by Valley Gadfly | Sep 26, 2023 | Main Articles
RugbyTown Pursues Peaceful Pickleball-Tennis Court Plan; Renovated, Renamed Mir Park Will Have Four Pickleball Courts
by Glen Richardson
Glendale Gathering Place: Glendale Sports Center has three indoor pickleball courts, plus four outdoor courts. Players have access to food, restrooms, water, and lights.
Pickleball is Denver’s and America’s fastest growing sport, but as the pastime has exploded in popularity, so have sports squabbles. The pock-pock and pop of the wooden paddle against the plastic wiffle ball is jarring people in neighborhoods nationwide.
With a broad new fan base in Denver, and across the state, a limited number of pickleball courts are causing constant battles. Sleep-loving neighbors, tennis players, and schoolchildren say their courts and playgrounds are being seized by pickleball players. Shouting matches, turf wars, and worse are the result. “Pickleball Is The Wild, Wild, West,” a Sports Illustrated cover story characterized the constant bad behavior and fighting.
In March of last year, the City of Denver created a fury by arresting 71-year-old Arslan Guney — known as “the Mayor of Pickleball” — for drawing squares on the basketball court at the Central Park Rec Center. A short time later, Denver closed Congress Park courts because of noise complaints. The city also put plans for a new court in Sloan’s Lake on hold because of noise worries. Further south, Centennial imposed a moratorium on court construction within 500-ft. of homes, also due to noise unease.
Complaints, Claims
Pickleball Poaching: Like so many courts across the metro area, Glendale’s two outdoor tennis courts were dominated by pickleball players, preventing residents from playing tennis.
Accusations of “Mafia tactics” and drones sent on intelligence-gathering missions, are among the accusations made in San Diego’s pickleball-tennis war. In San Francisco, legions of pickleball players crave more space to play, claiming to be “brushed off” by San Francisco’s Parks & Recreation Department.
In New York City, community boards have taken up complaints from parents of school children who say their youngsters have to compete for public park space with pickleball players. In Florida and dozens of other states, residents who live near courts constantly complain about noise, according to press reports.
From 100-ft. away, experts say pickleball whacks can reach 70-dBA — a measure of decibels used to gauge sound level. Everyday outside background noise typically tops off at a “somewhat annoying 55,” according to accounts.
Peaceful Paddle Play
Rebirth, Revival: Rejuvenation of Mir Park will feature pickleball courts, plus a new basketball court, picnic shelter, updated restroom facilities, and landscaping.
The city that brought the pitch (playing field) and rugby to America, is now pitching-in with a plan to promote and build the sport. While municipalities in Colorado and across the nation admit that they aren’t ready to embrace the pickleball paddle battle, Glendale — the tiny 0.6-sq.-mile town surrounded by Denver — is preparing to cuddle and court both tennis and the paddle sport of Pickleball.
Glendale certainly has experience shepherding in a new, growing sport, having built the first U.S. rugby-specific stadium and earning the name RugbyTown USA. Chuck Line — Glendale City Manager — says “it’s about creating diverse opportunities” in the middle of the pickleball boom. The way he sees it, “If people want to play tennis, let them play. If it’s pickleball they want to play, they can play pickleball.”
To ensure the two games play peacefully together, Glendale is separating tennis and pickleball play by making it illegal to bring pickleball nets onto tennis courts and building new courts. A city council ordinance also bars placing chairs or stools on courts, using snow shovels or scrapers on courts, and marking courts with permanent or temporary lines illegal on both pickleball and tennis courts. High-definition cameras will be used to monitor courts. It may be the first ordinance of its kind in Colorado, or possibly the nation. Violations in Glendale can result in a misdemeanor offense.
Playmaker Park
Super Small Spot: Despite not being big and flashy, sports flourish in Glendale. Sports culture continues to be how this competitive community defines and presents itself to the world.
The “you’re more than welcome” outdoor recreation attitude in Glendale sets it apart from the surrounding larger cities. It’s a can-do spirit that makes things happen, rather than the too often tentative, indecisive approach common in surrounding Parks & Recreation sectors.
Now Glendale is renovating, redesigning, and renaming Mir Park — the hidden gem of a park off South Elm St. and East Central Ave. near a Goodwill Center — as Glendale Park.
The nearly $1.5 million rejuvenation project will feature four new Pickleball Courts, a new Basketball Court, new Picnic Shelter, updated Restroom Facilities, landscaping, and more. ECI Site Construction Management, Inc. is doing the upgrades and repair work. Completion is expected as soon as this month. Since the city’s Public Works and the close-knit Glendale-Cherry Creek community hold outdoor spaces in such high regard, both games will once again begin to be thoroughly enjoyed.
Courting Compromise
Glendale Gamechanger: Redesign and renovation of Mir Park is part of city’s pickleball-tennis peacemaking plan. Renamed Glendale Park, greenspace will be four new Pickleball Courts.
Glendale’s two outdoor tennis courts — like so many others across the metro area — have been dominated by pickleball players, preventing residents from playing tennis.
