West Denver Renaissance Collaborative

Overview

The West Denver Renaissance Collaborative (WDRC) is a collective impact organization integrating the efforts of community members, public agencies, non-profits, and foundations working to create and implement a model for resilient urban regeneration in West Denver.

The WDRC ‘footprint’ is a 6,400 acre area consisting of the following neighborhoods: Athmar Park, Barnum, Barnum West, La Alma / Lincoln Park, Sun Valley, Valverde, Villa Park, West Colfax, and Westwood. See our 'footprint' area map.

"Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when,
they are created by everybody."

― Jane Jacobs,
The Death and Life of Great American Cities

Mission

The mission of the West Denver Renaissance Collaborative (WDRC) is to facilitate the revitalization of West Denver in an equitable fashion by improving the livelihood of existing residents’ and working to preserve and amplify the rich multicultural character. The WDRC neighborhoods are: Athmar Park, Barnum, Barnum West, La Alma Lincoln Park, Sun Valley, West Colfax, Westwood, Valverde, and Villa Park.

Click image above to see full map

WDRC objectives:

Grow local capacity, expertise and leadership;
Leverage existing assets and the work of local partners and leaders;
Identify integration strategies, investments and projects that: address the top community priorities and needs of West Denver, scale across neighborhoods, and cross sectors;
Support upward mobility in place;
Increase social durability (the economic, social, educational, political and cultural threads that positively reinforce residents connection to their home, neighborhood and community);
Model inclusiveness and an approach that integrates culture, art, natural resources and food in sustaining a strong and healthy community.

Approach

Community engagement is a top priority for the West Denver Renaissance Collaborative (WDRC) as it is the basis for understanding the issues most important to the community and the work currently led by numerous local partners in West Denver. WDRC community outreach, strategies and implementation is pursued collaboratively with local community and initiative partners. The WDRC approach is a district focus effort to discover, collaborate, strategize, align, scale, integrate, evaluate, and advocate on behalf of West Denver. The West Denver Renaissance Collaborative work plan includes four key areas: organizational essentials, community engagement, and community priority initiatives. The West Denver Renaissance Collaborative was launched in January 2016.