Wheat Ridge's Moment

The Wheat Ridge City Council is evaluating how to fund several long-term community priorities that have been identified through years of public engagement and planning. While no ballot measure has been approved and no final decisions have been made, council has been discussing whether a future funding measure could help address aging infrastructure and other important community investments.

Community Polling

To help inform those discussions, the city commissioned a statistically valid survey of Wheat Ridge voters. The survey found strong support for maintaining public infrastructure, improving bicycle and pedestrian connections, preserving former school properties, and replacing Anderson Pool.

The survey also found that, if additional revenue is needed, respondents expressed greater support for a sales tax-based funding option than a property tax increase. Approximately half of the revenue from sales tax comes from visitors and shoppers located outside Wheat Ridge. This means that non-residents help pay for community improvements.

There is currently a second round of polling underway to help us better understand our voters' perspectives on the potential ballot question.

Potential Ballot Question

Under Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR), any new local tax would require voter approval. Council will continue evaluating community priorities and gathering public input before deciding whether to refer a measure to a future ballot.

Maintaining and improving Wheat Ridge's transportation infrastructure is a top priority identified by both residents and City Council.

In a recent community survey, infrastructure maintenance ranked as the highest priority, with 81% of respondents identifying it as a high or medium priority. Eighty percent also said it is important for the city to have a dedicated funding source for maintaining public infrastructure.

A dedicated capital improvement funding source would allow the city to more strategically invest in maintaining our infrastructure, plan years in advance, reduce long-term costs, and avoid emergency repairs.

Every resident is a pedestrian at some point. Whether walking to school, taking a stroll with family, using a wheelchair, pushing a stroller, walking a dog, or accessing a transit stop, safe sidewalks, trails, and street crossings benefit everyone.

Safety Comes First

It is the city's responsibility to provide safe ways for people to travel throughout the community. There are still gaps in Wheat Ridge's sidewalk, trail, and bicycle network that force people into the street or require unsafe crossings. Filling these gaps will help reduce conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists while making our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Today, many sidewalks and bicycle routes simply end, making it difficult to travel safely across the city.

This investment would create a connected network that links:

• Neighborhoods
• Schools
• Parks and open spaces
• Local businesses
• Transit stops
• Community destinations such as recreation facilities and City services

Better connections mean residents have more transportation options, whether they're driving, walking, biking, or using transit.

Benefits for Residents

Safer Routes to School

• Families deserve safe routes for children walking or biking to school.
• Completing missing sidewalks and improving crossings gives parents greater confidence and encourages healthy, active transportation.

More Independence

• Better sidewalks and trails provide greater independence for:
  • Older adults
  • Children
  • Residents with disabilities
  • People who cannot or choose not to drive

Healthier Community

• Safe places to walk and bike encourage physical activity and support healthier lifestyles.
• Even short walks to parks, schools, or local businesses become easier and more enjoyable.

Supporting Local Businesses

• Communities with walkable business districts often experience increased customer activity.
• Safe bicycle and pedestrian access helps residents reach neighborhood restaurants, shops, and services without always needing to drive.

Fiscal Responsibility

Building Projects More Efficiently

• Constructing missing sidewalks, trails, and bicycle facilities as part of a coordinated citywide program is generally more cost-effective than completing isolated projects over many years.
• Planning improvements together also allows the City to better coordinate with roadway projects and utility work.

Leveraging Outside Funding

• Having local funding available makes Wheat Ridge more competitive for state, regional, and federal transportation grants.
• Local dollars often serve as the required match that can bring additional outside investment into our community.

Why it Matters

Wheat Ridge has made significant progress improving major corridors and community destinations, but important gaps remain. Investing in a connected bicycle and pedestrian network is an investment in safety, mobility, accessibility, and quality of life. By completing these connections, we can create a community where residents of all ages and abilities can move safely and comfortably, whether they choose to walk, bike, roll, take transit, or drive.

The former Kullerstrand and Wilmore-Davis school properties represent an opportunity to preserve valuable community spaces for future generations.

