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So long, 2008
  
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Recreation, arts centers lead our top 10 stories of the year
By Holly Cook
Lone Tree voters helped the city take steps May 6 toward fulfilling its wish list by approving a sales tax increase for future recreation and cultural arts projects.
The need for new recreation centers was recommended more than a year ago in the city’s recreational master plan.
The increase, which amounted to about 1/3 of a cent on a $1 purchase, went into effect July 1, allowing the city to redesign Cook Creek Pool, build new tennis courts, and a new cultural arts building in the RidgeGate Development.
A record-breaking number of voters turned out at the polls, passing both ballot issues by a very narrow margin.
A difference of only 26 votes passed the cultural arts facility, and 80 passed recreation projects.
One month after the election, city staff began conduct ing meetings to solicit the community’s desires for Cook Creek Pool’s redesign — the first of two major recreation projects.
What resulted was a blueprint that included both upgraded amenities — a leisure pool, a lap pool, water slides, better bathhouses, concession stands, shade structures and picnic areas.
The city officially broke ground Oct. 10 on the $6.95 million Cook Creek Pool, which is projected to be complete after Memorial Day 2009.
The redesign is the first major infrastructure project between the city and South Suburban Parks and Recreation.
South Suburban is leasing the land at Cook Creek to the city for $1 a year for 40 years. They will operate, maintain and program the pool, but Lone Tree will own the facility.
Also in partnership with South Suburban, the city began design plans for a proposed 4-acre tennis complex and community park, two weeks following Cook Creek’s groundbreaking.
The Lone Tree and South Suburban plan to erect a new tennis court and park at the Lone Tree Golf Club and Hotel to include six tennis courts, and a tennis shop, storage, restrooms, a playground, open green space and a rentable picnic pavilion. Groundbreaking is expected to take place in late January.
Plans for the cultural arts center are in the early design phase. City staff has hired consultants to solicit feedback from residents and other performing arts venues in the Denver area.
The plans for the center include a theater component, a place to attend musicals, other live performances and gallery space.
“What we will build here is not just a performing arts facility — it is a cultural arts center and will become the heart of Lone Tree,” said Art Buton, chair of the Lone Tree Cultural Arts Foundation.
2- Second-ever mayor elected
In addition to the list of capital projects approved May 6, residents also voted in their second-ever mayor.
Jim Gunning, a former city council member, was sworn in May 20, filling the shoes of Jack O’Boyle who served as mayor since the city’s inception in 1998.
In the mayoral race, Gunning defeated longtime city councilmember Elton Winters by 108 votes.
“Jack O’Boyle created a great foundation for this city,” Gunning said. “We have a great council and I hope to take that foundation and continue to build on it. It’s an exciting time for everyone in Lone Tree.”
Since being sworn in, Gunning already has overseen the start of several major developments.
3- Times interchanging
Among the projects Gunning will keep his finger on for the next four years is the RidgeGate Development south of Lincoln Avenue.
The 3,500-acre, mixed-use, master-planned community is a work in progress, but 2008 brought about some major developments, and set more in motion.
In September, Sky Ridge Medical Center expanded its cardiac wing with 200 beds, and two fully occupied and connected medical office buildings.
In April, developers will start in on the first phase of the Lincoln Commons, which will include about 100,000 square feet of retail and restaurants.
The Super Target and a multitenant retail building already occupy the area.
4- You can get there from here
Just north of RidgeGate, Park Meadows mall also had major expansions in 2008.
The Vistas, a 154,000-square-foot, open-air expansion debuted in May with 11 tenants.
The expansion is now fully open with more than 20 upscale retailers and restaurants.
To better serve visitors to The Vistas and Park Meadows, the Regional Transportation District recently unveiled a long-awaited pedestrian walkway, which provides access to the west side of the County Line light rail station, across to Park Meadows.
Pam Schenck, general manger for Park Meadows said she hopes the light rail pedestrian bridge will encourage the community to visit to the mall and surrounding restaurants for recreation and entertainment.
The bridge was custom designed with an enclosed staircase and two elevator towers to provide vertical circulation and on-site security cameras.
5- Chamber moves into office
On Feb. 1, The Lone Tree Chamber of Commerce moved into its first office space at 8401 Park Meadows Center, after two year without.
Chair Donna Russell said that before having a dedicated office, chamber materials were scattered among her office at FirstBank of Littleton, in her basement and the trunk of her personal car.
“I had a Lone Tree chamber box that I would carry to all the events with name tags and balloons. I called it the portable chamber,” Russell said. “This is our very first office and we’re very excited.”
