Park Hill Golf Course Community Voice Report
The Community's Voice and Call for Action
Summary
The impacts of systemic oppression and racism are alive and continually reverberating throughout the community directly adjacent to the former Park Hill Golf Course. Denver's Northeast Park Hill, Clayton, and Elyria Swansea Neighborhoods have great diversity in race/ ethnicity and income. However, like most urban neighborhoods across the country, these areas have been heavily influenced by institutional practices that have reinforced social inequity. These inequities cause challenges when it comes time to engage a changing neighborhood, where the platform for a community's voice typically belongs to those with privilege. This privilege manifests in many ways and can overrepresent the viewpoints of a community. Those without the benefit of free time are often unheard of, missing out on helping to shape the future of their environments. Without these voices, communities continue to develop and change in ways that cater to the privileged, further contributing to inequitable neighborhoods. The efforts of this project were to promote equity within the community's voice and ensure that the marginalized are respected by gaining opportunities to help shape the future.
This is the continuation of community voice work that started in 2021 and was reported at the following link: Park Hill Golf Course Community Voice Report - Phase I
Top Themes
The Community's top priorities for the potential redevelopment and the area:
- Housing
- Retail
- Parks & Open Space
Housing
Priorities
- Affordable Housing
- Promote and Prioritize Diversity
- Build Housing for Families
Housing was the most discussed theme throughout both phases of the community engagement. Community members expressed desires that heavily focused on affordable housing, preserving and promoting diversity, and building family-ready housing.
Affordable Housing
I would like to ensure there are affordable housing options provided with the resident portion of the layout. The development should be economically balanced.
Many community members expressed the need for affordable housing, emphasizing for-sale products. Gentrification was another major topic in the community dialogues, as many reflected and lamented the surrounding community's rapid racial demographic changes.
[We need] affordable housing in general. I feel like there’s too much gentrification. There’s too much of that going on that there’s not enough housing for people that live in the area, so they have to go out. And yeah, they don’t. They might’ve grown up here, but can’t stay here because, like I said, houses being built that are expensive and so they have to move because they can’t be anywhere else.
Promote and Prioritize Diversity
My desire is to see diversity in Park Hill - not just with ethnicities and race, but with age ranges that differ. That’s what makes a community, is a seasoned mixture of different ages and cultures exchanging life together. I would love to see the land owners and developers offer that back to our community.
There is a strong desire for housing to contribute to the racial diversity of the neighborhood. Community members frequently commented on the gentrification and displacement that the Northeast Park Hill Neighborhood has experienced, leading to the displacement of Black residents.
[I want to see] a policy that would require a portion of the new affordable units to be set aside for prioritized applicants for a set amount of time. Prioritization factors can include if they have previously been displaced from Northeast Park Hill, surrounding neighborhoods at risk for displacement, household members with a disability, or a family with a child in the local school - also down payment assistance programs to support residents in Northeast Park Hill and surrounding neighborhoods.
Housing Built for Families
Community members indicated in 1-on-1 conversation surveys that they want to ensure housing is built for families, requiring larger units of three bedrooms or more. A desire for a variety of housing options went hand-in-hand with affordability.
[I recommend] a variety of affordable unit types, specifically those that are conducive to large families, like 3 to 4 bedroom units.
Retail
Priorities
- Promote Small & Minority Business
- Grocery and Healthy Food Options
Promote Small & Minority Business
I think not only having a mix of affordability for homes, but having an affordability for business opportunities as well [is important], because that’s one of the biggest barriers for small business owners, is the cost of rent.
Many community members remarked on desires and methods for promoting local and small business opportunities. These comments were paired with the desire to see minority-owned business opportunities emerge.
Mr. Brown, [a Black small business owner in Park Hill] owns the building. [As a landlord], Mr. Brown frequents the barbershop, sits outside and eats ice cream at the ice cream shop. He's there - So that cycle of community is visible, and that also recreates opportunity for those that come in. He's got Black and White tenants that reflect the community.
Grocery and Healthy Food Options
I would like to see more shops with fresh items like fruits and vegetables, instead of another Burger King, or another McDonalds - There are already a lot of fast food stores in this community, but there are not enough places to get healthy foods. And that would help because those places are supposed to be accessible. So, just making fresh foods more accessible for the community.
Another critical topic included the desire to see more options for grocery and healthy foods. Community members shared their experiences of healthy foods being hard to access while fast food is plentiful in the area.
It can be hard to get groceries over by the golf course without transportation, because the closest stores are on Quebec. Adding a grocery store would be very convenient for a lot of people.
