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Cheesman Park Bond Construction Update

The historic Cheesman Pavilion repair and preservation bond project started construction April 1 this spring.  The work is fund with $150,000 in Better Denver Bond funds. $195,000 from State Historic fund has been granted; this additional funding expands the scope of stone and mortar repair and other related work.  Several of the marble stones will be replaced with marble from the historic quarry in Marble Colorado, the original source for the pavilion.  Mechanical ventilation and electrical code upgrades for the basement are included.  Foundation surveys have been completed and selective repairs to them will be made.  Completion is planned for August and the structure will be open for business September 1, 2011. 

 

The general contractor, JeDunn Construction was selected through a competitive process and their stone subcontractor, Premier Specialty Contractors, Inc., is well versed in the art and science of marble preservation. This project has focused repair to the most urgent and critical areas of the building primarily the roof balustrade and cornice however preservation work should be undertaken on other areas within five to ten years.

Sealing and repairing the roof membrane was completed by a related project last year.

Restroom services for Cheesman Park:

This follows an email to Tom Hawkey a member of CPAG last week.  There is enough use in the park to warrant services however it is not known how the Restroom Master Plan 2005 was applied to the recently completed, Cheesman Park Master Plan.  The sitting and design guidelines as well as eligibility criteria need to be applied – some further follow-up work is needed.

 

The work along the perimeter of the park has been moving along and is beginning to wrap up

Irrigation Work – The irrigation system has been completed in the main park as well as in the esplanade (aka “Little Cheesman”). Over the next couple of weeks the crews will be compacting the trenches and installing nozzles to each of the heads.

Trails – All of the planned trails are complete. There are still two trail connections that we will be making. The walk on the north side of 9th on the west side of the park will be getting a trail connection from the sidewalk to the crusher fines trail. This connection will be a crusher fines trail.

General – The contractor has been working to get the site cleaned up and they are preparing to start placing sod and seed in the next couple of weeks.

Additional Work – The walls at 10th and 11th on the west have been complete.  There is an area along the path at each of the walls that still needs to be graded due to the steep slope.  And I am waiting for Public Works to approve the plans for the removal of Franklin Street on the south and then we will move forward with this improvement.

 

If you have any other questions about the construction in Cheesman Park please contact the project manager, Kent Sondgerath at kent.sondgerath@denvergov.org.

 

Safety Tips for Park Use:

Here are some safety guidelines for walking/running in Chessman Park and other Denver Parks:

  • Jog with companions.
  • Keep your head “on a swivel”
  • Please be aware of your surroundings. Be alert to places and situations that make you vulnerable.
  • Walk or jog confidently and alertly. 
  • Avoid poorly lit locations. Avoid uninhabited parts of the park.
  • Have your phone ready and available should you need to summon help.
  • Keep a distance. Don’t let people get too close, even if they appear to be innocent.
  • Plan ahead. Know your route, and the time of day.

 
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Better Paths! Better Crossings! Better Irrigation!

With Phase I and Phase II in Cheesman Park Better Denver Bond project coming to an end, Phase III will be kicking off early this fall and be completed in the summer of 2011.

 

Happening in three stages over the next year, construction work is moving from the internal meadow areas to the perimeter of the park. Construction will start on the north end of the park, then will move to the east side from 12th to 9th Avenues including the Pavilion. The third stage will be along the west side from 12th-9th Avenues around the playground. The final stage will be the southern most edge along 8th avenue and will include irrigation replacement in the Esplanade.

 

Phase three is the continuation of the improvements already taking place in the interior of the Park including:

  • Replacing the asphalt paths with new concrete paths.
  • Connecting the new trails from the meadow area to the perimeter to allow for better access to the perimeter for strollers, disabled, etc.
  • Reconditioning of the crusher fines paths.
  • Realigning trails to provide safer access to the trails and street crossings.
  • Complete renovation of the irrigation system on the perimeter.

 

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Cheesman – Going to the Dogs?

That was the line on one of the many e-mails I’ve been getting about dogs off-leash in Cheesman.  They seem to be pretty evenly divided, but I’m not counting because the issue won’t be resolved by e-mail contests.  I do read them, think about them, and try to respond.   Here are my responses to the basic questions:

 

Should people be ticketed for off-leash dogs? And alternatively, is there enough enforcement?

Many of you want more tickets and higher fines. Others argue that off-leash tickets should be a much lower priority than tickets for not picking up after dogs and for barking dogs.  I don’t support prioritizing our laws.  Environmental Health is considering increasing fines, particularly for second and third off-leash offenses.  If you would like to attend the public hearing before the Board of Environmental Health, please click here to view meeting dates, times and locations.  

