Volume 40, Edition 8

Message from CHUN Leadership

Greetings Friends and Neighbors

​Welcome to the August edition of Urban Dweller. As I was thinking about what to write in my first introduction, one thing stands out and that is gratitude. Gratitude at being able to work on behalf of you, CHUN's valued members, to represent our shared interests at a time of change in our city and neighborhoods. Gratitude at having the opportunity to meet so many people who are passionate about the future of greater Capitol Hill and to hear their stories. Gratitude at being able to work to support the area's unique character and sense of place. As an architect and urban planner originally from Glasgow, Scotland, I have enjoyed every moment of my (almost) five years living in Capitol Hill and cannot wait to get to work.

You will see that we have a number of informative and exciting events lined up over the coming weeks. There are two webinars this month; the first will focus on one of the biggest challenges our City is facing, supporting those without permanent shelter on their journeys to employment and housing. The second will provide information about a subject we may take for granted, trash collection, but one that is going to affect many residents as the City moves towards a volume-based charging scheme.

CHUN is partnering with the Colorado Rapids to offer $15 of complimentary food and beverages per ticket at their game on August 20th, which will be followed by a fireworks display. Use the link below to register and go along to Dicks Sporting Goods Park to enjoy the match against the Houston Dynamo. Looking ahead to September, we are excited for the 14th Annual CHUN fundraising event, Celebrate Community! Hosted by Logan Street Restaurant in their wonderful patio and with wine and beer kindly provided by Joy Wine and Spirits and hors d'oeuvres by Angelo's. There will also be live music from the one and only Dzirae Gold. The event promises to be a unique evening of great company and conversation.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the work of the board of directors and members of Uptown on the Hill RNO. Sadly, Uptown on the Hill has been dissolved, but we look forward to working with those involved and would welcome their input as CHUN members. I hope your summers are going well and look forward to seeing many of you at our forthcoming events, online or in-person.

Cheers!

​John Deffenbaugh
Executive Director | Capitol Hill United Neighbors, Inc.

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Member of the Month

The Empowerment Program

CHUN Community Partner, The Empowerment Program, is a community that believes humanity is best served by a diverse population coming together to encourage the most caring and equitable relationships between people.

They align with those working to improve the health of our humanity by opening their minds and hearts to a world where all are loved and compassionately cared for.

They understand that we have much in common with each other, while also embracing our differences as essential to the human spirit and to its health and well being.

They are committed to vote, engage in policy change and hold themselves and everyone around them accountable for the restoration of basic civil and human rights for people of color. ​

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CHUN Volunteer and Support Opportunities

CHUN Community Engagement Volunteer Opportunity with Metro Caring

​​Denver’s frontline anti-hunger organization, Metro Caring, works with the community to meet people’s immediate need for nutritious food while building a movement to address the root causes of hunger.

Join members of the your community and volunteer at the CHUN Community Member Metro Caring volunteer opportunity on Tuesday, September 6.  Volunteers will work in their food market preparing meals for people in our community who have food insecurity.  Please join our morning shift or our afternoon shift.

• Metro Caring- 1100 East 18th Ave. 
• Tuesday, September 6th.  We have 2 volunteer shifts with places for 10 individuals per shift:
  • 8:30 am – 12 noon
  • Noon to 3:30 pm.
• Registration: click here

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CHUN News and Events

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: September 14 is CHUN's Celebrate Community: Wine, Beer & Bites Event

One of CHUN's core values is encouraging neighbor enhancements through volunteerism and community engagement.

To celebrate the Greater Capitol Hill community, neighbors and neighborhoods, we invite you to join your neighbors and friends at CHUN's annual fundraiser on September 14.  This year, we will have both wines and beers to taste, along with some food from local CHUN restaurants members. Live music will be by soul singer Dzirae Gold. 

The event will be held at the Logan Street Bar & Grill Courtyard from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Members, non-members and friends are invited to celebrate this community event.

Tickets will be $60, which includes all food and drinks. Click here to register.

August 11 - CHUN to Co-Host Webinar Focusing on those without Permanent Shelter

You are invited to participate in our upcoming webinar on Thursday, August 11th beginning at 5:00 PM.

CHUN is partnering with Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Colorado Village Collaborative, and WellPower to present a webinar focusing on the activities of nonprofits who work with those affected by homelessness.

Participants will include:
- Cathy Alderman, Chief Communications and Public Policy Officer at Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
- Cuica Montoya, Safe Outdoor Space Program Director at Colorado Village Collaborative
- Chris Richardson, Project Manager at Mental Health Center of Denver - WellPower.