City Council is discussing options to preserve the parks and athletic fields at these closed schools for continued public use. Protecting these assets would help maintain recreational opportunities and open space while meeting the needs of a growing community.

Preservation of the former school properties was among the highest-supported priorities identified in the city's recent community survey, reflecting strong community interest in maintaining these spaces as public assets.

Why It Matters

Land suitable for parks becomes increasingly difficult—and significantly more expensive—to acquire over time.

These properties already function as important community recreation spaces through youth athletics, informal recreation, playground use, and neighborhood gathering.

Acquiring these properties would help preserve these benefits for future generations.

Wilmore-Davis Elementary

Community Need

Wilmore-Davis represents an opportunity to create a neighborhood park in an area identified by the Trust for Public Land as having moderate to high park need. Although Happiness Gardens provides an important community amenity adjacent to the site, nearby residents have limited access to traditional neighborhood parks. Several nearby residential developments continue to increase demand for parks and recreation opportunities.

Existing Uses

Current uses include:

• Informal recreation
• Open green space
• Existing playground
• Baseball fields
• Soccer practice space

The City's long-term vision is to preserve open space while creating a neighborhood park featuring amenities identified through future community engagement.

Potential amenities could include:

• Playground
• Open lawn
• Walking paths
• Gathering spaces
• Soccer fields
• Baseball field
• Additional recreation amenities

Future Development Opportunities

The City is also exploring potential partnerships that would allow portions of the existing school property to be redeveloped while preserving public parkland. This approach could create complementary land uses while maintaining community access to recreation space.

Kullerstrand Elementary

Community Need

Kullerstrand serves an area identified by the Trust for Public Land as having moderate park need. The property is one of the closest recreation opportunities for residents of Clear Creek Crossing and surrounding neighborhoods. There is currently no traditional neighborhood park within convenient walking distance south of Clear Creek.

Existing Athletic Use

Kullerstrand currently contains:

• One 9-v-9 soccer field
• One 7-v-7 soccer field
• Existing playground

These fields are heavily utilized by City recreation programs and local competitive soccer organizations. Maintaining both fields is an important priority, as the City currently has limited replacement capacity for 9-v-9 soccer fields.

Playground

The existing playground was constructed in 2020 using grant funding supported through a partnership between the City, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), and the School District. Current agreements require that the playground remain open to the public, appropriately maintained, and insured through approximately 2040. Should ownership change, amendments to the existing grant agreement and intergovernmental agreement would likely be required.

Operations

City Parks staff already maintain the existing soccer fields through current agreements with the School District. Preserving these facilities would maintain valuable recreation infrastructure while minimizing additional maintenance responsibilities associated with the athletic fields.

Benefits to the Community

Potential benefits include:

• Expanded park access
• Preservation of neighborhood open space
• Additional athletic field capacity
• Continued public playground access
• Recreation opportunities close to home
• Community gathering spaces
• Improved quality of life

Fast Facts

• Properties: Wilmore-Davis Elementary & Kullerstrand Elementary
• Current Status: Acquisition opportunities under evaluation
• Existing Athletic Programming: Kullerstrand Elementary is heavily used by both the City of Wheat Ridge’s internal soccer program and by the local Wheat Ridge Avalanche Club Soccer team. The fields are used Monday-Friday from 5-8pm and Saturday/Sunday from 8am-5pm in both the Spring and Fall seasons. Wilmore-Davis has been utilized in prior years for soccer practices but is not currently being used in 2026.
• Annual Participants: 300 rec soccer players and approximately 100 club soccer players annually.
• Existing Soccer Fields: 9v9 soccer field and 7v7 soccer field at Kullerstrand and space for a 9v9 or 7v7 field is available at Wilmore Davis.
• Existing Playground: Yes
• Kullerstrand Playground Protection via state (GOCO) Grant: Through 2040 (subject to amendment upon transfer of ownership)
• Trust for Public Land: Moderate to High Park Need Areas
• Nearby Housing Growth: Multiple recent and planned developments

The Anderson Outdoor Pool has served the Wheat Ridge community since 1979. For more than four decades, it has provided affordable outdoor recreation, swim lessons, fitness opportunities, special events, and a gathering place for residents of all ages.

