by Regan Bervar | Feb 22, 2023 | Main Articles
“Detestation of the high is the involuntary homage of the low.”
by Luke Schmaltz
David and Goliath are at it again. This time, they are playing out the roles of underdog and oppressor on the unlikeliest of proverbial battlegrounds — the Park Hill Golf Course.
This classic duel has been staged across the Mile High City for decades: A large developer with deep pockets acquires valuable real estate. Then, they set out to build upon the property in dimensions that do not resonate with longtime residents of the surrounding community. Most often, the neighborhood stakeholders lose, but this time the big dog has a hitch in its get-along — a handicap — if you will.
Bird’s Eye View: This is the purported long-term development of the Park Hill Golf Course plan presented by Westside Investment Partners. Critics indicate there will be nothing to stop Westside from turning the rest of the open space into high density units. Image courtesy of Westside Investment Partners and The Holleran Group
Currently the 155-acre Park Hill Golf Course (PHGC) is encumbered by a perpetual conservation easement which, according to the assigned legalese, “Limits use of the property to open space in general and a golf course in particular.”
From the early 1980s until recently, the PHGC was privately owned by the Clayton Foundation. In 2019, Westside Investment Partners purchased the property at a total price tag of $24M. In addition to the conservation easement, the Glendale-based developer faces another obstacle; an organization called Save Open Space (SOS) Denver. Their website states they are, “A grassroots community group focused on the future of the Park Hill Golf Course land.”
Silence The Protestors
SOS Denver spokesperson Harry Doby is deeply immersed in the fight to preserve the massive stretch of grass and trees adjacent to his home. Yet, Doby and his fellow SOS members have faced staunch opposition from the City of Denver. Recently, a comprehensive protest petition signed by adjacent property owners and businesses against rezoning of the land was rejected by city officials, despite the fact that Doby and company followed all rules for filing described on the city’s website. When questioned, the city stood by their rejection of the petition, stating in vague language via email that th
Rendering: Developers present idyllic artist renderings of what the project might look like upon completion. Denverites are skeptical as often the actual finished project is much different than the rendering submitted by Westside. Image courtesy of Westside Investment Partners and The Holleran Group
e documents provided did not meet the legal requirements. “They invented this rule simply to stop our process,” says Doby. “The city has a single-minded obsession with developing this green space. Westside knew going in they had no development rights.”
As a result of ousting the voices of local property owners and businesses, Denver City Council cast a majority vote of 11-2 to place the issue on the April 4th Election Ballot. Now, the decision whether to lift the conservation easement is going to be left up to Denver voters at large under Proposition 2-0.
Grease The Wheels
A city-wide vote on the fate of PHGC is troubling for Doby and other Park Hill residents, as it could allow Westside Investment Partners to cast a citywide net of influence in order to sway the vote in their favor. Doby and his colleagues at SOS Denver anticipate exactly this. “The $24M [PHGC purchase price] is a drop in the bucket for them,” Doby says. “A multi-million dollar ad campaign is another drop in the bucket.”
Westside has made a well-documented series of generous donations to Mayor Hancock’s administration as well as to the majority of city council members. In a January 23 article, Denverite reported, “The company [Westside] and its entities and staff have made over $41,000 in political contributi
Civic Group: Yes for Park and Open Space aims to stop the development of Park Hill Golf Course. Image courtesy of Harry Doby
ons to Denver City Council members and the mayor since 2017.”
The First Salvo
In response to the April 4th ballot measure, Doby and his SOS Denver colleagues formed Yes for Parks and Open Space, anchored on the slogan “No On 2-O.” Doby continues, “We are in a climate crisis, we are on a heat island. Preserving the green space is to our health and environmental benefit. There is development happening around Park Hill Golf Course as we speak, including affordable housing. There’s a project at 38th and Holly that is going to build 253 affordable apartments and townhomes. Therefore, it would be squandering our limited resources. You can replace green space, but you can replace warehouses with housing. The smart place to build is redeveloping dilapidated commercial and industrial properties.”