We hope this webinar will be intentionally positive. The work of these wonderful organizations should give us hope that there can be a brighter future for our fellow Denverites without permanent housing.

The webinar is at 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 11th.
​Register here.

August 18 - CHUN to Host Webinar Discussing Denver's New Volume-based Trash Pricing Pogram

In June, Denver City Council approved a new "pay as you throw" waste services program that will come into effect in January 2023.

To learn more about this policy, known as Volume-Based Trash Pricing, please join CHUN for an informational webinar.  Jessica Lally from the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will present on this new ordinance that will affect almost 180,000 Denver residents.

​The webinar is at 5pm on Thursday, August 18th.
Register here.

August 20 - Special Tickets to Colorado Rapids Game loaded with $15 of food and drink 

CHUN has partnered with the Colorado Rapids soccer team to offer a special ticket package to CHUN members for the game on Saturday, August 20th.

Every ticket purchased through the web link https://rapids.ksetickets.com/CHUN will come with $15 of loaded value for use on food and drink concessions on the night at Dicks Sporting Goods Park. There will be a fireworks display after the game. 

CHUN Hosted Denver Days Celebration of Community

In the spirit of the Denver Days celebration of community that ran from July 30th - August 7th, CHUN hosted a community get-together at the Ritual Social House on Saturday, July 30th. 

Thanks to #ritualsocialhouse for hosting us, to Chris Hinds - Councilperson, Denver City Council District 10, for joining, and to everyone who came for great conversations.

​By getting to know one another, we can build a stronger sense of community and feel safer and more connected to the neighborhoods we call home.

CHUN Joined Denver Park and Trust for Cheesman Park Cleanup

On Thursday, July 21, the Denver Park Trust, in partnership with Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods, Downtown Denver Partnership, Denver Mountain Parks Foundation and The Nature Conservancy, hosted a citywide park stewardship day followed by a community celebration at City Park Pavilion.

THANK YOU to all of the CHUN volunteers who participated in the cleanup at Cheesman Park.

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Denver and Colorado News and Events

In Memorium: CARL BOURGEOIS Investor in Historic Five Points dies at 71

In the 1980s, when most of Denver seemed ready to give up on the historically Black Five Points neighborhood, Carl Bourgeois did not. He looked at the blight along the 2400 block of Washington Street and saw past the weeds, broken windows and crumbling brick. “My dad just saw a gem,” his daughter, Nicole Stewart, said. “He saw a treasure that nobody wanted.”

Bourgeois bought what is known as the “Triangle Building” on the corner of Washington and 24th Avenue with a plan to turn it into an office space with glass windows. “People laughed and said, ‘You know folks are gonna throw stones and break them,’” Ron Williams, a close friend, said. “He did it anyway.” Eventually, Bourgeois would buy multiple buildings in the 2400 block of Washington Street, proving to the community — and the rest of Denver — that the neighborhood was worth their investment.

He showed how to preserve a historic neighborhood and adapt it to modern needs. Bourgeois was a visionary who knew what he wanted to do and how to make money, his family and friends said. But he also gave back.

Free Outdoor Movie Nights in August and September

Grab your friends and family, and a blanket or camping chairs, and meet the Colfax BID for a FREE Colfax Ave Movie Night, Wednesdays, Aug. 17 and Sept. 21, in the park at the corner 16th Avenue and Humboldt Street.
​
The street party begins at 6:30 p.m. with the movie starting at 7:30 p.m.
The full screening line-up includes:
Wednesday, Aug. 17 – Disney's Encanto
Wednesday, Sept. 21 – Remember the Titans

Food and drinks will be available for purchase before and during the movie with service ending at 9 p.m. or pack a picnic for the park. Once you arrive, you’ll grab a pair of headphones from SoundOff Colorado that bring a “silent disco” element to the traditional movie night.
Questions? Email [email protected].

Landmark Preservation Commission to Review Proposed Design Guideline Updates

The Phase 1 draft of updates to the Design Guidelines for Denver Landmark Structures and Districts will be heard as a discussion item at the August 2 Landmark Preservation Commission meeting.​

Phase 1 updates include:

• Revisions to guidelines for solar panels, retaining walls, and cladding materials for infill, additions, and accessory structures.
• Clarifications to existing guidelines about landscaping, sheds, lighting, egress windows, and fencing.

​Click here to learn more and join the meeting.

Colorado Affordable Legal Services Launches Pilot-Project for Small Businesses Negatively Impacted by Pandemic

Small business owners continue to experience negative economic impacts related to COVID-19. Not only that, rising cost, changing neighborhood demographics, and new development projects are impacting their ability to stay in place. Demand for legal assistance for matters such as lease negotiations & eviction prevention remain present.

