The Connection

by Terri Wiebold South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) and the Parker Fire Protection District (PFD) are now working as one consolidated department. While each department remains a separate legal entity, the two agencies formed a fire authority and are now sharing resources. A new seven-member board of directors governs the Parker-South Metro Fire Rescue Authority…

Two of Castle Pines North’s (CPN) churches are hosting Vacation Bible School this summer: “Power Lab” is the theme for VBS with Castle Pines Community Church, held June 23-27 from nine a.m. until noon each day at Buffalo Ridge Elementary. A final program will be held on Sunday, June 29. For details, visit www.castlepineschurch.org. “Jesus,…

by Lisa Crockett A final decision still has not been rendered as to whether or not the Castle Pines Parkway interchange at I-25 will get a metering light, but the traffic study to determine whether or not such a light is necessary has ended. “We are winding up the study,” said C-DOT project manager O.J.…

by Elean Gersack Round up the family and head out for a good time at the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo. The event takes place at the Douglas County Fair Grounds in Castle Rock during the week of August 2 – August 10. This year the festivities will include rodeos, carnival rides, 4-H events, tractor…

Jennifer Leete (left) and Teresa Bond (right) with Bubble Goddess Bath Co. meet Jack Canfield, Founder and CEO of Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises. (photo courtesy of Jennifer Leete) Local business owners and residents Teresa Bond and Jennifer Leete represented Bubble Goddess Bath Co. at the Direct Selling Women Alliance Conference in Las Vegas,…

by Lisa Crockett Castle Pines North (CPN) officially became a city in March, but Douglas County Public Works will handle street maintenance and certain other municipal functions until February, 2009. Road repairs and repaving are usually conducted during the summer months, but no maintenance projects are scheduled for CPN this summer. “We do not have…

by Terri Wiebold The 60-day public input period for the Part 150 Noise Study for Centennial Airport has concluded, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received more than 1,000 comments from concerned citizens regarding the study. The purpose of the Part 150 Study was to identify existing and future projected aircraft noise levels at Centennial…

by Terri Wiebold The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) continues to provides law enforcement services to the new City of Castle Pines North (CPN), as it has in the past. City officials recently established a Safety Task Force to work with the DCSO and the community. The Castle Pines North Safety Task Force identified as…

Attorney Erin M. Smith has been appointed to represent the City of Castle Pines North by Lane Roberts On April 2, the City Council voted to appoint Icenogle, North, Smith, Bliezner, Gilida and Pogue as the City’s legal counsel. Attorney Erin M. Smith has been appointed to represent the City of Castle Pines North. “When…

(photo by Terri Wiebold) A red fox (pictured above) stops in the open space near Buffalo Ridge Elementary in CPN. Red fox are spotted frequently throughout CPN. According to the Colorado Division of Wildlife, red fox are not pets and should not be fed, approached, harassed or captured. Residents are encouraged to keep lids secure…

by Kathleen Aubert We live in Brixham Court-HOA 1. Yesterday, June 23, we had a coyote pup hop/climb the 5+ wooden slat fence in our backyard. To get there, it had to have climbed/ hopped the neighbors’ fences as we do not back to open space. It was unable to climb the fence to get…

by Elean Gersack The City of Castle Pines North (CPN) and the CPN Master Association are planning an old fashioned Independence Day celebration for the entire community. The celebration is planned for Saturday, July 5, beginning at 3 p.m. at Coyote Ridge Park. This first time City of CPN event is sure to delight the…

by Anthonette Klinkerman Care for a favorite furry friend has another option in Castle Pines North (CPN). Dr. Sean Wayment, of the Animal Care Center in Castle Rock, has opened a satellite office in CPN. The Animal Care Center of Castle Pines North is now open in the Safeway Shopping Center, and is offering services…

Top to bottom: Andy Rhodes, Bill Santos and Mark Carlson by Lisa Crockett On Tuesday, May 6, three new members were elected to the Metro District Board of Directors. Only 319 of more than 5,000 registered CPN voters took time to stop by the polling place and cast their vote in this important election. Mark…

by Lisa Crockett A task force of Castle Pines North (CPN) citizens continues to negotiate with Xcel Energy regarding the installation of new poles near Coyote Ridge Park. The tallest pole, which stands a towering 180 feet and sits atop a hill, drew complaints from all parts of CPN. The pole will come down sometime…

by Lane Roberts The 2.75 percent city sales tax approved by the citizens of the City of Castle Pines North (CPN) in November 2007 is set to go into effect as of July 1, 2008. (see article on page 1) The City Council has enacted a sales tax ordinance designed to be consistent with existing…

by Anthonette Klinkerman/Vicki Bougan Admit it. There is a shoebox filled with old photos in the garage. Or perhaps a filled memory card in the digital camera? Getting around to getting them into a scrapbook seems a daunting task, but there is someone who can help. Enter Vicki Bougan. As a Creative Memories unit leader,…

