In January of 2021, the High Line Canal Conservancy moved the nonprofit’s operations to Denver Water’s historic Little Dry Creek property in Centennial – a property that has historically played a significant role in the maintenance and care of the 71-mile-long High Line Canal. The partnership between Denver Water and the High Line Canal Conservancy has been critical to development of a future plan to preserve and enhance the Canal, leading to the completion of The Plan for the High Line Canal. This plan provides clear direction for how to transform the Canal into a world-class greenway and stormwater resource to ensure its long-term vitality. The move highlights a step toward emerging and future sharing of responsibilities for the Canal’s management of its new roles from Denver Water to the Conservancy and local governmental partners.
“The Conservancy’s ability to harness the passion our community has for the High Line Canal is truly impressive. Denver Water is grateful to our employees who continue to care for the Canal and we are excited to continue the regional collaboration for the High Line Canal, honoring the history, while giving it new life as an environmental and recreational amenity for millions of people,” said Tom Roode, Chief of Operations and Maintenance of Denver Water.
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This month, the High Line Canal Conservancy moved the nonprofit’s operations to Denver Water’s historic Little Dry Creek property in Centennial – a property that has historically played a significant role in the maintenance and care of the 71-mile-long High Line Canal. The partnership between Denver Water and the High Line Canal Conservancy has been critical to development of a future plan to preserve and enhance the Canal, leading to the completion of The Plan for the High Line Canal. This plan provides clear direction for how to transform the Canal into a world-class greenway and stormwater resource to ensure its long-term vitality. The move highlights a step toward emerging and future sharing of responsibilities for the Canal’s management of its new roles from Denver Water to the Conservancy and local governmental partners.
“The Conservancy’s ability to harness the passion our community has for the High Line Canal is truly impressive. Denver Water is grateful to our employees who continue to care for the Canal and we are excited to continue the regional collaboration for the High Line Canal, honoring the history, while giving it new life as an environmental and recreational amenity for millions of people,” said Tom Roode, Chief of Operations and Maintenance of Denver Water.
This historic Little Dry Creek property was once the home to Ray Livingston, a Canal ditch rider who cared for 16 miles of the Canal for 27 years starting in 1947. His responsibilities, which Denver Water staff continues today, included tending to 37 headgates, repairing and maintaining flumes and monitoring the Canal. The original house on the property was gutted by a fire in 1949 and rebuilt. In more recent years, the property has been Denver Water’s High Line Canal headquarters with offices for Denver Water’s High Line Canal operators, who are responsible for maintaining and caring for the Canal. Denver Water has moved its High Line Canal headquarters to the Kassler Center, located at the base of Waterton Canyon and at the start of the High Line Canal, where staff can perform their duties and are also able to access other facilities more easily.
The Little Dry Creek property is approximately 26 acres, five of which the Conservancy will lease from Denver Water for its team of staff to move forward their important mission to preserve, protect and enhance all 71 miles of the Canal in partnership with the public.
The Conservancy, since its formation in 2014, has been working in deep partnership with local governments and agencies to implement improvement projects along all 71 miles of the Canal and is eager to have its offices right on the historic Canal.
“Denver Water’s critical support of the Conservancy is apparent in this move. The property has long been a High Line Canal maintenance base – and even housed one of the original ditch riders who cared for the Canal. Locating the Conservancy along the Canal is an important move as we advance significant improvement projects along all 71 miles of the greenway,” says Harriet Crittenden LaMair, Executive Director of the High Line Canal Conservancy.
Centennial has also recently granted partner funding for the Conservancy to plant 50 new trees along the Canal while adding natural elements, pause places and interpretive signage. This is an important step towards implementing critical projects as laid out in the Plan for the High Line Canal.
“The City of Centennial is very happy to see the High Line Canal Conservancy locate to Centennial. Located right along the Canal, it just makes sense for the Conservancy to locate to this site,” says Centennial Mayor Stephanie Piko. “The High Line Canal is widely used and I know our citizens enjoy the connectivity the trail allows. We appreciate the partnership with the High Line Conservancy throughout the years and look forward to what may come next.”
