Speaker 0: 12 hours. Council Bill 979 has passed. All right. We have one more tonight. Councilman Lopez, will you please vote council bill nine, seven, six on the floor.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I move that 976 series of 2018 be placed upon final consideration and do pass.
Speaker 0: It has been moved and seconded. The public hearing for Council Bill 976 is now open. May we have the staff report?
Speaker 5: Good evening. Laura morales, Parks and Recreation. So just here to introduce the naming of the park at Asbury and taken in District seven. It is an unnamed park at the moment and even though it is a designated park. So it is exciting for this to come through today. So this has gone through the formal process and I will be handing it over for the formal presentation for Anita in a minute. But first, they did go through all of the signatures. They got 300 plus signatures, number of letters of support, as well as a unanimous vote from our Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. They already did a very emotional public hearing. And you can see the turnout tonight even during a Broncos game. Nice, nice job. So we are excited to have this move forward. Our director of executive director has recommended this as well. So this one last comment before I turn it over is that they did go through for this park design, a community design process in 2017. So we'll be getting some upgrades and that construction will start in 2019. So it is a good timing for a park naming to happen. So with that, I will turn it over to Commander Martinez and to Anita Banuelos. Hello. My name is Anita Banuelos. I'm a counselor to councilman president. Councilman Clark. I'm a Denver native. Born and raised. I grew up in in Denver and still live in southwest Denver at Mar Park. I would like to first say a few words before going into the naming presentation of Asbury Park. It has been my pleasure and honor to work on the naming of the park in southwest Denver. I would like to first thank Commander Martinez. He has been such an important part. You will hear later. Hear why? I would also like to thank the residents who signed the petition, primarily Commander Martinez's family members, as well as the registered neighborhood associations Belford ATH Ma Park and College View, who all supported the naming of aspiring te home park. It is moments like this that truly emphasize the importance of community. In this presentation, you will hear why La Lomita was chosen and the beautiful history that makes our city what it is today. We cannot forget the decades and generations of families who settled here and share their stories. They are the thread of what Denver is and what continues to be today. It is my pleasure tonight to share this long overdue recognition of a long family history. Currently, the park's one function is reducing flooding, clear water, improving air quality, cooler local temperatures. Increase habitat. Connection to nature. A local learning laboratory. The park is going to be remodeled. Just as Laura mentioned, some of the things that we have done is in partnership with South Platte River, funded by Denver Parks and Rec, Public Works and Water Management. The area currently right now has a detention pond right in the middle of both of the partials. And so with the upgrades, it will be more emphasize of the design to connect residents to the park. The current conditions of the park. If you look at it now in the slides, it is does have a lot of trees, but it's not very friendly to the conditions as it is now. And a lot of family members and residents in the area do not visit the park as much. Potential park elements in the future, the rock playing soccer fields, a walking path. We did go out to the elementary schools and asked the children what they would like to see in their neighborhood park. So the construction of the park actually popped up the name. Just to let you know, when Councilman Clark took office, he will like to get a list of all the parks in his district, and three parks are without any names. So this one is the first park that we are going through, the whole naming process. The other two parks are in Belford. Some of the other options was Goat Hill, Domingo Abeyta Park and TODO El Mundo every todo el mundo everybody's world. Both for the park name option was 28, 21 and 21 for from an outdoor park in Gold Hill, which is kind of ironic that seven votes actually made La Lomita the park name. We did ask for young students at the local elementary schools to actually vote for this, even though they are unable to sign the petition. And I'm going to pass that over to Commander Martinez. And he can go over more of the history.
