WEEK OF JUNE 5, 2025
VOLUME 105 | ISSUE 15
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Englewood to host reopening bash for Bates-Logan Park after big overhaul BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After undergoing many renovations for the last few years, the City of Englewood will reopen Bates-Logan Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 14. The ceremony will take place from 10 a.m. to noon. Festivities will include food trucks, games and a live deejay. Christina Underhill, director of parks, recreation, library and golf, said the park will be fully open for residents to explore and enjoy the many new features that have been added over the past three years. “Parks staff have received many calls and comments from community members who are very excited about the improvements to Bates-Logan Park,” Underhill said. “We hope the changes will meet the community’s expectations and can be a point of pride, not only for the neighborhood but for the Englewood community as a whole.” The history
Youths who attend the Fire Truck Parade & Muster in Littleton will be able to spray a fire truck’s hose.
COURTESY OF SOUTH METRO FIRE RESCUE
Fire Truck Parade & Muster returns June 14 Festive annual event to feature Main Street parade, assembly at Arapahoe Community College BY ISABEL GUZMAN ISABEL@COTLN.ORG
Prepare for sirens, spectacle and hands-on learning as the annual Fire Truck Parade & Muster returns to Littleton on June 14. Hosted by Mile High Hook & Ladder, in partnership with South Metro Fire Rescue, this event allows people the chance to observe fire trucks and emergency demonstrations, such as fire extinguishing and helping victims in a mock car accident. “The theme of this year’s parade and muster will be ‘Neighbors helping Neighbors.’ We want to stress that lending a helping hand to your neighbor will make a strong community, especially in the time of need,” said Brian Willie, South Metro’s communications specialist.
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Mile High Hook & Ladder is a volunteer antique fire truck club “dedicated to the preservation, restoration and operation of fire apparatus in America,” according to the event description. The free event will begin at 9 a.m. with a parade of fire trucks rolling down Main Street in Littleton. Attendees can expect to see both vintage and modern firefighting apparatus, including South Metro Fire Rescue’s “Black Pearl” ladder truck and, for the first time, a massive 60-foot Tiller ladder truck with dual drivers maneuvering the parade route. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the action moves to Arapahoe Community College for the muster. Muster highlights include: • Live fire sprinkler demo: The National Fire Sprinkler Association will ignite its
side-by-side burn trailer, offering a demonstration of how quickly fire sprinklers can save lives and property. • Burn cell demo: The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control will demonstrate how a closed door can keep people safer in a fire. • Auto extrication demo: South Metro Fire Rescue will use the Jaws of Life to pry open a crashed car and rescue a simulated accident victim, showcasing real-life emergency response skills. • Helicopter landing: The Children’s Hospital Colorado Children’s One Flight Team will land a neonatal/pediatric emergency helicopter, giving families a close-up look at lifesaving air rescue operations. SEE PARADE, P10
Bates-Logan Park is one of four major parks — alongside Centennial, Cushing, and Jason — originally developed in partnership with Englewood’s Department of Housing and Urban Development. It first opened in spring 1968 under the federal Open Space Land program. More than five decades later, the park had begun to show its age, with outdated amenities such as an aging playground, deteriorating basketball court and a decades-old irrigation system. In response, the city began an ambitious revitalization effort, securing three consecutive Arapahoe County Open Space grants from 2022 to 2024, totaling $1.7 million. Each grant required a 25% city match, contributing to a total investment of nearly $3 million in the park. What’s new at Bates-Logan
Underhill said the upgrades include a wide range of new and improved features including a new inclusive playground, post-tension basketball court, bike park with a pump track and skills course, a new restroom and pavilion, bocce ball courts, redesigned pathways and improved landscaping, and a fully overhauled irrigation system. SEE REOPENING, P12
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