After years of planning, delays, and community input, Wheat Ridge is just months away from unveiling a new public space designed to bring the community together. The Green at 38th, located on 38th Avenue near Upham Street, is on track for August 2025 completion, with a grand opening planned for Saturday, September 6.
“The team recently completed the structural steel for the stage and shade structure, which was exciting because the vertical structures give the general public a sense that something big is happening on site,” says Karen O’Donnell, director of Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation. Current construction work at the site includes earthwork, electrical work, joist framing, soil prep, paver work, and concrete pouring.
The project’s timeline began in 2018 with the City’s community feedback phase. Over 1,100 residents visited the project page on WhatsUpWheatRidge.com, with 177 completing surveys and 30 attending public meetings. This input influenced the park’s design, specifically the inclusion of the playground, stage, civic green, promenade, and game grove.
Students at Stevens Elementary School, located next to the Green, also made their voices heard. “Our team led a series of interactive exercises with the students, aimed at sparking creativity and encouraging them to envision what the new park could be,” O’Donnell explains. The students’ feedback led to larger playground elements and increased tree canopy throughout the park.
The playground, O’Donnel says, is one of the highlights of the project. “It offers a truly unique play experience unlike any other in Wheat Ridge – taller, more colorful, and designed to spark imagination,” she says. The “patchwork wall,” she adds, is another standout element, celebrating the spirit of Wheat Ridge with a collection of photos collected through the town’s history.
“This park offers something for everyone,” O’Donnell says, “with spaces that invite both active recreation and quiet relaxation. It’s designed to be a welcoming, vibrant destination for the whole community.”
Funding and construction timelines posed the project’s greatest challenges. “The COVID-19 pandemic caused some delays early on, and since the initial planning phase, construction costs have risen significantly,” O’Donnell says, referring to the roughly
$8 million total construction bill for the project. To offset those costs, the City secured several major grants totaling $1,674,574, including funding from the Department of Local Affairs, Great Outdoors Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Gates Family Foundation, and Waste Management.
The Green at 38th aligns with the city’s long-term goals, including a key service gap identified through the Trust for Public Land’s 10-Minute Walk recommendations. The park is also meant to draw more residents to Main Street as a community hub and bolster nearby businesses, according to O’Donnell.
Public sentiment has grown increasingly positive as the project nears completion. “While some residents initially expressed concern about the loss of mature trees on site, many were reassured to learn that the completed park will feature significantly more trees than before,” O’Donnell says. “Beyond that, the community response has been overwhelmingly positive.”
The Green at 38th’s grand opening on September 6 will feature fitness classes, youth entertainment, and live music throughout the day, as well as formal remarks and a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. As the finishing touches come together, the park stands ready to welcome the community that shaped it.
