lakewoodvoter

Vote AGAINST the Ordinance!
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Forsberg's Iron Spring Park	WE PREVAILED! THANK YOU LAKEWOOD CITIZENS! 14,216 AGAINST v. 10,594 FOR We saved our Parkland!! Forsberg Park will be protected because of our commitment, work, and belief in our Lakewood community and the strength of the people. Money and power DON'T win! PLEASE READ OUR ARTICLE HERE
Olle Forsberg's Land Preserved From Development
IRON SPRING WAS DEDICATED TO THE CITY BY MR FORSBERG FOREVER. SEE THE DEED! CLICK HERE.


THANK YOU Lakewood Citizens For Getting This On the Ballot! "Preserving Iron Spring Park means preserving the spectacular view corridor to Red Rocks, protecting the buffer between Green Mountain and Carma's new development, and most importantly, setting the record straight that our park system must be protected from development deals that destroy our land assets to benefit growth."
Know the Facts! The Historic Iron Spring and Forsberg Parklands
Be informed! 12/9: Wildlife Corridor Explanation in CDW Letter 12/8: Channel 4 Covers Land Swap, Forsberg Park 12/7: Developer Backs Referendum to Surrender Parkland 12/6: Iron Spring Park Trade Sets Bad Precedent for CO 12/5: Vote AGAINST Land Transfer, Save Our PARK 12/4: Voters to Decide Fate of Parkland, Ref #1 11/20: Red Herring Arguments to Horse-Swap Parkland 11/3: Rooney Valley Developer Soundly Thumped 10/24: City Stages Drama for Rooney Valley Developer 10/14: A HUGE THANK YOU! 10/5: Petitioners Bring Lakewood's Parkland To Voters 8/4: Sign the Referendum to VOTE on your Parkland!	Land Swap Audio Commentary Downloads!
December, 2006 Truth about Animals: Wildlife Corridor Explained in CDW Letter Many residents have been asking about the "wildlife corridor" that the City is proposing to create in the developer's drainageway. Studies from the Colorado Wildlife Division on the Rooney Valley do notate the migration of wildlife through the Springfield Green subdivision (Carma's new development). A letter was issued to the City of Lakewood December 30, 2005 in reference to the development. In their letter, as well as maps in the Rooney Valley Master plan, they state that the "central portion of this site would receive limited use by deer." It goes on to describe a "Central Corridor" for open space and wildlife movement. ... (more)	Land Swap Audio Commentary Downloads!
Get Involved! Filling Out and Mailing In Your Ballot

Mr. Forsberg and His Generous Gift of Land to the People of Lakewood Don't Lose our Park! It is VALUABLE!
The parkland in question was dedicated to the City of Lakewood in the early 1970s by Mr. Olle Forsberg and Mr. D C Burns, to be used for park and public purposes. Both Forsberg and Burns were realty developers in the City of Lakewood (for example, the Americana apartment complex was built by Forsberg, among many others). Forsberg had a sign erected on the property that can still be seen today in honor of the dedication of his land, given free to the people of Lakewood. A ribbon cutting was also done in the 1980s as the park was transformed for a short period into "Sportcycle Park," where motocross bikes would ride through a pre-established course.
	Iron Spring Park looks west onto famous Red Rocks Park and the Dinosaur Ridge. It's view corridor is unmatched by any other park property in the City of Lakewood. In total, it consists of 3 parcels, donated to the City by 3 landowners: Mr. Forsberg, Mr. Burns, and Mr. Griffin. All three of these landowners were good friends and had close relationships with the City of Lakewood. Mr. Forsberg alone was responsible for almost 3 dozen developments in the City of Lakewood and had worked extensively with G M Mullin of Hutchinson Homes. These land owners purposely put their properties together as a gift and donation to the City of Lakewood in the 1970s, called Iron Spring Park. Iron Spring extends from about Bear Creek Blvd to almost C-470 and encompases over 200 acres of parkland. The name "Iron Springs" derives from the medicinal spring on the Rooney Ranch property that Indians used after Alexander Rooney staked his claim to the area in 1860.
Many Lakewood residents drive to the Iron Spring parking lot every 4th of July to watch the Denver fireworks. The park has most currently served as a wide, clear dog run, one of the very few areas where residents can allow their dogs to meander off-leash and without a fenced area. Located on the south side of Alameda Pkwy as one heads out toward Red Rocks, Iron Spring Park sits east of Robinson Brick and Clay mine. Robinson acquired mineral rights to the mine in 1939, after coal operation ceased on the property. Coal was mined in this area from the late 1880s to the 1930s, serving as Jeffco's largest operation for decades. Underground coal shafts still run today under the property where caved areas have caused subsidence dangerously close to the current residential development scheduled for the Springfield Green subdivision.
	In fact, because the most current map of the mine (called the "Satanic Mine," then later changed to the "Blue Bird Mine") exists only from 1932 and operation ended in 1939, mappings of the underground shafts are still today unknown and present a significant hazard for future development liability in the area. In December of 1921, a large fire broke out in the mine, killing six men. Rumor has it that this fire may still be smoldering underground today, which causes snow to visibly melt above the shafts in the winter. The current Rooney Valley developer (the same that is wanting to build on Iron Spring Park) is actually building homes within the Jeffco potential subsidence hazard zone for the area. The developer's geotechnical engineers determined, and have convinced the Colorado Geolocial Survey, that this well-documented hazard boundary area is too "conservative," (reference JA Cesare Geotechnical Hazard Report) and that it is safe to build in the hazard zone. A current development map clearly shows home building dangerously close to the unmapped and never reclaimed coal mine in the Valley.
Iron Spring Park is a historic and valuable land asset in the City of Lakewood. It is one of the almost 100 parks within the City limits. The developer's strip of land is a well-documented drainage corridor of little value. Voters should measure carefully this election and preserve our valuable Iron Spring Park. Vote AGAINST the ordinance to trade our parkland. Please look at our Frequently Asked Questions to know the full facts.
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