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Denver hosts first of many community driven planning meetings

Posted at 10:37 PM, Sep 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-14 00:40:47-04

DENVER, Colo. -- The number of people living in downtown Denver has tripled in the last 15 years, and it’s not hard to miss the new buildings, bike paths, or parks under construction.

But what about your neighborhood? Would you like to see more or less development? How about public transportation, for example?

City planners want to hear from you about where you want the city to go. Wednesday, Denver 7 attended one of many planned “Denveright” meetings, where city planners want to hear from residents.

Planners will host five Blueprint Denver workshops where residents can review and provide input on draft maps and potential future growth strategies.

Plans included in Denveright are: Blueprint Denver (land use and transportation); the Game Plan (parks and recreation); Denver Moves: Transit; and Denver Moves: Pedestrians and Trails.

It's no secret that Denver is booming. The cranes dotting the city skyline all point towards growth. People come from all over, and have been for a long time—like Increase Ndikum.

He came from West Africa almost 20 years ago. For him, that's long enough to feel like a native.

"Since I came to Denver, the town has evolved in front of me.” Said Ndikum. “So now I can lay claim to some sort of originality around here."

As part of the Green Valley Ranch community, he feels he has a say in his neighborhood plans. If you ask him, the area could use some work.

"We have more traffic than we can live with,” said Ndikum. “We need to expand the roads a little bit, grow a few more trees, make it a little greener and beautiful."

He'd like more job opportunities in the northeast—more trails and bike paths too.

That's what Wednesday is for: one of several meetings to hear about possible plans for new corridors, town centers and neighborhoods like we've seen in others parts of Denver.

David Gaspers is a Denver city planner.

"We want to look about how we can take advantage about some of the new infrastructure out here and think forward about how to make this more of a complete neighborhood for the residents here today and who will be here in the future," said Gaspers.

Ndikum says it's a little behind schedule, but he welcomes it.

"They should have done this 10 years ago, 20 maybe. This should have gone along with the development that's taken place in downtown Denver."

He hopes these meetings will help all parts of Denver, not just downtown, get the attention they deserve.

"What is being said, actually gets realized, that would be wonderful," said Ndikum.

OTHER WORKSHOPS:

  • Southeast: Thursday, September 14 at 5:30 p.m. University of Denver: Anderson Academic Commons, 2150 E Evans Ave.
  • Southwest: Tuesday, September 19 at 5:30 p.m. Doull Elementary, 2520 S. Utica St.  
  • Northwest: Wednesday, September 20 at 5:30 p.m. Scheitler Rec Center, 5031 W 46th Ave.
  • Central: Thursday, September 21 at 5:30 p.m. East High School, 1600 City Park Esplanade

For more information, head to the Denveright website.