Tomorrow will be April 20th, and many in Denver will be celebrating at the 4/20 parade, celebrating the legalization of cannabis in downtown. But for us in the southwestern suburb of Littleton, where my family lives, we will be remembering the 24th anniversary of the Columbine Tragedy. Both of my boys have attended Columbine High School, my oldest graduated last year and we have a sophomore currently attending. After moving to Colorado and telling friends and family about Ethan attending Columbine… “yes, that Columbine High School,” was always the answer to their first question. All these years later, our sons have had wonderful experiences at Columbine High School yet, sadly school shootings and violence are on the rise all over the country.
Rebel Pride
Before sharing anymore of the story that Columbine High School and Clement Park have in our family’s journey in Colorado, I have to say that Columbine has been one of the greatest experiences for us as a family! Rebel Pride all day long and even though we have moved to the other side of Littleton, our son’s proudly attend Columbine. I have all the respect in the world for Mr. Scott Christy, the Columbine High School principal, who is the most amazing administrator I’ve seen and I’ve only watched from the parent lens. I often left Columbine’s parent conferences & school activities feeling so inspired. That is even more of a testament to Mr. Christy, the best principal at the best school in America, as he has reshaped his school culture for his students.
Yes, the school has a history and for many Americans the only thing that comes to mind is the infamous school shooting. It was shocking and horrific, visions of high school kids running for their lives on the evening news. This was the first time America really had to face the tragedy of a school shooting, it was unprecedented! Now we have district protocol, SRO’s and security, cameras covering every inch of the school campuses and teachers are faced with ever changing professional developments in keeping kids safe as well as their craft. Yet school shootings are getting more frequent, while student bullying and mental health in this country (let alone my state of Colorado) is on a rise every year! I was accepted into a teacher’s college in Philadelphia the week of the Columbine Tragedy and my trajectory as a teacher, administrator and educator has never been the same. In short, school safety was the number one reason I retired from education after 25 years.
My husband and I had to really grapple with the idea of sending our oldest son to Columbine, when he matched there in Jeffco’s open enrollment. I’ll never forget opening that email, early on a Sunday morning just one day before school started and a decision had to be made ASAP. Ken and I drove over to the school and pulled into the parking lot, asking ourselves (and God) if this was the right choice for Ethan? In less than 30 seconds we were being approached by an armed sheriff inquiring about our interest at the school. They watch every license plate that pulls onto the property and our black Charger with Florida plates got a lot of attention. We learned more about the incident the year before when a Florida woman came to the school with dark and twisted intent for the remembrance day. However, 5 minutes into talking to the sheriff and hearing about the school’s security measures and how incredible Mr. Christy and the staff of educators are at Columbine, we were convinced it was the right choice, and we’ve never regretted it a day yet.
While visiting the park or memorial today, please remember there is a fully running school & community on the other side of the park, who deserve their privacy. Columbine has changed its recognizable sign in recent years, to try to cut down on the number of tourist visits they get that lack reverence. There have been numerous years of Board Meeting decisions to keep the original building open and not rebuild the whole school campus, but it’s come at quite a high financial cost. The memorial is respectfully located in the park next door, to the far east of the large playground & pavilion area.
If you are coming to pay your respects or pray for the school community, this is the place to visit. You may need to explain to your children or teenagers respectful behavior for those who lost their lives here. It is comforting to see the Columbine High School community thrive all these years later. I cried tears of gratitude to the school, its staff and principal at graduation last year. The students have their graduation walking across the Red Rocks Amphitheater stage and it was quite a magical moment for our family.
Even though there is so much life and brightness in the park every day, the Memorial is not the hardest place for me to walk by. Our own family history with the park has also been tainted by personal trauma. There are 2 benches with a remembrance rock that I will never be able to walk by without the memory of the day that rocked my husband and my world and changed us as parents. All the parents out there will understand the magnification of pain & worry when your own children are struggling. However, this place also reminds me of how far we have come as a family over these past years living in Colorado and that there will always be a sunny day in your future, no matter how dark today may feel.
The Playground
Our first visit to Clement Park was during our family vacation. When we started considering a move to Colorado, I touched base with a Columbine teacher I had met years ago at a workshop. We decided to meet at the playground and let our kiddos play and have fun while we caught up. If you have older and younger kids, there are great options for all ages and stages. There are always A LOT of kids at this playground. I loved being able to just show up at the park and let my youngest make friends and have fun, without having to schedule a playdate ahead of time. Due to the elevation, the background is the most beautiful ever and all our kids enjoyed playing there, even our middle schooler. This is the playground of all playgrounds and should be on everyone’s list to visit.
There are tons of options to swing and climb, including some inclusive equipment for kids with wheelchairs or other mobility concerns. There is even an accessible merry-go-round that can go so fast you’ll hear kids begging to get off before they puke. There are small, medium & high slides along with lots of climbing ropes and hiding places too. Different types of turf materials for young bike and scooter riders to practice their tricks, before graduating to the big skate park across the parking lot. There are sensory areas with musical instruments and sounds for the children to try their hand at and a 4-child teeter totter.
