Funeral services were held for Joan Packard Birkland who
passed away on June 15, 2019. She was described as one of the greatest (if not
the greatest) female athletes in the history of the State of Colorado. She was
inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, Colorado Women’s Sports Hall of
Fame and the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame. The Joan Birkland Pavilion at the
Gates Tennis Center in Denver, headquarters of USTA Colorado, is named in her
honor.
Athlete Extraordinaire: Joan Birkland was for many years a top amateur golfer in all of Colorado, one of many sports where she excelled.
She was born on August 17, 1928, in Denver to well-known
surgeon Dr. George Packard and his wife. She was one of three sisters. With no
organized sports for girls she played baseball, football, basketball and tennis
with other children (mostly boys) at City Park near her home. After graduating
from East High School she went on to the University of Colorado in Boulder
where she met Ormand Birkland Jr., whom she married in 1948. The marriage
lasted over 50 years until his death in 1999.
The marriage, by all accounts, was a happy one,
notwithstanding (or perhaps because of) the fact Ormand was every bit as
mediocre in sports as she was outstanding. She took up golf as it was the one
sport he played and she was soon regularly beating him. She joined an AAU
basketball team (the Denver Viners) while at the University of Colorado where
she played with tennis great Phyllis Lockwood. They became an almost unbeatable
women’s tennis doubles team in Colorado. She competed on the Denver Vipers team
for eight years, becoming honorable mention All-American in the sport of
basketball.
The Birklands joined the Denver Country Club (DCC) in 1953
and she began to concentrate her athletic endeavors on golf and tennis. She
described her activities at the time as: “A typical day for me would be to hit
and shag balls, take a lesson from a DCC golf pro, play nine or eighteen holes
with Dorothy Major at Willis Case or meet Phyllis Lockwood and play tennis with
her in Boulder, and then we would shoot a few hoops at CU.”
Later in her career she generously gave her time and talents
to children with handicaps, including teaching golf at an amputee program at
Children’s Hospital, bowling with children with cerebral palsy and coaching
basketball for asthmatic kids.
She was also active with many women’s and sporting organizations including the United States Golf Association. Birkland co-founded Sportswomen of Colorado and served as that organization’s executive director for 40 years.
In 1957 she took on the number one female player in the
world Althea Gibson at the Colorado Open which, at the time, attracted many of
the world’s greatest tennis players. To the shock of the press and the gallery
Birkland began beating the world’s number one player. A reporter for The Denver
Post called in to his paper to hold the afternoon press as he might be
reporting “one of the greatest sporting upsets in the history of Colorado.” In
the end, however Gibson prevailed 8-6, 6-4.
By the 1960s she excelled at the highest levels at both golf
and tennis simultaneously, an athletic feat that is almost unheard of in the
annals of Colorado sports. She won the Denver amateur tennis title in 1960,
1962 and 1966 and the Colorado state tennis title in 1960, 1962 and 1966. She
garnered six singles and 15 doubles titles in Colorado and Intermountain tennis
tournaments.
On a friend’s dare Birkland in 1962 competed in and won both
the state tennis and golf championships in the same summer and repeated this
feat again in 1966. She was awarded the Robert Russell Prize for Colorado
Amateur Athlete of the Year in 1962.
Upset In The Making? Joan Birkland is shown here serving against the number one female tennis player in the world at the time, Althea Gibson, in an attempt to win a historic match.
She took the state women’s golf title seven times. At the
Denver Country Club she won 30 straight Ladies Country Club Championships from
1955 to 1984. Many of the victories were anything but easy sometimes winning at
the 18th hole or in sudden death in the match play format. She attempted to
retire from the competition several times but her competitors, some of whom
were themselves state golf champions, would hear nothing of it. As one of her
competitors said: “As far as I was concerned, no Joanie — no tournament.”
Even in her 90s Birkland could regularly be found on the
golf range at the Denver Country Club working on her swing while interacting
with golfers around her and trying to pick up tips to improve her game. Fellow
inductee to the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, Gary Potter, stated: “She was
amazing. She cheerfully accepted the fact that the ravages of time severely
restricted her playing abilities, but she simply wanted to be the best she
could be with whatever limitations God had provided that day. She happily
picked up whatever tips or advice you may provide and incorporated them into
her play if they made sense to her. She was an extraordinary and truly
wonderful human being.”
Joan Birkland
While she never had any children herself Birkland is
survived by an extended family including her sister Evelyn McLagan, her
brother-in-law Neil McLagan, nephew Hugh Birkland and nieces and nephews, Tracy
Tempest, George Tempest, Scott McLagan, Tom McLagan and Ken McLagan and their
families.
