Old Denver golf course gets new life as a park

Denver's former Park Hill Golf Course is entering a new chapter, with city leaders announcing plans to permanently designate the property as parkland, break ground in 2027, and bring in a nationally recognized designer to lead the project.

Mayor Mike Johnston and Councilwoman Shontel Lewis announced the three developments and outlined a vision for the long-debated property's future.

"We will announce the plan to work with the council to formally designate this space as park space," Johnston said.

Under the proposed designation, the land would be protected for park use under city ordinance.

"What it means in our city ordinance is that when we formally designate something as a park space, it can only and forever be used as a park space," Johnston said.

The city also announced that Michael Van Valkenburgh will lead the park's design. His firm is known for projects including Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York and the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

"What we know is really a once-in-a-century opportunity. This would be the largest piece of private land ever converted into a public park in the city," Johnston said.

But for some neighbors, the announcement brings excitement alongside concerns about how the project will serve the surrounding community.

Deronn Turner, a longtime Park Hill resident and parent of a child with Down syndrome, said she wants the design to prioritize accessibility and preserve the neighborhood's history.

"I say cautiously because I've seen a lot of things happen in terms of gentrifying areas, and the whole is not looked at," Turner said.

Turner, who also works with children with special needs, said she wants residents to have a meaningful role in shaping the park. Her priorities include accessible playground equipment, quiet spaces for people with sensory needs, and preserving Black history.

"For me, it would take more conversations and boots on the ground," Turner said.

Van Valkenburgh told Turner that accessibility would be part of the design process.

"You can count on us for what you just asked to happen. I promise," he said.

The design vision also includes reducing water use through native and drought-tolerant plants.

City officials say community input will help guide the project, noting that thousands of people have already responded to a city survey.

Denver acquired the former golf course in 2025 after voters rejected proposed plans to redevelop portions of the property.

With groundbreaking targeted for 2027, the next phase will focus on turning the long-contested land into a public park that reflects the surrounding community's needs and history.