Confluence Park
Encyclopedia
Confluence Park is an urban park
encompassing the confluence of Cherry Creek
and the South Platte River
in Denver's Lower Downtown (LoDo
), a bustling neighborhood of 19th-century brick warehouse
s and storefronts that has been redeveloped since the late 1980s.
trails often filled with walkers, runners, and bikers. Some grassy areas, river overlooks, and park benches are also available. Two pedestrian bridges cross the South Platte River
and Cherry Creek
at Confluence Park. The eastern edge of the South Platte in Confluence Park has been transformed into a kayak
run, immediately across from R.E.I.
's (Recreational Equipment Inc.) Colorado flagship store. The park is adjacent to a number of new up-scale townhouse
s, apartment
s, and loft developments, another park bordering the South Platte downstream, train
tracks, and Denver's skatepark
. The park is scheduled for major renovations in 2007, according to the Cherry Creek News.
On warm Thursday and Sunday nights, fire performers and drummers practice fire spinning to the sounds of a drum circle
by the water.
. This gold discovery led to the founding of Denver. Part of the site was previously an Xcel Energy substation that was relocated to allow for the expansion of the park.
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
encompassing the confluence of Cherry Creek
Cherry Creek (Colorado)
Cherry Creek is a tributary of the South Platte River, long, in Colorado in the United States.-Location:Cherry Creek rises in the high plateau, east of the Front Range, in northwestern El Paso County...
and the South Platte River
South Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
in Denver's Lower Downtown (LoDo
LoDo
LoDo, Denver is the lower downtown area of Denver, Colorado, the oldest and original settlement of the city of Denver. It is a mixed-use historic district, known for its nightlife, and serves as an example of success in urban reinvestment and revitalization...
), a bustling neighborhood of 19th-century brick warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
s and storefronts that has been redeveloped since the late 1980s.
Current Usage
The park includes cementCement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
trails often filled with walkers, runners, and bikers. Some grassy areas, river overlooks, and park benches are also available. Two pedestrian bridges cross the South Platte River
South Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
and Cherry Creek
Cherry Creek
Cherry Creek may refer to a location in the United States:*Cherry Creek , a stream in California*Cherry Creek , a tributary of the South Platte River*Cherry Creek, Denver, Colorado, a neighborhood**Cherry Creek Shopping Center...
at Confluence Park. The eastern edge of the South Platte in Confluence Park has been transformed into a kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
run, immediately across from R.E.I.
R.E.I.
REI is a privately held American retail corporation organized as a consumers' cooperative, selling outdoor recreation gear, sporting goods, and clothes via some 110 retail stores in about 30 states, catalogs, and the Internet. The company opens four to six new stores each year...
's (Recreational Equipment Inc.) Colorado flagship store. The park is adjacent to a number of new up-scale townhouse
Townhouse
A townhouse is the term historically used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries to describe a residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city. Most such figures owned one or more country houses in which they lived for much of the year...
s, apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
s, and loft developments, another park bordering the South Platte downstream, train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
tracks, and Denver's skatepark
Skatepark
A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
. The park is scheduled for major renovations in 2007, according to the Cherry Creek News.
On warm Thursday and Sunday nights, fire performers and drummers practice fire spinning to the sounds of a drum circle
Drum circle
A drum circle is any group of people playing hand-drums and percussion in a circle. They are distinct from a drumming group or troupe in that the drum circle is an end in itself rather than preparation for a performance...
by the water.
History
Confluence park marks the area where gold was discovered in 1858 by William Greeneberry RussellWilliam Greeneberry Russell
William Greeneberry "Green" Russell was an American prospector and miner.Green Russell lived in Georgia and worked in the California gold fields in the 1850s. Russell was married to a Cherokee woman, and through his connections to the tribe, he heard about an 1849 discovery of gold along the...
. This gold discovery led to the founding of Denver. Part of the site was previously an Xcel Energy substation that was relocated to allow for the expansion of the park.