COMMUNITY CHOICES EVENTS High Schools February 13-22, 2014 In February 2014, the City held a series of events to gain public input on the Arvada Comprehensive Plan Update. Outreach included engaging approximately 200 high school students in the planning process, as shown in the table below: Date School Class Students Tuesday, Feb. 18 th Ralston Valley High School Student Council 30 Tuesday, Feb. 18 th Pomona High School 9 th Grade Civics 20 Tuesday, Feb. 18 th Pomona High School 12 th Grade Economics 20 Tuesday, Feb. 18 th Arvada High School Student Council 20 Wednesday, Feb. 19 th Arvada West High School 9 th Grade Civics 60 Wednesday, Feb. 19 th Arvada West High School 9 th Grade Geography 60 Besides gaining feedback from the students, the meetings achieved four state standards, or learning objectives: 1. Use maps and geographic data to make decisions. Draw conclusions and make predictions. 2. Analyze public policy and programs and their impact on a given population and the physical environment. 3. Be able to understand how public policy is created, monitored, and influenced. 4. Evaluate policy documents. The meetings included a presentation of the Arvada Comprehensive Plan, its importance, and how it shapes community development, with an emphasis on multimodal transportation, recreation, and healthy living. After the presentation, students broke into small groups for a hands-on map exercise, focused on Wadsworth Boulevard, Ralston Road, or Indiana Street. Each group was given stickers depicting various community amenities, such as healthy food access, outdoor recreation program, bus stop, and crosswalk, which they placed on the maps in areas they felt were appropriate. The groups also used markers to draw bike paths and sidewalks they wanted developed. After the map exercise, each group wrote down their ideas and formed policy statements regarding proposed improvements, which they presented to the entire class. A snapshot of the Wadsworth Boulevard map marked up by Pomona High students is shown on the next page: FEBRUARY 2014 COMMUNITY CHOICES EVENTS 1.
We received the following input on the maps: Wadsworth Corridor Wadsworth current bus system is creepy Entertainment in parks Olde Town focus business not residential Extend Olde Town east Fashion Bug / youthful retail Utilize shopping center to north Sidewalks on Carr north of Ralston Gyms in Olde Town 2 COMMUNITY CHOICES EVENTS FEBRUARY 2014
Improve bus stop structures Improve entertainment Healthy food in commercial Youth entertainment opportunities Arvada Center: playground, Frisbee golf, indoor sports area Winter events in Olde Town Mixed-use area by Arvada High Bike lanes on Wadsworth, like 15 th in Denver Parking concerns in Olde Town Skinny sidewalks Demolish Pomona High and make it open space and parks Outdoor recreation by the bike trail off of 72 nd Ave Gathering place for youth in Olde Town Pedestrian bridges on Wadsworth Better traffic control in Olde Town Sidewalk improvements by Arvada K-8 Healthy food access on 58 th frontage road Indoor recreation, playground in Olde Town Bus stops by schools Local food in open area by Swason Preschool Pedestrian bridges near Costco area and movie theaters Big skate park somewhere We need a rec center closer than the APEX to northern Arvada Community garden area, to help improve activity levels and encourage a better diet. Also teach kids about gardening Better bike routes around Wadsworth safer, connected routes Make Indian Tree Golf Course similar to Westwoods Golf Course Make trails and paths for walkers and bikers to go through the Course. Better traffic flow on Pomona Drive Finish the light rail from Denver to Boulder Potholes in shopping center on 80 th and Wadsworth = no good Bike paths cover more ground for faster travel Paths are more secluded from major roads High quality sports centers / local boxing rings / basketball courts More bus paths for traveling Ice cream parlors Less coffee Natural food FEBRUARY 2014 COMMUNITY CHOICES EVENTS 3.