All residents of Douglas County are eligible to participate in a free prescription-drug discount program, which offers a 20 percent discount on retail prescriptions at designated locations throughout the county. The program, which is sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NaCo), is open to all county residents regardless of age, income, or existing health…

Rocky Mountain Tennis will begin their spring tennis program in CPN on April 28. Classes are available for all ages and ability levels, with short three week sessions. To view classes, times and prices, visit www.rockymountaintennis.com or call 303-791-6720.

by Lane Roberts The City of Castle Pines North (CPN) is working to create a Youth Commission, where high school students will be asked to provide input to the new city. Mayor Maureen Shul has expressed a desire to form this commission for young CPN residents to assist, organize and help implement programs that will…

Due to recent car break-ins in the area, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) reminds citizens of these important crime prevention tips to reduce and avoid vehicle-related crimes. When at home: Park cars in the garage. Keep the garage door closed, even if you are at home. Always lock your car doors, even if the…

Arapahoe County Court Judge Christopher Cross swears in the newly-elected members of the SMFR Board of Directors on May 8, 2008. Left to right: David Jackson, Henry Eng, and Laura Simon. Photo by Terri Wiebold by Terri Wiebold South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) is a special taxing district established under Title 32 of the Colorado…

by Lisa Crockett Drivers on the I-25 corridor between Castle Pines North (CPN) and Lincoln Avenue can expect continued slow-downs as construction on the Ridgegate interchange continues. “It appears now that the west side bridge will be completed in April and we will switch the detour to the other side of the road. Following that,…

Dr. Lisa Fox, DDS by Anthonette Klinkerman If there is one thing that Dr. Lisa Fox, DDS, could call a “life-changing experience,” it would be her work with impoverished children in Mexico. In February, Dr. Fox returned from her annual trip to Mexico, where she and a team of doctors and dentists travel once a…

by Terri Wiebold The beautiful landscape of more than 560 acres of open space, three local parks, and an excess of 13 miles of nature trails represent a few of the main attractions to the Castle Pines North (CPN) community. Unfortunately, recent incidents of vandalism at local parks and homeowner’s association clubhouses have marked up…

by Lisa Crockett Sally Wagner, a mother of three young children in Castle Pines North (CPN), says its time the new city had a recreation center of its own. Motivated by a desire to provide recreation opportunities for her children and all residents of CPN, she and a few other concerned residents have banded together…

by Terri Wiebold On March 8, 2008, a new alarm ordinance went into effect for residents of unincorporated Douglas County, Larkspur, and Castle Pines North (CPN). The ordinance was designed to reduce the number of false alarms in Douglas County and to assist the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) in being more efficient with law…

Parks Authority President Sandy Colling presented preliminary conceptual design plans for Lagae Park to the Metro District on March 17. Colling also requested the Metro District transfer the $1 million allocated in the Metro budget for parks to the Parks Authority for use at Lagae Park. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Terri Wiebold The Castle…

CPN’s Election Commissioners celebrate at their final meeting. Left to right: Sue Zloth, Jeff Huff, Keri Brehm, Mayor Maureen Shul, Earl Millspaugh, Galen Crowder, Eva Mitchell, Attorney Charles Norton, and Dick Lichtenheld. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Terri Wiebold The seven-member Election Commission, charged with the responsibility of overseeing and planning the elections pertaining to…

by Lisa Crockett On its website, Castle Pines Community Church (CPCC) is billed as “A Place To Call Home,” but the church still faces a long journey toward building a permanent home in Surrey Ridge. The church, which currently has an attendance of roughly 150 members at Sunday services, has submitted plans to Douglas County…

Before heading to the garden to plant a new flowerbed, add Xeriscape, or a crop of tomatoes, take the time to call the Utility Notification Center of Colorado. Locators are allowed two business days to respond to accurately mark the underground lines in an excavation area. Even a small garden job can be potentially hazardous,…

  Jim Varner of Edit Bay Communications (www.editbay.com) and his wife Laurie Anderson-Varner of Anderson & Associates Public Relations, Inc. (www.prexperts.com), will be exhibiting at EarthWorks Expo to showcase their web development and other marketing tools. In addition, Anderson & Associates Public Relations has been selected by EarthWorks Expo to provide public relations and marketing…