6- Library issue fails again
The Douglas County Libraries Board of Trustees voted unanimously Aug. 21 to place a proposal on the November ballot, again asking voters for a mill levy increase to pay for construction of new libraries.
A similar ballot measure was voted down in 2007 by just 210 votes out of 42,000 total ballots cast.
The new proposal asked for an increase of 1 mill instead of 1.25 mills., but the issues was defeated a second time.
Out of the 112,000 ballots cast Nov. 4 for the proposed Douglas County Libraries ballot initiative, 59,400 were opposed to the property tax increase.
Lone Tree’s proposed regional library was planned as a joint-use complex in the proposed cultural arts center in RidgeGate.
7- New principal
Shortly before the year turned 2008, Lone Tree Elementary School experienced some growing pains when Principal Karen Griffin suddenly resigned. During November and December of 2007, the district worked to replace Griffin.
Karen Moore, former principal at Acres Green Elementary, officially took over with the start of 2008.
Back then, Moore said her biggest challenge would be learning the Integrated Thematic Instruction method, a curriculum unique to the magnet school.
8- Police accredited
In February, the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police recently recognized the three-year-old Lone Tree Police Department with state accreditation.
“For a police agency to receive state accreditation is a monumental task, especially because Lone Tree is such a new police department,” said Lowell Richardson, chair of the Professional Standards Committee for the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police. “The steps they had to take are significant.”
Sgt. Greg Tuliszewski oversaw the 18-month tedious application process, and several officers and police department volunteers put a combined 1,000 hours into it.
To achieve accreditation, the department had to update policies and attend training on defense tactics, juvenile holdings and victims’ rights.
9- O’Boyle’s new post
Only one month after relinquishing his title as mayor of Lone Tree, Jack O’ Boyle announced his candidacy to represent District G for the Regional Transportation District board of directors.
“I’ve become a proponent of public transportation in Lone Tree during my years as mayor,” O’Boyle said. “I led the charge to bring transportation into this little community and I want to see projects like Fast Tracks and T-Rex completed.”
He was elected to the board Nov. 4.
10- Sweet three-peat
The Highlands Ranch High School girls basketball team did it again. The Falcons claimed their third 5A title in a row with a 59-54 win against Regis Jesuit March 14 in Boulder.
Janessa Burke’s 3-pointer in the final minute gave Ranch the lead for good. Adding to the drama was that Burke was in the game for Alyssa Fressle, who had fouled out.
Fressle, the Gatorade player of the year for the state of Colorado, scored 13 points before having to leave the game.
The need for new recreation centers was recommended more than a year ago in the city’s recreational master plan.
The increase, which amounted to about 1/3 of a cent on a $1 purchase, went into effect July 1, allowing the city to redesign Cook Creek Pool, build new tennis courts, and a new cultural arts building in the RidgeGate Development.
A record-breaking number of voters turned out at the polls, passing both ballot issues by a very narrow margin.
A difference of only 26 votes passed the cultural arts facility, and 80 passed recreation projects.
One month after the election, city staff began conduct ing meetings to solicit the community’s desires for Cook Creek Pool’s redesign — the first of two major recreation projects.
What resulted was a blueprint that included both upgraded amenities — a leisure pool, a lap pool, water slides, better bathhouses, concession stands, shade structures and picnic areas.
The city officially broke ground Oct. 10 on the $6.95 million Cook Creek Pool, which is projected to be complete after Memorial Day 2009.
The redesign is the first major infrastructure project between the city and South Suburban Parks and Recreation.
South Suburban is leasing the land at Cook Creek to the city for $1 a year for 40 years. They will operate, maintain and program the pool, but Lone Tree will own the facility.
Also in partnership with South Suburban, the city began design plans for a proposed 4-acre tennis complex and community park, two weeks following Cook Creek’s groundbreaking.
The Lone Tree and South Suburban plan to erect a new tennis court and park at the Lone Tree Golf Club and Hotel to include six tennis courts, and a tennis shop, storage, restrooms, a playground, open green space and a rentable picnic pavilion. Groundbreaking is expected to take place in late January.
Plans for the cultural arts center are in the early design phase. City staff has hired consultants to solicit feedback from residents and other performing arts venues in the Denver area.
The plans for the center include a theater component, a place to attend musicals, other live performances and gallery space.
“What we will build here is not just a performing arts facility — it is a cultural arts center and will become the heart of Lone Tree,” said Art Buton, chair of the Lone Tree Cultural Arts Foundation.
2- Second-ever mayor elected
In addition to the list of capital projects approved May 6, residents also voted in their second-ever mayor.
Jim Gunning, a former city council member, was sworn in May 20, filling the shoes of Jack O’Boyle who served as mayor since the city’s inception in 1998.