Animal Control and the Park Rangers are stepping up enforcement and giving more tickets.   They have issued 139 citations in Cheesman Park this year and will be continuing to enforce as much as possible.  With all the calls for service in Capitol Hill, the police cannot devote enough resources to off-leash dogs to solve the problems, although they do ticket when they can and also do drug stings in the park.

 

What’s the problem with off-leash dogs in the park?  What can we do about the deterioration of the turf?

While many of you object to behavior that is not in keeping with responsible dog ownership and that threatens the safety, health, and enjoyment of other park users as well as the destruction of turf, many dog owners say they are responsible and are equally put out with irresponsible dog owners.  Some people say they have been chased, barked at or felt threatened; others say the dogs don’t hurt anyone.   

 

What I do know is that there was a large bare spot in the north meadow of Cheesman Park.  The Parks District Superintendent had his staff reseeding parts of Cheesman the first week in April.  They also had to fence off the area in the north meadow and placed signs in many of the newly seeded areas requesting park users to recreate in other areas of the park.  Obviously, there’s a cost to the intense wear and tear on the Park.   

Will Cheesman be a Dog Park?  Can there be off-leash hours for dogs in Cheesman?

About six years ago the Parks and Recreation Department conducted a dog off-leash pilot program.  The Manager at that time decided Cheesman would not have off-leash dog hours or an off-leash dog area.  The Department is now embarking on a Dog Park Master Plan.  If you have not yet taken their survey or read about their plan, please click here.  I will not preclude the outcome of that public process by taking a position at this time.  I have been looking for a good, alternative off-leash area in District 10 for six years to no avail, but I’m not giving up hope on that front.  In the meantime, I remain an advocate for Cheesman Park as a well-maintained, clean, safe and beautiful park.    

 

Here’s what we’ve accomplished together so far:

  • The Cheesman Park Master Plan was approved in 2008.
  • As a result of the plan, we had two auto-free Sundays last year.
  • summer the first Sunday of each month from May to September the park will be closed to cars.
  • The Denver Children’s Museum and the Cheesman Park Advocacy Group (CPAG) are co-sponsoring “One Book, One Sunday” - a children’s reading and activity session -on the first Sunday of each month
  • This summer CPAG will host the 3rd Annual Children’s Fourth of July parade.
  • We will also host the third annual Movie in the Park night and the fourth annual Symphony in the Park night this summer and the annual Municipal Band concert
  • CPAG created an Adopt-a-Sprinkler program to give the park district plenty of replacements for broken sprinkler heads
  • The City through the 2007 bond issue is investing nearly $2 million in a new irrigation system to be installed this fall and nearly $1 million dollars in upgraded trails and raised pedestrian crossings.
  • Parks and Recreation has submitted a grant request to the Colorado Historical Fund to match city bond dollars for renovation and repair of the Cheesman Pavilion

Click on the organization title to read statements by Parks and Recreation, the Mayor’s Office, and Commander Dilley of the District 6 Police Department regarding this process. 

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Links
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Cheesman “First Sunday in the Park” Auto-Free Days

To provide greater predictability and increase public use, Cheesman Park roads were closed to automobile traffic the first Sunday of each month May through September 2008 and 2009.  In 2011, on May 1, June 5, July 3, August 7, and September 4, Cheesman Park roads were closed from 5:00 am to 6:00 pm to enhance the pedestrian and biking experience in the park.  I encouraged you, your family, and friends to come and enjoy a safe, peaceful day in the park. to I encouraged you, your family, and friends to come and enjoy a safe, peaceful day in the park.

 

Other 2011 summer events included:  

  • 5th Annual Independence Day Cheesman Park Kids Parade, Monday, July 4, 9AM – 12 PM. The eastern section of the roadway will be closed and re-opened by 2pm.
  • Denver Municipal Band

 

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4th Annual Independence Day Cheesman Park Kids Parade Great Success

Many thanks to the Cheesman Park Advocacy Group and numerous volunteers for hosting the 5th Annual Independence Day Cheesman Park Kids Parade.  It was our biggest and best yet with close to 1000 people participating!!  On July 4th, kids of all ages came to the east side of Cheesman Park  to decorate bikes, wagons, and strollers and parade through Cheesman.      to decorate bikes, wagons, and strollers and parade through Cheesman.

Pre and post parade activities included the balloon man, face painting, the police horse patrols, and visits by a fire truck and police car.
 
This parade is just another idea to encourage people to come together to Cheesman Park to enjoy its beauty, its trails, and other recreation amenities, and to provide our children with this special patriotic American tradition.  For more information or if you are interested in volunteering or donating call Marilyn Kal-Hagan at 303-694-6721 or my office at 303-377-1807.

 
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