DeBoer's Vision for Denver

From S. R. DeBoer's autobiography published in the Green Thumb, December 1972:

"When I came to Denver we had a mayor who was interested in trees. Today, City Hall shows no interest in trees. Our streets, now, are for automobiles, sewers and water pipes, not for beauty. Cutting down trees half-a century old seems to be a joy to councilmen and engineers; planting young trees is an act of treason against the city budget. And yet tree planting is ridiculously cheap. Part of this attitude comes from the negative approach to city planning. City planners, now have no knowledge of horticulture and they avoid the subject. Cities are designed according to mathematical formulas which make them bleak and colorless."

"We must not stop in our planning for beauty. Our trees and parks and gardens must be renewed constantly if we are to leave a decent world for those who follow us. Now is the time to plan that world. The city grows so fast that it will soon be too late if the opportunities for making it beautiful are not grasped now."

Will City Council members listen to the words DeBoer has sent us down through the years? Will Deboer's oasis in south Denver be preserved or will it be destroyed? The answer is now in the hands of the City Council -- If you support the preservation of this historic district, please register your support with your council person. See www.deboeroasis.com for more details. Thank you.