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CONTACT INFORMATION
Emergency 911
Non-Emergency Dispatch 303-658-4360
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City Council Members
Nancy McNally Mayor nmcnally@ westminsterco.gov
Sarah Nurmela Mayor Pro tem snurmela@ westminsterco.gov
Claire Carmelia ccarmeli@ westminsterco.gov
David DeMott ddemott@ westminsterco.gov
Obi Ezeadi oezeadi@ westminsterco.gov
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Your hub for City happenings, stories, and neighborly advice at westminsterco.gov /TheWesty
Amber Hott ahott@ westminsterco.gov
Kristine Ireland kireland@ westminsterco.gov
HAPPENING Hi storic NOW IN Westminster
Blink too slowly and you might miss it. There’s a lot happening south of 76th Avenue between Federal and Sheridan boulevards that Westminster residents can look forward to. Historic Westminster is a crucial area of focus for improvements to resident safety, utilities, recreation, and overall quality of life. With more than a dozen projects taking place over the next four years, Historic Westminster will look a lot different in the near future.
This summer, the City recently completed a $6 million modernization of Swim & Fitness Center (3290 W. 76th Ave.), which staff endearingly refer to as the heart of Historic Westminster. With new fitness areas and equipment, community rooms, and recreation programming, these new amenities and an emphasis on ADA upgrades have increased the facility’s accessibility for residents.
Young people in Westminster can soon enjoy a brand new modern, ADA-accessible playground at Irving Street Park (7392 Irving St.). With inclusive play structures, an art and exploration theme, and an adjacent outdoor classroom, the project is expected to be completed in 2025.
The MAC (3295 W. 72nd Ave) is also home to a new playground for the growing preschool program held there, while adults can look forward to new indoor pickleball courts expected to open in 2025.
“As Historic Westminster continues to be a focus for the City of Westminster, we in recreation wanted to be part of that success and ensure
we continue to focus on providing wellness opportunities for the residents in the area,” said Recreation Services Manager Tim Lachermeier.
Not all projects are so easily visible. To provide more reliable drinking water service, Westminster’s Public Works and Utilities Department has replaced aging water mains along Newton Street, south of 72nd Avenue. Lowell Boulevard and West 72nd Avenue will also receive similar water main replacements.
Meanwhile, City staff will be engaging the community about designing a safer 72nd Avenue Corridor for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. Roadways will soon include bike lanes and traffic calming measures to reduce speeding as well as improved sidewalks for pedestrian travel.
The most significant investment will be the construction of a new, modern Municipal Courthouse that is safe, secure, and ADA-accessible.
"In the new courthouse, residents will immediately notice improved accessibility, including ADA-compliant entrances and features that ensure easy navigation of the building," said Facilities and Projects Coordinator Dana Kester. "Security will be enhanced with better separation between public areas and secure zones for court personnel, creating a safe environment for all."
Construction on the new facility, which will be located on the same campus as the current courthouse (3030 Turnpike Dr.), is slated to begin in 2025.
City Manager Jody Andrews has been a champion for investments in Historic Westminster during his decade of service with the city.
"Listening to the community and making investments that matter to the residents and
businesses in Historic Westminster is a shared goal of mine, City staff, and City Council," said Andrews. "Investing in Historic Westminster aligns with our mission of providing high-quality service and amenities to all residents. Now is the time for action, and we are committed to working with the residents and businesses of Historic Westminster to do the things that matter to them.”
One of Westminster’s most historic buildings will also see new life. Ed and Kyle Knudson, father and son co-owners of Barquentine Brewing Company in Edgewater, will soon open a second location in Historic Westminster’s Rodeo Market building. The Knudsons have leased the building located on 73rd Avenue between the Vicki Bunsen Sculpture Garden and Westminster Grange Hall. Their future site named “The Barque” is a place they hope will bring the community together.
“We don’t want people to think of this as a restaurant or a bar,” said Ed. “It's a community gathering place.”
The Barque will serve as Barquentine’s second taproom and first kitchen, where a unique family recipe known as bierock will be made on site and served at both locations.
Establishing a taproom in Historic Westminster holds special meaning for Ed, who grew up blocks away from Westminster City Hall and attended Westminster High School. “I'm a Westminster native and it felt right when we walked in the door here.”
Beyond aesthetic details including façade design, roll-open bay doors, a patio, and open floor plans, Ed’s vision for The Barque is growing. “Our goal is to revitalize this block. We want this block to be like the cool place to come, not only for the neighborhood, but, you know, expanding out to other areas.”