A Daunting Retort
Not to be outmaneuvered, Westside quickly rolled out a supporting initiative of their own, the similarly-branded Yes for Parks and Homes. A thorough, impressive, and artfully rendered presentation deck lays out a dazzling array of development benefits. Features include the 303 ArtWay Heritage Trail, a grocery store, rail and bus transit access, the city’s fourth-largest regional park, a community center and 2,500 new homes — including
Upcoming Election: Park Hill Golf Course has been an oasis in urban Denver since 1930. It will cease to be if Westside Investment Partners can get voters to approve its development plan on the April 4 election.
rental and for-sale housing. The language leans heavily on the “affordable housing” theme, while providing rendered images of a utopia-like urban paradise of grassy recreation areas, food truck gatherings, spacious pathways for bikes and pedestrians, playgrounds, basketball courts, outdoor seating areas, retail storefronts, and modern multi-level housing structures. The “Why We’re Here” section cites a “City-wide shortage of high-quality affordable housing.” Meanwhile, the “Binding Commitments” section cites that over 100 of the 155 total acres will be, “Conveyed to the city for parks and open space.”
Organizational Support
Additionally, Yes for Parks and Homes boasts a bevy of high-profile endorsements from organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Black Business Initiative, YIMBY Denver, Volunteers of America, and many more. Company principal Kenneth Ho brings an impressive resume to the table, having served as the former chair of the Denver Planning Commission with an MBA and a master’s in urban planning. Ho is quick to emphasize Westside’s commitment to preserving a large portion of the natural grounds. “We recognize the need for open space, that is why we’ve got more than 100 acres here,” he says. “We also know that we need to have affordable housing in this region. We need to have places that foster community, and we need to have access to fresh food and economic opportunity. That’s why, when it comes down to it, this is about a ‘both and’ versus a ‘neither nor’ situation.”
Something For Everyone
Westside’s plan includes a “Guaranteed Affordability” section based on Denver’s Area Median Income (AMI). Provisions include 25% of the development’s total residential properties for “deeply affordable housing options,” and “at least 550 permanently affordable units split between rental and for-sale Income Restricted Units (IRUs),” as well as 300 entry-level homes, 60 IRUs for senior housing, 40 units for permanent supportive housing, and at least 150 IRUs for family housing.
Westside emphasizes the immediate need for affordable housing in Denver, yet the timeline on delivery of their contribution to this need is vague. “It will probably be in three phases starting from the south to the north,” says Ho. “It’s hard to predict how the City and County of Denver approves plans and gets building permits out, so we anticipate that it would probably be three to five years.” This projection is for the first phase only, leaving prediction of subsequent phase completion up to speculation. Based on the above guess, however, completion of the project could take up to 15 years.
An Outspoken Ally
While Westside’s development proposal is alluring in its current digital form, the long-term layout is cause for more immediate concern. Lifetime Park Hill resident, activist and community leader Terr
Mayoral Candidate: Denver Mayoral candidate and lifelong resident of Park Hill, Terrance Roberts, has some definitive opinions on Westside’s development plan. Image courtesy of Terrance Roberts for Mayor
ance Roberts — who is also a candidate in the 2023 Mayoral race — has a few homegrown observations on the matter. “For someone who doesn’t understand the area, like someone from Regis or Cherry Creek, these drawings look pretty darn good,” he begins. “Developers keep using the ‘affordable housing’ term but it’s deceptive. Affordable for who? We don’t need that, we need public housing. We are already dealing with gentrification, and many of these so-called ‘affordable housing’ units stay empty. Plus, if something has already been designated as open space, why are you ramming through a development plan?”
Roberts is also quick to point out the imprudence of putting the fate of Park Hill Golf Course on the April 4th ballot, as it is a hyper-localized issue which is largely irrelevant to people other than Park Hill residents. “I don’t think it should be a city-wide vote because that is just a tactic. Most Park Hill residents won’t go for it,” he says. “The fact that they knew there was an easement in place and they purchased it anyways means they are used to pushing developments through government channels and getting their way. This whole process is very condescending to people in Park Hill. The majority of residents in this district have already said no to this. Plus, there’s already a development at 38th and Holly.”
Final Positions
Regardless, Westside is committed to the merits of their vision and convinced they will be successful at the polls on April 4th. Company spokesperson Bill Rigler of Greenlight Strategy declines to comment on what may become of Westside’s $24M purchase should Denver voters say no to the lifting of the conservation easement. “Westside has spent over four years developing this plan and proposal,” he says. “We are more excited and focused on what that proposal for action is, especially after having received 11-2 approval from City Council to put this on the ballot.”
