Olde Town Arvada has been named a Great Place in Colorado
The Colorado Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA Colorado) kicked off National Community Planning month this October by announcing the first Great Places in Colorado designee, Olde Town Arvada. The Great Places in Colorado program builds off of the American Planning Association’s national flagship program Great Places in America, by drawing attention to the exemplary communities, neighborhoods, streets, and planning efforts here in the state that demonstrate exceptional character, quality, and planning — attributes that enrich communities, facilitate economic growth, and inspire others.
“We introduced this program to highlight places that represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow. This year, we are excited to make the Great Places program a local program and identify our inaugural designee, Olde Town Arvada as a Great Neighborhood!” said Michelle Stephens, AICP, Chapter President of APA Colorado.
Great Places in Colorado is one of the ways APA Colorado celebrates National Community Planning Month. Each October, National Community Planning month provides an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of the many residents, leaders, officials, and professionals who contribute to creating great communities through the planning process across Colorado.
The inaugural 2019 Great Places in Colorado designee, Olde Town Arvada has been designated as a Great Neighborhood due to its thoughtful development, smooth transition to the surrounding area, and preservation + re-use of historic buildings and structures. Located 15 minutes northwest of Denver, Olde Town Arvada “offers a model for historic preservation, adaptive reuse, mixed-use redevelopment, transit-oriented development, and creative placemaking,” said Robin Becker, Great Places Colorado Program Chair and City Planner with City of Golden.
The Great Places in Colorado program is intended to initiate conversations about planning and communities and what it means to create a great neighborhood, street, or public space. “I hope the designation of Olde Town Arvada encourages the community and visitors to take a moment to look around at all the details that make this place special and consider how they may be inspired by the neighborhood’s elements to improve or connect to other places in their community,” said Michelle Stephens, AICP. The Great Neighborhoods, Great Streets, and Great Public Spaces are places in Colorado that will be celebrated through this program for their unique and exemplary success stories of revitalization, cultural identity and creation of strong community connections. To learn more about the Great Places in Colorado program, visit www.apacolorado.org/great-places-program
The Colorado Chapter of the American Planning Association is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization that provides vital leadership in creating great communities for all. APA Colorado is dedicated to advancing the profession of planning — physical, economic and social — to foster quality of life for all residents. The 1,500 chapter members work in concert with community members, civic leaders, and business interests to create communities that enrich people’s lives. Learn more at www.apacolorado.org.