Although the pool has been well maintained throughout its life, the facility has reached the end of its functional lifespan and needs significant investment within the next two to four years or will need to be closed permanently.

Replacing Anderson Pool is one of several community priorities currently being discussed by the Wheat Ridge City Council, and community support for replacing Anderson Pool was one of the strongest priorities identified in the city's recent voter survey.

Current Conditions

A 2023 facility assessment identified more than $1.1 million in immediate repair needs simply to continue operating safely each season. Long-term replacement of critical infrastructure makes renovation financially impractical, leaving replacement as the preferred long-term solution.

Infrastructure

The majority of Anderson Pool's infrastructure dates back to its original 1979 construction.

Major issues include:

• Original pool walls that no longer meet current standards
• Deteriorating wall separating the lap and family pools
• Original concrete slab beneath the family pool
• Underground pipe failures caused by age and groundwater conditions
• Significant water leakage and increased water loss
• Aging metal gutters
• Deteriorating plaster finishes
• Recurring plumbing and flooding issues
• Electrical surges that have damaged pumps, valves, and equipment

Mechanical Systems

Several mechanical systems have also reached the end of their useful life.

Current concerns include:

• Mechanical rooms that no longer meet modern safety standards
• Undersized heating system
• Water circulation challenges
• Aging pumps, valves, and filtration equipment
• Mechanical failures resulting from deteriorating infrastructure

The Community Recently Weighed In

During 2025, the City completed an extensive community engagement process to better understand the future of Anderson Pool.

Engagement included:

• More than 4,700 project webpage visits
• More than 2,000 residents providing feedback
• English and Spanish surveys
• Community event outreach
• School visits
• Summer camp engagement
• Stakeholder presentations

Residents overwhelmingly supported replacing the pool while identifying priorities for future amenities and programming. Learn more about the community engagement here.

Design Status

The City budgeted funding for design services in 2026 and is currently selecting a design consultant.

During the consultant interview process, design teams presented conceptual approaches illustrating potential directions for a future aquatic facility. These concepts are intended solely to demonstrate design philosophy and are not proposed pool designs.

Final renderings have not yet been developed. Once a design consultant is selected, the City will begin a comprehensive design process that includes additional community engagement before final concepts are prepared and shared publicly.

Benefits to the Community

A new aquatic facility would:

• Continue providing outdoor swimming opportunities
• Improve accessibility
• Enhance safety for guests and employees
• Reduce long-term maintenance costs
• Improve operational efficiency
• Better serve future recreational needs
• Create opportunities for updated amenities identified by the community

Fast Facts

• Facility Opened: 1979
• Years Serving Community: 47 Years
• Immediate Repair Needs: More than $1.1 million
• Estimated Replacement Cost: $12–17 million
• Current Status: Design consultant selection underway
• Design Funding: Budgeted in the 2026
• Public Engagement Participants: 2,000+
• Website Visits: 4,700+
• Project Website: https://whatsupwheatridge.com/anderson-pool

Wheat Ridge has always been a community that plans for the future while honoring its past. A new City Services and Public Safety facility at the Lutheran Legacy Campus gives us the opportunity to preserve an iconic landmark, improve public safety, provide better services for residents, and create a civic campus that will serve our community for generations.

The concept would create a centralized location for City Hall, police services, community gathering spaces, and other public amenities while preserving public access and open space as redevelopment occurs on the property.

Our Community Deserves New Civic Spaces

Wheat Ridge's current City Hall and police department offices are more than 50 years old and independent engineering assessments found the buildings are in poor to fair condition with outdated mechanical systems, expensive maintenance needs, and inadequate space for today's public safety and city service operations. Rather than continue to repair these outdated facilities, it is time to invest in a new, modern, centrally-located facility.

