Westy Connection Spring 2024

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CONTENTS

One-Stop-Drop Recycling Westminster's Sustainability Center Coming Soon Neighborly Advice

Westminster: a place to play New Parks, Playgrounds & PickleBall Courts in the Works

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Ten timely tips for gardening in Westminster

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SPRING EVENTS GUIDE

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fire with fire

WFD Breast Cancer Survivor sparks change statewide

14

Which City Councillor Are You?

Play a Game to Discover Which City Councillor You Are Most Like

Connect with Us

VISIT www.westminsterco.gov

CALL 303-658-2400

FOLLOW US

@CityofWestminsterColorado @WestminsterParksandRecreation @WestminsterFireDepartmentCO @WestminsterPolice @WestminsterLibrary @StandleyLakeRegionalPark westminster.colorado

@westminsterco @WestminsterPD @WestyFire

CONTACT INFORMATION

Emergency 911

Non-Emergency Dispatch 303-658-4360

City Hall (General Inquiries) ... 303-658-2400

City Manager’s Office 303-658-2006

Economic Development 303-658-2108

Golf (Legacy Ridge) 303-438-8997

Golf (Walnut Creek) 303-469-2974

Libraries (College Hill) 303-658-2601

Libraries (Irving Street) 303-658-2301

Municipal Court ................ 303-658-2250

Parks/Recreation 303-658-2192

Standley Lake 303-425-1097

Water/Sewer Breaks (24/7) 303-658-2500

City Council Members

Nancy McNally Mayor nmcnally@ westminsterco.gov

Sarah Nurmela Mayor Pro tem snurmela@ westminsterco.gov

Claire Carmelia ccarmeli@ westminsterco.gov

Obi Ezeadi oezeadi@ westminsterco.gov

Kristine Ireland kireland@ westminsterco.gov

Amber Hott ahott@ westminsterco.gov

David DeMott ddemott@ westminsterco.gov

Starting this spring, recycling in Westminster is going to get a lot easier. Instead of driving to different smallscale sites

throughout the city, residents will soon be able to take all of their recyclables, including hard-to-recycle items, to one central place: Westminster’s new one-stop-drop sustainability center.

In early 2024, Westminster City Council approved plans to establish the facility at 6020 West 91st Avenue, which is located within a 10-minute drive for more than 80 percent of Westminster residents. To manage the facility, the City is partnering with SustainAbility Recycling, a company that has a proven track record with similar operations in Arvada and Broomfield. The organization not only cares about protecting our planet for future generations, but they also prioritize helping people now by offering work opportunities for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Once the facility opens later this spring, there will be signs directing traffic to make sure dropping off your recyclables is as smooth as possible. You will be able to drive up to the compactor and place single-stream recycling items inside including cardboard, paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass. The compactor will be emptied a few times a week and the contents will be sent to Republic Services for processing. Hard-to-recycle items will be accepted in a separate area, collected in containers, and brought inside at the end

of the day, keeping the facility clean and organized. The hard-to-recycle items will then be taken to various locations for processing.

Examples of hard-to-recycle items that will be accepted include electronics, paint, and Styrofoam. Your unwanted electronics will be sent to certified e-waste recyclers who will break down your items in an ethical manner without compromising any personal data left on the device.

The dedicated staff members at the Westminster sustainability center are passionate about protecting our environment and want to share that passion with the community. The center will eventually be available for field trips and other community tours to demonstrate the environmental benefits of recycling.

A grand opening date for the facility has not yet been determined but will be announced to the community as soon as possible. After the sustainability center has opened, the following recycling drop-off locations will be decommissioned after a 30-day transition period:

Fire Station 1: 3948 W. 73rd Ave.

Municipal Services Center: 6575 W. 88th Ave.

Municipal Court: 3030 Turnpike Dr.

West View Recreation Center: 10747 W. 108th Ave.

To learn more about the new sustainability center, please visit our website: www.westminsterco.gov/ sustainabilitycenter, and be sure to check back regularly for details about the grand opening.

NEIGHBORLY ADVICE

We ’re here to help!

For general inquiries and assistance, contact a Community Assistant.

