A walk in the park reveals a revitalized, beautiful Civic Center Park for Independence Eve

Civic Center Park is open and ready for visitors. That's the message from the Civic Center Conservancy which works to preserve and activate the park in downtown Denver.

CBS4's Michelle Griego recently spent time in the park with the nonprofit's Executive Director Eric Lazzari, who spoke about the impact of the pandemic and the George Floyd protests.

Lazzari said the past couple of years proved the importance of making sure public spaces are intentionally managed and programmed.

"The last couple of years have been challenging, certainly for Civic Center. What we saw is when a public space is not being used, when it's not intentionally managed, intentionally, we saw negative activity, illegal activity move into the park."

"That became challenging because the park got out of balance. People who were visiting the art museum or the library didn't feel safe coming in the park."

Lazzari frankly acknowledged the image problem Civic Center developed over the past couple of years with the issues related to the homeless encampments and drug use. Those camps are gone and the city actually closed the park for several months last fall.

Since then, a lot of work has been done in the park.

"Our partners at the city have really invested heavily in the park, restoring it, getting it back to its beauty."

"The park is looking as beautiful as ever. Flowers have been planted. It's green. It's a great place to be," Lazzarri said. "It's clean. The city is taking care of it. The Conservancy is taking care of it. It's full of life and it's a place that has recovered from the challenges that it suffered."

The Conversancy is helping with that work by bringing in their own volunteers and the Civic Center Works Crew.

Lazzari expanded on that Civic Center Works program. "Those folks that are participating in this program are transitioning out of homelessness. They are getting the jobs skills and job training so they go and get a job with Parks and Recreation or some other organization within the city to put their life on the trajectory they want." 

"This program is about shifting the narrative of the unhoused community in Civic Center Park."

"So, instead of saying get out of this space, you're actually helping re-enter society and the workforce?" Griego asked.

"Yes, absolutely," Lazzari replied. "This is a place where as a community we need to figure out how we coexist together. This was a small step one of the things that the Conversancy is doing to work with our community to make sure everybody has a place here in Civic Center.

Making the park safe means finding ways to get people into it. That's why the Civic Center Conservancy sponsors events like Civic Center EATS, which brings food trucks into the park on Thursdays for lunch, and Civic Center MOVES, a series of yoga and boot camp classes.

And now the Conservancy's biggest event of the year returns: Independence Eve. Like all things after COVID, you can expect changes including fences and a security screening.

"We have to do that. Security consultants are telling us that's the way to do safe events in 2022."

You will also be limited in what you can bring in the park. The size of picnics will be limited and you will not be able to bring in any drinks, alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

"We know still know the core elements of Independence Eve in Civic Center Park are still here," Lazzari said. "You'll still have the fireworks, you'll still have the concert. You'll still have the community being able to gather together. The big important stuff is still here. We had to change some things around the edges to make sure it is safe for everybody."

While Independence Eve is a huge event, the Civic Center Conservancy is a small nonprofit and can always use help with donations of time and money. You can volunteer to work in the work park, helping plant, weed and trim.

"There's always a need for donations here in Civic Center Park. The programs and activities like Civic Center EATS and Civic Center Moves don't happen without your donations," Lazzari said.

"This is such a special asset in the city and tax dollars can only go so far. Your investments in the Conservancy .. really help make the magic happen."

But right now what Lazzari would really like for all of us to do is simple. Visit Civic Center Park.

"It is certainly our invitation to the community to come down and see because I think you'll be blown away."