Speaker 10: Good evening. I'm Jeff Martinez and I'm honored to be here. Thank you for taking the time to allow us to speak. So you're probably wondering, how did I end up getting involved in this? Well, working closely with a lot of the council. I'm here, councilman clerk's office with Anita Banuelos. She called and told me that they were going to rename the park. I said, my family grew up there. That's where our family roots are from. We call that goat hill. We had a family restaurant that was there. She said, Really? Tell me more. So we went on and and we talked a little bit about the family. So I told her about that area. That was an area that was very poor. There were people there that didn't have water. Most people didn't have water at the time that most of my family moved in there. Evans Avenue, which we know now, is a very busy street, was nothing more than a dirt road with two big ditches on both sides. And the family restaurant that was put there was put there right in Goat Hill. So that's kind of how I got involved in this and tell you a little bit about this. So in the 1960s, again, my family lives there. Well, they're actually there in the forties and fifties. But in the sixties there was a building that was there, and my uncle and aunt owned the building. It was several different things. It was first called Evans Heights Grocery. It was a small grocery store that served the people that were there. Everybody would go there and there was a lot of business. Well, one Brentwood shopping center open, a place called Save a Nickel came along and a little bit bigger company, a little bit bigger grocery store. So people started going to save a nickel, put the family business out of out of business. So they tried a furniture business for a while there that did okay, but not too well. And then the family, because there were six. That's my family up there. That's my grandma and Grandpa Domingo and my two year Obeida. And there are six daughters and three sons. My mother was one of the daughters, Betty Abeyta, and they all would get together and they would make a lot of us Mexican-American Spanish food, more or less New Mexico style food. And they were great cooks. So they thought, why don't we try this as a restaurant? So a couple of the family members first opened this up and they called it La Lomita. La Lomita means the little hill. So the goat hill set up on a little bit of a hill. So it was called the La Lomita. So they tried the restaurant had changed hands a few times as the years went on. My parents being one of them, aunts and uncles, other aunts and uncles also owning that and operating that. So it was a great place for people to gather. There was a jukebox where the music was always playing. People came in. They were homemade tortillas made by hand. There were lines sometimes out the door with people waiting to get in, to listen to the music, eat the good food, and it was there. It's just a great place for the family or all the families that lived in that general area. This is an actual picture of that building called a la Lomita. There's a house that's right next door there. That building still stands. It's a house that my and uncle that own this property lived in. But this is an actual picture of it when it was a cafe, the La Lomita Restaurant. These are some more pictures. These pictures are all pictures that were taken in that area during the forties through sixties, the one with the glass windows on the front with the family sitting around. That building still exists. That's right next to where the Lomita restaurant was. So a lot of love, a lot of family, a lot of things that happened there. Our families have grown. And most of our my aunts and uncles have passed away. We have one actual family descendant, my Aunt Maggie, that is still alive. She's the last of the immediate family. And then we have my we call her my Aunt Arlene. She is truly my cousin, but she is my aunt. She's growing up as my aunt. She's going to speak later. But our family has passed away, our mothers and fathers, except my father is still here with us. 87 year old native of Denver. So we are doing our best to preserve a small part of our family, a family that was always gentle. They were kind. They have a lot of integrity, but they were a lo. They were a family that not a lot of people know about, but they are what Denver was founded on. And we believe that it is time that we have some mark of our family. We didn't think it would be right to just name it Abeyta Park because that put a little bit too much of a name of our family. But the building that a very family owned and operated La Lomita, we think is very important. And we would love if you would honor as with naming the park it as guarantee. Joan La Lomita Park, thank you.
Speaker 5: So as part of the petition process, you have to collect 300 signatures and we collected 316 signatures from Val Verde all the way to Platt Park Overland. And we did go to some of our registered neighborhood organizations to ask for signatures. And we did also get some letter of support on the west side of District seven. Like I mentioned earlier, Val Verde, Armagh Park, Ruby Hill, Guardsman, and College View. And during that whole process, we did not get any negative feedback or any opposition.
Speaker 0: Thank you very much. All right. We do have excuse me, five individuals signed up to speak this evening. And so if you're signed up to speak for this, if you come up to this front bench, so when I call on you, you can step up to the podium and start your remarks and your time will start. For this hearing, you are limited to 3 minutes. So first up, we have Arlene McIntosh. The first one.
