Neighborhood Spotlight: Villa Park

The Villa Park neighborhood is located in West Denver about two to three miles west of downtown Denver. The neighborhood is bounded on the north by Lakewood Gulch, on the east by Federal Boulevard, on the south by the 6th Avenue Freeway, and on the west by Sheridan Boulevard.

According to Wikipedia, the neighborhood contains three small creeks: Lakewood Gulch, which provides the northern border for the neighborhood, Dry Gulch, and Weir Gulch. The confluence of Lakewood and Dry Gulches is located in the neighborhood near the intersection of 10th Avenue and Osceola Street. Martinez, Paco Sanchez, Lakewood/Dry Gulch, and Barnum North parks straddle the creeks as they meander through the neighborhood.^[1] Much of the areas around the creeks have a typical riparian environment and are more natural than many other areas of the city as a result. Several bike and pedestrian paths also follow the creeks and connect the neighborhood with the rest of the city. Because of the creeks and a general elevation gain towards the west, Villa Park is a very hilly neighborhood. 

When Extreme Community Makeover began in 2008, Villa Park was one of the first neighborhoods where we began working, going block by block to assist residents with exterior home and neighborhood improvement projects. Over the years, hundreds of projects have been completed in this community. And a lot of changes have been witnessed. One of the most notable being the inclusion of the new W Line of the RTD Light Rail line, travelling directly through Villa Park.

For more information, check out our website - http://www.extremecommunitymakeover.org/About/VillaPark.aspx.