Basketball court relocation and improvement – Friends And Neighbors (FANS) of Washington Park

Project lead Brian Wethington – Brian.Wethington@denvergov.org

Mr. Wethington presented to the FANS public meeting on Wednesday Oct. 12, 2016. He indicated that $200,000 has been acquired to build new basketball courts where the horseshoe pits now stand near Downing Street and Kentucky. $250,000 is needed for the project. Presently there were no plans to tear up the existing courts which would be abandon. FANS is expressing a firm opinion that the project should include removal of any abandon asphalt and the area restored to grass.

History and Development of Washington Park

Join us Wednesday, April 11th from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Dos Chappell Bathhouse (VOC building).

Friends and Neighbors (FANS) of Washington Park is very pleased to have Sarah McCarthy as our guest speaker this month. She is a long-time Washington Park resident, neighborhood activist, preservationist and author.

In the late 1870’s the people who later founded the Town of South Denver began to discuss the idea of creating a “central park”. This was the beginning of what we know as Washington Park. Our local park has great history. It remains a superb example of many of the principles of the “City Beautiful” movement popularized at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Learn about the architecture of its two most prominent buildings, the Dos Chappell Bathhouse and the Boathouse Pavilion. Learn about the gardens’ history, the park’s sculptures, what happened to the Lilly Pond, and how the children in the shoe relate to the 1875 Eugene Field House, our former branch library.

A presentation that includes historical photos will be given to share our park’s remarkable 135 year history.