It is hard to believe that it is already a year since UpDoNA’s first commissioned mural was completed. As a reminder, the mural, a whimsical representation of Upper Downtown Denver, anchored in “Colorado essence,” sits at the base of the access ramp to the Path that sits off Speer Blvd, between Stout St and Colfax Ave.
During the past year, we have had only one instance of graffiti, which artist Conner Choi quickly remedied. If you’ve visited the mural, you’ll know that at the base of the mural is a bordered bed that is mostly overgrown with weeds and wild vegetation. In preparation for the mural’s installation last year, Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR) was kind enough to clear that vegetation. Well, over the last year, it has started to grow back, obstructing a portion of the mural.
One of our goals in our Strategic Plan is to make sure we plan for necessary maintenance on the art projects we bring to Upper Downtown. In keeping with that, we reached out to DPR for help. And DPR was quick to offer assistance.
We scheduled a volunteer date on Saturday, October 18, when DPR representative William McBride met up with us in his truck, stocked with weeding implements, shears, trash bags, and weeding gloves! We had 14 volunteers ❤️ ❤️❤️. The picture to the left is our volunteer group along with Mr. McBride from DPR (center). From left to right, we have Adrienne, Marci, Kerry, Carolyn, Sue, Jorge, Sal, Silvia, Sofia, Mark, Lisa, Sheryl, and Brent. [Not pictured is Jeff (taking the picture)] You can see us hard at work in the picture to the right.
After we finished cleaning up around the mural, we continued our volunteering by helping to clear up part of the Cherry Creek Trail. The Cherry Creek Trail is a gem located in the middle of our city, decorated with murals, vegetation, and the calming sound of running water. We encourage UpDoNA members to visit not just our mural, but this inner-city oasis.
Our committee plans to re-visit the mural site on a quarterly basis to continue to maintain its appearance. Within the next week or so, DPR will be laying down mulch and planting low-height wildflowers to enhance the site. Thanks again to our DPR partners.
Thumbnail attribution: Jackie Bunce