Speaker 11: Yeah. Good evening, council members. My name is Arlene McIntosh, and I'm a Denver native. I'm married. I'm married to Early McIntosh. I am the granddaughter of Domingo and Donatella Obata.
Speaker 5: I was raised by my grandparents. I called them all my daddy. I was one of the family. I am retired.
Speaker 11: I owned a business.
Speaker 3: Arlene's Trophies, for.
Speaker 11: 27 years. And my daughter Sonya still has the shop.
Speaker 5: And the president of the Denver 600 500 bowling club.
Speaker 3: And I'm the only.
Speaker 11: Hispanic female in the Denver Bowling Hall of Fame.
Speaker 5: We moved to the Hill in 1944.
Speaker 11: My Aunt Minnie and Uncle Joe.
Speaker 5: Romero had purchased 20 acres from Evans to Asbury.
Speaker 11: And Tyrone to Leo.
Speaker 3: They brought an old.
Speaker 5: Army barrack and moved it onto the property on Asbury, right where the park is. We did not have a floor, water or electricity.
Speaker 9: We had an outhouse and a montgomery ward.
Speaker 5: Catalog that we used for.
Speaker 11: Daddy put in the floor.
Speaker 5: There were seven of us.
Speaker 11: Lived in three rooms. Daddy, Momma, Uncle Porky, my mom, Yvonne, Margie, Betty and myself and my Aunt Minnie and Joe owned the grocery store. It was called Evans Heights Grocery Store in 1942 to 1955 and around 1955. My Aunt Lillian, Walter.
Speaker 5: Lopez, Sara and Carlos Lopez and Anna and Willie.
Speaker 11: Hernandez were the first owners of the La Lolita Café. Then later, my uncle Felix and Clarinda Beda, my Aunt Betty and Chuck Martinez and Betty and Becky Candelaria.
Speaker 5: They were cousins. We're also owners.
Speaker 11: I worked as a.
Speaker 5: Cashier and a waitress. We would be very honored to have the park called La Lomita. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you very much. Next up, David Roybal.
Speaker 10: So. David Rebel 742 West Ninth Avenue. Thank you, Councilman Clark, for the whole process naming this park and everyone as part of that. And our parks are places of gathering of culture and peace. And to see all the history that goes behind that, you want to make sure that's known. And and I just hope that I just hope that the park, you know, serves all the people well in that area and the other naming of your parks and is very good process to look forward to the naming of the next parks. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Next up, Gil Levinsky.
Speaker 5: Since 1960.
Speaker 11: Must be getting hard of hearing. My name is Gail Martinez.
Speaker 5: I reside in Lakewood now.
Speaker 12: But I grew up there at the level of meet them. My parents were one of the owners at one time. We were little kids.
Speaker 3: And we actually lived in the basement.
Speaker 12: At the academy. So it was.
Speaker 7: Quite an experience.
Speaker 11: Living there and growing up in my family and. I've said on a.
Speaker 12: Lot of different.
Speaker 11: Councils in Denver, public school.
Speaker 5: Councils and different.
Speaker 11: Westwood Neighborhood.
Speaker 5: Association president and I admire you all for what you're doing. I know it's a lot of.
Speaker 3: Work and a lot.
Speaker 11: Of time, but as.
Speaker 5: Far as the park goes, a one point I wanted to make.
Speaker 11: Was that I think that the name The Limit that not only depicts.
Speaker 12: The.
Speaker 7: People that grew up around there, the restaurant.
Speaker 11: That.
Speaker 5: So many people.
Speaker 11: Came.
Speaker 5: Around and enjoyed for so long. But the fact that the name La La Meta also is a good name for the community that is living in the area at this time because it is a very.
Speaker 11: Large Hispanic Mexican community right now. And I think I think the name fits it perfectly. So that's basically all I wanted to say.
Speaker 7: And again, thank you all for your time.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Next up, Jesse Paris.
Speaker 13: Jesse Paris can the city council at large 2019 that starts a movement. Community Positive Action Community Committee. Network for Change and the Abraham Asilo. We approve this name change. It's good to see that you are getting community involvement. The community has been involved in this whole process. The people in this neighborhood have been involved in this whole process so we can do nothing but approve the wishes of the people. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you, Chairman Sekou.