Conceptual Rendering of the City Services and Public Safety Facility: Subject to change.

Learn more about the conceptual design for City Hall and Police Department at the Lutheran Legacy Campus here.

Lutheran Legacy Campus Location

City leaders view the site as a unique long-term opportunity to create a civic destination that serves residents for generations while improving access to city services and creating a central gathering place for the community.

Rather than constructing an entirely new campus elsewhere, the City is exploring adaptive reuse of historic buildings combined with thoughtfully designed new construction. The preferred concept preserves significant historic features, including the 1921 Pavilion and the 1932 Women's Wing, while creating a modern civic campus. This approach honors Wheat Ridge's heritage while creating a community destination for future generations.

If the city does not act now, the portion of the Lutheran Legacy Campus that could service this purpose could be developed privately and lost to future generations. This opportunity is time-sensitive and may not come again. This is our moment.

Benefits for Residents

Residents will receive:

• A single, accessible location for City services.
• Modern public meeting spaces.
• Improved customer service.
• Better emergency preparedness.
• Enhanced security for visitors and employees.
• Preservation of an important historic landmark.
• New public gathering spaces and green areas integrated into the campus.

Fiscal Responsibility

City Council has intentionally taken a deliberate approach.

Before asking residents to consider any funding, the City has completed:

• A comprehensive Facilities Master Plan.
• Multiple architectural studies.
• Feasibility analyses.
• Preliminary cost estimates.
• Ongoing design refinement.

The next step is to validate costs and develop a financing strategy before any final construction decisions are made.

Why Now?

• Construction costs continue to increase over time.
• Existing facilities continue to age and require more maintenance.
• Planning now allows the City to make thoughtful, informed decisions rather than waiting until facilities become critical failures.
• Acting proactively is generally more cost-effective than reacting to emergencies.

Wheat Ridge Police Department Needs Modern Facilities

Facility conditions impact service delivery.

Independent assessments have found that the current City Hall and Police Headquarters are in poor-to-fair condition, with significant space constraints that affect operations, public safety, and service delivery.

Officers and staff have adapted to these limitations for decades, but the challenges continue to grow as policing evolves and the department expands.

Public safety is about more than the building.

A modern police facility isn't about creating a nicer building. It's about providing officers with the tools, technology, training space, and security infrastructure needed to serve the community effectively for the next 50 years.

Better facilities improve efficiency, reduce operational challenges, and allow officers to spend more time focused on serving residents.

A public safety campus supports future generations.

The current facility was designed for a much smaller department and a very different era of policing.

Building a modern public safety campus ensures future generations of Wheat Ridge residents receive the same high-quality public safety services residents expect today.

Department has roughly doubled in size.

In the 70’s, WRPD had 60 sworn officers to 90+ now. Our support staff has significantly increased since then to include Co-responders, victim advocates, Public Information Office, Administrative help, Records, Evidence, Investigations Techs, Crime Analyst and Community Services Officers.

Evidence department constantly faces storage challenges.

All our evidence is split between three locations: evidence room, basement and shops. We are constantly working to shuffle things around or seek ways to free up space. Traveling between three places to review evidence ahead of trials is unsustainable and impractical.

Officer safety, custody concerns with no secured parking.

We have insufficient parking around the police department for our officers, who are coming at times in the middle of the night into work. Anybody can walk up to them from the surrounding park and area, so at times they have to have their head on a swivel. No sally port on the door into our holding cells makes it more challenging to bring in custody’s and poses potential risk of them fleeing.

As Wheat Ridge continues to grow, the city is evaluating ways to better support the operations that maintain parks, streets, and other public infrastructure.

The city's public works and parks maintenance facilities are outdated and undersized. A combined facility would improve operational efficiency, better protect taxpayer-funded equipment, and reduce long-term maintenance costs. Sixty-two percent of voters said improving and expanding these facilities is important.

A new facility would provide improved space for equipment, vehicles, materials, and staff, helping city crews operate more efficiently and continue delivering the services residents rely on every day.