Final Neighborhood Development Nears Conclusion; Retail, Signature Condo Completion Likely In 2020
by Glen Richardson
Lowry’s 70-acre Boulevard One — an infill site about the
size of Cherry Creek — has commenced construction of its retail zone and
signature condos with buildout likely by mid-2020.
Unlike the rest of Lowry, Boulevard One has been built with
very high-density and massive traffic concerns. Boulevard One is seen by some
as a way to maximize the profits for developers at the expense of the rest of
Lowry and surrounding neighborhoods.
Once the tail end of historic Runway One at the former Lowry
Air Force Base, the multimodal, mixed-use community features mostly rowhomes,
townhomes, attached homes and apartments. There are approximately only 130
detached single-family homes. According to developers, Boulevard One’s dense
urban hum is a new way of thinking about how to live, work and interact as a
community.
Bounded by 1st Ave., Monaco Parkway and Quebec St., it abuts
both the old section of Lowry to the east and south and the Crestmoor
neighborhood on the west that created community tension. There were 60-plus
public meetings and a lawsuit against the project. Originally planned as 10-12
story buildings and 1,200 dwelling units, it was downsized to 800 units with a
maximum of five stories for rowhomes, apartments and commercial space.
Massive Makeover: Lowry’s Boulevard One, an infill site about the size of Cherry Creek is nearing completion. The tail end of Runway One at the former Air Force Base is quickly filling with rowhomes, townhomes, attached homes and apartments.
Final Projects
A curving “main street” named Lowry Blvd. is now open
connecting Monaco Parkway to Quebec St. through the middle of the rectangular
development. Mixed-use projects soon will anchor each end of the street. The
Met, Boulevard One’s signature condominium community is already under
construction on the west side. It is designed to be the project’s “artfully
designed” gateway to Lowry Blvd. at Monaco Parkway. Located on 3.72 acres, it
will feature a public and private art collaborative showcasing various artists
within the project’s common spaces and communal grounds.
Two three-story buildings are taking shape on either side of
Lowry Blvd. at Mon-aco with a total of 90 upscale condominiums being built. The
one, two and three-bedroom homes will range from 1,000 to 1,850-sq.-ft. with
10-ft. ceilings, expansive windows and two-car underground parking.
A 350-unit luxury apartment block will face Quebec with
single-family and rowhomes dominating the western two-thirds of the site. A
five-acre community park forms the transition from the apartment block to the
rest of the residential area. Except at the Lowry Blvd. intersection, a landscaped
berm is being retained and will incorporate the site’s public art program. The
berm was built as a buffer to the Crestmoor neighborhood in the 1970s when
flight operations ended at Lowry.
Retail Zone Underway
Local firms Confluent and Kelmore Development broke ground
in April on The Boulevard at Lowry, the development’s retail and commercial
zone. The groundbreaking for the project coincided with the 25th anniversary of
Lowry’s transformation from an Air Force base. When completed the project will
have approximately 140,000-sq.-ft. of building space. The 1.5-block section is
designated for restaurants, retail, office and entertainment venues.
Boulder-based grocer Lucky’s Market will have 25,000-sq.-ft. on the ground
floor of a three-story commercial building in the commercial zone at the site.
Retail Launch: The April groundbreaking, at right, for the retail zone coincided with the 25th anniversary of Lowry’s transformation from an Air Force base. The 1.5-block section will have restaurants, retail, office and entertainment venues.
Situated on more than five acres at the northwest corner of
E. Lowry Blvd. and Pontiac St., it is the last zone to begin development thus
completion could be as late as the fourth quarter of 2020. Unlike the original
Lowry development, however, it will be the only commercial development at
Boulevard One.
Pedestrian trails throughout Boulevard One will lead
residents to the commercial core with restaurants, cafés, boutiques,
entertainment and other retail. The space will include professional offices
plus community work-play spaces. A mixed-use center will feature a plaza,
seating and public art.
Traffic Concerns Remain
Denver’s rapid growth plus the addition of Boulevard One has
increased traffic congestion concerns for Lowry, Crestmoor and the entire
northeast corridor. Quebec St. is a “high injury network” street according to
the city, and the area between First Ave. and Lowry Blvd. is a “pedestrian
priority area,” where families, seniors, children, people with disabilities,
transit riders and others are trying to get to various destinations. Safety
modifications are being completed at Quebec and First Ave. and at Quebec and
Lowry Blvd.
Traffic Trepidation: Boulevard One buildout plus the city’s rapid growth has increased traffic concerns for Lowry, Crestmoor and the northeast corridor.
