DENVER — Two names have emerged as finalists to be the new name for Denver's Stapleton neighborhood: Central Park and Skyview.
The names are the result of two rounds of voting that narrowed down a field that started with nine names.
Here's the original list:
- Central Park
- Mosley
- Skyview
- Concourse
- Park Central
- Meadowlark
- Randolph
- Tailwinds
- Peterson
The first round of voting eliminated Park Central, Meadowlark, Randolph, Tailwinds and Peterson from the list. The second round, which ended at 2 p.m. Friday, eliminated Concourse and Mosley.
The neighborhood was named after former Denver mayor Benjamin Stapleton, who was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Past efforts to change the name were unsuccessful, but the Black Lives Matter movement renewed the efforts for a name change.
The third and final round of voting will take place from Sunday through 2 p.m. July 30, and the winner will be announced Aug. 1. More information about the voting process can be found here.
Only individuals over 18 years old who own or rent a home in Stapleton are eligible to vote.
As for why Central Park and Skyview are in the running, Stapleton United Neighbors provided some background on their website. Here's what they had to say about the finalists:
Central Park
"Central Park is a name well known in the community. It is physically central to the St*pleton area South of I-70. It abuts the iconic tower from the former airport. Denver has numerous neighborhoods named after the parks they surround, plus “Central Park” would evoke the Green Book, which was a foundational document for St*pleton. Finally, the name-change issue has been divisive for our community the last few years. It has sometimes brought out the best and worst in us and created tensions among neighbors. Central Park would be non-controversial, natural and drama-less, which is what our community could use right now."
Skyview
"Whether watching fireworks along the Front Range, experiencing a blood moon from the sledding hill, or taking in a sunset or sunrise, viewing the celestial beauty that surrounds us draws us together in awe. In raising our heads up to take in our sky view, we are reminded of the enormousness of the universe and in the words of Carl Sagan, “For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.” For many, it is love of thy neighbor, and the desire for all who live and visit here to feel pride in the community that has brought about the change of name. From [the] earliest days of aviation, the dream was to conquer the sky, extending the boundaries of human endeavor to transcend the adage, ‘the sky’s the limit'. Bringing together the nostalgia of historical air travel and aspirations of those early aviators can give us a name that aspires to give voice to values like diversity, sustainability and access. It is fitting to have a name that directs our thoughts upward to what can be. Through the name Skyview, may we feel a connection to each other and all of humanity. When we look at the sky, may we find the inspiration for the work that continues on the ground to make the future easier and brighter for each of us now, and for the next generation."
>>> The video above is about a rally celebrating the decision to change the neighborhood's name.
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