Early College of Arvada - Potential Uses and Outcomes

Dear Neighbor,

I would like to make you aware of an Arvada City Council meeting on October 7, 2024 at 6 PM at the Arvada City Building located at 8101 Ralston Road, Arvada CO 80002. This meeting will address the neighborhood of Arlington Meadows and the impacts of a potential “Navigation Center” at the former Early College of Arvada building.

On September 17, a council meeting was held in Arlington Meadows. Stakeholders involved in the conversation expressed feelings of being unheard and disrespected by Mayor Lauren Simpson. The impact of the City’s lack of engagement and consideration for the impacted neighbors of Arlington Meadows resulted in a tense conversation leaving more questions than answers, particularly surrounding the issues of impact on families, neighborhood crime rates, child safety, and economic burden to the area.

Any potential drastic changes to our community landscape should require a thorough, inclusive, and science-backed research initiative that thoughtfully and clearly includes community perceptions, concerns, and alternatives analysis. It is my hope that our neighbors can work alongside the City of Arvada to determine a well-rounded and fully researched solution for the use of the former Early College of Arvada building. Several potential uses our community has voiced approval for include education resources, early childhood development programs, collaborative NGO office spaces, a recycling/composting center, and a police station. If you have any ideas for potential uses of the building, I would love to hear your ideas and thoughts at the next meeting.

This issue has come as a shock to our community, and we believe that meaningful stakeholder engagement is vital. I would like to invite you to join the Council meeting on October 7th to give the neighbors of Arlington Meadows the amplification their voice deserves as taxpayers, homeowners, impacted stakeholders, and most importantly, members of our neighborhood.

The voice of the city government should not outweigh those of our community.