by Mark Smiley | Aug 24, 2018 | Travel
Leading Light: Civic leader Chuck Warren, who led many of Colorado’s leading cultural institutions from the Denver Zoo to the Park People, passed away on July 29, 2018.
by Mark Smiley
Widely respected and beloved by many, civic leader Chuck Warren died at age 92 on Sunday, July 29, at his home in Denver. Memorial services were held at Saint John’s Cathedral on Washington Street where Warren had been a parishioner for most of his adult life. Eulogist Bill Houston remarked that Warren was known for his extraordinary ability to “make and retain” friends as the packed nave at the cathedral for the service demonstrated.
Warren grew up in Fort Collins, and after serving in the Navy during World War II returned to Colorado to earn a degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado and later a master’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Denver. He was a stock broker for Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith for 20 years and after the death of his father in 1978 he took over as president of Moody Warren Company, a company started by his grandfather who homesteaded farms in Colorado starting in 1966.
Having made his fortune at a relatively early age, Warren retired and spent the rest of his life giving back to Denver and Colorado. He served as the president and/or board member of an extraordinary number of civic organizations including, but not limited to, the Denver Zoo, the Denver Foundation, Children’s Hospital, the Park People and the Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation.
He is best remembered as Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District from 1985 to 1988, and setting up the passage of the multi-county sales tax supporting many key institutions throughout metropolitan Denver.
A talented musician, he played drums with groups from his early teens to the end of his life. An enthusiastic member of the University Club, he was Club president and a prolific songwriter, performer and leader of the University Club Band. He played the drums at the Twelfth Night Show for an extraordinary 64 continuous years.
Veteran: Chuck Warren served in the Navy during World War II.
He was also a highly active member of the Denver Country Club for virtually his entire adult life. He helped longtime friend Bill Wilbur with the publication of the award-winning The History of The Denver Country Club (1888-2006).
His daughter Robin Warren Buckalew noted at the memorial service her father’s almost infatiguable energy and good humor. Hoping to slow him down just a little she bought him a hammock for the backyard which had to be returned as he refused to ever relax in it.
Chuck Bonniwell, publisher of the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle, who wrote the history of the Denver Country Club stated, “Chuck Warren was an extraordinary human being who made everything he did and participated in literally fun. One would go through the most exhausting and contentious negotiations over the printing and publication of the book with third parties and at the end he would laugh and say, ‘Boy, wasn’t that one great donnybrook! Hey, who do we have to take on next?’” Bonniwell went on to note, “Everyone who ever knew Chuck will greatly miss him. The world he inhabited is a little less joyful with his passing. I wish we could have cloned Chuck and his wonderful spirit.”
by Mark Smiley | Aug 24, 2018 | Editorials
In 2002 Denver went to great lengths and time to compile Blueprint Denver to guide future growth in Denver. It envisioned “areas of change” and “areas of stability.” In areas of change rezoning for more density and height would be envisioned while in areas of stability, like many of the city’s highly prized neighborhoods, rezoning would not be permitted for other than single family homes. It also envisioned high-density around the many new light rail stations where, because of that public transportation, residents would not need a car, at least in theory.
The problem was Denver’s crooked high-density developers had not yet bought their very own mayor in 2002. Developers do not want to put high-density upscale apartments and condominiums in lousy neighborhoods that were considered areas of change. Nor did they want the expensive units they were building by the light rail stations which were not the fav of people who could afford to buy the upscale units … The developers could make a great deal more money by exploiting and raping the traditional highly prized areas including Country Club, Crestmoor, Virginia Vale, Cherry Creek North, etc.
In 2011 the high-density developers like Pat Hamill found the extraordinarily horny and intellectually vapid Michael Hancock and installed him in City Hall as the 45th Mayor of the City and County of Denver.
But when developers got rezoning they wanted in violation of Blueprint Denver through the Orwellian named Denver Community Planning and Development headed by the clinically obese rancher Brad Buchanan as Executive Director and the obsequious City Council they were subject to lawsuits. And sued they were over Crestmoor Park, Cherry Creek North, Hentzell Park, Denver Highlands, etc. etc. None of the lawsuits were successful because you can’t as a practical matter sue City Hall on development matters even if you have a valid claim for some unwritten rule of Denver municipal politics.
The problem was the well-grounded suits took time and money out of the developers’ pockets and who knows, one of these days the citizens might find an honest District Court judge in the City and County who would rule in their favor.
