The Connection

Information provided by the DCSO The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) has a Traffic Safety Hotline 303-660-7539 where citizens can leave a recorded message on specific traffic concerns. Citizens utilizing the traffic hotline will not only help the traffic division effectively deal with traffic complaints in a timely manner, it will also allow them to…

On October 4, the City of Castle Pines North will host “Fit 4 Colorado,” a local community walk sponsored by CBS News 4. The walk will take place in the CPN community and residents of all ages are invited to participate. Mark the calendar now and make plans to attend this event and show support…

by Terri Wiebold Colorado unquestionably has the landscape for some amazing outdoor sports, especially in the winter months. Colorado Ski Country USA offers fifth and sixth graders incentive to learn to ski or snowboard through free and reduced-rate programs this season. A “Fifth Grade Passport” provides three child lift tickets for fifth graders to each…

by Anthonette Klinkerman While it is never an easy decision to resign from a position to which one has contributed so much, it is sometimes a necessary move. Recently, Master Association Vice President Doug Gilbert resigned his position with the Master Association after almost five years of volunteer service with the board. Last November, Gilbert…

Correction to Newsletter Article Understand the City’s Finances In the October-November issue of The Connection, an error was incorrectly submitted to and was printed in the article entitled, “Understanding the City’s Finances.” The last item of this article should read: Myth: The Metro District needs all of the funds generated by the 24 mills to…

Halloween. A time for Tricks and Treats and Things That Go Bump in the Night. But according to Dr. Jason Ortman, Therapeutic Optometrist, Halloween can also be a time of sight-related hazards. Dr. Ortman offers these tips to ensure a safe and happy Halloween. “Decorating the face with makeup approved for the skin is almost…

by Lane Roberts On Tuesday, October 14, there was an attempted burglary on Oak Hills Dr., in the Oak Hills neighborhood near the Surrey Ridge community. According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) there were two separate vehicles stolen and four male suspects involved. The DCSO was called to West Oak Hills Dr at…

Now that the word is out, CPN Green is making headway on our sustainability goals for the City. Its current project of focusing on community-wide recycling with a unified single stream recycling and trash program is one step closer to reality. “We’ve enjoyed meeting with business and civic leaders who have a common goal to…

by Lisa Crockett The fate of the land at the northwest corner of Castle Pines Parkway and Monarch Boulevard – land known as “CC-20” – has been a subject of debate in Castle Pines North (CPN) for several years. Now, on the eve of the election, an important chapter in CPN history is about to…

by Lane Roberts Prior to the Lagae Ranch re-zoning public hearing in late August, a letter distributed by the Douglas County School District (DCSD) brought attention to the serious overcrowding issues that currently exist in Castle Pines North (CPN) area schools. The letter, distributed via e-mail to parents with children at Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE),…

The Pinnacle Building is now open for business. The building, which is on Castle Pines Parkway adjacent to the Village Square Shops, is home to several business and consulting ventures. Space is still available. (courtesy photo) by Lisa Crockett The first of four businesses in a new shopping center on Castle Pines Parkway is nearly…

In August, the Castle Pines North City Council unanimously approved CH2M HILL OMI as the city’s partner to provide a range of municipal services. The contract, which took effect Aug. 15, calls for CH2M HILL OMI to operate, maintain and manage several city services in a phased approach as Castle Pines North continues to grow,…

by Elean Gersack The committee for the CPN 5K Fun Run has been hard at work planning this first running event for Castle Pines North (CPN). After considerable thought and community input, the committee has decided to postpone the event until next spring. According to David Neely, CPN city councilmember and CPN 5K Fun Run…

by Lisa Crockett New legislation in Colorado seeks to promote the installation of energy-saving devices in private residences. The purpose of the legislation, known as House Bill 1270, was to clarify and extend homeowners rights to make their homes more energy efficient and to install renewable-energy generating devices wherever safe and practical. Energy saving devices…

Team Tolson includes David (left) and Kristin (right) and their two children. (photo courtesy of the Tolson family) by Elean Gersack HOA2 resident, David Tolson, will have his family cheering for him as he competes in Ironman Florida on November 1. He will swim 2.4 miles in open Gulf Coast water, bike 112 miles and…

