Wellington E. Webb
These following lyrics to Joni Mitchell’s song “Big Yellow Taxi” could be renamed “Pending Park Hill Golf Course Sale.” Instead of enjoying this open space, generations will hear the sad story of how our elected officials caved to development; how our elected officials allowed 156 acres of paradise to be paved for a grocery store and high-density housing. It’s not too late for our elected officials to tell the developer BEFORE the July 11 sale date that paradise is off limits.
It’s not too late for our elected officials to tell the developer BEFORE the July 11 sale date that paradise is off limits.
“They paved paradise / And put up a parking lot / With a pink hotel, a boutique / And a swinging hot spot / Don’t it always seem to go / That you don’t know what you’ve got / ‘Till its gone / They paved paradise / And put up a parking lot / They took all the trees / And put ’em in a tree museum / And they charged the people / A dollar and a half to seem ’em / No no no / Don’t it always seem to go, /That you don’t know what you’ve got / ‘Till it’s gone / They paved paradise / And put up a parking lot / Hey farmer farmer / Put away the DDT / I don’t care about spots on my apples / Leave me the birds and the bees / Please! / Don’t it always seem to go / That you don’t know what you’ve got / ‘Till it’s gone / They paved paradise / And put up a parking lot / Hey, now they paved paradise / To put up a parking lot / Why not? / Listenin’ late last night / I heard the screen door slam / And a big yellow taxi / Took my girl away / Now, don’t it always seem to go / That you don’t know what you’ve got / Til its gone / They paved paradise / And put up a parking lot / Hey now, now / Don’t it always seem to go / That you don’t know what you got / Til its gone / They paved paradise / To put up a parking lot / Why not? / They paved paradise / To put up a parking lot / Hey hey hey / Paved paradise / To put up a parking lot / I don’t want to give it / Why you want to give, / Why you want to give it all away? / Hey hey hey / Now you want to give it, / Ah she want to give it / Cause she givin’ it all away / Now now now / I don’t want give it / Why you want to give / Why you want to give it all away? / Giving it all, giving it all away / Why you want it? / Why do you want it? (She’s giving it all away) / Hey pave paradise / Put up a parking lot.”
Wellington E. Webb is a former Denver Mayor (1991-2003) and is the Founder and President of Webb Group International.
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