Denver Struggles to Reclaim Civic Center Park

A $15 million investment has so far failed to cleanse Denver's downtown park - part of the city's first National Historic Landmark - of rampant drug use and crime. What more can the city do to speed up change?

1 minute read

August 21, 2013, 11:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


"Six years ago, Denver went all out to jump-start a Civic Center renaissance, envisioning a manicured green space busy with ordinary people enjoying strolls, brown-bag lunches, after-school soccer games and evening concerts, instead of the transients, hookers and drug dealers who infused the downtown park with a sinister vibe. But despite more than $15 million spent to reclaim the park, the perception of danger has not disappeared," writes Colleen O'Connor.

Although fitness classes, office workers, and food trucks populate the park during the day, fights, shootings, and rampant drug use are also commonplace. But increased policing alone won't solve the park's enduring problems, notes O'Connor. 

"A Civic Center safety summit was convened June 3, with people including representatives from the mayor's office, Denver Environmental Health, Downtown Denver Partnership, the district attorney's office, Denver's Road Home and Denver Human Services," she reports. "The solution, they agreed, must be multifaceted — rooted in seven areas: social services; maintenance; programming of activities; infrastructure; legal enforcement and prosecution; resources; and community and political will."

"'The problems are not solved overnight,' said Charles Birnbaum, founder and president of the Cultural Landscape Foundation in Washington, D.C., citing such examples as Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. 'This is the story of American parks. Civic Center park hasn't had its renaissance yet.'"


Sunday, August 18, 2013 in The Denver Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Western U.S. indicating public lands that would be for sale under a Senate plan in yellow and green.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands

For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

June 19, 2025 - Outdoor Life

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1 - Honolulu Civil Beat

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1 - KQED

Tents inhabited by unhoused people lined up on sidewalk in Los Angeles, California in front of industrial building.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling

An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.

July 1 - Times of San Diego

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.