Parks
Priorities
- Inclusive public spaces and parks that cultivate community
- Increase access to recreational facilities (indoor and outdoor) for children
Parks and open space was the third most discussed general topic. Community members mainly discussed how the parks could contribute to the feeling of diversity and inclusion.
I think it needs to maintain some green space. [We need] the ability to walk around it and hopefully it’s an area that creates community.
I’ll say one thing resonates with me... a strong sense of community... One of the things that, you know, reminds me of a strong community is the get togethers, like we used to have... block parties, you know, get togethers or whatever. And it would be, you know, everybody from several blocks and they just have a couple of streets blocked off. And it was something that was very positive, something that was, you know, where people were getting to know their neighbor.
History
History is a significant component of the surrounding community. The future of the golf course property should consider some of the darker systemic impacts Black residents have suffered. However, it should also celebrate the positive and highlight the area's diversity and culture. The map below briefly summarizes three significant geographic points of Park Hill's history, including the golf course.
01 / 03
1
Park Hill Golf Course
Before 1932, the property was used as a dairy & farm operated by Clayton.
Park Hill Golf Club opened in 1932.
The golf course was unwelcoming to Black residents - Black people were not allowed on the property until after 1969.
In recent history, Black golfers and residents of Park Hill have fonder memories. Many Black residents remember the club house as a place for gathering for events.
2
Dahlia Square
The property was a brick manufacturing yard till 1953 - it produced 24 million bricks from the clay soil used to build many of the homes in Park Hill.
1957 - Dahlia Bowling Lanes - 24 lanes - leagues for youth and adults
1958 - Largest supermarket in Colorado - King Soopers. laundromat/dry cleaner, cobbler shop, two gas stations, dress shop, donut store, beauty salon, McDonald's (1960s 35th & Eudora - became Tastee Freeze later)
1969 - Bought by African American Investors (backed by Presbyterian Economic Development Corporation, which lent $500k) to become center of Black Capitalism - claimed largest Black-owned shopping center in the country.
1970 - King Soopers leaves the neighborhood, contributing to blight and leaving a large vacancy in the neighborhood. Racism and resentment for Black ownership were suspected to be a factor.
1971 - Dahlia Bowling Lanes toppled by gusty winds and closes permanently.
1971-2005 - The shopping center struggled and was eventual demolished. Throughout this time, many attempts to recesitate the property were made by community leaders.
2010 - Dahlia Square Senior Housing
3
Park Hill Shopping Center - "The Holly"
Once a trash site for Clayton Holdings.
1953 - Shopping center built, holding 20 stores, including a Safeway Grocery.
1961 - Horizon Lounge opens
1967 - Safeway closes after riots sparked by tensions between police and black youth. A hardware store is destroyed in the riot.
2008 - Gang tensions lead to the property being burned down and sat in ruble until 2009.
2010 - Urban Land Conservancy purchases the property to redevelop it for community benefit. [Read More]
2015 - The Vickers Boys & Girls Club opens.
2016 - Roots Elementary School opens.
2018 - Roots Elementary closes.
2020 - The Center for African American Health purchases the former Roots Elementary building and opens for business. [Read More]
Gentrification & Displacement
As one of the major topics brought up by community members, gentrification has been felt deeply by Black community members. The Northeast Park Hill neighborhood has been predominately Black since 1970. Racist actions and policies, such as redlining and blockbusting, heavily influenced this de facto segregation of Park Hill, which led to and influenced many negative impacts on the generational wealth of the Black community nationwide.
1932 - Denver Public Library
We need to validate the feelings that the community has expressed. The following maps tell a story of the displacement of the Black community around the golf course. The rise of real estate costs in a less economically mobile community has contributed to a tremendous amount of change in the cultural feel of the neighborhood. If nothing is done about it, the fears of being completely pushed out by rising housing costs may become a reality.
The following section contains maps showing the change of racial/ethnic demographics, as well as the shifts of population below the Federal poverty level. The maps compliment the community's feeling of tremendous change and loss.
Race & Ethnicity
Change from 2000-2020
Source: US Census
The maps above show the change in the Black, Latinx, and White residents since 2000. Substantial demographic changes occurred between 2000 and 2010. However, data from the 2020 Census shows an even starker ten-year contrast.
Poverty
Change from 2000-2020
Source: US Census
These maps show the change in population that is considered below the Federal poverty level. The relationship between the two shows that in 2020, the area generally became more financially affluent compared to 2000.
Affordable Housing
Increasing the supply of Affordable Housing is vital to the neighborhood's future and has manifested as a leading priority in community dialogues. The existing affordable housing supply is insufficient to meet the demand that the community and the city currently face.
This map shows the inventory of affordable housing within a mile of the former golf course.