City Clerk Carl Kollmar has not been officially sworn in yet. He is currently on a medical leave of absence. Treasurer Doug Gilbert is currently serving as “interim clerk” until Kollmar returns. “We extend our best wishes to Carl for a speedy recovery and look forward to working with him soon,” said Mayor Shul.

by Lisa Crockett Castle Pines North (CPN) resident Karen Schlidt is passionate about recycling. Every day, she looks for ways to reduce her garbage waste. “The more aware I am about this issue, the more I look for ways I can recycle everything I use,” she said. Something of a phenomenon in her HOA2 neighborhood,…

by Lisa Crockett Village Homes, the owner of the parcel of land being developed at the corner of Castle Pines Parkway and Monarch Boulevard, is still hoping a library will come to Castle Pines North (CPN) to serve as the anchor tenant for the development. “Because of delays in construction, we still have a chance…

by Terri Wiebold In late February, officials with Douglas County and the City and County of Denver finalized a cooperative agreement for implementation of the Master Plan for Daniel’s Park. The 1000-acre historic park borders the City of Castle Pines North (CPN) to the west and is slated for renovations during the next 10 years.…

by Terri Wiebold At precisely 3:07 p.m. on Monday, March 10, the wheels of democracy started turning for the new City of Castle Pines North. Following a swearing-in ceremony earlier in the day and a preliminary study session, the mayor, treasurer, and six newly-elected council members sat down and began the business of the new…

Two South Metro Fire Rescue Candidate Forums Scheduled for April The Castle Pines North Master Association will host two “Candidate Forums” for all candidates running for the South Metro Fire Rescue Board of Directors. Mark the calendar and make sure to attend one of these two events: Friday, April 18, 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 29,…

by Terri Wiebold News of a potential merger between South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) and Parker Fire District (PFD) may cause additional delays for plans to build a new fire station in the Castle Pines North (CPN) community. The possibility of a merger between the two Districts opens new options for CPN. “One possible scenario…

Article and photo by Terri Wiebold Heritage Professional Pet Grooming is a full service pet salon, where pet grooming is considered an art and the stylists do the work for you. Whether bathing, brushing, clipping, styling, or simply pampering a pet, the staff at heritage Pet Grooming believes that humane and loving treatment is the…

by Terri Wiebold Collectively, more than seventy residents gathered at the February and March Castle Pines North (CPN) Metro District board meetings to discuss a proposed multiple year fee schedule the Metro District is proposing. “Up to this point, the District has never really had a formalized fee schedule,” said Metro District Manager James McGrady.…

The Connection presented all candidates running for the South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) Board of Directors with the following question. Candidates were allowed to provide an answer in 100 words or less. The responses received are provided below. QUESTION: Now that Castle Pines North is a new city, we are very concerned about SMFR in…

by Lisa Crockett An independently-owned day care center has signed a purchase agreement for a pad currently under development on the north side of Castle Pines Parkway at Lagae Road. Max Heitzmann, vice president at Anxon, Inc., which is developing the property, said that three of the four pads planned for the site are now…

Crews work to install new “vault” restroom facilities at The Retreat Park in CPN. (photo by Terri Wiebold) The completed restroom facility at The Retreat Park. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Terri Wiebold The much-anticipated “vault” restroom facilities at The Retreat Park, Coyote Ridge Park, and Daniels Gate Park are installed and available for public…

Two Metro District Candidate Forums Scheduled for April The Castle Pines North Master Association will host two “Candidate Forums” for all candidates running for the Metro District Board of Directors. Mark the calendar and make sure to attend one of these two events: Monday, April 14, 7 p.m. Thursday, April 24, 7 p.m. Both events…

The Boards of Directors for SMFR and Parker Fire met March 18 to discuss the potential consolidation of both departments. (photo by Terri Wiebold) Parker Fire Chief Dan Qualman, who is acting chief for SMFR (left), and SMFR Assistant Chief Mike Dell’Orfano may soon be working together under one unified department if the two agencies…

The Castle Pines North Master Association sent out annual dues invoices in February which were due March 31, 2007. All CPN homeowners (with the exception of Hidden Pointe residents) should have received one. This bill is in addition to any individual neighborhood association dues homeowners pay, and it is only billed once a year. For…

by Terri Wiebold Servicing more than 3,000 men, women, and children in the Castle Pines North community since 2000, Salon 188 specializes in the latest cuts, color, perms, and texturizing and finishing touches for hair. The Salon 188 styling team features experienced stylists who maintain ongoing education in classic and progressive cutting and coloring techniques.…

