Adams County will hold a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday, July 19, to mark the beginning of a $1.7 million renovation of Rotella Park in the Welby neighborhood.
“The Welby neighborhood is one of the oldest in Adams County,” said Board of County Commissioners Chair Charles “Chaz” Tedesco. “The Rotella Park project is a central element in a community-wide initiative to beautify the area and enhance the quality of life for all residents.”
The 40-acre park is near the center of the Welby community, at 2224 Coronado Parkway South. Welby covers four square miles south of east 88th Avenue, west of the South Platte River, north of Interstate 76 and east of Interstate 25. About 15,000 residents live in Welby.
The Adams County Board of Commissioners approved a contract with Richdell Construction Inc. during their June 17 regular meeting. Prior to the vote, the county’s contract manager, Liz Estrada, gave some highlights of the planned improvements.
“The 2014 Rotella Park Improvement Project will correct poor drainage conditions around the two gravel parking lots and low-lying areas,” she said. “(It will) eliminate, reorganize, repair, modify and/or replace outdated components, including parking lots, shelters, park furniture, landscape features, plant materials, irrigation systems, play areas, hard surfaces, signage, restrooms, access and egress and courts of the park.”
The project will be funded through lottery money from the Conservation Trust Fund, sales tax dollars and a few federal grants. Officials expect the work to be completed by January 2015.
“The Rotella Park project strongly reflects the desires of the Welby community,” Adams County Natural Resource Manager Marc Pedrucci said. “We are excited to see this project begin after years of planning. The park has been in need of upgrades and new drainage for quite some time, and we are confident the public will be pleased with the improvements.”
In May, the commissioners adopted a Welby subarea plan to help guide future growth and development in the community. The plan noted that Welby residents were concerned about safety and graffiti issues at the park.
A neighborhood clean-up is planned in conjunction with the groundbreaking ceremony on July 19.