Park Hill Station - Developed by Delwest
Renaissance North Colorado Station - Developed by Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
Liggons Tower
Dahlia Square Senior Apartments
The Crossing - Denver Rescue Mission
About DMCI
What Is Community Impact?
Denver Metro Community Impact
Mission
We advance equity and generational success by elevating the voices of the systemically oppressed through the facilitation of organizational collective action, led and constructed by the community.
Vision
Equitable Denver Communities Where Children are Thriving, Not Just Surviving.
Denver Metro Community Impact (DMCI) is being built in real-time by and for the community. DMCI serves as the facilitator and connector for a growing network of partners to meet the needs of families in Denver. The network is bound together by passionate work on the Social Determinants of Health, recognizing that systemic change will come from efforts in improving life in our homes, schools, workplaces, neighborhood, and communities. The success of the DMCI Network is dependent upon organizations and individuals working together differently.
What we do
As a convener and facilitator of community and an organizational network, Denver Metro Community Impact (DMCI) represents a medium to understand neighborhood interests, the world of philanthropy, government, and any other entity seeking to work for and with the community. We hold an impactful position in mobilizing the funding of philanthropy directly to the community's needs by fortifying the voice with data while making a case for investment in systemic change. To that end, DMCI is a professional code-switching organization.
DMCI puts community voice first. Our Community Impact Workflow has been developed from the best practices of the Collective Impact Framework but also the best practices of community organizing. Starting with the community voice in mind, we seek leaders who have a knack for building relationships, listening to stories, and advocating for their neighbors. We discover shared interests, issues impacting equity, and the desire for action and change through these leaders. After identifying this, we start the Collective Impact work by fortifying the community's voice with data, continuing communication with the leaders, and inviting appropriate organizational partners to brainstorm collaborative action while seeking continuous community feedback along the way. As a result, advocacy, solutions, and change are delivered to the community, by the community and our partners.
Project Information
Community Navigator Program
Community Talks
The community is the primary partner and director of this work and the resulting reports. To provide the best platform for elevating the community's voice, DMCI hired eight leaders from within the community. Each Community Navigator is connected to the community in various ways and recognized as leaders within their circles. They organized Community Talks throughout the communities directly adjacent to the former golf club regarding the Park Hill Golf Course Area Visioning Process and Small Area Plan. We structured the Talks to increase equity by providing intentionally smaller and more comfortable settings for residents and community members to participate and be heard. During the city's Visioning Process, the Talks served as a source to glean input and amplify the voices of those in the community that are not typically heard.
1-on-1 Conversations
To provide even more equitable platforms for galvanizing, Community Navigators led 1-on-1 Conversations throughout the community. This engagement method gives community members a chance to voice their opinions, experiences, and desires for the visioning process, regardless of potential aversions to group meeting dynamics or availability to attend.
Data Processing & Administration
To support the work of the Community Navigators, Denver Metro Community Impact (DMCI) handled the data input synthesis, analysis, and reporting. DMCI also served as an administrative and community engagement strategy consultant for the visioning process.
Overarching Goals of Visioning Process
Promote participation from underrepresented and marginalized neighbors of the former Park Hill Golf Club, including but not limited to African-Americans, Latinx, seniors, youth, and renters.
Data Methodology
Thematic analysis looks at patterns of meaning in a data set – for example, a set of interviews or focus group transcripts. In the case of this project, the sources of the data sets are the Community Talks and the 1-on-1 Conversations that the Community Navigators conducted. A thematic analysis takes bodies of data and groups them according to similarities/themes. The themes help us make sense of the community's experiences, desires, concerns, rejections, and sentiments regarding the Visioning Process.
Step 1: Audio Transcription/ Note Taking
In this step, DMCI gets familiar with the data, reading through notes provided by Community Navigators and analyzing and transcribing meeting recordings.
Step 2: Coding
After collecting the notes and transcripts, we begin to "Code" the data, which involves highlighting and relating phrases and sentences with shorthand labels that group similarities.
Step 3: Generating, Reviewing & Naming Themes
After coding, themes emerge from the data in the form of specific topics quoted multiple times. These themes are then reviewed across our team and named to identify the shared perspectives of community members.
Step 4: Write Up and Analysis
Timeline
Jan 2021
Phase I Kickoff - PHGC Visioning Process
Feb - Jun 2021
18 Community Dialogues and 100 1-on-1 Conversations were held by Community Navigators, engaging over 240 Community Members.
Jan 2022
Phase II Kickoff - PHGC Small Area Plan Process
Mar - May 2022
6 Community Dialogues and 32 1-on-1 Conversations were held by Community Navigators, engaging over 100 Community Members.
Jul 2022
DMCI published this final report.
