A closed Colorado school is now for sale. Lakewood residents want it to be a park.

One of Jefferson County's closed schools is on the open market and those living nearby are fighting to keep the property as open space or even a park.

Residents around the now-shuttered Vivian Elementary School worry with more development comes more traffic and more safety risks and say the donated property should remain as a community hub.

It comes roughly one year after parents lost an effort to keep the doors open for students at the school.

"This is a gem you don't just bulldoze you can't pave paradise and put up a parking lot this is perfect just leave it be," Toby Crisp said.

Even after the school closed, neighbors, some new to the area, assumed their kids would attend Vivian.

"We thought that our kids would maybe end up here for elementary school," Dana Schmitt said.

Others, who've called it home for decades, continued to show up.

"The other side is a playground," Gary George added. "The kids come and play."

For months, they've been working together to tell the school district and city officials this open space is worth saving.

"I want them to know that this is vital to this neighborhood," Nancy Sprole, a 10-year resident, said.

In April, the school district determined the building was surplus property and, per its process, contacted the school's home city first -- in this case, Lakewood -- which the school district said did not express interest in purchasing it.

But community members say their first opportunity to weigh in wasn't until June.

"I live in the first house on that side," George said. "We didn't get any notice."

The process has now moved forward in opening the door to more development in the area.

"I'm not against housing but there is only so many spots like this left in Colorado and there are other places to put housing but there aren't other places like this," Crisp said.

CBS News Colorado asked the city if it's now interested in the property and, if so, what steps they're taking to purchase it. They gave no definitive answer but, in a statement, referenced all of the closed schools in Lakewood, saying, in part:

"The city is in discussions with Jeffco Public Schools about these properties to determine what options are viable, and the city's focus is on properties in the older parts of Lakewood that were developed prior to the city's existence when setting aside parkland was not a priority."

Vivian Elmeneatry is in a part of the city with the fewest number of parks.

That's why these neighbors believe this property is now an essential part of their community.

"I think it really comes down to what it would be taking away," Schmitt said.

Residents say they were told up to 70 units could be added to the area and if the city does not purchase the land with that size they could require one acre to be dedicated to a park.