Since 2011, CHUN Business Member, Colorado Affordable Legal Services (CALS) has been successful in providing commercial landlord-tenant dispute resolution legal services on a case-by-case basis. They recently announced the launch of a Pilot-Project on July 1st designed to address the challenges faced by small businesses that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Denver county small businesses that have questions or wish to apply for the program can email: [email protected] to schedule a free confidential intake.

Dissolution of Uptown on the Hill Registered Neighborhood Organization 

Due to the difficulty of obtaining and retaining committed board members and also their inability, despite years of effort, to involve those living in Uptown in neighborhood improvement activities, the board of directors of Uptown on the Hill RNO voted to dissolve the organization.

CHUN recognizes all of the hard work and dedication of this RNO, and along with their board, wants to thank all who have participated over the many years in efforts to improve the neighborhood. To continue member's involvement in Uptown, the Board suggested that members consider joining Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods (CHUN).

Mile High Youth Corps is Hiring Young Adults Aged 18 to 24

Mile High Youth Corps is committed to hiring candidates with unique backgrounds and perspectives. If you are interested in a position but are concerned that you do not meet all of the requirements or possess all of the necessary skills, or that prior convictions or your background might disqualify you, we encourage you to submit an application anyway.

All MHYC programs are AmeriCorps programs. As an AmeriCorps member, you are joining an initiative that engages more than 85,000 individuals per year in community service.

In return for their service, AmeriCorps members receive an Education Award that can be used to pay for college tuition or qualified student loans.

All RTD Bus and Light Rail Rides are FREE for the Entire Month of August

FREE!

FREE!

FREE!

Cherry Creek Project Explores Transportation In and Around the Area

Denver Moves: Cherry Creek is a year-long planning effort to develop a cohesive strategy for infrastructure development that achieves the City’s mobility goals in the Cherry Creek neighborhood and surrounding area. The project will explore improvements to make it safer and more convenient to walk, bicycle, take transit, deliver goods, and drive in and around the area, and will also examine green infrastructure, parking, curbside uses, and other considerations.

When complete, Denver Moves: Cherry Creek will guide how Denver programs, funds, plans, designs, builds, and maintains the future multimodal transportation network of the area.

​Denver Moves: Cherry Creek kicked-off in March 2022 and is planned to be completed in the Spring of 2023. The City will reach out at three points this year:

• Summer 2022 - Listening to the community about existing transportation challenges getting to, from, and around Cherry Creek
• Fall 2022 – Gathering community input on potential future visions for the transportation network in Cherry Creek
• Winter 2023 – Presenting draft recommendations for improving transportation in Cherry Creek and collecting public feedback on these recommendations

During each of these phases of outreach, there will be different ways to give input both online and in-person. Continue to check their website for specific ways to give your input during each phase.

Trees are COOL - Enough to Combat a Heat Island!

Trees are our first line of defense when it comes to combatting the urban phenomenon of the Heat Island. No, Heat Island isn’t a new reality show. Although it is a reality.
 
What is a Heat Island?
The easy explanation by NASA’s Climate Kids is that an urban heat island occurs when a city experiences much warmer temperatures than nearby rural areas. The difference in temperature between urban and less-developed rural areas has to do with how well the surfaces in each environment absorb and hold heat.  The darker the map, the hotter the area.

See the first and second maps to the right and how they are essentially opposites of each other? Meaning, the places with lower heat vulnerability are also the places with the highest tree canopy coverage. It’s clear to see that trees make a difference. Now that we know it’s this easy, what can we do? You guessed it.
 
Plant. More. Trees.  
 
Now you may be asking, what is it about trees? It can’t just be the shade they offer. What else is taking place? It’s a great question with only a halfway-surprising answer. Because a lot of it does have to do with the shade they provide and the sunlight they deflect. But there is also something else happening that helps trees cool their surrounding area...
 
Evapotranspiration.
 
Over at USGS.gov (United States Geological Survey), a science bureau within the United States Department of the Interior, there is a simple illustration that says it all: Evapotranspiration simply describes how water working through the tree ends up cooling the air around it. Water (precipitation) comes in through the roots and is released as vapor (transpiration). And, as an added bonus, the soil releases even more water to cool the air down low (evaporation).

​So, one of the best ways we can combat heat islands is by planting more trees. Two ways you can do that: by applying for a free tree in your public right-of-way and planting more trees downtown.
 
All of the above combined, results in a drop in temps and a happier, healthier – and much cooler -- community. If you’ve read all the way through and you still want more, you can check out this PBS interview from earlier in the year, featuring Denver’s own City Forester Mike Swanson, talking about Heat Islands.