Westminster’s Economic Development team shares Knudson’s goal of transforming the 73rd Avenue corridor. Back in 2022, the City surveyed residents to determine what they wanted to see in the future of the Rodeo Market. Residents overwhelmingly chose a restaurant as their top choice, and staff engaged more than 80 restauranters searching for a good fit before landing on Barquentine.
“We want to be a good neighbor, and I think that’s why we are so willing to invest in this site,” said Economic Development Manager Stephanie Troller. “We want this to be a catalyst to support the local economy on 73rd Avenue.” But before that can happen, the Rodeo Market requires several crucial improvements.
“As part of the lease, the City is responsible for all landlord improvements to the building,” said Troller. The renowned property was listed as a Historical Landmark in 2006 so basic working systems like electric, as well as heating and cooling will need substantial upgrades to be brought up to modern City building codes. The Barque is projected to open for business in 2026, and it won't be long before residents can add a craft beer taproom to the growing list of attractions in Historic Westminster.
For a closer look at Barquentine Brewing Company, and how they cook up dozens of delicious Bierocks, scan the QR code.
Three monumental City projects will take shape in Westminster next year, improving how we live, play, and work. Read more about each project below and scan the QR code to sign up for email updates about construction progress, outreach opportunities, and traffic and trail detours.
After decades of resourcefulness operating the current courthouse which was originally used as City Hall and a police station, it is time to replace the facility with a new purpose-built courthouse. The new facility, located on the same campus as the current Westminster Municipal Courthouse at 3030 Turnpike Drive, will be safe, secure, and accessible for all. It was designed with the help of a community advisory team comprised of neighbors, community organizations, and Historic Westminster businesses. The project also includes enhancing the courthouse campus with a new playground, park space, and public seating areas.
The current courthouse will continue to be used until the new facility is built, and then the old courthouse will be deconstructed before the new parking lot and site
improvements are completed. Construction on the project is expected to begin in late spring 2025 with an anticipated opening date in 2026. The full campus is expected to be completed by 2027.
Westminster is building a new drinking water facility to support safe, clean, and reliable drinking water in our community for generations to come. The new facility will be located near 98th Avenue and Westminster Boulevard and will require two partner projects for its success. One is a water supply line project to bring water in from Standley Lake to the new facility for treatment. The second project is a finished water line which will add new, clean water from the facility into our distribution system. The new facility will also support the future phase-out of the current Semper Water Treatment Facility as it nears the end of its operational life.
You can meet the project team at an open house in spring 2025 and learn what to expect during construction. All three partner projects are expected to kick off in 2025, with the entire project expected to be operational in 2028
The City is also investing in one of Westminster’s major waterways and the environment around it in the heart of City Park. This large-scale project includes planting more than 400 native species trees, restoring Big Dry Creek’s flood resilience, installing a pollinator flyway corridor in coordination with the Butterfly Pavilion, as well as an outdoor classroom, and a wetland boardwalk.
Construction started on this project in 2024 with the addition of two new water quality ponds along the northern side of City Park, and the transformation of City Park Pond into a reclaimed water pond to help improve irrigation water supply sustainability.
With the partnership of Mile High Flood District and a grant from the Colorado Water Conservation board, work has already started to stabilize erosion along the streambanks, which will continue through winter. Please be mindful of pedestrian detours on Big Dry Creek Trail during construction. Trail detours will continue through summer 2025, and the project is expected to be completed in summer 2026.
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE
We ’re here to help! For general inquiries and assistance, contact a Community Assistant.
Turkey Fryer Safety
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 303-658-2400 (then press “0” from the menu options)
A reminder from the Westminster Fire Department that Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires. Fire departments receive up to three times the amount of these calls during the holidays, so please do your part to prepare food safely. If you’re thinking of frying your turkey, here are some helpful tips to make sure you don't turn your Butterball into a fireball!
Thaw your turkey
Distance the fryer from your house
Do not overfill the oil. Use only enough to cover your turkey
Turn the burner off before lowering the turkey
Lower the turkey slowly to avoid splashes
Turn flame on once the turkey is safely settled in the pot
Give Back to our Community
Watch our safety video by scanning the QR code.
Colorado Gives Day is Tuesday, December 10. As part of the statewide fundraising effort to support nonprofit organizations, please consider donating to the Westminster Community Foundation (WCF), formerly the Westminster Legacy Foundation.
By fostering collaboration, transparency, and inclusivity, WCF aspires to make a meaningful difference and inspire others to join in the journey toward a better, more equitable future for all. By giving to WCF you are supporting efforts, good works, projects, and programs that bolster and enhance youth development and student success, food and housing security, and Westminster’s parks and environment.