Hard-To-Recycle Items

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

303-658-2400

(then press “0” from the menu options)

While Westminster works to open a sustainability center for residents, in the meantime you can find information on where to drop off hard-to-recycle items in the Westy Waste Guide. It’s simple:

1. Scan the QR code

2. Type in what you want to recycle

3. Click “search”

4. View results on where you can take your item

Safely Coexisting with Coyotes

Please be aware that springtime and warmer weather mean more wildlife activity in our open spaces and trails. During this time of year, coyotes are more active in Westminster as they protect and care for young pups born in April and May. Here are some tips for peaceful coexistence with our coyote neighbors:

Recreate during daylight hours to reduce the chance of encountering coyotes, which are most active at dusk and dawn.

Keep your dog leashed during walks.

Remove attractants such as pet food and water from your yard.

Secure trash cans with a locking lid or wait to put out trash until pickup day.

Never approach wildlife.

If approached by a coyote, do not turn and run. Be as big and loud as possible and throw rocks or sticks to frighten it away. Face the coyote and back away slowly.

Sign Up to Receive Emergency Alerts

Westminster residents in Jefferson and Adams counties can sign up for LookoutAlert to receive information from local authorities during emergencies. You can choose to receive your alert via text, email, and/or voice message. Please sign up at: westminsterco.gov/EmergencyAlerts

Westminster has always been a place that values creating opportunities for our vibrant community to play and learn in outdoor spaces. After a year of engaging the community and listening to your input about play features, design, and more, residents have plenty to be excited about when it comes to upcoming park improvements.

Westminster’s Director of Parks, Recreation and Libraries (PRL) Tomás Herrera-Mishler said there are many projects in the works as the City continues to provide opportunities for outdoor fun.

“Following the guidance we have received from the community, the City of Westminster is making very important investments in our park resources, making sure our city is a great place to live and play,” he said. “New playgrounds will be springing up across the city, along with upgrades and expansion of our most loved outdoor spaces.”

England Park Corridor (7190 Osceola St.)

One of the most expansive park renovations in the works is in Historic Westminster. With the help of community input, the City’s PRL Department closed out 2023 by developing a revised master plan for the England Park corridor. Residents voiced support for expanding the community garden, a new natureinspired playground, and enhancing the area

around the historic Bowles House to add shade structures and seating areas.

Further down Little Dry Creek, the plan notes improvements to the dog park, a bicycle pump track, obstacle-course style fitness equipment, and expanded parking for the ball fields. The City hopes to work with business owners across Little Dry Creek to facilitate murals on the back sides of buildings to beautify the area.

Phase one of the England Park Corridor master plan is slated to begin construction in 2025.

Park Expansion & Playground Improvements

After a robust community engagement process, the City’s PRL Department has drawn up plans to expand Stratford Park (10951 Harlan St.) adjacent to the former Sheridan Green facility. According to design professionals, the park will nearly double in size once the structure is removed. The resulting expanded community green space will include the existing ball fields, tennis facilities, some newer playground features, as well as additional amenities to be determined.

Two of the City’s older parks are also slated for improvements. Thanks to community input from on-site engagement events in fall 2023, Oakhurst Park (9311 Lark Bunting Dr.) and Bishop Square Park (8150 Hooker St.) will see upgrades to their playground

Proposed playground structure for Squires Park

equipment. Designs are currently being drawn up, and a key goal is to provide at least 20 percent ADA-approved playground equipment, which is double the federal guideline of 10 percent.

Additionally, the playgrounds at Somerset, Trailside, and Sherwood parks will also be replaced with new play structures and surfacing beginning this summer.

Downtown Center Park (5755 Park Pl.)

Design on one of Westminster's most anticipated parks is nearing completion. Downtown Center Park will include features unique to the city's first-ever park in an urban space. A combination of natural grass, shade trees and artificial turf spaces will create an oasis in Downtown Westminster. Future plans for the park include summer concerts, a beer garden, winter ice skating, as well as play structures, and public art that reference the beloved balloons of the former mall that occupied the site.

“It's a really good balance between activated heavy-use spaces and more relaxation areas where we can just enjoy being in the outdoors and enjoy this beautiful, amazing place that we get to call home,” Herrera-Mishler said.

New Pickleball Facility near Municipal Court (3030 Turnpike Dr.)