If you can pull your kids away from the playground, walk the back trails to get the full experience of prairie dogs chirping at you, while running from hole to hole like cute little land otters. Go for a walk around the lake, lots of people and dogs will be walking & running and kids of all ages love to ride their bike or scoot on the pathway. It is 1.4 miles all the way around and even has a restaurant with a beautiful desk to eat overlooking the lake.
The skatepark is across the parking lot, just north of the large playground. This is not for the youngest kids, just getting their balance, but for the older daredevils and students still waiting to be able to drive. This is going to be the area where all the teens hangout, smoking and cursing. This happens in all towns, if you are an adult who forgot your adolescent and doesn’t like seeing kids in their natural habitat, stay on the playground side.
Overall, Clement Park is not the place to go sledding in the winter. We have a much better hill, appropriately named Ken Caryl Sledding Hill if you are looking for the best sledding in the area. However, Clement Park does have a great baby hill for kids’ first sledding experiences. Just west of the skate park, there is a cute little hill that gets and stays snowy for a while after a storm. In Denver, we are fortunate enough to have amazing sunny winters. Even if we have a big winter storm that blows tons of snow, most of it melts in 2-3 days. This cute little hill allows young sledders to get on their sleds easily, with parents backing the car right up to the side of the hill. The first year, I had to spend lots of time on the sled with my 4-year-old daughter, as she laughed joyously on the way down and demanded to go again and again. In recent winters, Cassidy can sled hills on her own, but it’s still a great memory of the kids sledding, while hubby and I sipped hot chocolate in the back of the SUV.
The Library
The library entrance is off Bowles Ave, at the light with West Long Dr. and has a large parking lot dedicated to library patrons. The library overlooks the lake and has tons of quiet seating with a view. Any given day you will find a mixed group of students doing homework, seniors reading the newspaper and virtual workers on their computers. There are also collaborative spaces to rent for a few hours and a larger classroom space as well. Children love coming to the Columbine Library, especially entering through a special (low) door. The children’s library is filled with books, audiobooks and tons of reference materials. Kids love the computers set up with educational games and the stage area with dramatic play. This area is family friendly with bathrooms and study areas with privacy for nursing. It is so nice to see all the kids in the library, playground, splash pad & riding bikes around the lake…. It’s a reminder of years past.
Athletics & Activities
A full array of sports fields are available for rental or practice including sand volleyball courts, baseball/softball diamonds, soccer fields, tennis courts and I’m sure pickleball courts are on the list to come next. The volleyball courts are located closest to the high school. Don’t worry if you see Jeffco Sheriffs in their cars or walking around, this is typical security on both school days and vacation days. Next to the volleyball nets there is a new tot lot, for 2–5-year-olds with a sunshade to help the littles beat the heat. There are picnic tables in the sun and shade all over this side of the park too.
The park is a great spot for family gatherings or big events. I see lots of warm weather birthday parties, family reunions and even concerts outside at the grant amphitheater. Event spaces and pavilions can be inquired about on the Foothill Parks & Rec website and provides all the pricing and info for renting shelters and fields. For family nights at the playground or sports practice, many bring picnics for lunch or dinner. Whether your family is packing a picnic basket from home or you pick up sandwiches, pizza or chick-fil-a on the way there are tons of picnic tables with and without shelter and endless sports to throw down a blanket under a shady tree.
Splash Pad
The best part of the park is kept secret until summer, the splash pad! I didn’t even learn about the splash pad the first summer we visited and moved to Littleton. Maybe it was because it is located on the other side of the park or because we were so busy moving our entire lives, but I missed this gem of a free splash pad. As a mom in the summer, I love a splash pad! If the day is cloudy and you’re not sure if it is going to rain, go to the splash pad to see. Meet friends and family groups there in the summer from 8am-9pm every day. They are open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but here’s hoping they stay open a little longer this year since it’s still 90 degrees every day.
This splash pad is larger than most and has lots of great shade under 6 shelters and a tree lined path between the wet zone and the baseball dugout. There are lots of different size sprinkling features, giving kids of all heights something they enjoy. The water is controlled by wind sensors that will bring down the height and pressure of the water to prevent overspray and wasted water, since it’s such a rare commodity in this desert climate. There is also a current that collects the water that kids love to float their ducks, boats and sharks down to the pool at the end. Bring water toys to share and there are often random water gun and sprayer fights that break out…. Be aware of wearing white to this place!
The bathrooms by the splash pad are the best you’ll find at Clement park, two large single bathrooms located on either side of the concession stand. However, the downside of this park in general are the bathrooms, just a warning, use them at your own risk. They are located a few other spots around the park and playground, but they are often loud & gross. Even though they aren’t port-a-potties or outhouses that Colorado trails and parks are known for, they aren’t much better. Don’t always expect soap or toilet paper, so be prepared if need be and change diapers in the car… mommy life.
Clement Park is a great place to get in a workout, spend a few hours with your family or celebrate with a large crowd. If you live in the Denver area, are traveling in Littleton or just passing through, Clement Park is a great stop to check out any time of day…. except maybe at school dismissal!
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