Lakewood’s Sustainable Neighborhoods Program was the first of its kind in the Denver metro area, yet hasn’t been able to expand since 2013. But that is changing this year as the city’s sustainability division announced that three more neighborhoods will be joining the ranks.
The Applewood, Green Mountain and Morse Park neighborhoods will join the five Lakewood communities already in the program. So far, 5,000 residents in those communities have engaged in 300-plus projects.
“I’m really excited to see projects that come out of that. It brings neighbors together,” Lakewood Mayor Adam Paul said.
The gives residents a chance to work with city staff on projects or programs. Lakewood recently hired a sustainability planner to oversee the program, which also is what allowed it to expand.
The sustainability division announced in January that the program would grow and held open houses to give more information to interested neighborhoods. The hope was to pick two new neighborhoods, but sustainability manager Jonathan Wachtel said the three new neighborhoods each had strong applications. It also allows the program to branch out geographically within the city.
“It worked out great this time around. We hadn’t had much on the west side,” Wachtel said.
Belmar, Eiber, Southern Gables, Lake Lochwood Village and South of 6th neighborhoods already in the program have worked on projects such as a community garden at Green Gables Elementary School, organized leaf composting in the fall, worked with businesses on reducing waste and increasing recycling at the Belmar shopping center and brought car sharing into the Belmar area.
“The key that has made whole program successful is the buy-in from the neighborhoods,” Wachtel said.
The three new neighborhoods will now go through a launch process to kick off their programs. No date has been set yet for any of the neighborhoods.
Lakewood’s Sustainable Neighborhood Program has been nationally recognized and worked with the .
“This program really enables direct action from residents who care and want to share their passions with one another,” Wachtel said. “Itap a real source of pride in community as a whole and has advanced the city’s sustainability goals.”