High on Denver, the Mile High City

with sculptures of a white-tailed doe, an Indian hunter holding his bow and arrow, a bronze buffalo and more.

But art in Denver isn’t only in museums. Murals and sculptures are displayed throughout the city. These are all part of Denver’s Public Art Program.

Since it began in l998, the city has installed over 150 works. Some are unusual and often whimsical, such as the giant blue bear sculpted by Lawrence Argent: an arresting sight outside the Colorado Convention Center.

Just as unusual - and unexpected - is the sculpture of an oversize blue dust pan and a yellow-handled broom positioned just outside the Denver Art Museum.

Another appealing public attraction is the 16th Street Mall. This mile-long pedestrian mall is lined with 200 trees, 50,000 flowers and red banners proclaiming “Welcome to Denver”.

Then, too, there are free buses - clean, energy efficient, and stopping at every corner - which whisk passengers from one end of the mall to the other. Everyone in Denver seems to use these buses, from tourists to executives to mothers with children in strollers.

The mall itself is a colorful swirl of activity- with street musicians giving impromptu concerts and an endless people parade.

Although the stores are mostly familiar chains, there are also outdoor cafes, some specialty shops, restaurants, and benches for people-watching. It’s an impressive urban amenity, popular with both tourists and residents.

Downtown Denver is ideally suited for walking. It’s also ideal for fitness enthusiasts who can enjoy miles of jogging and bike paths. The city sponsors an extensive program of renting bicycles at modest rates.

I didn’t bike to the Denver Botanic Gardens. Instead, a short taxi ride took me there. It’s a 23-acre delight with 45 different gardens, including a Japanese Garden and a Rock Alpine Garden, and thousands of plants.

My visit to Denver went by all too quickly - and it convinced me that the Mile High City has many reasons for pride in addition to its noteworthy altitude. TX Tagline:vcarey@ delcotimes.com

The Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver.

Museum docent Steph MacCarter dressed up as Molly Brown to give a guided tour to fifth graders from Upper Blue Elementary School in Breckenridge.