The Lakewood City Planning Commission has approved the proposed Master Plan for the redevelopment of the Charles Whitlock Recreation Center Park and sent it on to City Council for possible approval, following a public hearing on February 21.

The plan calls for building a new skate plaza, updating playground facilities, and improving landscaping and parking. Sixteenth Avenue will be closed to unify the site, and improvements would be implemented along Colfax Avenue. There would also be space for additional amenities in the future.

The Planning Commission passed the plan by a 7-0 vote with the recommendation that the City Council give strong consideration to the possibility of incorporating musical elements, like a pavilion or listening area for the community when the opportunity arrives for future improvements.

Charles Whitlock Recreation Center Park is an 11.8 acres park located in North-Central Lakewood which fronts on Colfax Avenue. The current site is a conglomeration of parcels purchased by the City of Lakewood. It includes:

· Outdated playground
· Asphalt walking paths
· Inline hockey rink
· Grass play area
· 176 parking spaces in two lots
· Storage/office building
· Whitlock Recreation Center

While the Whitlock Recreation Center is a popular facility serving more than 100,000 visitors annually, the current playground is hidden from view and has minimal equipment. The area around the Center is landscaped, along with the original center park north of 16th Avenue. However, the land bordering Colfax is vacant and unimproved, and the site is bisected by the right of way for 16th Avenue. Street improvements along parts of Dover and Dudley Streets are not to City standards.

The master plan developed by Mundus Bishop Design is intended to provide direction for future improvements to the site and act as a stimulus for fund raising to complete the improvements.
The plan would not change the current recreation center, and the inline hockey rink would remain.

Under the proposed plan, a new skateboard plaza would be built on the southwest side of the park along with new playground facilities. Landscaping would be improved and there would be curb, gutter, and sidewalk on all frontages, and as well as incorporation of the regional storm water detention facilities. The plan leaves room for anticipated future building expansion and the improvements along Colfax Avenue should enhance this stretch of the busy thoroughfare.

While there have been concerns noted about the skating plaza and closing 16th Avenue, these issues have been addressed. The plaza would be in a highly visible location, next to an office used by the Lakewood Police Department. Unifying the site by closing 16th Avenue outweighs negative impacts. West Metro Fire has no concern with the closing and the unification will reduce current pedestrian and automobile conflicts. Access to the private land west of Dudley remains intact from Colfax.

The City has owned the property since 1973 when it purchased the land and original center from the adjacent Church of the Nazarene. The center was renamed was renamed after one of the City's first Council members from Ward 2 and Mayor (1978-80) Charles E. Whitlock in 1991. The new Whitlock Center was constructed in 2001. The final land purchase creating what is now known as the Charles Whitlock Recreation Center Park was made in 2002. The last structure on the Colfax frontage of the property was removed in 2005.

While the new recreation center was built in 2001, a master plan for the entire site was never completed. The City allocated a portion of the Community Development Block Grant 2006 to develop a master plan for the site. In addition, a Jefferson County Open Space Grant has been received to fund a replacement of the original picnic shelter and playground.

With the funding available it was determined that there was a need to develop a Master Plan before new improvements were made on the site. From the beginning, the City wanted to involve the surrounding community in the redevelopment planning. The City hired Mundus Bishop Design to assist in the planning process. A Community Development Block Grant is funding the master planning process.

Two open houses were held to give the community the opportunity to provide ideas for the site and to voice concerns. The first open house was held at the Whitlock Center and after comments from the meeting were considered, several alternatives were conceived. From the alternatives two concept plans were developed to present at the second public meeting held at the Clement Center. A consensus was developed for one of the plans presented. The consensus plan was refined and additional studies were initiated to make sure the plan would meet today's City standards.

The City Council will now consider the recommendations. After these approvals and funding is found to construct the improvements, final construction plans will be developed.