What to do? Well, change Blueprint Denver to squash any legal basis stopping high-density developers from doing whatever they want to do in wide-open Denver.
Well, of course, you can’t tell the sucker citizens that is what you are doing so you pretend you went out and sought public input from thousands of citizens or as Sarah Showalter, Citywide Planning Supervisor noted, numerous think tank meetings, 
21 task force meetings, 25 street team events, eight community workshops, and over 8,500 contacted.
What did all these people indicate they wanted? Well, of course, their neighborhoods destroyed with high-density development while making driving in Denver the equivalent to transporting down the rings of Hell in Dante’s Inferno.
When politicians and city bureaucrats in Denver say they consulted thousands and thousands of people, they mean they are going to do whatever developers like Pat Hamill and his cronies at Colorado Concern tell them to do.
On August 28 at City Park Pavilion at 5:30 p.m. your betters will share with you the details of what they are going to do to you, your family and your city. The slogan for Denveright is “Your Voice. Our Future.” Rest assured your voice is irrelevant to the politicians and planners in Denver.
We could tell you all the awful things they are planning to do to you under the wonderful sounding rubrics like “affordable housing” and “pedestrian friendly transportation,” but why bother? You won’t be able to do anything about it anyway.
As the early Greek historian Thucydides stated: “The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.”
The high-density developers and the politicians they own are the “strong” in the City and County of Denver while the citizens of the city like you are the “weak.” We have watched the suffering of our neighborhoods ever since Hancock became mayor and the suffering will continue for the foreseeable future and get much, much worse under Denveright.
As you can’t do anything about it, just sit back and accept it. Be as happy as you can and pretend “your voice” in fact matters at all in determining “our future.” As it turns out ignorance is in fact bliss in today’s City and County of Denver.
Pat Hamill
Mayor Michael Hancock
by Mark Smiley | Jul 20, 2018 | General Featured
New Condominium Development Enjoying Strong Interest, Scheduled For November/December Completion
by Julie Hayden
Monaco 155 At Crestmoor Heights: Forty-one low maintenance condominiums include great views of Crestmoor Park, upgraded interior finishes, expansive floor to ceiling windows and underground parking.
Monaco 155 at Crestmoor Heights is one of the newest additions to Denver’s Crestmoor neighborhood and is announcing pre-sales of 41 low maintenance condominiums with starting prices as low as $340,000. The development is located at 155 South Monaco Parkway near Crestmoor Park. The new condominiums are the latest addition to the Crestmoor Heights development, which Community Manager Christine Sheldon says has enjoyed “tremendous success.” The project includes the construction of Cedar Avenue, 25 townhomes. These townhomes were priced from $600,000 t0 $750,000 and sold out within 11 months of their launch.
“There are many people who want to own a condominium in Denver, but prices in the new developments are skyrocketing and not attainable for most,” says Peter Kudla of Monaco 155. “Our condominiums are more reasonably priced and provide a boutique style of living in a great location.” He adds, “Monaco 155 is the perfect option for people who want a comfortable place to live in a community setting, without a lot of unnecessary added amenities and expenses.”
The condos at Monaco 155 are priced from $340,000 to $550,000 and include one- and two-bedroom residences. They range in size from 700 square feet to 1334 square feet. Some of the design features include great views of Crestmoor Park; expansive floor to ceiling windows, underground parking, elevator access, Kitchen Aid appliances and upgraded interior finishes.
“These are the perfect condominium homes for people who want to be connected to family, friends and traditions while living in a quiet, established Denver neighborhood, with easy access to life’s conveniences,” says Sheldon.
New Condos: Monaco 155 at Crestmoor Heights delivers comfortably priced condominiums alongside Crestmoor Park.
The project, which is in the former Mount Gilead Church parcel, was challenged by neighborhood groups objecting to the City’s zoning change that allowed the development. Neighbors were concerned about density and traffic issues, but the City Council voted to allow the development and a follow up lawsuit was unsuccessful. [See Chronicle p. 1, March, July and August 2015.] Crestmoor residents now say they want the project to be the best it can be.
Delivery at Monaco 155 is expected in November and December and Sheldon says, “We’re actively selling residences right now and this is the perfect time to purchase as we are offering pre-sale pricing and up to $8,000 in builder incentives.” She encourages people, “Call us to schedule your personal hard hat tour today!”