Speaker 2: German Psycho Blackstar exit movement. Self-defense. Proud to represent poor working. Poor homeless people and senior citizens and students. There's not much more I can add other than to say Congratulations, you guys, for stepping up and and putting your stamp on this. And because I feel very confident that this is going to be not only a safe park, but a sacred park, because we've got the police now in charge of that. So we know this is going to be the safest park in the city to go to. I look forward to being there and having a good time. And if I'm still a little bit too long, I'll just wake me up and don't give me no ticket.
Speaker 0: Thank you. That does conclude our speakers. Are there any questions for members of council? And I'll just start by saying that everybody who's here to support this got up and spoke. So if you are here to support the renaming of this park, please, if you could stand up and show everybody on the council. Thank you very much. Are there any other questions? All right. Seeing none of the public hearing for council Bill 976 is closed. Comments by members of council. And I'll just start. You know, when I realized that there were three parks in District seven that had no name, I was baffled. I said, Wait, what is what is going on here? And started digging into them. And, you know, just earlier today at our budget conversation, we talked about the cost of your neighborhood and about often this part of Denver feeling a little bit left behind, a little bit like the city has moved on and hasn't done the same things. And to see this park that has such a rich history and so many people who immediately are attached to it and identified to it, and to go through this process with this amazing family, the proud setting is a little less formal than ours. And so I think only two people signed up to speak at that public hearing. But every time they're just about to close it, somebody else from the family would stand up, be like, okay, I've got a story and just come up to the microphone. And just it was such a joy to sit and listen to this rich history that this that this family that has built this part of South Denver for decades. To hear that and to be able to be a part of that. I was just struck by the fact that this area, this park does have a name. We've just never officially taken the steps to put a sign in it. But this is La Lomita Park. And on top of that, I just am continually blown away by this family that to recognize these deep roots and decades of building Denver and not just in this part of Denver, this family now is spread out and look at all the great things that this family is doing for our community. You are Denver. You are our city. And to say, you know what? To recognize our family. Don't use a name. Let's call it by the name that we call the place. And often we're up here and we often name parks after people and that is an appropriate thing to do. But I just think it's a testament to on one of the slides, it said, you know, the humble roots of these humble people, you're amazing. You are just amazing individuals. It is a great honor for me to represent those of you who live in my district, to represent the land that is your family's history and heritage to the city, and to be able to sit up here in my capacity and be able to cast a vote to say, this has a name, let's let's officially put it on there, let's put a sign and let's have a party is just a really amazing opportunity for me. It's one of those moments that's very special for me, and I thank all of you for allowing me to be a very small part of it, for sharing your family's history with me and with us, and for all of the quiet moments that nobody will ever know where your family for the last. 80 years has built this city and continues to build this city. You are Denver and thank you for everything. I want to give a special shout out to Anita from my office from all of her hard work on this. Just awesome. And Commander Martinez, just for I mean, absolutely. Being a rock star across everything and helping with this. And then everybody who came down, paid for parking, went through security, sat around through a long meeting to stick with us. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And there are some other people would like to say stuff, so I'm gonna stop now. Councilman Lopez.
Speaker 1: Well, I just wanted to say congratulations, I think. You know, and any time that you're able to get a park that has not been named formally and to make it reflect the history of the neighborhood, evolve folks in that process and tell the story, I think it's a good thing. It's a great thing. That's how the sense of Chavous Park was named. That's how weird culture was. Now we're called Park is now named Ruth Training Park. So it's just a reflection of who we are as a city and as a community. And now when people say, Hey, you want to meet up along La Lomita, I say, Yeah, sure. I'll see you at La Lomita. I say, I'll be there. I like the ring. Has a nice little it has a nice little ring to it. It's almost like a East L.A. Taco thing. And La Lomita, they don't meet that, right? I like it. I dig it. All right. Congratulations.