Financial Advisor Steve Zahorik has been a Castle Pines North resident for ten years. He is proudly serving the Castle Rock area investors from the A.G. Edwards office located in the Denver Tech Center. Now that A.G. Edwards has joined forces with Wachovia Securities, Zahorik is still committed to putting the needs of his clients…

Renee Palmer – Keller Williams Real Estate by Anthonette Klinkerman Renee Palmer with Keller Williams Real Estate – Park Meadows recently completed the Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist training, offered by the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. The course, which covered such topics as demographics of the affluent, lifestyle segmentation, trends and amenities in today’s…

The new T-Mobile cellular tower is up and functional in the parking lot at The Ridge. The light on the tower was initially met with resistance from members of the community, but the Master Association Design Review Committee worked with all parties involved for an amicable resolution. T-Mobile is currently working with the Metro District…

Xcel Meeting Planned The CPN Master Association has invited Xcel Energy to a second community meeting to discuss plans related to the installation of future poles near Coyote Ridge Park and Daniel’s Gate. As of press time, the meeting was planned for Thursday, April 10, at 7 p.m. at the CPN Community Center, 7404 Yorkshire…

The first elected representatives of the City of Castle Pines North were sworn in at a ceremony on March 10. Top row from the left: Treasurer Doug Gilbert, Ron Clark, City Council Ward 3, Kim Hoffman, City Council Ward 2, Jennifer Havercroft, City Council Ward 1, Mayor Maureen Shul. Seated from the left: Chip Coppola,…

by Jean Flynn, South Suburban Parks and Rec South Suburban Parks and Recreation’s Lone Tree Recreation Center, 10249 Ridgegate Circle, offers superior summer camp opportunities. Athletically-minded boys and girls, ages 4-10, will delight in weekly, half-day Multi-Sport & Splash Champs Camps that operate June through August. Experienced instructors focus on the basic sport fundamentals of…

by Lisa Crockett Are your closets and basement full of treasures you no longer have use for? Then roll up your sleeves, grab some sunscreen and a water bottle and get ready for this year’s community garage sale. The sale is set for May 16 and 17, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. both days.…

Residents of all ages are invited to Walk for the Library on Saturday, September 20. The route will begin at Market in the Pines at Village Square Shopping Center and travel to the proposed library location at Castle Pines Parkway and Monarch Boulevard, and return to the Market. The CPN Library Committee has created a…

Centennial Airport Manager of Planning and Development Michael Fronapfel explains the Centennial Airport influence area map at a Castle Pines North Master Association sponsored community meeting. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Terri Wiebold Residents from Castle Pines North (CPN) and surrounding communities gathered at the CPN Community Center on March 28 to learn more about…

Dave Jackson I first became interested in SMFR in 2004, after retiring from a 37-year management career with a top five Fortune 500 company. Subsequently, I have attended many Board meetings, becoming a kind of citizen “understudy and advisor”. My experience as a former first responder–having worked as an ambulance attendant (predating paramedics) during college–provides…

Business in the Pines held the second annual EasterFest on Thursday, March 13 at the CPN business district. The event featured Easter goodies, games, cookie decorating, and the Easter Bunny. More than 30 CPN businesses participated in the annual event. (photos by Tim Gamble)

Jason Carroll (right) and Dawn Jones (rear) from Clifton Gunderson address the CPN Metro District board in February to discuss financing options for renewable water. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Terri Wiebold For the past several years, the Castle Pines North Metro District has been working toward the development and purchase of a renewable water…

by Scott Lasher Hundreds of kids and parents hippity-hopped their way to Coyote Ridge Park on Saturday, March 15, for the annual Castle Pines North Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by Solid Life Christian Center (SLCC.) Twelve-thousand candy-filled eggs were dispersed throughout the park and chants of “We want eggs! We want eggs!” filled the brisk…

by Lisa Crockett After a disappointing loss last November, Douglas County Library District Director Jamie LaRue is seeking another bite at the apple. LaRue met with interested community volunteers at a meeting in February to explore ways Castle Pines North (CPN) residents could aid in a second effort to bring a library to CPN. Polling…

Wildlife Experience 10035 S. Peoria St., Parker weeklong wildlife camps for ages 4-10: www.wildlifeexperience.org 720-488-3300 South Suburban Parks & Recreation various locations in South Suburban district – a large variety of camps for ages 6 and up: www.ssprd.org 303-708-9500 Primrose Schools Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, Parker a variety of themed camps for younger kids: www.primroseschools.com…