Denver, CO
A zebra sanctuary in Park Hill? A wave pool? Denver residents weigh in with ideas for massive new city park
Many Denverites’ ideas for what should go in the city’s newest park are on the practical and predictable side: Hiking trails. A pond. A dog park. Maybe even a botanic garden.
Then, there are the wild cards.
A zebra sanctuary, a wave pool, a skijoring training area.
These suggestions, both the realistic and the ones that seem pulled straight from a 10-year-old’s imagination, are just some of the options that Denver Parks and Recreation likely will weigh as officials decide what will be built at the former Park Hill Golf Course property once it becomes a public park.
In an attempt to get a feel for what Denverites want to see in the new park, The Denver Post conducted an informal online survey this week. As of midday Friday, it had garnered 318 responses.
The 155-acre former golf course in northeast Denver has been the subject of debate and consternation for decades. After several citywide votes over whether the land should remain open space, be developed into housing and shops, or a mix of both, the decision has been announced by Mayor Mike Johnston: the full property will become a park.
When it opens this summer, the not-yet-named park will be the city’s fourth largest behind only City Park, Sloan’s Lake and Washington Park.
But the fight over the land isn’t totally over.
In the next round, city officials will weigh which amenities they should pursue for the future park. While the area will open initially as open space, Parks and Recreation plans to solicit feedback, a process that will inform how officials develop the park further.
The city has suggested it may add some lower-cost developments to the park, like picnic tables or a disc golf course, as it builds a long-term plan.
Officials will rake through input from residents near and far, consider the city’s bank account, design a park, and — almost certainly — leave some, or many, residents frustrated when their ideas lose out.
Here’s some of what The Post learned in its survey: Of 15 potential amenities listed in the survey as options, seven received more than 100 votes from the respondents (who could choose more than one).
They were, in descending order: Hiking trails, a playground, picnic tables, a pond or lake, a botanic garden, a dog park, and a performance space or stage.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said hiking trails were an amenity they wished to see in the park.
Those who answered also had an opportunity to say which amenity they most wanted. Twenty-four people said walking trails were the amenity they dreamed of the most, while 20 said a dog park, 16 said pickleball courts, 14 said a golf course and nine said a disc golf course.
Here are some of the suggestions residents made when given a “fill in the blank” option. Answers are transcribed almost exactly as they were written:
- Dog park!
- Anything but another dog park
- SKATE PARK (CAN BE SMALL)
- Could we make part of it a zebra sanctuary?
- Skijoring training area
- Kid stuff
- TREES
- Artificial wave machine
Some of the most creative ideas:
- A city-funded vet office for wildlife so there is a place where people can bring injured wildlife
- Locking wooden stocks for public shaming
- Film at Park Hill showing movies on a big screen
- Roller rink
About 80 of the respondents said they lived in Park Hill neighborhoods.
Irene Andress, 70, has lived in the area for the last 10 years. A frequent visitor of City Park, Andress hopes the city will build a pond to bring in migratory birds to Park Hill. She would also love to see a bike loop.
“We don’t have great trail access here at Park Hill,” she said. “We just need something where you can get in your regular exercise.”

Shontel Lewis, who represents the neighborhood on the Denver City Council, said it’s early in the feedback process but, mostly, her constituents just want to be a part of the decision-making process around the park’s development.
“And that doesn’t mean that it’s not a park for everyone,” Lewis said. “The residents can have the opportunity to design what they believe the vision for that park should be, and it can be a park that is open to the public and meets the needs of the greater Denver metro area.”
The city is in the process of formally acquiring the property through a land trade deal with the owners, Westside Investment Partners. Pending council approval, Johnston has agreed to give the developers a 145-acre parcel of land the city owns near Denver International Airport.
Denver Parks and Recreation hasn’t yet started to solicit feedback, but residents can sign up to be notified once the process has begun on its website. The city plans to build upon input it has received in the past with surveys, pop-up events, public meetings and open houses, said Stephanie Figueroa, a spokesperson for the parks department.
The park’s development will be funded through a 2018 voter-approved 0.25% sales tax called the Parks Legacy Fund, which dedicates dollars for parks, trails and open space in the city.
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Denver, CO
Where do Packers stand in NFC playoff picture after loss in Denver?
The Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) dropped from first to second in the NFC North and from the second seed to the seventh seed in the NFC after losing to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Significant injuries suffered against the Broncos will mean lasting implications are felt past Sunday. The Packers are also now a long shot to catch the Los Angeles Rams for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and it’ll take a win next Saturday night in Chicago to retake control in the NFC North.
