First Creek In The News
StudioCPG is pleased to see our First Creek Restoration project in the news.
StudioCPG is pleased to see our First Creek Restoration project in the news.
Article below from www.denvergov.org: original link
Denver unveils 198 acres of open land near DIA
First Creek at DEN is next to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National National Wildlife Refuge
By, Joe Vaccarelli
Denver Parks and Recreation deputy manager Scott Gilmore often walks his dog through the open space near East 56th Avenue and Pena Boulevard next to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, and about two years ago he had an idea.
Gilmore approached Denver International Airport — which owns the land — about Parks and Rec taking over management of the area and turning it into the largest city-controlled open space in Denver.
“I’m always looking at opportunities to grow our open space or our park system”“I’m always looking at opportunities to grow our open space or our park system,” Gilmore said. “In a city that is landlocked, we don’t have opportunities to add.”
After two years of work, Denver Parks and Recreation and DIA last week dedicated 198 acres of open space called First Creek at DEN that will preserve the land, provide a link to the wildlife refuge and serve the nearby neighborhoods of Montbello, Green Valley Ranch and Parkfield.
DIA still maintains ownership of the property, but the land will be managed by Denver Parks and Recreation.
“It’s a small sliver of our property, but a big opportunity to allow public access into our open areas,” said Heath Montgomery, spokesman for Denver International Airport. “To develop part of our land for public benefit is a great thing for us.”
According to Gilmore, the city committed between $30,000-$40,000 for some minor restoration to the parking lot and trash cleanup.
Gilmore said he and his wife — City Councilwoman Stacie Gilmore — often came across debris that had been dumped in the open space because there was nothing cutting off vehicle access. But now the city has gated off vehicle access from the parking lot.
The city has already leveraged the site to get funding for projects to further enhance the area. Denver Parks and Rec was awarded $700,000 from the Federal Lands Access Program to create access points into the arsenal, which is one of the largest urban open spaces and wildlife refuges in the country.
Parks and Rec also received $50,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for the restoration of prairie grassland habitat, the removal of fence line and construction of a new trail.
“For such a small investment, we brought two agencies together and we were able to really make a huge difference,” Gilmore said.
Green Valley Ranch resident Connie Claypool drove out to the new open space last week to ride her bike through the area and noted how few opportunities she has to ride through places like this near her home.
“This is a new place to take us on some adventures,” she said. “I’m so excited.”
Fellow Green Valley Ranch resident Rose Thomas lamented all the open space that had been lost to development in the 20 years she has lived in the area. She said she is so glad to see this land preserved and enjoyed seeing the cattails and the hawks flying overhead when she went to visit.
“I was even more excited as I strolled along the path and enjoyed it first-hand,” she said. “I hope to see more of northeast Denver’s stunning prairies protected in this manner.”
“I was even more excited as I strolled along the path and enjoyed it first-hand”In the future, Parks and Rec would like to extend a path being built through part of the open space that runs underneath Pena Boulevard and East 56th Avenue out to the 61st and Pena station. The trail would then give people access from the station directly to the arsenal.
“We could not be more pleased to partner with the city and county of Denver to connect First Creek at DEN Open Space with the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge,” refuge manager David Lucas said in a statement. “As our population becomes increasingly urbanized we must create opportunities like this for urban residents, particularly kids, to connect with nature.”