District 7 Update - January 2013

Don't Trash That Christmas Tree. Recycle it!
Your Christmas tree gave you so much joy during the holidays, and still has more to offer! Denver Recycles "TreeCycle" program will turn your Christmas tree into valuable mulch. And, even better, you can pick up your mulch for FREE in the spring. Plus, participating in the program helps the City save money on disposal fees and space in the landfill. Remember to remove all decorations before placing the tree out for collection.

Dumpster service: Place your tree 4 feet away from the dumpster on Monday, December 31st or January 7th.

Barrel & manual service: Place your tree out on your normal trash day between December 31st and January 11th.

Do not place your trees in dumpsters!

Call 3-1-1 after April 1st for more information on the "TreeCycle Mulch Giveaway."

FREE Trees Two Ways

After you've taken care of disposing your inside tree, get ready to order an outside tree - for FREE. Even though we're now in the dead of winter it's not too early to prepare for planting season. Spring will be here soon and The Park People and Denver Forestry Department want you to have a FREE tree. Trees provide shade, save energy, and beautify our neighborhoods. Why not participate? It's easy. Click here to find out more about the "Denver Digs Trees" and "Mile High Million Trees" programs.

The deadline for submitting an application for a street tree through the "Denver Digs Trees" program is February 15th. Trees will be available for pickup in April. Visit www.TheParkPeople.org or call 303-722-6262 for a list of trees, applications and information.

"ParkSmart Denver Cards" Now Available
Do you hate digging for change every time you park at a meter? Do you know about the "ParkSmart Denver Card?" The pre-loaded cards are available in increments of $5, $15, $25, $50, and $100 and can be used at Smart Meters citywide. Save yourself some aggravation and stop by one of the locations below to buy your card today.

Metro Area King Soopers stores, customer service counter
Wellington Webb Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave, 1st Fl, cashier counter
Tattered Cover locations: Colfax & Elizabeth and 16th & Wynkoop

For more information and additional locations visit ParkSmartDenver.com.

Evans Avenue Bridge Improvements

If you have ever waited to enter the Santa Fe on-ramp on Evans Avenue, felt your car shake, and wondered if the bridge would collapse before you had a chance to turn, here is the good news: Structural bridge improvements are now underway along with multimodal transportation upgrades that include wider sidewalks and improved bicycle connectivity. Northbound and southbound off-ramps from Santa Fe Drive to Evans Avenue will be closed while the bridge over Santa Fe is rehabilitated. One lane in each direction on Evans Avenue will also be closed for the duration of the project.

Although detours have been established to minimize out-of-direction travel and to coordinate with other construction work in the area, you may want to steer clear or find alternate routes. During the closure, southbound traffic exiting from Santa Fe will be detoured onto West Florida Avenue to South Platte River Drive (to avoid unrelated work already in progress on Broadway south of Evans). Northbound traffic exiting from Santa Fe will be detoured onto West Iowa Avenue to South Broadway where the majority of work on the Broadway project has been completed.

Yep. It's construction a-go-go but a small price to pay for a solid bridge, big sidewalks, and new bike lanes. Be patient and look for Phase I of the project to be complete by spring 2013.

"Meet Your Perfect Match" in Time for Valentine's Day - at the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter
Volunteers will be on hand on Sunday, February 10th at the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter (DMAS) to play match-maker between potential adopters and their future furry family-members. DMAS will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is offering "sweetheart" deals on adoption fees: $85 for dogs, $50 for cats, and $10 for small animals. Trying to find a companion for an existing pet? Bring your pet along (just make sure they are vaccinated) and let them help you choose a new friend.

To learn more visit: www.DenverGov.org/AnimalCare, call (303) 698-0076, or stop by the state-of-the-art shelter at 1241 West Bayaud Avenue. Check out the public art on your way in: a twenty-five foot dog sculpture with 90,000 stainless steel pet tags for fur!

City's Energy Call Center Gives Good Advice, Saves Residents Time & Money
Do you have a ton of questions about how you can cut energy waste at home? But not a ton of time for research? The "Denver Energy Challenge" has a staff of energy experts and qualified contractors to provide efficient answers to all of your questions. Call 720-865-5520 and see what you can do to save money and improve your indoor comfort and air quality. There is no catch; this FREE program is available to all Denver residents. Call today or click here for more information.