LRA claims traffic volume and parking at Boulevard One will
be the same as the office use at the demolished Air Force Finance &
Accounting Center estimated at about 9,500 car trips. In addition they say car
trips will be dispersed by the numerous connecting streets. As for parking,
they say the same ratios have been applied at Boulevard One as the rest of
Lowry. LRA installed a new signalized intersection at Monaco and Lowry Blvd. on
the east side of Monaco Parkway. In addition to adding a neighborhood
connection it has somewhat dispersed area traffic.
Improvements such as wider medians extended through the
crosswalk to shorten the crossing distance; smaller turning motions for
motorists; elimination of bus pullouts; and slightly narrower travel lanes have
or will be made. These are not major changes but may improve pedestrian safety
while helping to accommodate a growing volume of vehicular traffic. When
completed the mixed-use center will include a mobility hub with bike racks,
scooter parking, car share parking and a meeting spot for Uber/Lyft or a future
shuttle. The “Flight Ride” art installation will be repurposed as a meeting
spot and waiting area.
Buildout Buildup: In addition to the final project, the pace of construction on units of all sizes is humming with intense energy as site’s completion nears.
Grand Finale
When completed Boulevard One will contain about 800
residential units housing more than 1,800 people. Upon completion the total
will include approximately 250 rowhomes and attached homes plus about 420
apartments. The total includes 14 townhomes and 72 apartments designated to
offer “affordable prices and rents.” Multi-story buildings located within the
interior of the site are rising a maximum of 4-5 stories.
Classy Condos: Construction has started on The Met, signature condos designed to be the project’s “artful” gateway onto Lowry Blvd. at Monaco Parkway.
Residents on the west side of Boulevard One will have an
easy walk across Monaco to the established Crestmoor Park, which has a great
trail that loops the park for power walks-runs. Crestmoor Park itself will
likely become far less quiet and intimate than it was in the past.
On the east side of Boulevard One, the original Lowry is
known for its green spaces, such as Sunset Park and Great Lawn Park, offering
playgrounds, meadows and summer concerts. Housed in a former aircraft hangar,
Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum exhibits aircraft from different
eras. Big Bear Ice Arena has skate sessions and hockey games.
Despite $1.46 Billion Budget, City Among 50 Worst; Auditor
Cites Pay-To-Play Politics At Public Works, Parks
Community Circle: Community road upkeep and care was once a major focus of Public Works. Now, however, bike lane buildup has become department’s top priority.
by Glen Richardson
Albeit city salaries are about $1 billion annually, Denver
can no longer crack a spot in America’s 100 best-run cities, falling into the
50 worst-run big cities in the nation, ranked 117.
A study released last month by WalletHub compared America’s
150 biggest cities to determine the best and worst run municipalities, based
upon their operating efficiency. The online financial website constructed a
“Quality of City Services” score — comprising 37 key performance indicators
grouped into six service categories — that was then measured against the city’s
total per-capita budget. The website that recently ranked Denver the 13th best
city to live in is owned by Washington D.C.-based Evolution Financial Inc.
Among comparable big cities, Las Vegas (46th), Portland
(65th), Boston (67th) and Houston (73rd) were ranked in the top 75 best run
cities, providing residents with much more bang for their buck. Moreover,
Aurora (54th) and Colorado Springs (58th) were significantly better at
planning, coordinating and managing than was the City of Denver.
Public Works Problems: Beset by city’s massive buildup and seeming inexperienced leadership created city’s Convention Center crisis. Meanwhile political projects sink department’s community service.
Spending Spree
Numbers have hinted at Denver’s dismal performance since
Mayor Michael Hancock first took office in 2011. Rather than a city manager,
Denver has a strong mayor, weak city council system. The mayor can approve-veto
any council ordinance or resolution and is responsible for the city budget and
appointments to city departments. The city now spends nearly $1 billion
annually on salaries alone, up from $600 million just eight years ago. The
city’s budget has grown each year since 2010. Denver’s $1.46 billion 2019
budget is up 3% from 2018.
The number of municipal employees has grown by more than
20%. General Administration — which includes the mayor’s office and the city
attorney — has grown by 48%. Hancock’s 2019 budget calls for hiring another 260
full-time employees spread across 11 cabinet-level departments. Staffing in
departments like Community Planning & Development has grown by more than
80% during Hancock’s first two terms.
Even more worrisome, during the May municipal election, the
mayor proposed the creation of several new offices, including a Department of
Transportation & Infrastructure. That division would replace and
significantly expand the out of control Public Works Department.
Political Patronage
Neighborhood dissatisfaction with Denver’s quality of
service — a key component in rating America’s best and worst cities — is
reflected by the political patronage in appointments made by the Hancock
Administration. Too often they have trouble using taxpayers’ funds wisely (if
not improperly) or abusing their positions, critics claim.
