Tag Archives: Michael Hancock

HomeRun Needed to Save Hentzell Park

NO JOY IN MUDVILLE TONIGHT
As you may have heard already Judge Stern did not grant our request for an injunction.  To quote John Case “This is only round one in a fifteen round fight.” This injunction request is not our only egg in the basket and there are several legal avenues that we will be pursuing ardently.  Most urgently is our need to get at least 6500 signatures by Monday July 1.
We have 4000 signatures in hand with over 90 petitions outstanding.   If  90 petitions had only 20 signatures on each one then that would be 1800 signatures and put us over the top.  To have 8000 signatures would be even better to make up for those signatures that are not valid.   AND TO THINK HOW FAR WE HAVE COME IN 30 DAYS.   WE CAN DO THIS.
Please join us for this last big push.
Game Plan for circulating petitions this weekend.
Friday: Rockies game,  Meet up on the overpass/viaduct entrance to Coors field tonight from 5:30 to 6:30PM.
Saturday: Rockies game,  meet up on the overpass/viaduct 1 to 2:30PM.
Sunday:  Meet up at City Park we want to have as many petition circulators as possible for the thousands who attend Jazz in the Park. 5PM to 8PM .
Returning petitions
We absolutely need to have all petitions returned to 10081 East Cornell Ave, Denver Co.80231 during the following times.
Judy will be available to notarize the petitions at her home. Please call her for directions or questions. 303-667-7207
Saturday morning 8 – 12
Sunday  morning 9 -12
Judy will be available for returning petitions Sunday night at City Park, “Jazz in the Park” until 8PM.
We will be turning in the petitions to the City Clerk and Recorder on Monday, July 1, 2013.  This is the deadline.
Thank you to everyone for all your hard work and dedication to saving Hentzell Park Natural Area, and continuing on with the fight.

In the bigger scheme there are other natural spaces and open areas ready and ripe for the developers and Mayor Hancock to divvy up.  We can’t stop now, nor can we accept this as our reality.
We expect to have two news releases next week documenting our next steps in the legal process.
Renee Lewis
President – Friends of Denver Park
Home 303-337-2947
Cell 970-331-6641
Donations are always gladly accepted to help with the expenses. Please see our Pay Pal donation link here

Press Release June 17, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friends of Denver Parks Inc and homeowners Steve Waldstein and Zelda Hawkins filed their closing argument Monday June 17 in Denver District Court.  The plaintiffs seek a preliminary injunction to prevent the City from trading 10.7 acres of Hampden Heights North Park for an office building at 1330 Fox St.  A copy of the plaintiffs’ closing argument is attached and is available to the public at FriendsofDenverParks.Org.
The plaintiffs argue that the section 2.4.5 of the Denver City Charter allows park land acquired before 1955 to be designated by affirmative acts of the city government, separate and apart from designation by ordinance.  Plaintiffs presented testimony from 6 witnesses and introduced 50 exhibits into evidence at the hearing June 12 and 13.  The testimony, which was undisputed by defense lawyers for the City, showed that city officials, including planning officials and former mayor Bill McNichols, told citizens that HHNP is a park and would remain a park forever.  Continue reading

New Announcement June 7 2013

On Wednesday, June 12, 2013 Denver District Judge Herbert L. Stern III will decide whether to grant a preliminary injunction preventing Mayor Hancock and city council from trading  10.7 acres of Hampden Heights North Park in southeast Denver for an office building downtown.  Friends of Denver Parks, a non-profit corporation whose mission is to protect and preserve Denver parks, natural areas, and open space, joined two individual homeowners and filed suit on May 30 to block the trade.

 Denver attorney John Case, who is representing the plaintiffs pro-bono, said that he is excited to have an early hearing date.   “Denver city charter section 2.4.5 says that city officials cannot transfer any part of a park without a vote of the people,” Case said.  “We are asking the Court to let the people decide.  We believe that citizens want Denver to be a beautiful outdoor environment where parents can teach their children to enjoy wildlife in the city, and people throughout the city can walk and bicycle through natural areas.”

Continue reading