Redlining and segregation of the commons. Sounds hyperbolic doesn’t it? Nonetheless, that was the reaction by the African-American community in the areas near Denver’s City Park when a group of young, white residents, most of whom are recent arrivals (within the last 5-7 years) rallied to pressure Denver Parks & Rec (DPR) to rescind a decision about road closures in one section.
In 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, DPR closed off most road access to the city’s parks. As the situation has changed, they’ve reviewed what re-openings should occur. This has come as certain groups lobbied to have the larger parks largely entirely closed to car traffic. The groups and those resisting such blanket closures have broken along racial and class lines and display the vast divide between long-time Denver residents and the tidal wave of young whites that have flooded into the city over the last decade.
The reopening plans have included some permanent road closures, in some cases significant ones. For example, Cheesman Park, was completely closed. Opposition had been mostly muted although some opinion pieces have attempted to push back. This recently came to a head when DPR announced that they might not close City Park to car traffic the way they originally planned.
BACKGROUND
Denver Parks have long been places that were “driveable”, to, through, around. Over the previous couple of generations, various aspects of this were on display: ad-hoc,classic car rallies, sitting in lawn chairs beside the car smoking a cigar or talking with friends, massive family picnics only made possible by hauling stuff in with a car, napping in the car (yes that’s a thing here) and people with mobility issues.
There is a cultural aspect to this as African American and Latino families, who for decades made up the population that surrounded the park, were the primary users. This has changed massively in the last decade as I mentioned before: hordes of 20/30-something whites have flocked here for jobs, the climate and the mountains. And as has happened in other urban centers, they’ve moved “downtown” and the resulting clash over gentrification/displacement has played out in the neighborhood landscape.
POST-COVID CLOSURE
Earlier in the year, DPR posted a proposed road closure for City Park.
As with Cheesman Park (or Washington Park further south and Sloan’s Lake out to the west), initial reaction was muted. However, over Easter Weekend, DPR did not close the park as shown in the red, however, the blue sections remained closed off. Strolling through the park on Easter was scary and hopeful at the same time. Scary in that everybody here has decided masks aren’t needed anymore. Hopeful in that City Park and all its diversity was on display.
That display comes in stark contrast to the other three large parks. Cheesman and Washington are now largely young, white enclaves. Sloans has kept roads open only in the southwest corner. As activity has picked up in recent weeks, what do you see? Hispanics isolated in a small corner while the young, athletic white population bikes, roller blades, plays outdoor games and lounges everywhere else, and this in a park that’s had a large Hispanic population for generations. You wouldn’t know it now.
PARKS ARE FOR (SOME) PEOPLE
Back to City Park and Easter weekend. The proposed loosening of the original closure plan was met with outrage by various groups that center around the Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) movement. One group, organized a rally in City Park, “Parks Are For People”, in which they characterized the red section on the above map that was now open as a threat to life and limb. At the same time, when pressed on the issue, the typical response was, in effect “why is everybody up in arms over such a small closure and by the way, there’s plenty of parking up by the Zoo.”
When asked in return if this is such a small closure, then why are all you white folks hot and bothered about it, they don’t have an answer. The Zoo parking “solution” (along with others like buses and shuttles from other areas) ignored the distance to picnic areas and the problem of parking availability in general in that area because, duh, people part there to go to the Zoo.
The rally, in effect was “Parks Are For SOME People” with SOME People being young whites who don’t have mobility issues. They would never use words like “redlining” or “segregation” but that’s the net result of their aims. Basically it comes keeping “others” from “their” areas of the park, said areas that are normally open and accessible to everybody.
The speakers cited a DPR survey, a self-selecting survey in which most POC in the surrounding neighborhoods were unaware existed because DPR relies mostly on social media to alert people that they’re asking for feedback. They post signs in the park but the onus is still on an individual to reply. They got 4200+ responses which overwhelmingly wanted not just the proposed closure to continue but closing off the park entirely to cars. The problem with the survey were the demographics: virtually everybody was under 45, white and predominantly female. It in no way represented the diversity of the surrounding neighborhoods nor the city as a whole.
BLACK WOMEN ARE AGAIN SAVING US FROM WHITE MEN
In this case younger white men, not their parents or grandparents. Once the rally became known and it’s purpose (pressure DPR to go forward with the original closing plan), push back began and more questions were asked. Most of the initial resistance centered around African American women in the immediate neighborhoods. They pointed out the exclusionary effect these closings would have, they managed to get interviewed by local TV news. The resistance snowballed and spilled over into social media.
