DENVER – If you’ve been driving by Union Station recently, you might have noticed road closure signs blocking off Wynkoop Street between 17th and 18th Streets. The City of Denver is exploring the future of this block as a vibrant community gathering space. Instead of cars, visitors can expect to see games, live music, and festive activities as part of the “Spooky Wynkoopy” festival.
Denver7 spoke with community members about the street closure and gathered their thoughts on what they would like to see for the future of Wynkoop Street.
Nicole McSpirit expressed her excitement about the closure, saying she wanted to come check it out. “People in cars can’t just pull over and shop somewhere. If you’re riding your bike or walking, you’re much more likely to pop into a place. If you smell a good aroma, you’re like, ‘Okay, I’m going to go in here.’ It’s a little bit easier for us, so it’s better for businesses, too. You want people out on the street enjoying it,” McSpirit said.
On Saturday, Nuggets Nation took over Union Station for the Ball Can-I-Val season tip-off party. John-Mark Larter, food and beverage director at Union Station, shared his enthusiasm about seeing crowds walking around downtown before the home opener.
“We’ve got beer garden tables in the street that look really cool. What we’re doing right now is testing what it would be like if this was largely a pedestrian area, with the end game vision to have a walking mall between Coors Field and Ball Arena. So everything we’re doing right now is sort of testing the waters of that,” Larter explained.
On Sunday, Alissa and Bret Waples were strolling through the closed-off area. The couple, who attended CU Boulder, compared the space to the Pearl Street Mall, praising the pedestrian-friendly environment. They hope the closure of Wynkoop Street will continue in the future.
“We’re really hoping that it stays. We were disappointed that Larimer opened back up because that was really nice to have that as a walking area. It’s just nice to be able to go out and enjoy and not have cars zooming by,” Alissa Waples said.
As Denver tests the potential of transforming Wynkoop Street into a pedestrian-focused corridor, community support appears strong for creating more welcoming, car-free spaces in the heart of downtown.
https://www.denver7.com/news/front-range/denver/could-wynkoop-street-become-pedestrian-paradise-denver-looks-into-future-of-block-partially-closing-to-cars