not feeling well, as well as give you recommendations to keep you healthy for the future,” said Angela.

Scan the QR code to learn more about primary care services offered at SCL Health’s Medical Group clinics

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buddies,” Coach V said. “This program helps our veterans develop their game and get more comfortable being out there on the course so they can enjoy playing the game of golf.” n a sunny Saturday

Throughout the six-week

morning the practice

program, participants worked

area at Legacy Ridge Golf

on a variety of skills including

Course is buzzing with activity,

putting, approach shots,

and the crisp Westminster air

course management, and

echoes with the thwack of golf balls being struck.

golf etiquette. The program

A class of 10 participants varies

hole round and graduation

concluded with a nineceremony for the participants.

greatly in both age and skill level ̶ from 20s to 70s and

Jay Millar, who served in the

from beginner to avid golfer

U.S. Army as a specialist in West

̶ but they all are united by

Germany, said he made new

their experience serving our

friends and gained confidence

country.

PGA HOPE is an instructional golf program for veterans and active duty military designed to support social, emotional, and physical well-being. The no-cost program welcomes those of all ages, branches of service, and golf abilities to develop their game and enjoy time among new friends in their community.

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Westminster’s inaugural PGA HOPE program was hosted by Legacy Ridge Golf Course this summer, where participants received six weeks of instruction from PGA HOPE Certified Instructor Visanu Tongwarin, also known as

with each session he attended.

“I’ll never be a pro, but I golf for connection,” he said. “We gained some confidence out here, and that makes the game a lot more fun. With a lot of veterans programs,

“Coach V”.

the purpose is connection. I

“Golf is a good game to bond,

my street who I didn’t know

do something with your

even met a guy that lives on before.”

With the success of Westminster’s first PGA HOPE class, Coach V and City staff are looking forward to expanding the program and offering more golf opportunities for veterans in our community.

“One veteran came up to me and said he thought people Les Scott, a 20-year Navy veteran, came into the program as a beginner golfer wanting to learn enough to keep up with

forgot about veterans until he saw what we were doing here at Legacy Ridge with PGA HOPE,” Coach V said. “With

friends on the course.

this program, I want people to

“I thought it was an awesome

you guys, you are not alone out

program,” he said. “I’ve played with friends over the years, and sometimes they’re embarrassed to have me play with them. But coming out here one of my biggest goals was to improve enough to get comfortable. My eyes have been wide opened compared

know we did not forget about there, and we want to enjoy this game with you and your fellow servicemembers.”

To learn more about golf instruction, courses, and tee times in Westminster, visit www.westminsterco.gov/ GolfWestminster.

to how I played before. It will be nice to go out and actually keep score this time.”

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FUNGI

FORTUNE Towering 50 feet over Federal Boulevard south of 112th Avenue stands a historic landmark that may spark curiosity among Westminster residents and prompt the question, “Why is there a big can of mushrooms in Westminster?”

The Savery Savory Mushroom Farm water tower is the last remaining structure from the enterprise of one of Westminster’s most storied entrepreneurs, Charles William Savery, who built and operated a successful mushroom farm in the city from 1923 to 1953.

“Water towers have not been landmarked in this state very often, so it’s special that this one was notable enough to be preserved,” said Linda Graybeal, president of the Westminster Historical Society. “The fact that Savery had the insight to paint it like a can of mushrooms for advertising purposes was huge.”

COURTESY: WESTMINSTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY

To understand the story of the water tower is to understand the story of Colorado’s “Mushroom Magnate,” Charles Savery.

Savery was born in 1878 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. While little is known about his childhood, he and his wife eventually moved out west

Charles Savery

after the failure of his lumberyard operation in Philadelphia.

Once settled in Denver, Savery successfully dabbled in mining investments and eventually

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purchased a farm north of Denver in unincorporated Adams County. While he could have retired with his profits from the mining industry, the retirement lifestyle didn’t suit Savery, so he embarked on a new enterprise.

By the 1920s, mushrooms had become a popular delicacy in America. Originally introduced to the United States from France in 1902, mushrooms quickly became a staple of fine dining. Savery was no stranger to savory fungi, as his boyhood home of Chester County produced about 80 percent of the nation’s mushrooms. Savery even had a cousin in the business, from whom he picked up a few tips.

In 1922, Savery and a business partner started growing mushrooms discreetly in a building underneath Denver’s 20th Street viaduct. It didn’t take long before Denver Police shut down the operation due to “unpleasant odors” from the copious amounts of manure used to fertilize the crop.

The ever-determined entrepreneur decided to expand his underground mushroom business by establishing a proper farm on his property near the town of Westminster. He was initially told by horticulture experts that he was doomed to fail because Colorado’s dry, sunny climate was inhospitable for mushrooms. After three years of hardship, Savery took his son Robert back east for eight weeks to figure out a way to prove the experts wrong.

“He did not know what the word ‘no’ meant,” Graybeal remarked. “He said, ‘Fooey on you guys, I’m going

to study and make this work.’”

“The water tower was really key. Not only was it necessary for the growing operation, but

Savery returned to Colorado with fresh ideas

it supplied the whole community that had

that would lead to his fungi fortune. He

been built,” Graybeal said.

designed and built long grow houses, complete with a rudimentary air conditioning and

Although the mushroom company

humidifying system that used damp strips of

experienced decades of booming success,

canvas and electric fans to circulate cold, moist

a series of fires in the 1940s unfortunately

air throughout the darkened room.

decimated the property. An aging Charles Savery eventually retired from the business

As the mushroom crops grew, so did the farm.

in 1953 and moved to Longmont after the

Savery eventually constructed 32 mushroom-

death of his wife.

growing buildings known as “caves,” 15 residences for employees, 25 adobe structures

The Savery Savory Mushroom Company

for paid laborers, a schoolhouse, a general store,

stopped operations after Charles retired, and

a four-acre baseball field, tennis courts, and a

the buildings began to fall into disrepair.

water tower to supply the entire operation.

Over time, most of the structures were either torn down or collapsed. Today all

“His vision was an entire community around

that remains of the enterprise is the water

this,” Graybeal said. “I know some descendants

tower, which marks an important site in

of the people that worked there, and they all

Westminster’s history.

speak favorably of it. Even though children most likely worked on the farm,

“Those that were stubborn and tenacious

he was big on education. He really

and had a dream that they were willing

looked after his people.”

to sacrifice for ̶ the true definition of an entrepreneur ̶ they made our community

By 1930, Savery had taken his 80-acre

what it is today,” Graybeal said.

farm in present day Westminster and turned it into a company town that

The water tower was placed on the Colorado

supplied the entire region with food

State Register of Historic Properties in

products in high demand. As the only

2005. A year later, the City of Westminster

mushroom facility between Kansas

commissioned a historically accurate

City and the Pacific Coast, the Savery

restoration of the tower including fresh paint

farm was wildly successful. Savery’s

showing the advertising for Savery Savory

Great Western Mushroom Company

Mushrooms.

eventually established facilities operated by Charles’ sons in Los

The water tower is owned and maintained

Angeles and San Francisco, and

by the City of Westminster, and the park on

by the mid-1930s, the iconic green and

which it stands is open to the public.

yellow cans of Savery Savory Mushrooms were being shipped all over the western

To learn more about historic

United States.

landmarks in Westminster, scan this QR code.

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PRSRT STD

City of Westminster

4800 West 92nd Ave. Westminster, CO 80031

U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 32 Westminster, CO 80031