As part of the larger project to build a replacement Municipal Court building, the area near U.S. 36 and Federal Boulevard will soon offer an exciting new amenity. After supply chain and weather delays, the new pickleball courts are expected to be surfaced and ready for play in summer 2024. According to landscape architects on

the project, the courts will have lights for nighttime play and will feature xeric landscaping from the City's greenhouse staff.

With all these improvements underway and many more on the horizon, Herrera-Mishler said Westminster is making good on its promise to provide the best experience possible for residents seeking recreation. “All of these projects help to further the mission of PRL to create vibrant opportunities for nature, wellness and literacy throughout our city.”

Learn more about the projects by scanning the QR code. For a full list of parks and amenities in the city visit: westminsterco.gov/FindAPark

With so many great parks in the City of Westminster, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Throughout the month of March, our most popular parks and open spaces will compete for your vote in a head-tohead bracket competition where you can win fun prizes! Just scan the QR code to make your picks and follow the City of Westminster on social media to find out which park will win it all!

TIMELY TIPS

FOR GARDENING IN WESTMINSTER

e are still months away from the warmth of summer, but there are plenty of early spring tasks to complete in the garden to ensure a successful growing season. The City of Westminster is committed to this goal each year, and our dedicated horticulture team and 12,000-square-foot greenhouse are key to accomplishing this. The Briggs Greenhouse Center located at 7152 Raleigh Street in Historic Westminster is used to produce more than 45,000 plants each year. This includes flowers, as well as herb and vegetable

seeds for the city’s annual and perennial gardens, flower beds, pots, and community gardens. Very few municipalities along the Front Range own a greenhouse, making Westminster’s horticulture program unique.

The greenhouse benefits the community by providing beautified landscapes and habitats for pollinators, in addition to introducing an increased number of drought-tolerant plants to the city.

The greenhouse is managed by staff from Westminster’s Parks, Recreation, and Libraries Department who work year-round to grow and maintain the plants. Horticulture Crew Leader Chris Borchers sits at the helm, overseeing all the city’s landscapes and gardens. As she and her team sow seeds of plants that will beautify the city in 2024, Borchers shared ten helpful tips for home gardeners in Westminster to consider in March and early April.

PERENNIAL PLANTS/SHRUBS/TREES

Wait to prune perennials and rake leaves until late spring, ideally April or May. Old stems and leaves provide cover and homes for beneficial insects, birds, and small mammals.

If there hasn't been much precipitation, water young plants and trees carefully throughout spring on days with abovefreezing temperatures.

Select and find retailers for plants ideal for Westminster’s heavy clay, alkaline soils, and erratic climate, such as Turkish Veronica, Chocolate Flower, or Red Yucca through the Plant Select website: www.plantselect.org

VEGETABLE GARDENING

Plan your garden plots and pots. March is a great time to order veggie seeds or cool season starter plants from respected local retailers or online catalogs.

Start growing summer veggies indoors now. Tomatoes, squash, and pepper varieties benefit from early starts and longer grow times.

Once you transition your plants outdoors, sow some flower seeds among your veggies to attract pollinators. Black-eyed Susans and Cosmos are great choices.

CITY OFFERINGS

Attend an adult gardening class at The MAC (3295 W. 72nd Ave.) The one-hour classes take place Tuesday nights and cover a range of gardening topics. Learn more in the Spring 2024 Activity Guide.

In addition to providing residents access to a seed library, which offers free plant seeds to residents, Irving Street Library provides classes on beekeeping (May 4), composting (May 18), as well as garden pest and disease control (June 15).

Register for a “water-wise” garden program through Resource Central, a non-profit organization the City partners with to provide residents with conservation focused programs including xeriscaping. Learn more at www. westminsterco.gov/conservation

Pick up some free mulch for your garden from the City’s self-serve site located at 9920 Westminster Boulevard from March 1 to November 1 while supplies last. Mulch reduces watering and weeding needs and improves soil quality in your garden beds.

SPRING EVENTS

www.westminsterco.gov/events

St. Baldrick's Day

Sunday, March 24 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Yacht Club Salon 6350 W. 92nd Ave.

