Last year Jefferson Board of Education voted to shut down 16 elementary schools. This was a way to save 12 million dollars.
Among them, Kullwerstrand and Wilmore Davis in Wheat Ridge, Vivian (also known as Classic Academy) in Lakewood, were ones that Wheat Ridge families had attended.
The plan was to consider 2 buildings every year to repurpose or sell to developers. Vivian had in fact been put up for sale with a handful of developers submitting offers with plans ranging from starter homes, townhomes or high end single detached homes. An ad hoc committee had been selected with one member by the mayor of Lakewood to review the process. This was result of the immediate community wanting the city of Lakewood to purchase all or part of the 10 acres and keep it as a neighborhood park.
Since Classic Academy at Vivian was shut down by Jeffco last year, the neighbors had been using the baseball field as a park. An off leash dog park to be more specific. Jeffco had been taking care of the shut down school fields even better than when they were filled with children playing. Lawns meticulously cared for right in the middle of a neighborhood. How could the neighbors resist?
I attended a community meeting last week and met with many neighbors who had been in talks with the board of education and the city of Lakewood. The conversations included the 847 million dollar bond that didn’t cover all promises, the 40 million dollar accounting error and talks of a new bond being prepared for voters. The harsh truth is that Jeffco Education is in dire need of funds. With a budget of over a billion dollars a year is still not enough to fund fair wages for teachers, the upkeep of the almost 166 schools and a fleet of over 1500 vehicles, including school buses.
The idea that the City of Lakewood could buy the 10 acres was rejected by the city itself some time ago. The city of Wheat Ridge is going through the same discussion about the 110 acres vacated by Lutheran Hospital. The land is for sale with the process being down to 3 developers.
I spoke with a few neighbors down the block from the school grounds. They opted not to attend the meeting and were hopeful of either leaving the park for the neighborhood or high end homes that would increase the value of the neighborhood but not starter homes or town homes. They were also mindful of the needed funds in the district.
A decision will be made next month as to what happens to the 10 acres at Vivian. Follow this space for more news and feel free to write to WRgazette@gmail.com with any input you might have.