The city even drew pickleball’s smaller court dimensions at the E. Kentucky & S. Birch St. site in an attempt to allow dual-play. Tennis players, however, found the lines distracting during matches. Pickleball poaching was constant, according to Kelly Legler, Glendale Sports Center program manager. “Tennis players were regularly rebuffed,” she notes.
Glendale’s approach of segregating play between designated facilities is a “great compromise” and being applauded by both tennis and pickleball players. Neither the city nor players want tennis excluded. Followers and admirers of each game concur the sports should be splendid together, and have “got to go good together” in the future.
Sports Center Pickleball
Pickleball can also be played at the Glendale Sports Center on E. Kentucky Ave. Managed by the YMCA, there are seven acrylic courts, three are indoors and four are outdoors.
The lines on courts at the Glendale Center are permanent, but players need to bring their own net. Courts are free and players have access to food, restaurants, water, and lights.
Outfitted with modern equipment and offering extensive fitness programs for every age and fitness level, the Center has been a community resource since 2008. Information: 303-639-4711.
by Glendale Sports Center | Sep 26, 2023 | Glendale City News
The Health Beat
One Denver Mom Is Helping The YMCA Transform Lives Through Sports
by Claudia Morlan, YMCA of Metro Denver
When Jessica Giffin first signed up her daughter for the 3rd/4th grade basketball at the YMCA of Metro Denver last year, she had no idea she’d fall into coaching the team. While she “accidentally” volunteered for the position, it was a decision that has proved “the best experience.”
Over the course of two seasons, the University Hills YMCA team became one of the best in their bracket, winning all but a few of their games each season and transformed the lives of students and parents alike.
It didn’t start that way. The first game, Giffin couldn’t make it. The second game, her team lost horribly. “Some of the girls started crying,” she recalls. “I encouraged them that what mattered is that we played with heart, and we became ‘team heart.’ Every game we started with the rally cry ‘We’ve got heart!’”
Transformation began from the inside out. “After the kids started taking ownership, the parents got involved too. Every single member of the girls’ families started showing up for our games. Even the grandparents and extended family started coming.”
As a long-time member of the Y and current Senior Manager of Community Well-being, Giffin is used to leaning in at the Y and has discovered many benefits along the way. This time, her willingness also opened the door to new leadership skills and the esteemed moniker of “coach.”
“The kids wanted to have fun, and all wanted to be in charge,” she shared, “So we had a dance between me letting them take charge of certain areas and learning their strengths… I never thought I’d have the title, but now all my kids call me “coach,” which is super cool.”
For Giffin, it was the perfect opportunity not only to refresh herself on aspects of the sport but to rediscover her own love for basketball. “I played basketball in high school, and I joined a Y rec team with women who played a lot of division 1, 2, or 3 in college,” Giffin explained. “That gave me the basic experience I needed…. If you have any interest or baseline knowledge of a sport, it can be really fun to re-acquaint yourself with it by coaching. Plus, I remembered just how much fun it is to shoot hoops, and now I do that at the beginning of all my workouts.”
What was particularly gratifying was to see the positive impact on the kids and their families.
“One girl who really struggled with our losses wrote me a sweet note at the end of the season about how she appreciated me listening to her and helping her. Her mom shared that her daughter doesn’t like writing and struggled with it in school. So, the fact that she wrote something meant that I made a huge impact on her life,” Giffin added.
The impact extended to her own family. “My daughter is a very headstrong kid, and this was her first team sport. It was really cool to watch her learn how to be a part of the team.”
“It’s about what attitude you bring, showing up for your teammates, and listening to your coach — once they took that to heart, it really made an impact.”
Giffin encourages parents and students who might be interested in joining or coaching a Y sports team to get involved. It’s the kind of experience you won’t want to pass up but pass on.
The YMCA of Metro Denver offers a host of youth sports, egaming and other offerings to the greater Denver area throughout the year. Learn more about all the programs the YMCA has to offer at denverymca.org.
by Peter Boyles | Sep 26, 2023 | Blasting with Boyles
Blasting with Boyles
Opinion
As most of you read the October edition of the award-winning Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle, I will either have turned 80 or about to become 80 years of age. I can’t get over that, and neither can a lot of my associates, friends, in-laws, and outlaws.
For God’s sake how did I get to be 80? Years ago, I had heart surgery and when the surgeon and his team looked at my health history, I proudly proclaimed no one in my family dies of cancer. To which they retorted no one in your family lives long enough to get cancer.
The things that I’ve thought so much about these last couple of months, having had a couple of pretty major health scares myself, and now, of course, with grandchildren of my own, still with one foot in the radio business, being able to spend time with Chuck and Julie and Mark Smiley, I somewhat remain active. Back in the gym, looking forward to ski season, but for Christs’ sake, how can I be turning 80?
As I say in my prayers, “It’s me God, Peter Boyles, one of your favorite people.” How did I get to 80. And all of the people that I respected and loved and, in many cases, despised and hated are now gone. I can cite names of wonderful radio disc jockeys and talk show hosts, newspaper columnists, television news anchors the likes of Bob Palmer, Bob Martin, Alan Berg, Hal Moore, and Charlie Martin. Columnists like Gene Amole, John Coit, they are now gone and as the Wiffenpoof said, “And forgotten like the rest.”
