(Denver) - Starting today, public access along several roadways and walkways around Ferril Lake at City Park will be temporarily closed through June 2007 to ensure public safety during park improvements including water drainage improvements, reconstruction of the Electric Fountain and asphalt walk way improvements. Park roadways normally open to traffic will remain open but temporary lane closures will periodically delay park traffic during the construction period. The playground located on the east side of the park will also be fenced and closed due to its proximity to the construction zone. Families and children are encouraged to use the Dustin Redd Playground on the west side of the park which will remain open during the construction period. Pedestrians and bicyclists will need to use alternate routes to avoid the extensive construction zone in City Park. The attached pedestrian and bike detour map illustrates the alternate routes in the park.

Over 80,000 cubic yards of sediment and soil will be hauled out of the lake bottom by daily truck loads over the next 6 months. The number of trucks and heavy equipment operating in the construction area will create potentially hazardous conditions for public use.

“Protecting public safety is our number one priority,” said Denver Parks and Recreation Manager Kim Bailey. “Renovation closures will allow us to provide significant improvements in and around Ferril Lake; and once complete will greatly enhance the park experience for lake visitors.”

The entire work area encompassing over 25 acres will be fenced and off limits to park users due to the extent of dangerous conditions in the work zone. Situations such as excavated terrain, exposed utilities, trenches, broken pavement, material stockpiles and frequent disturbances to normal conditions will be widespread and impractical to isolate. Other precautions such as utilizing “flaggers”, installing informational signs and barricades will be employed.

Park renovations will allow for the installation of storm water pipes as part of a larger effort to establish a storm water detention area in the park. Denver’s Wastewater Management (DWM) department plans to improve the lake as a holding basin where storm runoff will be temporarily stored for short periods during heavy downpours. While the bulk of improvements will serve the needs of storm water control, other park related improvements will also be made to maximize benefits for public enjoyment and use of the park. New improvements include adding seat-walls, wetlands, bird habitats, fishing platforms, replacing the asphalt walkway around the lake, re-building lake walls and reconstruction of the historic Electric Fountain. Roadway surfacing, new irrigation systems and a new pavilion plaza are also in the works as part of the project. The estimated cost of the project is $18 million.

The public may call the project hotline for questions or concerns about the park project: 303-764-8899, or they may also call Denver’s customer call center at 311. Additional information is available on the website created for the project.

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