From parks to DIA, city spruces up, puts on best face for history

By Abigail Curtis, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 23, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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The nation's eyes will be on Denver next week, focused on the Democratic National Convention's security and shenanigans.

But if anyone happens to glance at the city's parks, streets or airport, officials say that they won't be disappointed.

"We definitely want our parks to look beautiful for the DNC," said Jill McGranahan, director of communications for Denver Parks and Recreation. "But we feel that they look beautiful all the time."

McGranahan said no additional money has been spent to pretty up the parks for the DNC.

However, the department has moved its seasonal work force to some areas that are expected to have lots of traffic, including Civic Center Park and City Park. The crews have been resodding and reseeding grass, pulling weeds and fixing broken fountains, she said.

"This is an incredible national and international stage for the city of Denver," McGranahan said.

"We want to show what a great city we live in."

Ann Williams, of the city's public works department, said it hasn't done anything out of the ordinary to prepare for the DNC.

But next week will be a different story.

"We'll be cleaning up after parades and cleaning up after concerts in the parks," she said. "We're very strategic about it. We're prepared."

The city does have something special that will be completed in time for the DNC: an eco-friendly redesign of the Auraria Parkway median.

"The existing landscape was in pretty bad shape," said Michael Bouchard, of the EDAW landscape planning and design firm. "It's the front door to the Pepsi Center, so we approached the city to improve the front door for the convention."

Denver officials agreed to EDAW's offer of pro bono help. Bouchard says the company donated about $35,000 worth of time to design the makeover.

Instead of thirsty Kentucky bluegrass, convention-goers and residents will see a colorful xeric median instead.

"We're really drawing our design inspiration from the native prairie landscape of the plains," Bouchard said. "We're trying to mix grasses and perennials with large swaths of color."

And not a blade of Kentucky bluegrass in the bunch.

A Kenyan proverb will be carved into a concrete wall of the median. It reads: "Treat the earth well, it is not inherited from your parents, it is borrowed from your children."

Bouchard thinks the proverb is appropriate reading for the convention. "I'd love to see some of the national news media out there taking shots of it," he said.

Making it pretty

Here are some things the city has done to spiff up before the DNC:

DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT * Large banners hang in the main terminal with words and phrases that speak to the state's culture and geography: "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and "Fourteeners."

* New carpeting in the main terminal

* Revamping the Web site flydenver.com for the duration of the convention, with tips for delegates and information about Colorado tourism.

CITY PARKS * Recently illuminated fountain on City Park's Ferril Lake

* Rows of blooming yellow-orange "Denver daisies"

* Lots of green grass,thanks to upgraded sprinkler systems and recent rainstorms

* 16th Street Mall

* New planters (with Denver daisies)

* New permanent recycling containers

* New banners

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