Denver Parks and Recreation has surrounded parts of Sonny Lawson Park and La Alma-Lincoln Park with fencing to keep people out in what the department described Friday as its latest effort to curb rising drug sales, violence and vandalism in those spaces.
A pocket of grass and trees near the intersection of West 14th Avenue and Kalamath Street was also barricaded this week in response to the same behavior, said Stephanie Figueroa, a department spokeswoman. The closures will remain in effect for at least 30 days.
The parks department has been working with the city’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, the Department of Health and the Environment, members of the City Council, the Denver Police Department and the nonprofit Denver Dream Center to coordinate the closures, Figueroa said in a statement Friday e-mail.
“This decision was made due to the increase in drug sales, violent incidents and vandalism,” she wrote. “(Denver Parks and Recreation) tried other interventions before the closure decision was made, but the problem persisted.”
The news of the closures was first reported by Denverite Thursday. It appears the parks department has not announced the closures his website or social media pages.
Certain activities are still allowed at both Sonny Lawson, located at 2301 Welton St. in the Five Points neighborhood, and La Alma-Lincoln Park, which anchors the neighborhood of the same name at 1265 Mariposa St.
The dog park and playground at Sonny Lawson will remain open — at least for now, Figueroa said. People and organizations that already have a permit for events and activities on certain days can also use the parks at those times if they still want to.
“Permitted uses include baseball games, farmers markets and concerts,” Figueroa wrote in her email. “DPR has contacted permit holders to advise them of the closure and to work with them if they choose to change their permit.”
Closing public parks to address potentially dangerous and harmful behavior is not a new approach for the city.
La Alma-Lincoln Park and its recreation center were closed for the better part of five months between December 2021 and April 2022 due to a rash of shooting incidents in which someone fired a shot at the recreation center while it was open, park officials said at the time.
The final closure, a week-long closure that began on April 28, 2022, after a fatal shooting in the park. Gary Arellano, 63, was killed while trying to break up a fight in the park. A 24-year-old man from outside the area was arrested in Arellano’s murder.
Civic Center Park, located in the heart of the city at the intersection of Broadway and Colfax Avenue, was also closed for an extended period from September 2021 to May 2022. The parks department forced the closure in part to restore the grass and improve safety. but also to disrupt the rampant drug use and drug sales there.
Figueroa noted in her email Friday that the city was restricting access to Civic Center Park until 2023, even after the expanded closure was lifted. This was done to ensure safety and is considered a success.
“If you walk through the park today, you can see firsthand how successful that closure and reopening was. The park is in great condition and welcoming to all who wish to visit this public space,” Figueroa wrote.
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