The Crestmoor Heights sales center is located at 185 South Monaco Parkway. You can get more information by calling 720- 840-0484 or www.crestmoorheights.com.
by Mark Smiley | Jul 20, 2018 | Glendale City News
by John Arthur
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
Eat. Drink. Think. Win.
Photo by Justin Purdy Local youth enjoy a rugby day with Glendale Rugby at Infinity Park during their summer YMCA camp.
Glendale will once again host its annual Trivia Night on Friday, July 27, at Infinity Park Event Center benefiting scores of local youth and providing an evening of enjoyment for participants in the process. Featuring a silent auction, trivia, prizes, food, and drink, the event will help a good cause through good fun. Glendale’s YMCA and Glendale Youth Rugby Foundation are partnering to benefit the young people of the community, raising money to support sport and fitness programming, and to promote youth rugby in the Front Range and greater Colorado.
The YMCA of Metropolitan Denver manages the Glendale Sports Center facilities, housed at Infinity Park, but day-to-day operations are overseen by Executive Director Nicole Limoges. With over a decade of experience with the YMCA, and four years at Glendale Sports Center, Limoges knows the ins and outs of putting on a meaningful, memorable event well. With the help of city staff and volunteers, this year’s Trivia Night promises not only to be an amusing, entertaining evening, but also one that once again benefits Colorado’s kids.
Glendale’s annual Trivia Night was born from a Missouri tradition. Greater Glendale Chamber of Commerce member Mike Boese brought the idea with him from St. Louis — a metropolis that hosts scores of charity trivia events every year. Boese quickly became a Glendale stalwart after relocating to Colorado years ago, not only joining the Chamber of Commerce but also finding himself on the YMCA Board of Directors. In a unique position to help, the financial advisor turned to his Midwestern background and Trivia Night was born.
Partnering with Glendale Youth Rugby and the City of Glendale, YMCA Director Limoges notes that the event continues to expand: “We partnered to benefit both non-profits, and we’ve grown in size, sponsors, and proceeds each year.”
Glendale’s own Barret O’Brien, who owns and operates O’Brien Rugby, is the Executive Director of the Glendale Youth Rugby Foundation. Aside from providing professional custom printing services for Glendale’s numerous professional, club, and youth-level rugby clubs, O’Brien is also a vocal advocate for growing the sport across the nation.
Asked about the YMCA Trivia Night at Infinity Park Event Center, he’s understandably complimentary: “The support we receive from both the city and the YMCA is immeasurable. With the proceeds from last year’s Trivia Night, we were able to sponsor multiple young rugby applicants for summer rugby camps and tournaments. We couldn’t be more grateful to all the participants and staff.” As a side note, O’Brien is also quick to point out that he and his teammates are the reigning champions of Glendale’s Trivia Night, a distinction he no doubt hopes to carry on after this year’s event. Exceptional facilities, participants, and organizers will ensure that regardless who is crowned, the real winners will be the YMCA and Glendale Youth Rugby.
All proceeds generated from Glendale’s Trivia Night are split between the YMCA and Glendale’s Youth Rugby Foundation. Sponsorships, ticket sales, donations and the silent auction all contribute to the overall contributions to both organizations — a boon not just for the enjoyment of event participants but for the beneficiaries as well. For 2018, premier sponsors include insurance and financial services group Country Financial, Credit Union of Colorado, and standout Colorado caterer Biscuits and Berries. A ticket to Trivia Night includes dinner, drinks, 10 rounds of trivia, and the silent auction. With Infinity Park Event Center’s 8,600 square foot International Ballroom as the backdrop, attendees can dine, drink, and bid — not to mention the main event: trivia. The incredible atmosphere generated by the Infinity Park space adds nicely to the event, showcasing the venue’s second-to-none audio-visual production capabilities.
More information, tickets and sponsorships can be found online at infinityparkat glendale.com/trivianight.
by Mark Smiley | Jul 20, 2018 | Travel
Cherry Creek’s Inclusive, Socializing Anniversary Tournament Offers Unadulterated Joy To Play Or Watch
by Glen Richardson
Lure Of The Mallet: Players can’t resist joining in the croquet battles. Friends and liquidcourage make smacking the balls around all the more fun.