The Douglas County Library District hosted the first story time in CPN on September 8 at the Community Center. Spellbinder master story teller Priscilla Queen (far left), literacy coordinator for the Library District, presented stories to CPN children. The outcome of the Library District’s one mill bond initiative in November will determine if CPN gets…

by Lisa Crockett When residents of Castle Pines North (CPN) voted last November to incorporate, they also overwhelmingly passed three tax questions – one sales tax and two property taxes. Each of the property tax questions on the ballot last year simply transferred existing taxes to the new city. As a result, CPN became a…

by Elean Gersack Make plans now for the 2008 Holiday Carriage Rides, brought to you by the Castle Pines North (CPN) Master Association. The rides are planned for Monday through Wednesday, December 1-3 and Monday though Wednesday, December 8-10 in the beautiful HOA2 neighborhood. Rides will run every half hour from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30…

by Lisa Crockett Castle Pines North residents will soon have a new option for dry cleaning, one that features “green” techniques. In the near future, Green Earth Dry Cleaners will open its doors in a new building adjacent to the Safeway shopping center. “Most dry cleaners use petroleum-based cleaning agents,” said Green Earth owner, Chuck…

As the seasons begin to change, Castle Rock Fire and Rescue wants you to help prevent home fires. October is Fire prevention month. This year’s theme for Fire Prevention Month is “Prevent Home Fires.” Three out of four fire injuries reported each year occur in the home. It is vital to stress the importance of…

by Elean Gersack Arlen’s American Bistro – the newest restaurant in Castle Pines North (CPN) – is open and ready to impress. Owners Arlen and Amy Felsen have created a simple and delicious menu, along with a warm atmosphere they hope will bring guests back again and again. Arlen’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. All…

by Terri Wiebold In late August, the Douglas County Commissioners passed a resolution to keep Castle Pines Parkway from Buffalo Trail west to Daniels Park Road and south on Daniel’s Park Road to the existing end of pavement closed until the end of March 2009. The closure is to allow for the continued construction of…

Information provided by Douglas County Traffic Engineer, Alex Larson: I am writing to inform the City of CPN of two issues related to the construction of the traffic signal for the new Walgreens site at Castle Pines Parkway and Lagae. 1) A temporary sidewalk closure that has become necessary during the construction and 2) striping…

by Terri Wiebold It is October; the leaves are starting to turn colors, and Castle Pines North (CPN) residents are already preparing for snow. The city of Castle Pines North rests at a chilly 6,210 feet above sea level, considerably higher than our “mile high” neighbors to the north, and October is a big snow…

The Town of Castle Rock will kick off the holiday season on Saturday, November 22 by lighting the star in historic downtown. Come enjoy festivities and special events leading up to the star lighting, which is scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the old courthouse building on Wilcox Street in downtown Castle Rock.…

by Terri Wiebold American Academy, a K-8 public charter school, will return home to CPN in the fall of 2009. The school is building an 83,000 square foot facility on the Lagae Ranch development in CPN. Local CPN students interested in attending the new school will now get more priority in the enrollment lottery, thanks…

(photo by Jeremy Gamble) by Terri Wiebold It will not be long until the 560 acres of open space and the 13.5 miles of natural trails that surround Castle Pines North (CPN) will be covered with the most beautiful blanket of snow imaginable. With the snowfall comes the opportunity for fun and recreation for young…

Rain or shine, Galen Crowder and Anna Decker report precipitation stats from their homes in Castle Pines North for the CoCoRaHS. Article and photo by Terri Wiebold No, CoCoRaHS is not a local cheerleading squad, but the function they serve in the Castle Pines North community is certainly worth shouting about. CoCoRaHS is an acronym…

The City of Castle Pines North (CPN) has been working for the past few months to create new web site. The site, created by City Manager CH2M HILL OMI, features detailed city contact information, the latest city news, along with City Council agendas and minutes. The web site also features a list of all city…

by Lisa Crockett Douglas County School District is looking for much-needed funds and is asking voters to bolster their bank accounts by approving a four mill increase in the upcoming election. In August, the School Board decided to place a $395 million bond and $17 million override measure on the November ballot. The override measure,…

by Anthonette Klinkerman/Elean Gersack For the second summer, the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce (formerly Business in the Pines) hosted Market in the Pines. Special thanks to the Presenting Sponsor, Prudential Preferred Real Estate, the music sponsor, Castle Pines North Master Association and the Air Castle sponsors, IREA and Bumgarner & Linn Orthodontics. Additional thanks…

Brad Clemons and Dana Hall, co-founders of HomeAssume.com (photo provided by Timi Aguilar) by Terri Wiebold The adage “everything old is new again” holds true for most things, including the mortgage industry – or so are the hopes of Castle Pines North residents and co-founders of HomeAssume.com, Brad Clemons and Dana Hall. Clemons and Hall…

OCT 6 – WAS THE LAST DATE TO REGISTER TO VOTE OCT 13 THROUGH NOV 3 – MAIL-IN BALLOT DROP BOX AVAILABLE AT CASTLE ROCK BANK, 506 CASTLE PINES PKWY, MON-FRI 8:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. OCT 20 – EARLY VOTING BEGINS (THROUGH OCT 31) – VILLAGE SQUARE OFFICES, 7437 VILLAGE SQUARE DR., UNIT 105.…