Doby, SOS Denver, and Yes for Parks and Open Space are similarly confident. In a recent Denver 7 News interview, Doby attests, “We’re going to win, it’s just a matter of time. The Park Hill neighborhood and Denver in general know that this is a rotten deal, they are being sold a bill of goods, and they are not going to stand for it.”
by Valley Gadfly | Feb 22, 2023 | Main Articles
Calling All Denver Irish Leprechauns, Four-Leaf Clover Wearers, It’s Time For Wearing Of The Green
by Glen Richardson
Casey’s Cuisine: Shepherd’s Pie is among Irish menu choices at Casey’s Bistro & Pub in the Lowry Town Center. Restaurant also has Irish Whiskey Chicken, Bangers & Mash, plus Irish Nachos.
Music Magic: Irish concerts are one of the charms during St. Patrick’s Day weekend. With more than a million records sold, Irish folk band Altan entertains at the Lakewood Center March 11.
Luck, charms, shamrocks, and shenanigans, Dublin days in Denver begins March 9 at 3 p.m. (weather permitting) when the city paints a green strip down Blake Street. From that day and after, St. Paddy’s Day events begin with just a “wee bit” O’ Blarney. The green stripe signifies the parade route and is followed by the Changin’ of Blake’s Street sign to Tooley Street, honoring 1970s Irish former District Attorney Dale Tooley.
All the days thereafter, according to Irish folklore, will be filled with fond memories, happiness, and laughter throughout St. Patrick’s Day on March 17.
Get ready for one of the nation’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day Parades on March 11, followed by days of revelry from shamrock-covered bars serving classic pub grub with music, drinking, and a whole lot of green. Embrace the luck and prepare for revelry and merrymaking with the Chronicle’s yearly guide to partying in green garb:
Concerts
Luck of the Irish, March 4-5: The Aurora Singers entertain with haunting ballads, lullabies, and songs to stir your Irish soul at South Middle School, Sat. 7 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. Information: 303-343-3377.
Gobs O’ Phun, March 5 & 17: Brothers-in-law duo-duet Denis Sullivan and Martin Lambuth accompany themselves with guitar, bodhran, and harmonica at Swallow Hill’s Quinian Café, 7 p.m., and on St. Paddy’s Day, 8 p.m. Information: 303-777-1003.
Young Dubliners, March 10: Irish-American rock band and lead singer-rhythm guitarist Keith Roberts perform at the Soiled Dove Underground in the Lowry Town Center, 8 p.m. Information: 303-830-9214.
Celtic Awakening, March 10-12: The Denver Brass Celtic show with the Colorado Pipes & Drums, Wick School of Irish Dance, the Rocky Mountain Highland Dancers, and Irish tenor Todd Teske bring Irish magic to the Newman Center, 7:30 p.m. Information: 303-871-7720.
Altan, March 11: The 1987 Irish folk band formed by lead vocalist Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh and her husband Frankie Kennedy and sold over a million records is at the Lakewood C
Popular Procession: Denver’s Irish parade is accompanied by Celtic Music Groups, Acoustic Bands, plus Irish Music Bands. Hip hounds march along with horses in the annual parade.
enter, 7:30 p.m. Information: 303-987-7845.
Parade & Princess
Set to step off March 11 at 9:30 a.m., Denver’s St. Paddy’s Day parade is one of the largest in the country with nearly half a million people expected. Featuring Irish step dancers, marching bands, elaborate floats, and bagpipers, the Mile High version is legendary.
St. Paddy’s Swarm: Nearly a half million people are expected downtown for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 11. Irish marching bands, floats, and bagpipers annually draw state’s single largest gathering in one place.
Many claim it annually draws Colorado’s single largest gathering in one place.
If you’re attending, you’ll want to get a spot early since some people arrive by 6 a.m. to find a prime place for spectating. The parade launches from Wynkoop at 19th, turns down 17th in front of Union Station, and then turns NE down Blake St. proceeding all the way to 27th. Information: 720-577-6884.
Competition to be Denver’s next Irish queen — known as Queen Colleen — was set from Feb. 11, after the deadline for the Chronicle’s March issue. Currently Miss Colorado All American Girl, Molly Casey served as Queen Colleen for 2022. Born and raised here, she is 100% Irish and still visits her family’s homestead in Cork, Ireland.
