Summer is just around the corner and there will be so much to do to enjoy downtown. The official Summer Kick-Off Celebration for the 16th Street Mall will be a two-day event on May 31st and June 1st , from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Please plan to celebrate the mall opening and enjoy the IFSC Speed Climbing World Cup at Clock Tower, Kids’ Adventure Zone, Grand BAZZAR market, Beer Garden, food vendors, live music, artists, and more. UpDoNA will have its spot on the mall for the two-day event. Make sure to stop by and help us celebrate!
UpDoNA Board of Director Positions
Please consider running for the UpDoNA Board of Directors. Help us continue the important work that is necessary to keep Upper Downtown a great place for everyone who lives, works, and plays here. Please contact me at lisapope@updona.org or Gil Vondrasek at gilvon2001@gmail.com with your intent to run.
Mark your calendars for the UpDoNA Annual Meeting.
UpDoNA’s Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 4th, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., at West Saloon and Bar located at 501 16th Street – corner of Glenarm and 16th Streets. Please join us for delicious food, drinks, and some special guests. You will also be introduced to the newly-elected UpDoNA Board of Directors. Watch your emails in the coming weeks for an EventBrite link.
Additional Resources for Downtown Denver
As you know, Mayor Johnston announced his Safe Downtown Action Plan. You should be seeing the bicycle team, foot patrol, mounted police, security officers, and park rangers monitoring the 16th Street Mall and the areas between 14th and 17th Streets. In addition to those patrols, Denver Health has assigned bike paramedics, the Denver Fire Department has two medical units, and a Mental Health and Substance Support Team have been assigned to downtown to help those experiencing a health or mental crisis.
DOTI has been assigned to keep downtown in tip-top shape by replacing/fixing lighting and broken glass, removing/replacing plastic bollards, power washing sidewalks and alleys, cleaning graffiti, and refreshing lane markings. The Downtown Denver Development Authority Board (“DDDA”) allocated $3.7m to cover the cost for one year. However, Mayor Johnston is working on two sources of permanent funding: city funds or the DDDA Board’s continued allocation of funds.
These additional resources are having an impact. Last year on Rockies’ Opening Day there were 700 calls for service. This year there were TWO.
UpDoNA Safety Committee
District Attorney John Walsh announced that he has designated Deputy District Attorney Matt James to the downtown area. In addition, a senior prosecutor has been assigned to organize a retail theft task force. Members of the UpDoNA Safety Committee will be meeting with the DA’s office on May 21st to discuss these two new roles. Watch for a Safety Committee article about our meeting in the June newsletter.
Vibrant Denver GO Bond
Thanks to UpDoNA members who attended the first Vibrant Denver Go Bond Meeting with Mayor Johnston and Council Members Hinds and Gonzales-Gutierrez.
The Vibrant Denver Go Bond is a proposed General Obligation Bond for improvements to every neighborhood in Denver. These bonds can be used for construction of public infrastructure and facilities. Denver uses bonds to help build and improve parks, arts and cultural venues, police and fire stations, and infrastructure to make it easier and safer to move around the city. A bond project must: 1) be ready to construct quickly, 2) be part of a city-owned asset like a city park, recreation center, street, or library, 3) serve a public purpose, and 4) have a useful life of at least 10 years. Previous GO Bonds have been used for: a new wing of the Denver Art Museum, animal hospital at Denver Zoo, new stage roof at Red Rocks, police and fire stations, recreation centers, and more.
Approximately 100 people attended the meeting. Attendees were asked to break into five groups: Park, Playground, Tree, Trails, and Climate; Arts and Cultural Venues; Recreation Center, Libraries, and other City Facilities; Street, Bridge, Bike, and Pedestrian Safety; and Public Safety (Police, Fire, and other Emergencies). The groups then presented their ideas to the Mayor. If you haven’t had a chance to attend a Vibrant Denver GO Bond meeting, please use this QR Code to participate in an online survey.
City Permitting
On April 14th, Mayor Johnston announced the creation of the Denver Permitting Office. Now, all permits are to be completed within 180 days of submission, and a city employee will be assigned from start to finish. Developers are eligible to receive reimbursement up to $10,000 to cover costs incurred from delays. There will also be in-person customer service daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, something that never reopened after covid. The goal is to make it easy to build or open a business in the city of Denver.
Skyline Park 1 DPD Kiosk
Beginning May 1st, the new DPD kiosk at Skyline Park 1 will be manned from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on most weekdays. I am working with Parks and Rec and DPD to see what we can do to make the office more comfortable for the officers. For example, there isn’t any drinking water available. I will keep you posted on this potential project. This might be an opportunity for UpDoNA members to get involved.
Thanks for your continued support of UpDoNA. I’ll talk to you again in June!
Lisa L. Pope