Leave Lake Arbor open space alone Bus routes down Wadsworth Place parks in open space Bus stop / toute near Library Jewish place of worship Improve the playground at Lake Arbor Improve crosswalk at Pomona Drive and Wadsworth Every crosswalk needs improvement, turn signals, and walk signals go at the same time Cars almost hit pedestrians Better paths / sidewalks near Pomona so we can walk Healthier food choices near Pomona Fix stoplight at Pomona Drive and Wadsworth We need a stoplight at 80 th and Lamar Community garden by or on Pomona Campus Want Myers Pool open more Recreational center near Moore and Pomona Lake Arbor Pool too small / bigger pool near Pomona Stop sign by the school (the church) a stoplight or traffic cop for the morning Healthy food near schools Pomona cheap More money into recreation centers more affordable / convenient for younger high school students Shovel sidewalk before kids walk to school in the morning I d like to see every stoplight with a left turn arrow light! The huge field west of Lake Arbor community park should be tansformed into a more appealing easy on the eyes park Better transportation along residential areas Gentrification of Westminster Mall Light rail along Boulder to Denver Not take as long with construction Safe, fun places for teens to hangout by high schools, like a dance club Better night life in Arvada for those 18 and up Ralston Corridor Bike trail starting on 72 nd and on Carr Street leading to Gold Line Possible mall Expand Secrest teen center Terrace park 4 COMMUNITY CHOICES EVENTS FEBRUARY 2014
Street improvement on Ralston (sidewalks) More sidewalks to walk on 60 th Bus route down Ralston Rd Healthier food selection around alternatives Expand on the teen center Playground north of Swanson Park Better traffic light by alternatives Farmers market at the new Walmart Gathering place in Arvada Sidewalks on Ralston Ralston Rd improvements Timing of crosswalks by 58 th / Wadsworth Disappearing sidewalks West side Kipling and Ralston add entertainment and things that ll appeal to multi generations Bike lanes: on Grandview, n/s connection; Skyline Estates, Target shopping center; Healthier food n/w of campus Where we go now: bowling alley, Memorial Park, Stenger Park, Community Garden Thing we want to see: denser commnities, mixed-use, wider sidewalks on Ralston, 6 th, 58 th, west of Kipling Community activities The City should improve sidewalks on Simms, 64 th and Pierce The City should place a new restaurant by Arvada West The City should redevelop east of Wadsworth The City should increase bus lanes and public transportation The City should put bus and bike transportation to the Gold Line The City should put a small outdoor pool/water park Indiana Corridor Bus stop: near L8-W fence elementary because of residential areas Crosswalk: Ward because you have to walk far in order to get to one destination Indoor recreation: Independence, there are more people living in this area without any recreational buildings Park: Reneselaer Dr the open space is limited here Sidewalk improvements: 64 th and McIntyre very busy area and needs a better sidewalk Healthy food: somewhere the Arvada Station so someone can buy food near the station Local food grown: for the apartment area in or around Oberon Rd Playground: Near apartments in Allendale FEBRUARY 2014 COMMUNITY CHOICES EVENTS 5.
Bus stop: near retail and Moore; easy access for neighborhoods Stoplight / outdoor recreation: 58 th frontage road Make safe bike paths and multi-purpose sidewalks near schools The City should provide another sports field along Indiana The City should build a path from Candelas to Westwoods The City should build an indoor skatepark by the YMCA The City should make a sidewalk along Indiana north of Candelas The City should finish and provide a youth center off of 64 th and Miller The City should provide sidewalks for youth to walk to places The City should improve sidewalks along 64 th and along Ralston The City should provide a crosswalk at 64 th and Quail The City should provide a traffic signal at 64 th and Quail The City should provide an indoor recreation program off of Reno Want recreation centers in community where people live so they don t have to travel far Sidewalk improvements along Quaker because its not really safe enough to walk Crosswalk across Quaker for easy access to bus route Playground by Quaker Street close to Westwoods for kids after school Sidewalks and bike paths along Quaker and Indiana for alternative transportation to gathering spaces The City should build a healthy food access on 72nd Blvd because it is between the two communities and there aren t a lot of food places around The City should begin/create a bus route along Indiana The City should build a playground in the are to the right of Indiana The City should expand Indiana to four lanes The City should build a recreational program around 64 th Ave The City should build a hospital off of the ne parkway The City should create some open space up by the Candelas Pkwy The City should build store (grocery and resources) off of 64 th Ave (in red areas) The City should increase sidewalks on Indiana The City should build a gathering area up near Ralston Reservoir The City should increase senior housing near Indiana and 72 nd The City should create a bus stop at the intersection of Indiana and 64 th The City should build upon an Urgent Care cacility near Indian and 64th The City should create a cemetery off of the planned Jefferson Pkway The City should create a bike path from Quaker and 82 nd to Leyden Lake The City should create a trail around the future recreation area The City should build a storage area off of Indiana The City should develop more commercial areas in West Arvada 6 COMMUNITY CHOICES EVENTS FEBRUARY 2014
The City create recreational opportunities on open space The City should promote ethnic diversity in stores and restaurants in various communities The City should provide more green produce and eating options The City should make malls more accessible / closer Put a playground next to the gathering place Combined senior house next to community gardens More skateparks (outdoor / indoor) Having a park for BMX bikes Terrain park Lake-based recreation Youth farmers markets Free WiFi Outdoor theater (concert / movies) More outdoor recreation in general FEBRUARY 2014 COMMUNITY CHOICES EVENTS 7.