Pub Grub
The Abbey Tavern: A bright, relaxing eatery on E. Colfax serving American breakfasts and brunch, patrons can also choose from an Irish Breakfast, a Corned Beef Hash Skillet, Irish Eggs Benedict, plus Shepherd’s Pie. Irish Bread Pudding is available for dessert. Information: 303-321-5151.
Casey’s Bistro & Pub: Located in the Lowry Town Center, this lively restaurant-bar’s menu includes Irish Nachos, Bangers & Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, plus Irish Whiskey Chicken. Information: 720-974-7350.
The Irish Rover: This friendly Baker neighborhood pub on South Broadway is celebrating St. Paddy’s Day March 12-17. With a fireplace and huge rooftop patio, diverse food choices are always available. Irish selections include a Corned Beef Reuben, Shepherd’s Pie, and an Irish
Corned Beef Custom: Corned Beef & Cabbage has become a yearly St. Paddy’s Day Special at the Monaco Inn Restaurant. The hoped-for coming year fortune dish is being served for lunch and dinner March 17.
Breakfast. Information: 303-282-4643.
Monaco Inn Restaurant: When Irish eateries began to shutter a dozen years ago, this South Monaco Parkway restaurant started offering Corned Beef & Cabbage as a St. Patrick’s Day Special. The dish quickly became a draw, and will again be the March 17th Special for lunch and dinner. Information: 303-320-1104.
Scruffy Murphy’s Irish Pub: An authentic slice of the Emerald Isle on Larimer St. near Coors Field, the kitchen serves Shepherd’s Pie, Banger’s ’n Mash, plus Irish Spring Rolls. Information: 303-291-6992.
Pub Places To Play
Clancy’s Irish Pub, March 17-18: State’s oldest and longest running Irish Pub has live music Fri., 8 a.m.-1 a.m;, Sat., 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Among outdoor headlines Fri.-Sat. are Bleed N Green, No B
ueno, and The Delta Sonics, plus dozens more entertaining inside. Information: 720-456-7320.
Keggs & Eggs, March 17: Annual St. Paddy’s Day morning concert hosted by rock station KTCL returns to Jackson’s Sports Bar across from Coors Field, 7 a.m. Singer Matt Maeson and bands Holdfast and Ripe entertain. Information: 303-298-7625.
Pig & The Sprout, March 17: Restaurant at 19th & Chestnut Place hosts 5th annual St. Paddy’s Day bar crawl with a $1,000 costume contest, 4 p.m. Information: 720-535-9719.
St. Paddy’s Day Block Party, March 11, 17-18: Live music and parties at the Gin Mill & Larimer Beer Hall noon-4 p.m. Sat.; 3-7 p.m. Fri. 17th & 1-4 p.m. Sat. 18th. Information: 303-295-0706.
Running Luck
Races & Irish Festival, March 12: Family 7K, 2 mile race-walk at Wash Park, 10 a.m. Post-race party with Irish music and dancers, plus Beer Garden. Information: rungreen7K.com.
by Peter Boyles | Feb 22, 2023 | Blasting with Boyles
OPINION
In 1912 Theodore Roosevelt, then President William Howard Taft, and Senator “Fighting Bob” La Follette fought for ideological control of the Republican Party, each denouncing the other two as not really Republicans.
The phrase “Republican in name only” emerged as a political pejorative in the 1920s. The earliest known print appearance of the term RINO, The Manchester Union Leader, abbreviated it to RINO and pronounced the sound like “rhino.”
So, Republicans in Name Only was used to describe politicians of the Republican party deemed insufficiently loyal to the party’s ideology. Lately, commonly used by former President Donald Trump and his many supporters, it refers to his critics in the Republican party as, you got it, RINOs.
So, I find it really interesting any of us who look at the need for stronger private sector labor unions in this country, women’s right to choose, the division of church and state, the COVID vaccine itself, automatically somehow become Marxists. But the better name is really RIN
O. And my contention is the bastards should have run some RINOs and they wouldn’t have gotten the ass kicking they got.
If you were handpicked by Donald Trump to run for office you were basically doomed by the secret brotherhood of the RINOs. Having been accused of being a RINO for two and a half years now, I decided that we must have a secret sign. No functioning secret society in world history doesn’t have a private recognition sign. So, folks here it is.
