Published on May 26, 2022
Mayor Michael B. Hancock, Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval, and the community helped Denver Parks & Recreation (DPR) celebrate the completion of renovations at Inspiration Point Park, including a new playground, enhanced picnic sites, improved western overlook, and restored historic wall.
In November 2017, voters approved the Elevate Denver Bond which allocated $2,135,000 for Inspiration Point Park improvements to include a new playground, picnic sites and shade pavilion, restoration of the historic masonry wall at the point, improved ADA parking, and a new traffic circle. The remainder of the $2.5 million project was funded by the Denver Parks & Recreation Legacy Fund and Capital Improvement Funds.
The 25.5-acre park is located at 49th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard in northwest Denver. The park sits at an elevation of 5,415 feet which provides incredible views of nearly 200 miles of the Rocky Mountain Front Range, as well as the entire city of Denver. Completed in 1910, Inspiration Point Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In the early 20th century, the national “City Beautiful” movement, inspired by Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair, aimed to elevate the human spirit by making communities aesthetically attractive by building parks, planting greenery, adding sidewalks and paving streets. Denver Mayor Robert Speer, elected in 1904, was an enthusiastic supporter of the City Beautiful movement, and he became the driving force behind the creation of Inspiration Point Park and other areas identified for Denver’s City Beautiful master plan. A State Historical Society plaque on the bluff commemorates the first panned gold strike in 1850 and the resulting gold rush that led to the eventual Statehood of Colorado in 1876.
This project is part of DPR’s Game Plan for a Healthy City to preserve and enhance Denver’s legacy park system while making it more equitable and resilient.