One thing is for sure it’s been one hell of a ride. Been fired off of jobs, hired on to jobs, married and divorced more than once, gained my sobriety, was in a couple of car wrecks, rode motorcycles with some pretty amazing characters, went to rodeo school and bucked out bulls, jumped out of airplanes, and had my last couple of fights in the ring. And now 80 looms.
I believe that there are people who work for insurance companies that are sort of like bookies, but they’re betting life expectancies after all the things I’ve done to my body. I can always envision one sitting next to another in a big office in New York, and giving the other guy the elbow and saying, “Look at this joker we got in Denver. What are the overs and unders on him?”
When you read what the great minds and philosophers and historians tell us about our lives, some people live them big, and some live them small. Living life big doesn’t necessarily mean good, and living small has its own rewards. I think a lot about my dad who was gone at 63. Most of his brothers went out young as well. Now I’m gonna be 80. This just isn’t fair but I’m not sure to whom. I remember a time in my 30s doing radio where I had the answer to any question any caller would ask. Now I don’t even know what the question is. I don’t know if that’s wisdom or dementia. But for God’s sake, don’t let me turn into Joe Biden.
Happy birthday to me.
— Peter Boyles
by Ashe in America | Sep 26, 2023 | Feature Story Bottom Left
ASHE IN AMERICA
OPINION
Our republican form of government requires representation. When the US Congress first convened in 1789, each congressman represented about 33,000 constituents. Now that number has grown to over 700,000, so it’s no wonder many of us feel we are not being adequately represented.
Take my Congressman, Republican Representative Ken Buck (CO-04). During the 2020 campaign season, as I was knocking doors and making calls for President Trump, I was also encouraging voters to re-elect Mr. Buck. I am embarrassed about this now. Over the past three years, Buck has consistently sided with the regime over his constituents.
On a GOP-wide virtual call on December 2, 2020, Buck attempted to pacify Colorado voters by stating:
“It is so important that people have confidence in their elections, and that people understand that in Colorado — I can’t speak for other states, but in Colorado — we’re doing it the right way and we have confidence in our election results.”
Buck continues to double down on Colorado’s elections, despite the evidence revealed in the Mesa County Forensic Reports One, Two, and Three, the USEIP Colorado Canvassing Report, and the April 24, 2021 system vulnerabilities report.
This evidence is public, and Buck has access to all of it. He ignores it, and he continues to peddle the regime’s messaging about 2020 being the safest and most secure election in history.
Strike One: Ken Buck believes Joe Biden is legitimate and that he received 81 million real, lawful, American votes.
Earlier this month, Buck spoke to CNN’s Jake Tapper and declared that he would not be supporting the upcoming impeachment inquiry. His reasoning for this was shocking:
“They are looking to see if there is a connection with Joe Biden. If they reach that point where they could find evidence of a connection, fine. I think that the Republicans will move forward with an impeachment inquiry. Right now, I’m not convinced that that evidence exists. And I’m not supporting an impeachment inquiry.”
Since the Marco Polo Biden Laptop Report was published, every member of Congress received the report multiple times. The report details 459 violations of US law by Hunter, James, and, yes, Joe Biden, going back several years.
The laptop has been authenticated, as affirmed by the NY Times, but Buck is not convinced that there is evidence of Biden’s corruption.
Strike Two: Ken Buck denies Biden’s corruption, despite repeatedly being sent evidence of Biden’s corruption.
Buck’s latest viral moment denying reality is the most egregious.
Todd Watkins is a veteran, a retired US Border Patrol Chief, and the current Vice Chairman of the El Paso County GOP. On August 21, Watkins sent a letter to the Colorado Republican Party, regarding the treatment of the January 6 political prisoners. More than 200 Coloradans, many of them Republican officials, signed on in support of the letter.
On September 1, 2023, Ken Buck responded, claiming that Watkins, “makes a number of factually incorrect claims, and then proceeds to overstate the threat to our Republic based on these false claims.”
The threat to our Republic in 2023 cannot be overstated, but Buck claims that J6ers:
Had charging and detention decisions by the book.
Received the exact same treatment as all other inmates.
Were not denied medical treatment.
Were not denied contact with counsel.
Did not have their rights violated.
For these false claims, Buck cites AP News, The Guardian, NY Times, CBS News, Just Security, and CBS WUSA9. All of Buck’s claims are provably false; subscribe to my substack for a much longer piece breaking down all Buck’s claims in detail.
That a so-called conservative would place so much trust in the mainstream media as to condone civil liberty and human rights violations of Americans is stunning.
Strike Three: Ken Buck believes J6 was an insurrection and condones the civil and human rights atrocities against J6ers.
Effective Representation demands truth. By denying the truth about the election, Biden’s corruption, and the J6 operation, Buck disqualifies himself and disserves those he represents.
Should Ken Buck decide to run again, he must be defeated after failing his constituents for so many years.
Last time I checked, we are still in America. In America, three strikes mean you’re out.
Ashe Epp is a writer and activist. You can find all her work at Linktree.com/asheinamerica