Donate at: events/westminster2024www.stbaldricks.org/

Adult Egg Hunt

Age 21+

Saturday, March 23 4 – 7 p.m.

Walnut Creek Golf Preserve 10555 Westmoor Dr.

Tickets:gov/specialeventswww.westminsterco.

Westminster Arts Week

April 20-28

Various times and locations

PotterySpringSale

Saturday, May 4 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

City Park Recreation Center 10455 Sheridan Blvd.

Armed Forces Day Ceremony

Saturday, May 18 10 – 11 a.m.

Armed Forces

Tribute Garden 6001 W. 104th Ave.

Movie in the Park: Barbie

Friday, May 24 7 p.m.

City Park 10455 Sheridan Blvd.

Sponsored by Intermountain Health, Xfinity and Yogurt Brothers

Great Global Cleanup 40th Anniversary

Saturday, April 20

Various locations

Register at: gov/specialeventswww.westminsterco.

Sponsored by Waste Management & O’Toole’s Garden Center

Summer Block Party

Friday, June 7 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Historic Westminster

Sponsored by Premier Members Credit Union

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.

Fire F re

Whether it’s dousing flames or providing emergency medical treatment, the Westminster Fire Department (WFD) is always prepared to answer the call. The City’s firefighters and paramedics go through countless trainings practicing techniques that save lives.

However, no amount of physical conditioning could have prepared Lieutenant Tracy Post to fight a fine-print battle that could save the lives of other breast cancer survivors just like her.

In 2019, after working her way up from a civilian secretary role at WFD to being considered for lieutenant, Post was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. Although the diagnosis was hard to hear, she wasn’t going to let all her hard work go to waste.

“It's pretty devastating to know that you're going to have to fight this one all by yourself, because we pride ourselves in the fire department of being very familial,” Post said. “But from then on it was a whirlwind.”

Post, who had spent six years testing to become a firefighter and then another two years to become a paramedic, was thriving in her role but had to come offline and within weeks underwent a double mastectomy.

Although Colorado is fortunate to have the Colorado Firefighters Heart, Cancer, &

Behavioral Trust, which provides cancer benefits to the state’s firefighters, Post soon discovered that breast cancer was not one of the five types of cancers covered by the Trust, nor was it listed in the presumptive cancer bill that was previously passed through the state legislature.

“It’s crushing,” Post said. “You’re sitting there and you're thinking to yourself well, first of all, cancer itself is very, very emotionally draining. But you're also thinking to yourself, why? Why is my cancer not the same? Cancer is cancer. Cancer doesn't care that I'm a female and you're a male. Cancer doesn't care.”

Between three-week rounds of chemotherapy treatments, Post began to work tirelessly partially due to chemo-induced insomnia researching occupational cancers for firefighters and building a case to appeal the Trust’s decision not to cover breast cancer treatment.

Although her initial appeal was voted down by the board of trustees due to technicalities in how the rules of coverage were written, Post’s well-researched case for coverage was enough to pique the interest of several members.

“I was basically given two choices,” she said. “We can table it and you can come back when everything's all done or strike while the iron is hot and the momentum is there. I was afraid that if we waited, the momentum would stop. And I was really afraid that if we waited, that somebody else would get sick.”

After nine months of appeals and seemingly endless research rabbit holes, the Trust eventually voted unanimously to add breast cancer coverage for firefighters statewide. It was Post’s continued research that ultimately built a strong case that high rates of breast cancer among female firefighters could be linked to workplace hazards.

“I really do feel like I found the end of the internet because I searched for everything,” she said. “It was my third time in front of that Trust panel. I said this is all the new information I have, and this is how these fire carcinogens are linked to breast cancer, specifically showing this population has a greater chance of breast cancer because of these than the average person does. It was the best, most satisfying, fulfilling moment of my entire life.”

Even though her relentless work will have a lasting impact on firefighters now and in the future, Post said she was driven by those women who came before her and fought the disease, such as Westminster firefighters Susan Jones and Della Sullivan.

“The fire service is where we really just want to do good things,” Post said. “We just want to help any which way we can. I never ever, ever thought when I was a secretary and became a firefighter … I never had any idea that I would be able to effect a change that would umbrella the entire state of Colorado, and I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to even be a part of effecting that change.”