In the mayoral race, Gunning defeated longtime city councilmember Elton Winters by 108 votes.
“Jack O’Boyle created a great foundation for this city,” Gunning said. “We have a great council and I hope to take that foundation and continue to build on it. It’s an exciting time for everyone in Lone Tree.”
Since being sworn in, Gunning already has overseen the start of several major developments.
3- Times interchanging
Among the projects Gunning will keep his finger on for the next four years is the RidgeGate Development south of Lincoln Avenue.
The 3,500-acre, mixed-use, master-planned community is a work in progress, but 2008 brought about some major developments, and set more in motion.
In September, Sky Ridge Medical Center expanded its cardiac wing with 200 beds, and two fully occupied and connected medical office buildings.
In April, developers will start in on the first phase of the Lincoln Commons, which will include about 100,000 square feet of retail and restaurants.
The Super Target and a multitenant retail building already occupy the area.
4- You can get there from here
Just north of RidgeGate, Park Meadows mall also had major expansions in 2008.
The Vistas, a 154,000-square-foot, open-air expansion debuted in May with 11 tenants.
The expansion is now fully open with more than 20 upscale retailers and restaurants.
To better serve visitors to The Vistas and Park Meadows, the Regional Transportation District recently unveiled a long-awaited pedestrian walkway, which provides access to the west side of the County Line light rail station, across to Park Meadows.
Pam Schenck, general manger for Park Meadows said she hopes the light rail pedestrian bridge will encourage the community to visit to the mall and surrounding restaurants for recreation and entertainment.
The bridge was custom designed with an enclosed staircase and two elevator towers to provide vertical circulation and on-site security cameras.
5- Chamber moves into office
On Feb. 1, The Lone Tree Chamber of Commerce moved into its first office space at 8401 Park Meadows Center, after two year without.
Chair Donna Russell said that before having a dedicated office, chamber materials were scattered among her office at FirstBank of Littleton, in her basement and the trunk of her personal car.
“I had a Lone Tree chamber box that I would carry to all the events with name tags and balloons. I called it the portable chamber,” Russell said. “This is our very first office and we’re very excited.”
6- Library issue fails again
The Douglas County Libraries Board of Trustees voted unanimously Aug. 21 to place a proposal on the November ballot, again asking voters for a mill levy increase to pay for construction of new libraries.
A similar ballot measure was voted down in 2007 by just 210 votes out of 42,000 total ballots cast.
The new proposal asked for an increase of 1 mill instead of 1.25 mills., but the issues was defeated a second time.
Out of the 112,000 ballots cast Nov. 4 for the proposed Douglas County Libraries ballot initiative, 59,400 were opposed to the property tax increase.
Lone Tree’s proposed regional library was planned as a joint-use complex in the proposed cultural arts center in RidgeGate.
7- New principal
Shortly before the year turned 2008, Lone Tree Elementary School experienced some growing pains when Principal Karen Griffin suddenly resigned. During November and December of 2007, the district worked to replace Griffin.
Karen Moore, former principal at Acres Green Elementary, officially took over with the start of 2008.
Back then, Moore said her biggest challenge would be learning the Integrated Thematic Instruction method, a curriculum unique to the magnet school.
8- Police accredited
In February, the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police recently recognized the three-year-old Lone Tree Police Department with state accreditation.
“For a police agency to receive state accreditation is a monumental task, especially because Lone Tree is such a new police department,” said Lowell Richardson, chair of the Professional Standards Committee for the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police. “The steps they had to take are significant.”
Sgt. Greg Tuliszewski oversaw the 18-month tedious application process, and several officers and police department volunteers put a combined 1,000 hours into it.
To achieve accreditation, the department had to update policies and attend training on defense tactics, juvenile holdings and victims’ rights.
9- O’Boyle’s new post
Only one month after relinquishing his title as mayor of Lone Tree, Jack O’ Boyle announced his candidacy to represent District G for the Regional Transportation District board of directors.
“I’ve become a proponent of public transportation in Lone Tree during my years as mayor,” O’Boyle said. “I led the charge to bring transportation into this little community and I want to see projects like Fast Tracks and T-Rex completed.”
He was elected to the board Nov. 4.
10- Sweet three-peat
The Highlands Ranch High School girls basketball team did it again. The Falcons claimed their third 5A title in a row with a 59-54 win against Regis Jesuit March 14 in Boulder.
Janessa Burke’s 3-pointer in the final minute gave Ranch the lead for good. Adding to the drama was that Burke was in the game for Alyssa Fressle, who had fouled out.
Fressle, the Gatorade player of the year for the state of Colorado, scored 13 points before having to leave the game.
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