Two Denver parks close due to rising drug sales and violent incidents

DENVER – Two Denver parks less than two miles apart have been closed after authorities said there was an increase in drug trafficking, violent incidents and vandalism in the parks.

La Alma-Lincoln and Sonny Lawson parks had barricades and signs posted Monday morning indicating closures in their area.

Denver Parks & Rec officials said the park closure was coordinated with city government offices, the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, the Denver Department of Health and Environment, the Denver Police Department and the Dream Center.

According to authorities, the two parks will remain closed for at least 30 days. The main hope is that the closure will prevent illegal activities.

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“It's a minimum of 30 days, and that's the important part because if we see that these things aren't improving, the deadline could be extended,” said a Denver Parks & Rec spokesperson. “It's like a probationary period.”

9th District Councilman Darrell Watson told Denver7 that Sonny Lawson Park means a lot to members of the Five Points community.

“The community wanted my office and Denver Parks and Rec to take action,” said Councilmember Watson. “They are fully supportive. Community members have been asking for action for a long time.”

He told Denver7 that Sonny Lawson Park had many of the same problems as La Alma-Lincoln Park.

“There have been an increasing number of fights in Sunny Lawson Park. Drugs are clearly being used and sold in the park and this is unacceptable,” said Council Member Watson.

Eric Abell has lived in the La Alma-Lincoln Park neighborhood for nearly two decades. While he understands the park's closure, he believes it will only exacerbate the neighborhood's problems.

“It made things better for the park,” he said. “It made things better for the neighbors directly across from the park. It made things worse for everyone who lives along Colfax.”

Abell told Denver7 he noticed a stronger police presence in the neighborhood, but problems persisted.

“It's definitely gotten worse as they push everything north and around the camps that are still there,” he said. “Everyone is visibly unsettled.”

This is not the first time that Denver Parks & Rec has decided to close city parks to prevent crime in and around the parks.

In 2022, La Alma-Lincoln Park and the nearby recreation center were closed after a 63-year-old man was shot while trying to break up a fight, police said.

In recent years, Denver Parks & Rec has also closed Civic Center Park for similar reasons and reopened it when authorities deemed it in better condition.

“If you look at the Civic Center, we've closed it several times over the last decade, you know, for the same reasons,” a Denver Parks & Rec spokesperson said.

For residents like Abell, finding a more permanent solution to the violence and illegal activities in their neighborhood is a priority.

“It makes our neighborhood unsafe,” he said.

Denver: Authorities close two parks due to rising drug sales, violent incidents and vandalism