Public Wireless Comes to Riverfront Park

A number of cities around the country are working in earnest to establish public wireless spaces. Take Philadelphia, whose agenda includes a city wide plan to provide free high-speed wireless access to all citizens, with hopes of branding the city as a high tech hub and closing the digital gap between rich and poor.

Denver, on the other hand, does not yet have such ambitious plans for public wireless, but Riverfront Park does. And a number of spaces in and around the neighborhood are now "live."

"We really felt that people in Riverfront Park ought to be able to use their computers around the neighborhood for work, leisure, learning, and the like," notes Amy Fuller, Chief Financial Officer for East West Partners-Denver.

Thus, the team at East West Partners evaluated public places where people would likely hang out, and determined that The Plaza, most certainly qualified as a "hot spot." The patios at McLoughlin's, Zengo, Ink Coffee, and the middle of The Plaza, are great places to get fresh air and sit for a while.

Public wireless service at Riverfront is free and there are no plans at present to create it as a revenue center. "People will linger," Fuller explains, "which is a benefit to Riverfront Park, and really helps with place making. When people just pass through, there's some value. But the real value is when people stop and stay in the neighborhood for a while."

Millennium Bridge along 16th Street is also "hot." "The antenna is aimed such that 16th Street heading toward Union Station now has a signal," Fuller continues. "And, while we don't own Commons Park, we are providing wireless to some of the more popular sections there, too."

The team at East West Partners hopes that "lighting up" Riverfront Park will inspire the City of Denver to make the rest of 16th Street "hot," bringing a new dimension to life in Downtown Denver.

Throw A Dog A Bone

Take a bite into a famed Chipotle burrito at 32nd & Lowell on Tuesday, December 6th and help raise money for Downtown Denver's upcoming off-leash dog park. Half of all net profits from 5-8pm will be donated to The Railyard Dogs, a non-profit organization working to establish a creatively designed haven for hounds at 19th and Bassett Streets.

The fundraiser was facilitated by Dan Fogarty, a Chipotle executive who used to live in Riverfront Park. Well-known for their community support, animal friendly Chipotle allows employees to bring their dogs to work at their cozy corporate headquarters.

"Chipotle is a great organization with a very small marketing team," notes Caroline Ellett, The Railyard Dogs secretary. "They just really have their stuff together."

"We're hoping for a high turnout on the sixth. It will be a great opportunity for fundraising. But, we're even more excited about the chance to build visibility for the dog park. A lot of people do not know anything about it."

When completed, the Bassett Street (no pun intended) dog park is going to make a huge impact on the Riverfront Park neighborhood, where it is reported that over half of the area's homeowners have dogs. "It will be a place where dogs can be dogs," Ellett continues. "They can run free and chase each other around."

Anyone who's been to a dog park will tell you it's a great social experience for dog owners too. "I can't begin to tell you how many friends I've made through my dog," Ellett explains. Downtown residents will likely say they don't know how they ever lived without it.

Visit The Railyard Dogs at www.railyarddogs.org

Vitamin Cottage Joins the Neighborhood

"Vitamin Cottage. Isn't that like a GNC?" If I had a dollar for the number of times I've heard someone speak in half-truths about the family-owned Colorado-based chain, in business since 1955, I'd have a pocket full of extra cabbage. Fortunately, for residents in and around Riverfront Park, Vitamin Cottage will be taking up residence on the corner of 15th & Platte Streets sometime in the summer of 2006.

The small chain, known for friendly service, is similar to GNC in that it stocks a large variety of vitamin, mineral, and dietary supplements. But, that's far from the whole story. The natural grocery will stock reasonably priced fresh produce, eggs, dairy, canned and dry goods, bread, free-range chicken, wild fish, natural meats, and bulk goods.

A sprawling counter of fresh fish, poultry and meats, similar to the eye-popping displays at Whole Foods, will not likely be on the ticket. And it is likely that we will still need to travel to larger grocery and department stores, on occasion, for essentials like toothbrushes, household cleaners, and paper products- unless you prefer the environmentally friendly products typically sold in natural food stores. But, for day to day necessities, Vitamin Cottage is sure to meet, and exceed, expectations.

Visit The Vitamin Cottage at www.vitamincottage.com

November 24th, Thanksgiving Day
Mile High United Way Turkey Trot
Proceeds will benefit the Community to Appeal to End Homelessness.
www.active.com

December 1st
Colorado Ballet: The Nutcracker
Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 14th and Curtis Streets
www.coloradoballet.org

December 3rd
Blossoms of Light
Holiday lighting event that enhances the natural beauty of the gardens in winter.
Denver Botanic Gardens: www.botanicgardens.org