The Rev. Tom Curtright is the new Senior Pastor at Castle Pines Community Church. The Church is celebrating a decade of service in the CPN community. (Courtesy Photo) by Lisa Crockett A Castle Pines North (CPN) church is celebrating an important anniversary. Ten years ago, 35 people met in the CPN Community Center to found…

by Lane Roberts One of the primary goals of the Castle Pines North (CPN) Master Association is to provide communication to the 3,300 residents within the community. This goal is accomplished through three main communications tools including: community-wide e-mail alerts, the CPN website (www.cpnhoa.org) and CPN’s bi-monthly newspaper, The Connection. Recently, the CPN Master Association…

by Terri Wiebold Dating back to Barney Fife and the early days of Dragnet, “calling all cars” was a police officer’s distress call for help and assistance. While the city of Castle Pines North Safety Task Force is not in distress, it could use the help and assistance of a few more community volunteers. The…

The Castle Pines North Master Association will host its annual Board meeting on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at the Community Center, 7404 Yorkshire Drive. This annual meeting is open to all residents. All delegate representatives from each of the neighborhood HOAs are expected to be in attendance. Delegates will be casting their votes to elect…

Check out Halloween events that are happening around town as well as a list of Halloween safety resources. Visitwww.cpnhoa.org/pages/news/articles/2008/qtr3/halloween.htm for more information.

CPN eighth graders from Rocky Heights Middle School recently ran into to Governor Bill Ritter while on a scavenger hunt field trip to Denver. The hunt was designed to teach students about the history of Colorado and the City of Denver. From the left – Karli, Lauren, Morgan, Gov. Ritter, Mary Jane and Jenn. (photo…

by Terri Wiebold In August 2008, the FAA published its final determination on the 12 recommendations brought about by the Centennial Airport Part 150 Noise Abatement Study.

by Terri Wiebold It has been said that a dog is a man’s best friend. Well, in Castle Pines North and surrounding communities, a dog’s best friend is a man – Dr. John Vickers at Castle Pines Veterinary Clinic. Colorado native and former school teacher, Vickers left the student classroom for the pet operating room…

CPN residents may now enter the Wildcat Mountain Trail if they are willing to pay for a horseback ride. Access to the trail on foot or bicycle is still prohibited to CPN residents. (photo by Lisa Crockett) by Lisa Crockett It’s been more than a year since Castle Pines North (CPN) residents clashed with their…

CPN Safety Task Force Chair Carol Langley-Finnegan by Lisa Crockett Nearly everyone knows someone who seems to accomplish the impossible. Someone who can take the same number of hours in the day as everyone else and do three times as much. And anyone who is a friend to Carol Langley-Finnegan knows that she is that…

photo by Laura Gooding  

by Terri Wiebold Founded in 1923, the Colorado Municipal League (CML) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that represents and serves Colorado’s cities and towns. Currently, more than 95 percent of Colorado communities are members of CML and benefit from its informational and advocacy services – Castle Pines North (CPN) being one of the newest members.…

by Terri Wiebold The City of Castle Pines North (CPN) Safety Task Force has jumped right into action, working diligently on areas of safety concern for the City. Committee members have been working with HOAs to establish “USA on Watch” (formerly Neighborhood Watch) programs and organizing block captains for the program. Ultimately, the committee would…

by Terri Wiebold Thrive – the latest beverage to hit the booming energy drink market is changing the way consumers think about energy drinks, and it is changing the lives of three Castle Pines North residents in the process. Patrick Drawe of Forest Park, Doug Emerson of Greenbriar, and Rich Marshall of WinterBerry are three…

City council members Chris Dooley and Ron Clark participate in the city’s first golf tournament. (photo by Terri Wiebold) Tournament flight winner, Charles Schwartz, with a net score of 63 accepts his award. (photo by Tim Gamble) Barbara Saenger, Pine Ridge resident and employee at The Ridge, found a creative way to keep the tournament…

by Anthonette Klinkerman Two hundred and ten people decided the outcome last year. The issue of the library initiative not passing in the last election lost by 210 votes. It was not the populus of Castle Pines North (CPN), but the surrounding parts of Douglas County that determined they already had new libraries and did…

