LAKEWOOD INFORMER

Lakewood City Council will vote to purchase the closed school, Emory Elementary on Monday, April 28, 2025. Lakewood intends to keep the soccer fields and transfer the building to the Action Center, a non-governmental organization that provides food and homeless services. That intent to transfer was included as one sentence in the staff memo for the property purchase. However, the reason why the transfer is necessary was not disclosed. Lakewood has planned for years to purchase the school as part of the city’s strategy to increase the number of homeless shelters in Lakewood. The first reading of this purchase occurred on April 14, 2025 The problem is that the building is not going to Lakewood as the end-user. Lakewood is buying the school and fields with the intention to immediately sell or transfer the building to the Action Center, for an undisclosed amount of money while keeping the soccer fields for city use. Lakewood then intends to somehow take possession of the existing Action Center to operate a second homeless shelter, completing their navigation center concept, according to an explanation to City Council by City Manager Hodgson (see Lakewood Informer news for more details here and here). The Action Center does not have to go through the public bid process, and surrounding residents have not been made aware of the end goal that will have this service center in the middle of their neighborhood. Also of concern is that Lakewood will sell or exchange this building at a loss, since...

CRISP & GREEN are thrilled to be the Featured Vegetarian Sponsor at this year’s Denver Colfax Marathon on May 18th. We’ll be serving up our signature fresh, healthy salads to over 4,000 runners post-race, and that’s just the beginning. Visitors to our booth can also: Want to support early? Donations can be made here: https://www.coloradogives.org/story/8vtnef This is a high-energy, feel-good story highlighting local business, community wellness, youth empowerment, and giving back

By Eve S, also posted on LakewoodSpeaks Many residents chose to live in Lakewood because we appreciate the native wildlife and plants that we have found in this area. The Envision Lakewood 2040 plan emphasizes “Sustainability” without seriously considering our natural environment. It does not present a plan to preserve habitats for our native species and for the species that rely on our resources when they are migrating. I believe that “Sustainability” should include a written emphasis – a promise – to prioritize wildlife conservation for us and for future generations. If we lose pollinators, birds and mammals that have sought refuge in the remaining pockets of natural habitat, we have not created a sustainable city. The outcry over the construction of a large apartment building next to Kountze Lake at Belmar Park points out the need for more protection of our wildlife. A few concessions have been made. The City’s website statement says that the “park, however, doesn’t have any official designation as a bird sanctuary.” Vision 2040 omits any plans to designate ecologically important, but vulnerable areas, as “Preserves”, “refuges” or “sanctuaries”.  Some land should be set aside, or zoned, as “Natural Areas”, to remain as they are. These areas will be distinct from “parks” that are stripped of trees, and then are paved over for playgrounds. If we do not zone for Preserves now, the land and habitats will be gone forever. It is notable that the City predicts the developer will replace the 69 large trees at 777...