Ridgeview Park Redevelopment

In working with the City of Littleton and Mile High Flood District, the planned stormwater detention basin has proved to be significantly more complex than first anticipated with potential impacts to the downstream flow of Rangeview Gulch. Technical data has been collected, and the basin will likely be designed to detain a 25-year flood event.

Potential locations for a detention basin in different areas of the park were studied. The best location for the basin is likely the same area where the pond is now, along W. Rowland Ave.

Further engineering is needed to determine the size, shape, and depth of the detention basin before the park improvements can be designed. The City of Littleton and Mile High Flood District are studying Rangeview Gulch from the South Platte River east to Prince St. They are in the process of hiring an engineer to perform the work and provide a conceptual design for the detention pond. Additional work on the redevelopment of the park is on hold until this information is available.

In the meantime, South Suburban and Littleton are applied for an Arapahoe County Open Spaces grant to assist in funding the planning and design of park improvements. Once the details of the detention basin are ironed out, our consultants will begin the design options for the entire park. At that time, we will reach out with public input opportunities.

All groups are working together to find a solution that meets the needs of our community. Click here for a storyboard of the project to date.

Dear Ridgeview Park neighbors,

Over the past several months, the focus for the redesign of Ridgeview Park was to align two separate but related studies. The study to design future park improvements is led by South Suburban in partnership with the City of Littleton. The other redesign is an engineering study led by Mile High Flood District, in partnership with the City of Littleton, to understand the drainage needs for the future stormwater detention basin.

Completed initial studies from both the park improvements and drainage needs are necessary before we can move forward. We are awaiting concepts and additional information from the engineering portion of the project. This information should be available in January 2025.

Therefore, public input meetings originally scheduled for fall 2024 will now be held in the first quarter of 2025. Click here to view the information received from the public survey and meeting held in August of this year.

Thank you for your ongoing patience. Happy Holidays!

See below for an update from South Suburban's Communications Manager regarding upcoming odor mitigation in the park.

Dear Ridgeview Park neighbors,

Thank you for alerting us to the unfavorable smell resonating from the water in Ridgeview Park. Please know we understand the impact this is having on your daily lives. This is a new issue for this park, and the City of Littleton and South Suburban Parks and Recreation are working diligently to find a solution.

We believe the water turned anerobic, and the lack of free oxygen in the pond allowed undesirable bacteria to grow. The organic material is decomposing, and the undesirable bacteria is feeding on the organic material, which is releasing the odor.

Together, we agree that draining the water is the most efficient course of action. We plan to use a third-party contractor with a large vacuum truck to remove the water offsite and allow the pond to dry out. We anticipate this will eliminate the odor; however, it will take several days to complete the process.

The soonest the contractor can begin this work is later next week.

In the meantime, we have ordered a farm pond treatment product that is non-toxic. Staff will treat the water immediately upon arrival. The hope is that the treatment will begin breaking down the bad bacteria prior to draining.

We will continue to monitor the situation and propose additional remedies if the removal of the water and drying out the site does not remove the smell.

Thank you for your patience,

Becky Grubb

A second round of community outreach will take place following preliminary conceptual development of the park. The next public input meeting will be held at Douglas H. Buck Community Recreation Center in late October or early November. Check back here for additional meeting details in October.

Thank you to those who participated in the online survey that took place August 8-26. The design consultant is analyzing results and will use the feedback provided to develop conceptual plans in coordination with the Rangeview Gulch drainage study.

Click the image below to view the boards that were referenced during the open house and online survey.

Due to inclement weather, we are moving the August 7 Ridgeview Park open house to Buck Recreation Center (2004 W. Powers Ave.). The meeting will take place in the Santa Fe room at the same time, 5:30 – 7:30 pm.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Community members are invited to a public open house to learn about plans regarding Ridgeview Park. Information will be provided on the future stormwater detention basin. Additionally, neighbors are encouraged to discuss their vision for the park.

Where: Ridgeview Park
When: Thursday, August 8 from 5:30-7:30 pm

South Suburban hired a land surveyor to obtain topographical and boundary information for Ridgeview Park. This work was completed in May 2024. Plans for upcoming public outreach are forthcoming. Check back here for updates this July.