LAKEWOOD —After spending almost 50 years in the same Lakewood building, is looking east toward Aurora, with an eye on expansion.
But efforts to find a suitable building have been stymied by a tight commercial real-estate market fueled in part by a booming regional economy and marijuana operations gobbling up warehouse space, said Lynn Robinson, the Easter Seals Colorado executive director.
“As a nonprofit, we have more challenges than business ventures have,” Robinson said. “So moving east is not set in stone; if someone in Highlands Ranch has a piece of property that met location criteria, like being easy to get to and next to a bus stop, we’d definitely look at that.”
She said an increased demand for services and higher client numbers have pushed the aging Lakewood facility at 5755 W. Alameda Ave. to its capacity.
The nonprofit saw an increase of almost 1,000 clients from 2013 to 2014. This hit a total of 8,187 last year at the organization’s two Colorado locations: the one in Lakewood and a
Programming includes autism spectrum services’ stroke and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, warm water therapy, employment services, adult day programs and children’s recreation for anyone regardless of age, disability or economic status.
During that time funding remained about the same, with the operating budget at $6.3 million last year.
“The population that needs these services doesn’t decrease,” said Ron Marquez, director of community relations for the Developmentally Disabled Resource Center in Lakewood. “As the years go on, more people come into the system that were either born here or moved in from somewhere else.”
As such, waiting lists for services have become longer as funding has remained stagnant or, in some years, has decreased. Easter Seals relies on a combination of and state support.
A year ago, Easter Seals Colorado began a capital improvement project to raise $4.7 million for a new building. So far, almost $1 million in pledges has been raised.
If and when the money is raised and a new facility located, the organization would still keep the current space in Lakewood.
The heated pool is probably the largest on the west side of metro Denver, said Easter Seals Colorado aquatics director Bill Brewton, but it is showing signs of wear, tear and access issues after 47 years of use.
Some funds from a $50,000 Boettcher Foundation grant will be used for pool and locker room improvements, while the rest will be put toward purchase of a new building.
That suits 67-year-old Sharon Barbarick just fine.
The longtime Lakewood resident said she’s made plenty of friends while treating fibromyalgia and depression in therapy classes at the heated pool over the last six years.
“Within a month of coming here, my depression lifted after 12 years,” Barbarick said. “It’s been life-changing; I thought only certain people could come here only under doctor’s orders … when I asked about the pool, they let me try it out for free four times and I was completely sold.”
Austin Briggs: 303-954-1729, abriggs@denverpost.com or twitter.com/abriggs
Easter seals colorado
To donate or find out more, call 303-233-1666 or visit