But the Packers are still in a good spot in terms of making the postseason field, especially after the Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys all lost on Sunday.
NFC playoff picture after Week 15
- Los Angeles Rams (11-3, 6-3 vs. NFC)
- Chicago Bears (10-4, 6-3 vs. NFC)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-5, 7-3 vs. NFC)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7, 5-5 vs. NFC)
- Seattle Seahawks (11-3, 6-3 vs. NFC)
- San Francisco 49ers (10-4, 8-2 vs. NFC)
- Green Bay Packers (9-4-1, 7-2-1 vs. NFC)
Others: Lions (8-6), Panthers (7-7), Cowboys (6-7-1)
According to The Athletic’s NFL playoff simulator, the Packers have a 92 percent chance of making the postseason with three weeks to go. They become all but guaranteed of a playoff spot if they can beat the Bears in Chicago in Week 16. In fact, just one win over the final three weeks could be enough for the Packers to get in.
The NFC North winner looks like a coinflip. The Athletic’s model gives the Packers a 48 percent chance of winning the division right now, and it would go up to 82 percent with a win over the Bears on Saturday. Chicago took down the Cleveland Browns with ease in bitter cold temps at Soldier Field on Sunday.
The Athletic’s model also gives the Packers a 98 percent chance of being the No. 2 seed if Matt LaFleur’s team can win out. That will be much easier said than done without Micah Parsons (and potentially Christian Watson) down the stretch.
Two very possibilities for the Packers: Win the NFC North and host the Bears in the NFC Wild Card Round, or get in as the No. 7 seed and go to Chicago to play the Bears in the NFC Wild Card Round. A third round of the rivalry is increasingly possible in January.
Packers remaining games
Nothing easy here. The Bears, Ravens and Vikings all won Sunday. The Bears and Ravens won comfortably; the Vikings upset the Cowboys — who desperately needed to win — in Dallas. The Bears and Ravens are both playing to win division titles. The Vikings are a dangerously talented spoiler team, and winning at U.S. Bank Stadium is never easy. The Athletic’s model gives the Packers roughly a 40 percent chance of making the postseason even with an 0-3 finish. The Lions are the biggest threat to pass the Packers in the event they finish 0-3.
It appears the Packers can clinch a playoff spot next week with a win over the Bears and a Steelers win over the Lions.
Denver, CO
Packers vs. Broncos Week 15 Game Discussion Thread
It’s time for the AFC’s #1 team to meet the NFC’s #2. Today the Denver Broncos host the Green Bay Packers in a key late-season inter-conference matchup that could have playoff seeding implications for both teams.
In Denver, the Broncos will be trying to hold on to the top spot in the AFC and keep their impressive win streak rolling. Denver has won ten straight games, some of them in fairly ridiculous fashion, but they sit at 11-2, sharing the top record in the NFL with the New England Patriots, who are just behind them in the playoff picture based on conference record.
The Packers, meanwhile, want to hold on to the lead in the NFC North before they have their rematch with the Chicago Bears next Saturday night. Green Bay sits behind only the Los Angeles Rams in the playoff race in the NFC, and they want to return to the Central time zone with that lead intact.
Join us here at Acme Packing Company to discuss today’s game, and Go Pack Go!
Denver, CO
Denver hosts Houston on 4-game home skid
Houston Rockets (16-6, third in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (18-6, second in the Western Conference)
Denver; Monday, 9:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Denver hosts Houston looking to end its four-game home slide.
The Nuggets are 13-5 in conference games. Denver averages 125.5 points while outscoring opponents by 9.6 points per game.
The Rockets are 9-5 in Western Conference play. Houston is fifth in the NBA scoring 120.6 points per game while shooting 48.6%.
The Nuggets’ 13.5 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.8 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Rockets give up. The Rockets average 120.6 points per game, 4.7 more than the 115.9 the Nuggets give up.
The teams meet for the second time this season. In the last meeting on Nov. 22 the Nuggets won 112-109 led by 34 points from Nikola Jokic, while Reed Sheppard scored 27 points for the Rockets.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jokic is averaging 29.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.9 assists for the Nuggets. Hunter Tyson is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Alperen Sengun is averaging 23 points, 9.4 rebounds, seven assists and 1.5 steals for the Rockets. Amen Thompson is averaging 20.0 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 126.7 points, 41.4 rebounds, 30.3 assists, 5.8 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 53.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.8 points per game.
Rockets: 7-3, averaging 115.7 points, 47.2 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 9.3 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.0 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Christian Braun: out (ankle), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring), Julian Strawther: day to day (back).
Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Dorian Finney-Smith: out (ankle), Tari Eason: out (oblique).
——
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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