For Immediate Release Contact: James McGrady General Manager Castle Pines North Metropoliatan District (303) 242-3262 7404 Yorkshire Drive Castle Rock, CO 80108 September 3, 2008—Castle Pines North, Colo.— Castle Pines North Metropolitan District has reached one of its most significant milestones in its procurement of renewable water.. The agreement with the Parker Water and Sanitation…

by Anthonette Klinkerman and Mayor Maureen Shul Giving local students the topic “If I were Mayor for a Day” as an essay contest seemed certain to generate some creative ideas. What arrived were thoughtful and well-constructed responses, most of which were concerned with safety for pedestrians and the health and fitness of all age groups.…

by Terri Wiebold Family owned and operated by mother-son team Sherry Lea and Castle Pines North resident Tim Hannon, the Flower Shop at Castle Pines is the alternative to mainstream creations and grocery store flower arrangements. Hannon is an award winning pastry chef who brings his creative instincts to the flower industry for a beautifully…

The City of Castle Pines North fun run, “Running in the Pines” is being planned for Saturday, September 20. This combination 5K and one-mile run/walk will take participants throughout the city. The 5K will begin at 8 a.m. and the one-mile event will start at 9 a.m. Residents of all ages are invited to participate.…

by Terri Wiebold It began with a community meeting in May of 2004 to gain support for a South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) special district mill levy increase. Today, more than four years later, residents are still recounting promises of a new fire station in Castle Pines North (CPN) and SMFR is continuing to work…

Are you a senior living in Castle Pines North (CPN)? CPN is home to many seniors, so why not get connected? From playing cards and golf outings to social lunches, there are many great ways to get acquainted with others in the community. If you are interested in getting involved or have other ideas for…

by Anthonette Klinkerman,  (photos courtesy of Renita Mundwiller) Of the three meets the Castle Crocs swam in this season, two were gobbled up as victories. The meets against Canterbury and Life Time Fitness in Parker were wracked up as wins, but once again a victory against the Village remained illusive. Yet, it was not all…

by Terri Wiebold The Castle Pines North (CPN) Master Association has received several inquiries about the Douglas County Alarm Ordinance that became effective in March of 2008. Alarm companies have been educated about the enforcement of the ordinance and they are starting to bill CPN residents for the $40 annual registration fee. Residents of CPN…

Each issue of The Connection features current events, sports information, school awards, fundraisers and other important items about each of the six neighborhood schools in Castle Pines North. To share school information, please contact by email, or call 303-482-3078. by Lisa Crockett The Douglas County School Board will not officially decide on whether it will…

Members & Margaritas Business in the Pines members joined for the second annual Members and Margaritas bash on Thursday, May 22. Prudential Preferred Real Estate sponsored the event to help members get to know each other better, network, and have fun. Pictured above, Dan Cook. Pictured below (from the left): Ginny Wainright, Asa Cole and…

by Anthonette Klinkerman Golfers, grab those clubs for the Fourth Annual Second Wind Fund Golf Tournament. Monday, September 8 at The Ridge, join in for a day of golf to include a Best Ball contest, and a chance to win a BMW 330 from Ralph Schomp at the Hole-in-One contest. Key sponsors include Sky Ridge…

by Lisa Crockett A small group of people who live in Castle Pines North (CPN) are looking toward the future, and the city they envision will lead the way in environmental responsiblity. “Our mission is to add value to Castle Pines North through socially and environmentally responsible programs that enhance our community,” said Ryan Parker,…

Temperatures are heating up and Castle Pines North (CPN) is several inches behind in rainfall for the year. Residents should be aware of the hazards of fireworks and take precautions when using them. In fact, certain fireworks are illegal for use in the State of Colorado. The City Council has adopted the policy that prohibits…

The new Walgreens store on Castle Pines Parkway takes shape. (photo by Lisa Crockett)by Lisa Crockett Before year’s end, several thousand new square feet of retail space will open in Castle Pines North (CPN). CPN resident Chuck Barry and his two business partners are looking forward to the completion of their new building on Village…

by Anthonette Klinkerman In order for teenagers to feel they have a voice in the goings-on of the new city of Castle Pines North, Mayor Maureen Shul proposed organizing a Youth Advisory Commission in the last issue of The Connection. As the new city grows, the mayor feels it is important thTeens Asked to Join…

by Terri Wiebold In preparation for the new sales tax which took effect on July 1, the city of Castle Pines North (CPN) and the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce hosted a series of informational tax seminars at DazBog Coffee in CPN. According to City Treasurer, Doug Gilbert, the seminars were designed to educate residents…

by Terri Wiebold Work continues on the upgrades to Daniels Park, including “Phase I” plans to pave the southern portion of the existing Daniel’s Park Road. Xcel Energy is currently in the process of lowering gas lines in the area, a task proving more challenging than originally anticipated, according to Douglas County Senior Development Review…

Castle Pines North youngsters gather around golden retriever “Ben Hogan Murray” – the camp mascot – to show enthusiasm for the sport of golf. Daniel’s Gate resident Elijah (7) perfects his sand shot from a bunker at The Ridge at Castle Pines North junior golf camp. Article and photos by Terri Wiebold Summer activities for…