FREE Tax Preparation Services for Low-Income Families
Hard-working families earning less than $49,000 can take advantage of FREE tax preparation services. IRS certified college students and members of the Denver Asset Building Coalition (DABC) will help prepare and e-file taxes. Visit the DABC website: www.DenverABC.org for income qualifications and other requirements. You can also dial 2-1-1 (a free call) or go to www.Piton.org/eitc for more details and locations. Keep more of your refund: don't pay to have your tax return done!

Tax Clinic Volunteers Needed for Low-Income Assistance
Want to do your part to help Denver's low-income families? You can help them get tax refunds - no experience required. You don't need to be an accountant or even a computer whiz to lend a hand to Denver's hard-working low-income families. The City of Denver's Asset Building Coalition (DABC) will train you to help file tax returns for struggling single moms, unemployed parents, immigrant families, and others most in need. DABC tax law training is offered online or through a self-study course in December and January. E-file training will be offered to all volunteers in January. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit http://www.denverabc.org/volunteers.htm or call Karen Black at 720 865-2433.

Martin Luther King Day "Marade" & African-American Rodeo

Civil Rights Leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy is commemorated in the Mile High City every January with what has grown to be one of the largest MLK Day celebrations in the U.S. - even larger than Washington, DC's. Join fellow marchers and parade fans in this year's Marade on January 21st at 9:00 a.m. and walk from the Dr. King memorial site in City Park to Civic Center Park.

Continue the celebration that night at the Martin Luther King Jr. African-American Rodeo of Champions at the Denver Coliseum. The show starts at 6pm and reserved seating costs between $13 - $35. Click here for more info.

Spring 2013 Transit Alliance Citizens' Academy
Do you dig public transportation? Are you interested in making Metro Denver a better place to live? Sign up for the Transit Alliance Citizen's Academy.

The Citizen's Academy will host a maximum of 50 participants over 7 weeks to discuss the complex linkages between transportation, community development and sustainability. These complexities and their relationship to the goals of the Denver Metro Region are covered in a program of speakers drawn from a diversity of expertise, such as the development community, public health sector, municipal government, and the Regional Transportation District itself.

The cornerstone of this unique program is that participants will take their new knowledge and put it in action. All sessions are interactive and participants will be asked to follow up each session with a homework assignment. In addition, participants will spend a portion of each class designing their individual action plan that they will implement in their community upon completing the Academy.

Participation is free but participants will be selected on the basis of demonstrated leadership ability and commitment to make future contributions to transportation, community development, healthy living, and improving the quality of life in Metro Denver.

The Academy will meet on Wednesday evenings from 6 - 9 p.m. for seven consecutive weeks beginning March 6 and ending on April 17, 2013. Meetings will be held at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, 1445 Market Street, 5th Floor, Denver, CO.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FRIDAY, FEBUARY 15. For more information and the application form, check the website at www.transitalliance.org/Academy.

Looking for a Fun Way to Keep Your New Year's Resolution? Try Ice Skating at Skyline Park
Did you make a promise to get more exercise this year? Want to make your resolution more fun? Try ice skating at Skyline Park (16th and Arapahoe Streets). Skate rentals are $2 - or bring your own pair and skate for FREE! Kids free days are also offered throughout the season. Look for regularly scheduled entertainment and activities each week including:

Friday night: DJs
Saturday morning: Learn to skate
Saturday night: live music
Sunday afternoon: family entertainment
Nightly corporate broomball competitions

The rink will be open daily through February 14, 2013. Click here for more info.

3PA General Meeting Open House Tuesday, Jan 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fleming Mansion
Come to 3PA hosted Open House at 1510 S Grant St to see the restored Fleming Mansion. From 1886-1894 the mansion served as city hall for the town of South Denver. Denver Historian Phil Goldstein will be at the meeting to give a brief presentation on the mansion's rich history. Info will be available on renting the mansion for private events. This general meeting provides a great opportunity to network, meet other residents & board members, and dialogue about your interests and community issues.

January Calendar Link

Click here to visit the District 7 website

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