Denver receives $35.4M grant to reconnect Globeville and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods

More than $35 million is being invested to reconnect the Globevile and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods. It's where I-25 meets I-70, and though it is not the first time there have been improvements and expansion in the area of Denver, this is a big opportunity for change. The goal of the project is to make the community more vibrant and to increase walkability.

The GES area is home to one of the most polluted zip codes in the country, but through this project the city aims to improve that.

 Globeville has historically been an immigrant community and for Epi Ontiveros, who has lived in the area for 10 years, she believes change is needed.

"If it's going to work in our favor the project is great, but if we are going to be discriminated against, it's not fair," said Ontiveros.

Ontiveros shared she feels this way because oftentimes she feels there are not enough resources in her neighborhood.

That same sentiment is shared at The Green House Connection Center where the community connects through arts and activism.

Morgan Brown who works at the center says the work they do has a purpose and that is to make sure people in marginalized communities are heard.

"Last month, we actually got to work with Jane Fonda and her climate pack. They came out here ... to elevate community voices and so through events like this we are able to really raise awareness for the issues that these communities are facing," said Brown.

During their event, Fonda listened to community members voice their concerns about pollution and politics -- issues these communities have faced for a long time being underfunded and underserved.

The area is surrounded by industry and is near the Purina plant.

"A lot of it is air quality issues. I mean, you know, when you're outside you can smell it, you can like feel it, can taste it. It's real, it's present," said Brown.

Morgan and The Green House are advocating for cleaner air in the area which is surrounded by industry and railroads.

"Just a couple of weeks ago, we had a 'build your own box fan' event where we helped community members just be able to put some box fans together in order to help air quality in their own homes," said Brown about an event they hosted with residents of the Globeville Elyria-Swansea area.

The $35.4 million project would use funds to not only build new infrastructure including a bridge over the South Platte River, but also environmental remediation to remove methane and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"I think there is a lot of space that needs to be bridged between the people that are making these decisions and the people that are facing these issues, and we're really not seeing enough of that," said Brown.

This is project hopes to change that.

This is all part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Reconnecting Neighborhoods and Communities Grant program. You can find more information on the project here.