The Outdoor Downtown is a 20-year master plan to provide the City of Denver with a visionary and actionable list of policies, programs, and projects that will make Downtown's parks and public spaces world-class destinations. This vision is being implemented through various projects and programs in the downtown area.
Read the plan for The Outdoor Downtown(PDF, 19MB)
Downtown Denver Parks: 2023 Highlights and 2024 Look Ahead
New native plantings, long-term vision planning, and vibrant new artwork – a lot of exciting projects are in the works for the parks in Downtown Denver. See the latest annual report to check out the highlights from 2023 and learn about what’s coming up for 2024.
Download the 2023 Downtown Parks Annual Report(PDF, 5MB)
See highlights from Previous Years
Download the PDF for Downtown Denver Parks(PDF, 5MB)
Located at the heart of the city and surrounded by many of our key civic and cultural institutions, Civic Center has served as Denver’s most significant gathering spot for cultural events, festivals, and First Amendment rallies for over 100 years. It is Denver’s first National Historic Landmark and honoring its history is critical as we envision its future. The project partners are working together to bring the 2005 park Master Plan to life by creating a vision for key features of Civic Center that will accommodate its traditional uses and also encourage daily active use.
Learn more.(PDF, 888KB) En Español.(PDF, 864KB)
Schedule:
2021 - 2022: Concept Design + Public Engagement
Spring 2025: Final Design Completion
Spring 2025: Start of Phase 1 Construction
Winter 2026: Substantial Completion of Phase 1
* Phase 1 Implementation includes improvements to the Greek Theater and Central Promenade
Download the final concept plan(PDF, 13MB)
Public Outreach:
Workshop #1
February 11, 2021
The first public meeting covered Civic Center's history and current conditions and invited feedback from the community on how key features of the area should be used, bringing the 2005 park Master Plan to life.
Workshop #3
September 23, 2021
At the final public workshop, preferred concept designs were reviewed with the community.
Learn more about the Phase I Bannock Street improvements.
Learn more about the Civic Center Conservancy.
If you are unable to access any of the materials presented on this page, please email the project manager to be connected to another resource.
Skyline Park will be an authentic and contemporary expression of Denver's urban outdoor lifestyle.
Project Overview
Located between 15th and 18th Streets along Arapahoe Street, Skyline Park is at the heart of Denver’s downtown. This project will adapt this critical park space for a new era of more accessible and vibrant experiences for residents, workers, students, and visitors.
A community-based vision was created for all three blocks of Skyline Park to transform it into a public park that is...
- A welcoming destination that equitably brings people together through a mix of experiences
- A cultural icon that celebrates the arts, cultural, and Denver community
- A connected place that integrates with its edges and plays an active role in the multi-modal network
- A resilient oasis that improves ecological health and individual wellness
- A catalytic spark that contributes to an active, thriving, and vibrant downtown
Project Status | Block 2 Design (2022-2024)
Denver Parks & Recreation (DPR) has kicked off a detailed design for the first phase of implementation of the Skyline Park project: Block 2 (between the 16th Street Mall and 17th Street). The middle of the overall 3-block Skyline Park, Block 2 is designed to energize downtown with state-of-the-art amenities that will improve experiences for residents, tourists, workers, students, and visitors, while also infusing life into downtown Denver.
The Block 2 design includes a winter ice-skating rink and loop, which converts to an interactive water play area and flexible summer event plaza. Block 2 will also feature a year-round food and beverage pavilion, shady trees and green infrastructure, and an enhanced bike lane connecting to key downtown destinations. The existing Halprin sculpture will remain, reimagined as a vibrant educational garden using best practices for urban ecology.
Timeline
Creating the Big Idea (Complete)
Working Out the Details (Currently Active!)
Making it a Reality
- Fall 2025: Begin construction for Block 2
- End of 2026: Substantial completion
Funding
Project visioning and construction of phase one are being funded by the Elevate Denver Bond Program for a total of $2.5 million. Additional funding is being provided by Denver Parks and Recreation and other partners.
Public Outreach
Community Engagement | Concept Plan Phase
Workshop #1: July 16, 2020
Workshop #2: March 4, 2021
Workshop #3: June 30, 2021
Current Phase | Block 2 Final Design
The Concept Design completed in 2021 was shaped by over 2,370 channels of public input. Community engagement will continue to be an integral part of the design process in this current phase of detailed design development for Block 2. To make sure you don’t miss any updates on public input opportunities for Skyline Park or other downtown Denver parks, join our email list.
30% Design Community Survey | Closed October 2023
Download the survey feedback summary(PDF, 2MB)