Beauty Becoming Beast: Denver’s parks and parkways have been one of city’s biggest assets. Plagued by political pressure, pathetic managing department projects are late, property being sold off.
Hancock named Eulois Clarkley Executive Director of Denver
Public Works in November 2017. He oversees 1,300 employees responsible for city
road maintenance, trash collection, design-constructions of streets, public
buildings plus parking management.
Clarkley’s selection as Public Works Director was made
chiefly to create and expand Denver bike lanes. His exceptional job of adding
multiple bike lanes has incensed dozens of neighborhoods. The former Deputy
Director of the Houston-Galveston Area Council, seemingly lacks experience
managing the $340 million department budget let alone overseeing contracts for
the city’s massive construction projects that created the Convention Center
scandal.
Park-Rec Problems
Appointment of Allegra “Happy” Haynes as Executive Director
of Denver Parks & Recreation nearly four years ago is another example.
Besides the Parks & Rec job she remains the At-Large Board Member of Denver
Public Schools.
Park Hill Pillage: One of eight city golf courses managed by Denver Parks & Recreation, the 155-acre Park Hill Golf Course is being sold to a developer.
The department which includes the Golf Enterprise Fund, has
a budget of more than $150 million. A staff of 550 full-time plus 1,500
part-time employees manage 240 parks and parkways, plus 14,000 acres of
mountain parks, 309 athletic fields and eight golf courses.
She has overseen the destruction of several city open
spaces, including agreeing to the redevelopment of Park Hill Golf Course that’s
outraged neighborhoods along with former Mayor Wellington Webb. Of 14
recommendations in the May 2017 Golf Enterprise Fund audit by Auditor Timothy
O’Brien, CPA, Denver Golf fully implemented five, partially implemented three,
and did not implement six at all.
Golf Double Bogie
Haynes and Denver Golf haven’t yet created a strategic plan
and city officials think it will take through the end of 2020 to finish it. If
this occurs, it will be two years from the time the agency stated
implementation.
Denver Golf claims the delay is due to projects such as the
music festival at the Overland Golf Course, and because the agency was waiting
for Parks & Recreation to finalize a 10-year strategic plan. Financial
procedure documentation, rotation of duties and performing accurate counts of
assets have yet to be implemented.
“This should’ve been an eagle for Denver Golf,” Auditor
O’Brien suggests. “It looks more like a double bogie.”
Bidding Scandal
Management has become so bad at City Hall that following the
Public Works bidding scandal, the Denver Auditor’s Office began looking at the
city’s Public Works, Parks & Recreation and Public Health & Environment
departments. Audits discovered that the city allowed some contracts to be
longer than recommended with inadequate justification and didn’t verify that
some companies were in good standing to do business.
Dismal Denver Days: Soaring spending and sliding quality of service has dropped Denver into the 50 worst-run cities in America. Big cities like Las Vegas (46th) and Boston (67th) provide residents with a bigger bang for the buck than Denver ranked 117.
The auditor found that none of the three departments had
policies for handling conflicts of interest for each project put out to bid.
“You don’t want city employees that are part of the procurement process to be
influenced by tickets to a ballgame or a meal or something like that,” Auditor
Tim O’Brien explains. Right now in Denver, only vendors that are awarded
non-competitive work must disclose contributions.
Auditors also found that when disclosures of political
contributions were required, few contractors submitted the form to the Clerk
& Recorder. The auditor sampled 41 city contractors from the three agencies
and found that only five had provided the disclosures. Parks and Rec officials
say they had discussions about conflicts, but the conversations were never
documented.
Audits Ignored
Worse yet, two city agencies haven’t fully implemented
recommendations made in three separate reports from Denver Auditor O’Brien. In
addition to the Golf Enterprise Audit, personally identifiable information in
the city’s July 2017 Salesforce audit and the November 2017 Software Asset
Management assessment weren’t followed through.
Keeping City Upright: Denver’s elected City Auditor Timothy M. O’Brien, CPA, right, helps keep city from getting worse. Many of his recommendations, however, are not fully implemented or not at all.
“I’m disappointed to see so many of our recommendations not
fully implemented or not implemented at all — especially after agencies agreed
to them,” Auditor O’Brien worries. “The city needs to take our recommendations
seriously because they help improve stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”
Meanwhile, in the Salesforce Personally Identifiable
Information audit, Technology Services fully implemented five out of six
recommendations. Technology Services fully implemented two of the four
recommendations in the Software Asset Management assessment, conducted for the
auditor’s office by Deloitte & Touche.
