Celebrating Colorado’s 150th Birthday! I hope that you had a chance to participate in the birthday celebrations at the State Capitol and at Union Station. Here are some fun facts about our beautiful state: Colorado is the 38th Star on the United States Flag. It is called the Centennial State because it became a state 100 years after the United States’ Declaration of Independence. However, Colorado didn’t have an easy road to statehood; it took us five tries and fifteen years. Colorado is the only state in the U.S. where four states meet – Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. The Eisenhower Tunnel is the highest auto tunnel in the country at 11,158 feet. The Royal Gorge Bridge is the highest suspension bridge in the world. Colorado is the only state to ever reject hosting the Olympics. And, on March 5, 1935, Louis Ballast, owner of the Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver was awarded the trademark for the term “cheeseburger.”
Fourth Annual Downtown Denver National Night Out! Make plans to attend this year’s Downtown Denver National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4th, from 4:30-7:30 p.m., at Skyline Park 1. We’ll have free hot dogs, popcorn, and drinks, vendor giveaways, music, fire trucks, and more. This event gives us the opportunity to thank those who serve and protect us – K9 unit, Mounted Police, police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. Make sure to introduce yourself! Michael Spencer, CBS Colorado, will be our emcee again this year with live tv spots during the event. I’ll see you there!
SOMETHING NEW – UpDoNA Donations! As you know, your UpDoNA membership fees are used for operating expenses, webmaster fees, insurance, event costs, committee supplies, and more. As we grow, our expenses increase.
One of UpDoNA’s goals is to make a difference in Upper Downtown and in our community. As members and volunteers, you help make that goal a reality. However, there is more that we would like to do. We have two committees, the UpDoNA Cares Committee and the Arts & Beautification Committee that could use your help.
The UpDoNA Cares Committee serves lunches once a month to the unhoused youth and young adults living at Urban Peak and to the unhoused women and transgendered living at The Delores Project. Both organizations work to provide safe and supportive housing and help residents exit homelessness.
The Arts & Beautification Committee works on projects to help beautify and add art to Upper Downtown. So far, the committee has commissioned a mural on the Cherry Creek Trail, commissioned the Denver Sister Cities’ Sign (permanently located on Glenarm Plaza), and is working to turn a neglected parcel of land into a community pocket park.
If you’d like to help provide lunches or donate towards ongoing and future beautification of our neighborhood, please visit the donations page on the UpDoNA website. It’s easy and tax deductible. Help us continue to make a difference in our neighborhood and in our community! Please use this link to get more information and to donate: https://updona.org/donate/ THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
16th Street Free “Mall” Ride. Several people have asked me if RTD is seriously considering eliminating the 16th Street Free Ride buses. As you know, the Regional Transit District is suffering from low ridership and high budget deficits. The RTD Board is considering several cuts to its system to reduce costs. Several proposals were introduced including eliminating the 16th Street free ride bus route – which happens to be one of the most popular routes in the city. At its most recent meeting, the RTD Board faced strong pushback from Mayor Johnston, Doug Tisdale, DDDA Board Chair, and Kourtny Garrett, President and CEO, Downtown Denver Partnership. For more information about the repercussions of the proposed cut, please read Gil Vondrasek’s Safety Committee article.
Legislative Update: DLCP second reading of the Nightlife Entertainment License is scheduled for Monday, August 3rd. UpDoNA continues to work with LoDoNA in asking for stricter rules to hold bad actor promoters – people who use the space and liquor license of business owners to host events – accountable when rules, regulations, and ordinances are broken. In addition, we have asked for trial period for the proposed 4:00 a.m. closing time. DPD and DLCP believe extending the closing time for bars to 4:00 a.m. will reduce conflict and violence. CM Hinds is supporting us by proposing an amendment to the ordinance to add a five-year sunset which means that unless City Council takes action within five years, the closing time for venues covered under a Nightlife Entertainment License will revert back to the current 2:00 a.m. closing time. We’ll keep you posted on our progress.
Let’s end on a happy note. The Downtown Denver Partnership hosted a VERY successful FIFA World Cup Event at Skyline Park 1. If you didn’t get a chance to stop by, there were large screens projecting every world cup game, vendors, food, giveaways, and Rapids’ players, coaches, and club personality appearances. From many downtown residential and office buildings, you could hear the roar of the crowd every time a GOOOOOAL! was scored. Approximately 60,000 World Cup fans attended the event!
Have a wonderful end of summer. I’ll talk to you again in September!
Lisa L. Pope
President
Thumbnail attribution: Leo Marce
