By Hilary Olivares
“Let this groundbreaking be a reminder. Our past lives here. Our joy lives here. And our future is being built here at La Raza Park,” said Denver City Council President Amanda P. Sandoval in her opening remarks at La Raza Park’s groundbreaking ceremony on May 15. The event, held alongside Denver Parks & Recreation and other members of the community, advocated for the celebration of the new improvement project at La Raza Park. Located in north Denver, La Raza Park is undergoing significant improvements aimed at honoring its rich cultural heritage while enhancing its facilities for the community. With a budget of $2,018,000, the project is set to be completed by Winter 2025, funded through a combination of the Legacy Fund, Denver Parks and Recreation Capital Improvement Program (DPR CIP), Elevate Denver Bond, and RISE Denver Bond.
This is a sacred ground for so many of us.”
Denver City Council President Amanda P. Sandoval
With a recent name change in 2020, La Raza Park has been looked at, as a way to celebrate culture and heritage, a focal point for Denver’s Latino and Chicano communities. Some of the upcoming changes include a new playground, upgraded basketball court, enlarged space for community events, additional picnic tables and gathering areas, irrigation replacement, improved walkways, native landscaping, and enhanced lighting of the kiosko.
Not only does the park hold an important legacy tied to the Chicano Movement, but it serves as a gathering point for community events, peaceful protests, and other cultural education events. This project, for many, has deep personal meaning. For Councilwoman Sandoval, La Raza Park is not just any park, “It raised me and Councilwoman Gonzales-Gutiérrez. We grew up here. Our families merged here. We gather here. We celebrated here and at times we grieved here. This is a sacred ground for so many of us.” She continued, “I am proud to stand with you. Not just as your Council President but as your sister, compadre, comadre, your vecina, and most importantly like familia,” Sandoval said before the blessing of the park.
Carlos Castañeda, Capitan of Grupo Tlaloc, blessed the ground and prayed over the space. Other speakers at the event included Gordon Robertson, Director of Planning, Design and Construction; Florence Navarro, Denver Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; Nita Gonzalez, Community Advocate, and Charlene Barrientos Ortiz, program manager and community research liaison at the Colorado School of Public Health.
As La Raza Park undergoes these new transformations, the goal remains clear in wanting to create a space that honors its history while still being able to serve the evolving community.
For more information and updates on La Raza Park improvements visit the La Raza Improvements page.
Hilary Olivares is an Independent Reporter for The Weekly Issue/El Semanario.