To donate visit: westyfoundation.org or scan the QR code.
Christmas Tree Recycling
When it's time to take down your Christmas tree, consider recycling it so the City can turn it into mulch for use in public spaces and parks! Westminster residents can drop off trees at the lower parking lot of City Park Fitness Center (10475 Sheridan Blvd.) from December 25 through January 25, 2024.
There is no fee to drop off trees, but please remove all decorations, ornaments, plastic bags, and tree stands before using the self-service site.
For more info visit: westminsterco.gov/ christmastreerecycling or scan the QR code.
Winter EVENTS
www.westminsterco.gov/events
Stocking Stuffers Sale
November 29 – December 24
Discounted passes for recreation centers and golf courses on sale
www.westminsterco.gov/ StockingStuffers
Holiday Lighting Ceremony
Saturday, December 7 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
City Hall 4800 W. 92nd Ave.
Presented by Intermountain Health
Associate Sponsor: Amazon
City TownTelephoneCouncil Hall
Thursday, December 5 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Holiday Luncheon
Thursday, December 12 Noon
The MAC 3295 W. 72nd Ave.
$25 (Register by Nov. 21)
Sponsored by Cigna
Free Fitness
Week
January 1 – 7
Free access to recreation centers & fitness classes
Presented by Intermountain Health
Partner Event: Home Town Christmas In Historic Westminster
Friday, December 6 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Russell Park
Honoring Firefighters 7290 Bradburn Blvd.
Toy Exchange
Saturday, December 14 2 – 4 p.m.
College Hill Library 3705 W. 112th Ave.
All ages
One Book Westminster
Community-wide reading program
January – April
Multiple locations
Westminster's Public Works and Utilities Department is tasked with plowing more than 1,100 lane miles of road to keep residents safe during winter storms. It takes a team of trained and dedicated operators starting as early as 2 a.m. to get a jump on each storm.
After primary and secondary streets are cleared, priority is given to streets adjacent to hospitals,
J-SHAPED PLOW
Designed to throw snow off to the side of the road, each plow is 10 feet wide.
The average driving lane in the city is 11-12 feet wide, so it takes multiple passes to completely plow a road. A road that’s three lanes wide takes about five passes to completely clear.
police and fire stations, schools, RTD bus routes, and busy intersections, as well as hills and curves on residential streets. Residential streets only receive service if snow accumulations are greater than eight inches and after the above priorities are addressed.
Regardless of accumulation
totals, Street Operations Superintendent Brock Hufford says his staff is always ready to keep our community safe.
“We’re there until the job is done and the roads are clear,” Hufford said. “Once we start, we’re in it for the long haul.”
Learn more about Westminster’s snow and ice removal policy by scanning the QR code or visiting westminsterco.gov/SnowRemoval.
OUR DRIVERS
Street operations and utility staff make up most of the snow removal team.
A
CLOSER L K YOU COULD NAME THE NEXT SNOWPLOW!
The City uses de-icing salt compounds including sodium chloride (NaCl) like your basic table salt, but with much larger crystals. Sand is not used on the roads due to the high cost and substantial environmental impact.
The City uses four different suppliers for its road salt mix, to ensure there’s always a supply of material even if there are logistical challenges with suppliers.
The City stocks more than 6,000 tons of salt mix for the winter storm season.
V-BOX
Equipped to our standard dump trucks and holds up to eight tons of coarse road salt
Scan the QR code to submit your punniest name for a snowplow and follow us on social media to vote for your favorites! The two winning names will be added to our fleet this winter, joining last year's winners, Clearopathra and CTRL+SALT+DELETE.
SADDLE TANK
Holds up to 800 gallons of liquid deicer. This eco-friendly compound is sprayed on as salt is applied to the road and expedites the melting process for snow and ice.
As temperatures drop and snow begins to fall in Westminster, Jack Nichols and Brandy Friesen head outdoors to shovel snow off sidewalks and driveways for their neighbors. When summer returns, they’ll be out picking up litter with friends and family as a fun outdoor activity.
With 15 years of combined experience in Westminster’s volunteer program, both residents appreciate the City’s support and multitude of opportunities to help our community.
“The people that we're helping, they're so appreciative,” Friesen said. “They come out during the wintertime just to say thank you and how much it means to them that we're there to give them a hand. For our [summer] cleanup, we get our neighbors involved. We get a group out there and pick up the open space behind our house, and then we have a barbecue or grab a drink. It's fun to just be able to hang out with a few of our neighbors and do something good for our neighborhood together.”
