Arva-Pride
Cat in a Cape, Saturday with Santa, Feedback on Climate Plan, Board and Commissions Applications Now Open, Jefferson Parkway, Infrastructure Accomplishments, SB25-276 Workshop for All Residents
Hey Neighbor!
Thanks to all who went to the tree lighting and said I did pretty ok playing the Tuba, it was a fun time! (Especially thanks to Kiwanis who let me play at their tent). Hope you are enjoying the holidays as much as my cat Finn (he wore his cape all day):
📰 Community Beat
Saturday with Santa in Olde Town 🎅
It’s your last chance to meet Santa for FREE! Santa will be spreading cheer in Olde Town Arvada Square from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm on December 20th. Every child who visits Santa will receive a free cookie from Rheinlander Bakery to add a touch of sweetness to their holiday season! Check out all the Arvada Holiday festivities here:
Climate and Sustainability Action Plan - We Need Your Feedback! 🌲
Share your feedback on the final draft of Arvada’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan (CASAP)! The full text draft of Arvada’s new strategic plan for sustainability practices lays out a roadmap to a more sustainable future for Arvada.
Tennyson Knolls Turf Conversion Project - Update 🌿
As part of the City of Arvada’s Turf Conversion Program, a portion of bluegrass at Tennyson Knolls Park is being converted to native grass. This project is part of our City’s ongoing efforts to conserve water and resources while maintaining beautiful, usable parks.
Project Timeline:
Fall 2024: Conversion area seeded with native grass seed mix
2025–2029: Native grass establishment period
Once established, the area will be maintained like our open space — it will not be irrigated and will only be mowed once a year in the fall.
Help the Wetland Restoration Project at Majestic View - Donate a Tree 🌳
To minimize water loss and improve habitat, Russian Olive trees will be removed from critical portions of the watershed west of the Majestic View Park and Nature Center. They are detrimental to many native species and will out-compete them. As these trees get removed in the coming months, the approach might seem aggressive, leaving areas of sparse vegetation. This temporary phase is a very important step in improving the entirety of the ecosystem.
Consider donating to the Friends of Majestic View to pay for a native tree to be planted in the wetland area where Russian Olive trees will be removed. A tree sapling costs approximately $20 per tree but you can donate as little or as much as you want! Just make sure to add a comment and type ‘Tree’ so we know it is for this project.
🔗 Learn More About This Project And Support It Here
🏛 What’s Up at Council
Join A Board Or Commission 🙋
Serving on a City of Arvada board or commission is an opportunity to engage with our City, perform a valuable public service, contribute your time and talents to the community, and help in decision-making processes that affect the quality of life in Arvada.
Our City relies on citizen volunteers to study special community issues, provide staff direction, obtain public comment on key projects, take action or offer recommendations to City Council.
Applications are due Jan 5 - apply today!
🔗 Click here to see openings and apply
Council Meetings 🛣️
At the December 9th meeting, there were two workshops. One was a presentation on the Jefferson Parkway, in which I asked about radioactive contamination. In 2020, CDPHE conducted a comprehensive assessment and determined that there would not be harmful exposures to workers or nearby residents. Any contractor performing work must do ongoing assessments and mitigation should any harmful radioactivity be found.
There was also a workshop presentation on infrastructure that had some pretty impressive accomplishments for 2025! Here are some highlights:
5,050 participants in bulky-item drop-off events (available to every resident in Arvada)
300 tons of leaves recycled in 2025 (not finalized yet)
18,900+ cart service customers in our City’s recycling & trash program ( ~70% of eligible residents)
1,200 payment arrangements support utility billing customers
1,750+ Ask Arvada questions and concerns answered
$300K savings through solar energy fields
20 public EV charging stations
9 recycling bins added in Olde Town
147 lane miles treated or repaved
260+ sidewalk ramps replaced (ADA accessibility)
22,971 linear feet of curb, gutter, and sidewalk replaced
3,900+ potholes filled
8,700+ miles of street sweeping
1,085 street signs replaced
12 snow storms
35,153 miles of road plowed
4,143 hours of staff time
820,000+ cyclist and pedestrian trips counted along 4 trails
76,600+ trips on shared e-bikes and scooters
16,000+ fiber internet cable installed
Replacement Water Treatment Plant is 30% designed, land has been acquired
Very impressed with our City team and proud to help us accomplish so much in making Arvada a great place to live. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!
🔗 Slideshows on Jefferson Parkway and Infrastructure Accomplishments Here
🔗 Arvada City Council and Study Session Videos
🔊What Colorado’s SB25-276 Means For Our Community - Jan 28th 6pm - register at bit.ly/4aus9tW
It’s more important than ever that we use Colorado’s existing laws to protect all residents. Our laws are as good as our knowledge of them - so make time to come to this workshop about how we can ensure Colorado agencies do not share information with ICE or other federal entities. It’s on Jan 28th 6pm - register at bit.ly/4aus9tW
Talk soon,
Shawna Ambrose
Arvada City Councilmember, District Two
970-425-3060 (call or text!)