DENVER — The City of Denver plans to spend millions of dollars to renovate a park it shut down nearly seven months ago due to drug use and violence.
On Monday, the Denver City Council approved a two-year, $1.3 million contract for architectural designs for La Alma-Lincoln Park.
"The design will probably take the rest of the year, and then we'll need to approve a construction contract," said Denver Councilwoman Jamie Torres, who represents District 3 on the city's west side.
City documents show the renovations will include new walking loops, an expanded skate and playground area, a new roller loop, and added picnic areas. Torres said the total project is estimated to cost $16 million.
Claire Eliassen and her boys live close to the park. While it's a convenient option for her family, she said they've seen everything from drug use to other undesirable activity.
"I always feel like it's going to be a toss-up about how it's going to be at the park," said Eliassen.
Denver Parks & Rec closed off La Alma-Lincoln and Sonny Lawson Parks in August 2024 due to drug use and violence. At the time, officials with Denver Parks & Rec said the closure was coordinated with council offices, Denver's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), Denver's Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE), the Denver Police Department, and the Dream Center.
While gates are still up on the north end of the park, Torres said she's seen improvements over the last few months.
The councilwoman said the project would deliver on a promise made to the neighborhood when city officials created a vision planback in 2023.
"We want a well-lit, well-activated park in our La Alma-Lincoln Park neighborhood, and this is one of the ways to get that," said Torres.
While Eliassen doesn't think a new park will keep bad behavior away, she's optimistic it will bring new life into their neighborhood.
"I think it helps it feel more like our neighborhood matters," she said.
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