Denver's Washington Park and Neighborhood

The neighborhood of Washington Park in South Central Denver is based on the large urban park of the same name. The area is also known as Wash Park, particularly by the locals. Its central position, excellent transport links to the rest of the city, and wealth of bars, restaurants and stores makes this one of the busiest neighborhoods in the city. It is very popular with young professionals, both as a place to live and as an area in which to dine or relax. The park itself provides some relief from the city, offering residents and visitors a place in which to relax in the open air as well as some welcome greenery in the cityscape.

The Washington Park area is actually made up of two adjoining neighborhoods, each with their own neighborhood association: Washington Park and Washington Park West. This is not a dramatic divide, however, as the two associations tend to work together. Both neighborhoods are usually considered as one.

The community is largely made up of young professionals, and many of the local bars and shops are aimed at this demographic. Coffee shops and restaurants are also common in this area, and often feature outdoor patios that are usually very popular when the sun is out. The main commercial areas are focused around Alameda Avenue and South Gaylord Street, and just outside the neighborhood itself, along South Pearl Street. The Cherry Creek shopping center and downtown Denver are also within easy reach.

The area features numerous apartment buildings, particularly along the eastern edge of the park. There are also some affordable condos with views of Washington Park. The western side features more single family homes in the Victorian style. Many of the homes in Washington Park are bungalows, although there are also some two storey houses. Although the area is most popular with young professionals, families with young children are becoming increasingly common in Washington Park. There are some good local schools, including South High School, which sits directly alongside the park itself.

Washington Park is one of the most historic neighborhoods in Denver. It was the first area around the city to grow a large enough population to become a suburb of Denver, in 1886, when it became known as South Denver. It was annexed to Denver itself during the 1890s due to financial difficulties caused by the silver bust.

It was in 1899 that the area really began to flourish, as the park itself was built at its heart. Many of the buildings in Washington Park date from the early 20th century; most of these are brick buildings built in the period from 1900 to 1940.

The park itself was designed by Reinhard Schuetze, a German landscape architect. He worked on the park between 1899 and 1908. Much of his original design remain intact, including the park's water features, carriageways and the open meadow next to Smith Lake. Later additions to the park have since been made by other designers, including a boathouse and a grove of evergreen trees to the north of the park.

Washington Park is the one of the largest parks in the city of Denver. It has two lakes, Grasmere and Smith as well as a smaller lily pond. The park also features more than fifty flowerbeds, all planted with brightly colored flowers. One area of the park is a replica of the Mount Vernon garden that belonged to Martha Washington. There is plenty of open space in which to wander or sit down and rest, and picnics are a common sight in the park during the summer. As soon as any warm weather comes along, the park fills up with locals who want to enjoy the sun. It is usually particularly busy just after the end of the working day.

Residents often use the park for exercise and sport as well as for less active recreation. Jogging tracks run around the park, and there are soccer fields, ten tennis courts, a basketball court, a bowling and croquet lawn and even a horseshoes court. The park's recreation center offers a selection of facilities that includes an indoor pool and a gym, while it is also common to see cyclists and skaters making their rounds of the park. There are also two children's playgrounds.

During the summer, Washington Park often hosts outdoor concerts. The Colorado Symphony Orchestra makes an appearance in the park every year, during June. Another well-known event during the summer is the spectacular fireworks display run by the Denver Country Club, which lights up the park and the surrounding area during July of each year. Parts of the park, such as the boathouse pavilion, can be hired for private functions.