Friesen and Nichols are just two of the nearly 2,300 City volunteers that contribute thousands of hours to our community each year. Westminster proudly maintains one of the more robust volunteer programs along the Front Range, with more than 40 different programs and opportunities for volunteers of all ages and abilities.
Martha Heinz, Westminster’s volunteer
coordinator, said people are getting much more than just service hours out of the program.
“People stay with us for 20-plus years because of the connections they make with staff, other residents, or even the people that they help,” Heinz said.
There's no better way to meet other people, like-minded individuals with similar interests, than by volunteering. “ “
Regardless of age or ability level, the City offers a wide range of opportunities from working with our staff in the greenhouse, and helping out with Westminster’s fun seasonal events, to contributing to archiving projects at our libraries, and serving as a victim’s advocate in the police department.
“There's really something for everybody, including our youth,” Heinz said. “So if they're looking to obtain hours for their honor society, they can do that here. Many of our opportunities have reduced minimum age requirements to 16 years old.”
school student Emmanuel Bakom has made the most of his time on Westminster’s Youth Advisory Panel, where he volunteers throughout the city and participates in local government.
“Last year at City Hall we did the holiday lighting event, and I was working with the kids visiting Santa,” Bakom reflected. “I got to see their faces light up every time, and it made me want to volunteer more because I saw the joy on their faces and how I can actually have a positive impact on my community.”
Each year, City staff honors volunteers with an annual dinner to thank them for all their time and effort. At this year’s event, Jeannie Jones was named the City’s 2024 Volunteer of the Year for her frequent participation and incredible work in moulage, crafting realistic — and sometimes gruesome — special effects makeup to help improve training for our fire and police departments.
Jones said she found her creative volunteering niche after participating in Westminster’s
Jeannie Jones
2024 Volunteer of the year
Citizens Academy and recognizing a way to help out while also receiving some valuable training alongside public safety professionals.
“For me, it's a win-win-win,” she said. “I'm providing a service."
“ “ I'm having so much fun, I am learning like crazy, and I'm helping people.
To find your niche and start volunteering with the City of Westminster, fill out the application online using the QR code, or swing by City Hall to fill out a paper application and meet our staff. Volunteers can select their own shifts and try out a variety of opportunities.
“The fact that we're a smaller city makes it feel a little more personalized. We get to know volunteers a little bit more, like on a first name basis,” Heinz said. “We also reinvest in our volunteers. We provide training opportunities for them throughout the year. The reason we are where we are and the success of the program is because of all of those individuals that are part of the program and genuinely care about our community.”
2023 Stats:
29,289 active volunteers
2,263 service hours
$931,416.17 in taxpayer money saved
High
Banana Goat Apothecary
3975 W. 73rd Ave.
Winter Soap Gift Box – $24 Show The Westy Magazine to get a 10% discount
Gift box includes six half-size bars of Winter Line fragrances including: Candy Cane (Peppermint), Santa's Cookies (Snickerdoodle), Christmas Cheer (Christmas Tree), Happy Feet (Cracklin Birch), Winter Wonderland (Frosted Flowers, Woods & Citrus), and Gingerbread.
Bella Macaron
12910 Zuni St., # 700
10% off assorted 12 pack macarons (normally $30-$33) or 6 pack macarons (normally $15-$16.50)
Olde Town Exchange
5670 W. 88th Ave.
Jewelry Sale – Get $10 off your purchase of $50 or more
Olde Town Exchange is an upscale women’s consignment store offering designer brands for less, including all varieties of jewelry from sterling silver and gold, to Native American and designer brands.
STY
Westminster businesses Interested in participating in future opportunities? Submit contact information here: 4 5 6 5 4 6
Cherry Blossoms Florist
9975 Wadsworth Pkwy., Suite F
10% off – Receive 10% off any purchase up to $100 in December.
*Holiday arrangement pictured costs $100
Missing Piece Puzzle Exchange
7188 Lowell Blvd., # 1
10% off – Show The Westy magazine for 10% off any holiday puzzle.
Missing Piece sells and rents a wide variety of jigsaw puzzles for all ages from 300-5,000 pieces. Most prices range from $14.95 – $29.95
Butterfly Pavilion
6252 W. 104th Ave.
Give a charitable gift and help support science and education at the Butterfly Pavilion. Your donation directly contributes to research, conservation, and education efforts of invertebrates here in Colorado and globally! Donate at: www. butterflies.org or scan the QR code.