As a little geek history reader there were Freemasons, and I really always wante
d to know what was going on in Skull and Bones, but there are always things like swords, and handshakes. In early Christianity, allegedly one Christian would take his or her toe and make the top half of a fish in the dirt and, if the other was a Christian, they would make the bottom half of the fish and that was the sign.
What happens when a RINO meets a RINO? Before we begin to speak about our truths you first must shift your body and do a 360 to see who’s watching in case it could be a Trump Republican or some politically correct snitch. Then, squeeze your fingers tight into a fist, place your thumb squarely under the nose, and touch fist to your forehead. The sign of the RINO.
Then if the person you’re having the conversation with does exactly the same thing you know you are talking to another pillar of truth, a fellow RINO. Be careful around any member of the inner circle of the Republican Party or some politically correct witch hunting weasel, but give the secret sign — we are fellow RINOs.
And then slip away to talk about how much we miss George W. Bush, Mitt Romney, Walker Stapleton, and Dick Wadhams. And then we say, “RINOs forever, forever RINOs.”
So, until the next time we get together when we’ll all learn the rhino love call.
Go RINOs. Take State.
— Peter Boyles
by Glendale Sports Center | Feb 22, 2023 | Glendale City News
by Amber Millison, MS, RDN and Alyssa Leib, MS, RD
Where does our food come from? You might think of exotic places around the world or your own backyard. Most of our food travels thousands of miles by land and sea. This travel can create emissions that may be harmful to the environment. During March’s National Nutrition Month and beyond, we can make a difference through some of our own food choices! Read on to learn more about how you can Eat for the Environment.
- Include more plants. Did you know that it takes almost 2,000 gallons of water to make one 3-ounce serving of beef? Nearly 100 pounds of greenhouse gases are released during that beef production, as well. In comparison, the same amount of tofu requires just 500 gallons of water. Eating more plants can have a positive impact on the environment, but that doesn’t mean you need to stop eating meat altogether. Instead, focus on being plant-forward and including more plants in your diet by trying some of these ideas:
- Try Meatless Monday or commit to trying one new vegetarian recipe per week.
- Try different plant proteins, like beans/ lentils, quinoa, nuts/seeds, tofu, tempeh, and seitan (a wheat-based meat substitute) in your meals.
- Think globally! Many cuisines around the world center around plant foods, such as Indian, Ethiopian, and Mediterranean cuisines. Take inspiration from these cultures to try something new at home!
- Eat locally when accessible. Eating produce that is in season and grown locally provides many benefits for you and the environment. For you, the produce is higher quality — it contains more nutrients and tastes better! For the environment, there are fewer emissions from production and transportation around the world when the food doesn’t have very far to travel. Here are some tips to find local produce:
- Use a seasonal chart when purchasing produce to make sure you are shopping in season.
- Look for the Colorado Proud sticker or stamp on Locally Grown Foods (many grocery stores promote Colorado-farmed food).
- Farmer’s Markets sell foods harvested from late Spring through Early Fall. Find one near you!
- Shop frozen or canned. When a recipe calls for produce that is not currently in season, you can turn to canned or frozen fruits and veggies. These foods have a longer shelf-life, which means they can be transported more sustainably and you are less likely to waste food. Here are some tips for choosing and using canned or frozen produce:
- Look for canned foods packaged in their own juices or water. Be aware of additives such as sugar, salt, and other seasonings.
- Choose frozen produce for a nutritious produce option. Because they are flash frozen immediately after harvest and do not contain additives (unless stated on the package), they can actually be more nutritious than the fresh option harvested out of season or transported a long distance.
Our food choices can have a big impact on the environment. We can reduce this impact when we become more aware of our habits and try making shifts, like the suggestions above. We hope that you find these tips helpful and that they encourage you to eat more plants, buy local seasonal produce when you can, and turn to canned or frozen foods as an alternative. Eating in this way will not only promote the quality and nutrition of your meals but also positively impact the environment.
It’s never too early to learn about where our food comes from and start making some of these food choices from a young age for long-term eating patterns and habits. The YMCA’s newest summer camp, “Dig In!” will teach your kids where food comes from through hands-on activities in our very own gardens. Learn more at www.denverymca.org.