Mallets rise, mallets fall. Moreover, it’s fun, offbeat and downright zany! The weird, wonderful and absolutely entertaining-exciting annual summer Wicket & Stick It games are returning to Cherry Creek North this month.
If you live in the Cherry Creek Valley and enjoy playing or watching competitive croquet, chances are you’ve marked your calendar for the annual Cherry Creek competition, Colorado’s largest croquet tournament. Widely considered one of the top croquet tournaments in the Rocky Mountain West, it’s being played for the 10th year Aug. 3, 2:30-7 p.m.
The Outdoor Plaza behind The Container Store at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center is again where the games will be played. The inclusive and unique fundraiser for the Cherry Creek Chamber of Commerce gives attendees the chance to win amazing prizes while enjoying fabulous food and refreshing beverages. Players and spectators receive drink tickets to enjoy a variety of premium beverages including Stella Artois and wine as well as tantalizing morsels from Cherry Creek area restaurants including the California Pizza Kitchen, Sol Mexican Cocina, Brightmarten and others. Moreover, a variety of ticket packages are available.
Round Robin Format
Silver Cup Winners: Celebrating winning last year’s tournament are Karrie Fletcher and Charlie Kercheval with Alpine Bank.
A new Round Robin format for the 10th Anniversary edition guarantees players three games. A total of 64 teams, each with two people, will vie for the Wicket & Stick It Silver Cup. Prizes are also awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place croquet teams. In addition there are a variety of individual player honors including Best Wicket Shot. Start times for players are 3 p.m. or 4:15 p.m.
Sports fans that only want to watch the action have a choice of being either a general admission spectator or live it up as VIP spectator. General admission spectators receive unlimited food and one drink ticket. Or for an extremely enjoyable day where you can participate in Wicket & Stick It’s exciting social life, choose to be a VIP spectator. As a VIP you receive unlimited food and drinks plus a goody bag. Moreover you also get exclusive seating.
General Admission players also receive unlimited food; two drink tickets and the opportunity to play in three guaranteed games. Players choosing the VIP option receive unlimited drinks with personal beverage service plus unlimited food and a goody bag. In addition they receive exclusive seating.
Instructions Offered
VIP Mallet Mavens: For a fun, enjoyable day at the Wicket & Stick It games join in the exciting social life by becoming a VIP spectator or player.
Not sure that you have the skill to become a croquet legend? Not to worry, the Cherry Creek Chamber will have croquet referees on hand to provide instruction for the game’s newbies.
To get ready for the infamous Wicket & Stick It competition, many who take croquet seriously and are planning to play, seized the opportunity to take free lessons along with Chamber members. The Cherry Creek Chamber provided lessons and treats on Monday nights last month (July) at the Denver Croquet Club in Wash Park to prepare for the big tournament.
Each of the game’s 64 teams will have two players. Don’t have a team, but still want to chase croquet glory? Don’t worry, the Wicket & Stick It staff will find you a partner. Collaboration, capitulation and conflict are all dynamics of playing croquet with another person, and sound communication can lay the path to victory and the treasured Silver Cup.
Fun Set And Match
For many the game of croquet may conjure up visions of a well-mannered and civilized sport — stoic players in prim and proper dress. Not these days and certainly not at the Wicket & Stick It games. Instead it’s a fun, festive, offbeat, social event that’s just a lot of enjoyment.
Remember Lewis Carroll featured a surreal version of the game in Alice in Wonderland. A hedgehog was used as the ball and a flamingo as the mallet, while soldiers doubled over to make the hoops.
Whether you’re a spectator or a player that doesn’t rack up wicket points (the scoring moniker) you can still be a winner. Thus whether you join a team or attend as a spectator plan to dress for the occasion. Reason: Awards are also being given out for the Best Dressed attendee and the one with the Best Hat.
Unique, Historic Game
Racking Up Wicket Points: The joy of making a crazy, complicated shot is thrilling and joyous.3
The sport can best be described as a combination of golf (putting skills), chess (strategy) and billiards (angle play). While croquet requires a great amount of skill, few games provide more unadulterated joy to play or watch. Moreover, croquet was the first outdoor sport to embrace equality, allowing both sexes to play the game on an equal footing.
Croquet is believed to have started in Ireland in the 1830s. The game was introduced to England from Ireland in 1852. In the late 1970s, croquet began to be played as a competitive sport in the U.S. and Canada.
