Denver Direct: More on the commercialization of Denver’s parkland


Monday, May 24, 2010

More on the commercialization of Denver’s parkland



From Parks and Wreck:

Below is a list of current and proposed Parks and Recreation Temporary Vending sites.  Please review the list and let us know if you have any questions about the addition of the 9 park sites, 5 athletic field sites and the 15 outdoor pools as new temporary vending locations.  Please offer feedback to [email protected] by May 31, 2010.

The Temporary Vending Permit provides licensed vendors the opportunity to temporarily sell food and non-alcoholic beverages at designated sites approved by the City and County of Denver. Only stationary, non-mobilized food vending carts are permitted.  Permits are offered on a monthly basis.  Non-permitted vendors are not allowed within 300 feet of a Denver park.

  

Temporary Vending Sites

Park Locations

Current

Barnum Park

Skyline Park – North Block     –           2 locations

Confluence Park

Skyline Park –  Mid Block        –           2 locations

Garfield Park

Skyline Park –  South Block     –           3 locations

Houston Park

Sloans Lake Park

Skatepark

Washington Park (4 locations)

Proposed

Cramner Park

Cheesman Park

Berkeley Park

Stapleton Central Park

Rocky Mountain Lake

Falcon Park

City Park (3 locations)

O’Fallen Park

Civic Center Park

Athletic Field Locations

Current

Barnum East

Kennedy Complex (2 locations)

Barnum North

Montbello Central (2 locations)

Bible Park

Ruby Hill Complex

Garland Park

Vanderbilt Complex

Jackie Robinson Complex (4 locations)

Veterans Park

Proposed

Lowry Soccer

Parkfield

Kennedy Soccer

Green Valley East

Val Verde

Outdoor Pools

Proposed (outside entrance)

Argo

Green Valley Ranch East

Aztlan

Harvard Gulch

Barnum

Harvey

Berkeley

Lincoln

Congress

Mestizo-Curtis

Cook

Ruby Hill

Eisenhower

Swansea

Garfield Lake

From the e-wire:
[To] All – Athmar Park has been the victim of “mobile” vendors for many years. In fact, in recent years, vendors set up mini-plazas in Huston Lake Park that totally blocked access to the walkways for pedestrians. Those vendors were belligerent, aggressive, and completely dismissive of Denver regulations. The Athmar Park Neighborhood Association was successful in getting Environmental Health and NIS to remove those vendors from HLP. However, the effect on area residents was so profoundly negative that APNA had other concerns regarding vendors beside the obvious commercialization of Denver parkland. [This] proposal seems to be an attempt to blatantly commercialize Denver parkland and seems to be yet another ploy to disturb the restful quality of Denver’s parks. I have not seen a cost/benefit analysis for this proposal. I believe the revenue numbers should be forthcoming, as well as plans for handling adverse behavior.

I believe that allowing this type of commercialization, as innocuous as it seems on the face of it, is simply a wedge to help open the door to all types of revenue-generating events/uses in our parks.

Karen