A private playground will make way for a public play place as Westwood Park sets to expand

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A kiddie playground in a yard next to Westwood Park, Feb. 18, 2020. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

David Sachs

Feb. 18, 2020, 2:03 p.m.

Denver’s parks department wants to buy a house and its really fun-looking front yard to expand Westwood Park by about half an acre.

The city council’s finance committee on Tuesday OK’d the purchase of the 94-year-old, 2,100-square-foot home at 4849 W. Kentucky Ave. If the full council approves the acquisition, taxpayers will spend almost $500,000 for the property. The money will come from the parks tax approved by voters in 2018.

Westwood Park will total 5.5 acres if the sale goes through. Crews will demolish the house, which is nestled on the edge of the westside park, within a month of approval, according to city council.

It’s still unclear how, exactly, the new space will be used. Denver Parks and Recreation will “work with the community to determine the best use of this new park addition.”

This property is the second purchased by Parks and Rec since the tax passed. The first was 4301 S. Iliff St., purchased last year for $5.1 million.

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