The front lawn of Donald Trump’s “winter white house” accommodates several reduced-size courses. Members of the National Croquet Center once played there as “limited reciprocal members.”
In 1985, croquet came to Denver with the vision of Sparky O’Dea who formed the Park Hill Croquet Club. Playing first in Denver’s City Park the club later moved to the big flower garden in Washington Park. They soon discovered the fenced Lawn Bowling Green and today share the space with the Lawn Bowling Club. Information: 303-388-6022.
No Rest For The Wicket: Using a mallet to hit a ball through a hoop may not sound exciting, but once players pick up a mallet it’s hard to put down.
Croquet Attire: Prizes for Best Dressed and Best Hat help but it’s your craziest friends that bring out the laughter and smiles and make the games enjoyable.
by Mark Smiley | Jul 20, 2018 | Editorials
Jolon Clark
Never in the 160-year history of the City of Denver has its governmental coffers been so bountifully filled as they are today. The extraordinary rise in property values have brought in untold millions of dollars in real property taxes even if it is breaking the back of small business in the city. [See Chronicle p. 1, July 2018.] Sales tax revenue is also skyrocketing and the myriad taxes on marijuana is a bonanza for the city. As for copious amounts of funds for capital projects the city’s voters approved an almost $10 billion in bonds. The original goal for bond proceeds was much smaller but grew and grew as optimism skyrocketed about the state of the city’s economy.
The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce is gathering signatures for a statewide ballot to increase the state’s sales tax by 2.9 percent or 29 cents per $10 purchase for roads and transportation projects. Since Denver will be the largest contributor to the funding it can be expected to garner the lion’s share of the proceeds for projects it is interested in.
What is a little surprising is that, notwithstanding this mountain of cash, Denver appears to be ignoring various standard expenditures. One would perhaps not be shocked to find out, according to City Councilman Jolon Clark, that Denver Parks and Recreation has a $127 million deferred maintenance backlog. Mayor Hancock and the developers who own him see open space and parks as future apartment house and affordability sites. Why bother to maintain them when in the natural course of business in Denver they will be cemented over, turned into drainage ponds and/or monetized as concert venues and the like.
Nonetheless, Councilman Clark has proposed, and the City Council approved by a 12 to 1 margin, a dedicated parks sales tax of 0.25 percent or 2.5 cents per $10 purchase for park maintenance and acquisition of new or replacement parks. That would produce approximately $46 million next year. Given how fast the City Council is destroying parks and open space in the city, the $46 million would appear modest. The only person voting no was Albus Brooks who instead wants to turn all of the city’s sidewalks into runways for some reason known only to the mayor’s developer friends who want to make him the next mayor of Denver after Hancock retires in 2022.
Clark has noted that the remaining green space in the city “has become too crowded.” A good point since Denver has gone from one of the leading American cities in parks and open space per capita to one of the worst in only a couple of decades.
Kendra Black
This caused Councilwoman Kendra Black, affectionately known as “the dumbest person in America with a master’s degree,” to declare, “There’s definitely a need for this.”
It was left to Councilman Kevin Flynn to point out that what will happen is that the city will simply cut back park maintenance to almost nothing and let the dedicated park fund pay for it all. In effect the dedicated parks tax will become just another feeder to the general fund. Others have noted the Mayor, and his cronies, will use the fund to purchase virtually worthless land that no one wants, even the scummiest developers, from the highly connected. That inescapable logic caused Councilman Flynn to propose a successful amendment that the Council hold public hearings and take votes on five-year plans for the spending of the money. This way the crooks who run the city will have to grease not only the mayor but also individual councilmembers.
Others are gathering signatures for dedicated sales taxes for a myriad other good causes including, but not limited to, mental health and substance abuse treatment; college scholarships; and healthy food programs.
We say yes to all the sales tax initiative that make the ballot in Denver. All the money will eventually end up in the back pockets of CRL Associates, Norm of Arabia, the mayor’s favorite developers and other politically connected individuals. But the public does not appear to appreciate the fact that the mayor spends all his time working out and chasing skirts while the City Council does virtually nothing. Shouldn’t the people who run the city and do all the work be handsomely rewarded for their endeavors? We say yes and thus the voters must approve sales tax hikes for one and all. We are confident, based on past performance, that the Denver voters will do the right thing and vote yes on any and all tax hikes that make the ballot, no matter the purported purpose.
— Editorial Board
