Sentinel Northglenn 4/11/13
Northglenn -Thornton
April 11, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ournorthglennnews.com, ourthorntonnews.com
Adams County, Colorado • Volume 49, Issue 35
Northglenn pushes for gun safety, education
New city resolution would create firearm safe, lock rebate program By Darin Moriki
dmoriki@ourcoloradonews.com Northglenn officials are moving forward with a resolution that would create a rebate program for resident gun owners wanting to purchase safes or locks and promote citysponsored gun safety classes and resources. The proposed resolution, which City Council discussed during its April 1 study session, would create a rebate program for residents that would partially subsidize the capped cost of a gun safe or gun lock. Council, however, decided against creating a city ordinance that would make the use of these safety measures mandatory. “I think you are very progressive and out front in this one,” Northglenn Police Department Chief Jim May said to council members. “If you guys decide to do that, it just promotes that you guys want people to be responsible for their gun ownership and take that extra step to make sure it doesn’t get in the hands of criminals during burglaries and kids, their friends who visit, or kids who aren’t familiar with guns.” Firearms continues on Page 21
City officials split on Amendment 64 Northglenn residents 7-year-old Mireya Ramirez, back left, 5-year-old Malaqai Aldaco, back right, and 6-year-old Kailei Buendia, front, make their way across a monkey bar set on the new playground located behind the Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center at 11151 Colorado Boulevard in Thornton. The new playground, which opened in February, is a part of the $10.3 million Margaret W. Carpenter Park and Open Space project that is slated to be fully unveiled during this year’s Thorntonfest festivities. Photo by Darin Moriki
Thornton preps new park Site to officially open during ThorntonFest By Darin Moriki
dmoriki@ourcoloradonews.com Thornton city employees are laying down the sod and final landscaping touches to the Margaret W. Carpenter Park in preparation for its grand unveiling next month during the city’s annual ThorntonFest celebration. “I can’t wait,” Capital Projects and Planning Manager Diane Van Fossen said. “One of the best parts about what I do is seeing citizens use our facilities and enjoy it. For me, having it open to the public is our goal and getting to see peoples’ happy faces is just great — it’s the best part of what I do.” The official May 18 unveiling of the POSTAL ADDRESS
Margaret W. Carpenter Park and Open Space site — located on the southwest corner of 112th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard — will culminate nearly two years of work that kicked off in summer 2011. Construction on the nearly $12 million, which was spearheaded by Lovelandbased general contractor ECI Site Construction Management Inc., began in July 2011 shortly after Thornton City Council approved the project’s final development plan. These construction costs, Van Fossen said, were primarily funded through the city’s park and open space tax revenues along with over $2 million in grants, including two Adams County Open Space Grant awards totaling $1,876,122; a $200,000 Great Outdoors Colorado Local Government Grant award; and a 21,800 Division of Wildlife “Fishing is Fun” grant. A majority of the 48-acre park, includ-
ing the 300- to 500-seat outdoor amphitheater, 14,529-square-foot skate park and 18,000-square-foot playground, opened to the public officially opened to the public on Feb. 20. Recreation and Program Facility Supervisor Jan van der Sanden said residents can also take advantage of the four lighted tennis courts, two basketball courts, two volleyball courts, two bocce ball areas, two horseshoe pits and two shuffleboards but must provide their own equipment. The park’s indoor carousel from the old Biggs store, splash ground, flush toilets and paddle boat rental are next to the park’s two lakes will operate on a seasonal basis from May until about August each year and will not be available for use until the start of ThorntonFest. Resident fees for the two- or four-
By Darin Moriki
dmoriki@ourcoloradonews.com Northglenn City Council members are divided on whether the adult use of recreational marijuana should be allowed within the city’s limits but said they will wait for the Legislature to address the new laws before taking action. The discussion, which took place during an April 1 study session, outlined several key dates and municipal issues identified by the Amendment 64 Implementation Taskforce in a 166-page report released to the Legislature last month. City Attorney Corey Hoffmann said the Legislature’s direction on task force’s recommendations should be clear by mid-May, when council should begin considering several local ordinances to meet several key deadlines. Hoffmann said council must make a make a decision and pass an ordinance by Oct. 1 that would either allow or ban the adult use of marijuana within the city’s limits. As home-rule municipality, Hoffmann said the city can decide whether to impose a tax on marijuana sales. The city, however, must finalize a ballot
Park continues on Page 21
NORTHGLENN-THORNTON SENTINEL
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Amendment 64 continues on Page 21
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