14 June, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Globeville- Saturday, July 21st and Sunday, July 22nd will mark the 119th anniversary of The Globeville Neighborhood, one of Denver's most historic residential communities, and the "kick off" of the Neighborhood's 120th Anniversary Celebration. The Saturday festivities will run from 11:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. while Sunday will see the celebration extending from 11:00 a.m. till 5:00p.m. The "Old Globeville Days" and "The Orthodox Food Festival" will be located at the Argo Park and the campus of the Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Parish, located at the corner of 47th and North Logan Streets. The Congregation and the Globeville Civic Association are collaborating to provide two solid days of wonderful and diverse free public entertainment, children's activities, historical educational and cultural craft exhibits, displays and tours as well as the cuisine of over a half dozen ethnic groups. In the past four years, this event has, been acclaimed by critics as a premier summer cultural celebrations in Colorado. The two days will allow visitors to familiarize themselves with dozens of ethnic groups and nationalities who entered into Colorado life and history through the "Port of Entry" which became known as the Globeville Neighborhood.

For the entire 119 years since Globeville's incorporation as a town and subsequent annexation into the City and County of Denver, there has been a Summer celebration of some kind or another. For most of that time, the main "Homecoming" event has been the annual "Picnic" held by the 109 year old Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Cathedral. In recent years, the District Attorney of Denver, Bill Ritter, now Governor of Colorado, promoted a "Globeville Community Day" which positively impacted the neighborhood but did not involve much participation from those outside of the neighborhood. In 2004, the Orthodox Community agreed to combine the Annual Orthodox Picnic with the Community Days celebration and to provide a free public celebration both for the residents and friends of Globeville as well as an opportunity to reach out to and inform the entire Front Range.

The two days will feature a continuous program of music, song and folk dancing from the experience of the Balkan, Middle-Eastern, Slavic, Greek, African, Native American and African American communities who entered Colorado through The Globeville Landing on the North Platte River. There will also be representatives from the Colorado Historical Society, The Globeville Civic Association, Laradon Hall, The Riverside Cemetery Preservation Organization, The Holy Transfiguration Cathedral and other similar groups active in the area, intended to provide an historical context for the kick off of Globeville's 120th Anniversary year.

Paulette Hirsch, President of the Neighborhood Association and Margaret Escamilla, Vice President and, with her husband Robert, named plaintiffs in the famous "Escamilla vs. ASARCO" litigation victory which was a landmark case in environmental justice, are hoping that the event will publicize the past and present accomplishments an and near future plans of the Neighborhood and Civic Association. Mrs. Hirsch notes that the Globeville Neighborhood and the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral are among the most requested destinations of R.T.D. historical tours and so it is obvious that there is public interest in the neighborhood.

The ladies point out that, in addition to the successful ASARCO suit, the neighborhood has marked the past two decades with victories over plans to plow it under for industrial development, to shut off its access to highways which doubly bisect it, and benign neglect by "The Powers that be." After winning a Community Development Grant to provide sidewalks they were told that they would not receive any more help because the had no "comprehensive neighborhood plan". The response of the neighbors was to form their own planning group and to put together a document, which was praised by the City Planning Department and adopted by City Council. Other accomplishments were the under grounding of many overhead utility lines, the paving of all of the residential alleys. They preserved the local grocery store, acquired amenities along Washington Street, sponsored zoning changes which benefited residents and neighborhood friendly businesses and stood up against codes and zoning violators and proposed uses of property which the neighborhood believed would have a negative impact on the community. The old North side Water Treatment Plant sight has been converted into a lovely park and nature preserve and the abandoned ASARCO property has been slated for redevelopment under the "Brown fields" Program. A new National Guard Armory has been built. Lead by the Neighborhood Group, Globeville acquired a new shelter house, ball diamond, soccer field and children's playground, swimming pool and a newly dedicated water playground for Argo Park. In the summer, they have promoted an anti-graffiti project and have helped to provide free summer swimming passes, fall school supplies, as well as summer's end, Christmas and Easter parties for the children of Globeville. The Civic Association has also helped to promote the programs of the two neighborhood recreation centers and, for the past two springs, have worked with The Denver Foundation and "College Pro Painters" to paint and repair the exteriors of dozens of neighborhood residences of elderly, poor or disabled neighbors.

The Civic Association is looking forward to such ongoing and near future developments as the "Taxi Company" offices and studios along the Platte River, the RINO (River North Arts Project), the flowering of new projects in the Old Denargo Market area, the continued expansion of the "Rail Yard Shopping Center, the renaissance of Brighten Boulevard, a "Fastracks" station in the vicinity of the National Western Stock Show complex and the ultimate widening of North Washington within the Denver city boundaries. With affordable housing, a wealth of businesses, industries and their associated job opportunities and a ten minute commute to Downtown Denver, Globeville seems slated for a future as brilliant as its past and the Globeville Civic Association is teeming up with Transfiguration Cathedral and all of the other foundations, institutions and organizations to promote a celebration of "Greatness" for the neighbors and a "Pep rally" to draw the attention of the rest of our fellow front range citizens to the past history, present accomplishments and future potential of the Village called "The Gateway to Colorado" by generations.

And, by the way, this will be the premier, FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT, HISTORICAL and CULTURAL "Hot Ticket" of the Summer and Admission is free.