Speaker 0: Thank you, gentlemen. Lopez Councilman Flynn.
Speaker 2: Thanks for president. I was sitting here during the presentation just struck by how your family's story is so similar to so many families who will be able to recognize themselves in your heritage and enjoy this park. And Jeff especially reminded me of my family. So similar to yours, a huge Irish family. Hardscrabble. I think we use the Sears catalog. My my not the Montgomery Ward the of that when they had the outhouses but how they built themselves into the community. Now, this was back in New Jersey, but they were all mostly railroad and foundry workers. But one branch, my grandfather especially ran a dining car on the Lehigh Valley Railroad and grew that into a hotel business. And then his son, my uncle, who's now passed away, had a one of the best catering spots in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, right across the river from eastern Pennsylvania. And it's still going strong. But the way you talked about your family just struck a chord in my family's history that I said we have to honor these sorts of things in our city. We have to memorialize and make permanent the place, the places that meant so much to the people who built this city. And so, Jeff, and to the whole family, the abate of high five, some debaters who sing and who sang in my church choir for many years. Jerome and Louise and. And Tyrone. It's just such a pleasure to recognize the like. As others have said, not the family name, but the institution they built that so many people will recognize. And maybe that story gets passed down to new people in the neighborhood as well, and they'll be able to feel as rooted as you have become in that neighborhood. So thank you very much. It's my pleasure to to support this wholeheartedly. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Councilman Flynn, Councilwoman Ortega.
Speaker 11: Thank you, Mr. President. I want to thank and congratulate you and Anita for your efforts in you know, this this process is not easy. It's it's it's lengthy. It involves going out and getting the signatures. It's a lot of work. And, you know, so for you all, first of all, to bring that to the community and to say, hey, we have a park that is unnamed and we want some help from the community to name it. And then for you all to step up and say, we've got the name. We went through this process naming a park.
Speaker 12: Up in North Denver.
Speaker 11: After former councilman Sal Carpio and.
Speaker 12: I got a.
Speaker 11: Phone call from his family about a month ago saying we're going to have a picnic in the park. It was actually scheduled for yesterday and they invited me to come and about a half an hour before we were scheduled to have the picnic. They they moved it to one of the daughter's homes because they thought it was too cold for one of the little babies. But I can envision your family going and having picnics in this park. Great. Because it's.
Speaker 3: It's now part of.
Speaker 11: Part of the history that you share with future generations who are going to come to that park and say, who is this named after? And being able to have those markers at these parks, I think is really important so that it's not just a name, but it's information. I mean, unlike when you go up to our mountain parks or, you know, any number of places where you see more than just the name, you see the history of who, who the contributions came from that that left that legacy. The other important thing is.
Speaker 3: Our parks are now dedicated.
Speaker 11: So it means somebody can't come and rip up your park. The names not going to be changed. It's going to have a long term presence there for future generations in your family and other families that live in the neighborhood to enjoy it. So congratulations on all your hard work. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you, Councilman. Or taken. I forgot to thank the Parks Department. Laura, thank you for having a process for the community to go through this and for helping us navigate it and for all of the work to do for of dedicating parks that's happened in the last five or six years. So thank you very much. Well, let's not delay any more. Let's make it official. Madam Secretary, roll call.
Speaker 3: Brooks. A black eye. Espinosa. Hi, Flynn. Hi, Gilmore. I Cashman. I can reach Lopez. I knew Ortega. I Susman. I Mr. President, I.
Speaker 0: Madam Secretary, please close voting and announce the results. 1212 hours council bill 976 has passed and the park is named. All right. Congratulations. Thank you. Seeing no other business before this body. Madam Secretary, congratulations on your first meeting.
A bill for an ordinance naming the park at 2140 West Asbury Avenue as “La Lomita Park”.
Approves the naming of the park at Asbury and Tejon as La Lomita Park located at 2140 West Asbury Avenue in Council District 7.  The Committee approved filing this item at its meeting on 9-11-18.