People began to see the intended consequences of this, segregating the park. The race and class issues involved were being conveniently overlooked by the young, white people behind the effort, it’s a classic Yimby mindset.
Then somebody pointed out the obvious: this is a park that for close to 50 years bordered a redlined neighborhood and the red areas shown on the map provided access to…Denver’s MLK memorial. Essentially, white people were clamoring for significantly reduced access to one of the most visited spots in the park which was being objected to by…the neighboring black residents. The self-absorption and entitlement on display was staggering.
The city council rep whose area encompasses City Park put out a statement:
"Our office understands the request to remove cars from City Park AND we understand how beloved City Park is and how many people (especially in historically marginalized neighborhoods) do not have access to a quality park within walking distance. While we work on getting parks within walking distance of ALL Denver residences, we cannot just make parks for people who can walk or bike to them. Parks are public, and we want every type of person enjoying them.
For now, we must allow cars in City Park to ensure access and enjoyment for those who do not live nearby and for those who literally cannot walk easily. We all have the same goal on this one—a world where City Park is everyone's next door neighbor. So let's be cognizant of that part and fight together to preserve and acquire as much park space (and better multimodal transportation options) as we possibly can so that this is less of an issue."
Councilwoman CdeBaca's statement on City Park Road Closures
By this point, the councilwoman’s office was releasing statements indicating that the “Parks Are For People” organizers had been working city officials hard for a complete closure, like they’d successfully gotten in Cheesman and Wash Parks. This information got more people incensed as publicity around what they originally tried to do grew.
The best statement was from a former mayoral candidate, Lisa Calderon who is also the Chief of Staff for Councilwoman CdeBaca:
Last night at the Denver Parks and Recreation board meeting there were many speakers in support of keeping City Park permanently closed to cars. As a regular City Park user and cyclist, I understand the concern. But as a 4th generation Denver resident and woman of color, these views are not equitable despite claims to the contrary.
If we are to strike a balance, proponents must consider the historical and cultural significance of the “people’s park” for communities of color. We have a long history of having our extended families load-up our cars for afternoon barbecues and hang outs. It is a place where we have gathered for marches, social events and concerts.
Telling Black elders—who fought for the right to come to integrated parks—that they need to park blocks away in a gentrified neighborhood to see the Martin Luther King statue, is not equitable.
Making the park mostly accessible to people who live near it, and not those who have been displaced from it, is not equitable.
Excluding large families with small children who can’t all jump on bikes with their coolers and folding picnic tables, is not equitable.
Prohibiting laborers who enjoy their lunch in the park while catching a brief mental health respite before driving back to their shift work, is not equitable.
Making it more difficult to access for people with mobility issues, is not equitable.
“Shared streets” should not be about exclusive streets. Labeling something as equitable doesn’t make it so. Equity it’s not about sameness, but involves specific remedies to create equal access within the context of a rapidly gentrify and increasingly inequitable city.
Lisa Calderon's Facebook statement on City Park road closures
My executive summary is more to the point:
“This is nothing more than a push by young, mobile, athletic, entitled and incredibly racially tone deaf whiteys to redline and segregate City Park.”
There’s a reason the Chief of Staff ran for mayor and I’m just a guy who rants on social media and political blogs.
PUSH BACK WORKED…THIS TIME
The Deputy Park Manager, Scott Gilmore, was the one who decided to not go forward with the closing of the red area. He factored in the total unrepresentative nature of the self-selected survey, the importance of access to the MLK and noted the relative mileage of trails and percentage of closures:
The only difference in what was originally proposed and what DPR implemented is that DPR opened the section of the Esplanade off of 17th to the MLK Statue. Prior to Covid 25% of the park roads were closed to traffic. With the new configuration 35% of the roads are now closed to vehicles. There is also 12 miles of trails and sidewalks in City Park. This is a regional park are there needs to be access for all. The MLK statue is one of the most visited MLK monuments in the country. It is a pride and joy of the African American community in Denver. It features MLK, Sonjouner Truth, Fredrick Douglas, Ghandi, and Rosa Parks. DPR not cut off access to this section of the park by forcing all park traffic onto one small road west of the greenhouse.
Deputy Park Manager statement on City Park road closures.
That’s what we saw on display Easter weekend. Massive use of the park by a diverse set of people that represents the city, not the attitudes of white people who grew up in the ‘burbs, have flocked to the cities for culture and bring with them a suburban mindset of space. All wrapped up in a nice entitlement ribbon.
This is a win for now but as we’ve learned, the yimby never take no for an answer. Already one of the leaders is working to get this changed or overturned although the latter is problematic given the decision-making structure in place. White Entitlement, The Next Generation.