Passive Recreation Use Areas Amendment – Denver, CO

The Washington Park Passive Recreation Use Areas Amendment to Park Use Rules and Regulations and Administrative Citation Rules and Regulations is the Denver Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) regulation that bans team sport activities in designated Passive Recreation Use Areas (PRUAs) of Washington Park.

It amends the Park Use Rules and Regulations that DPR adopted May 11, 2012. The stated purpose is protecting public health and safety and park land, and assuring fair use of the park, because heavy active use on warm-season weekends and holidays has caused conflicts, misconduct and wear on the turf.

The amendment sets out four rules and two administrative provisions:

• Team Sport Activities (football, rugby, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, softball, baseball, kickball, ultimate Frisbee, basketball, volleyball, or similar higher-intensity team sports) may not be arranged or conducted in a PRUA designated by the DPR Executive Director.
• A permit issued by DPR, or a City contract, authorizing an event or activity is an exception, if its terms are followed.
• PRUAs are marked on the ground and signed; the Director can change, reconfigure or relocate them.
• Cleats and spikes are prohibited shoe wear in any PRUA.
• Enforcement is by administrative citation under section 39-1(b) and (c), D.R.M.C.; an added fine in Attachment B (Penalty Fines) is set, and the second-offense and third-offense provisions apply.

It is a rule, not an application: it has no entries to complete and issues no permit.

The amendment applies to everyone who uses Washington Park, and in particular to people who arrange or take part in team sport activities there. It binds organizers and players alike: it prohibits "arranging or conducting" a Team Sport Activity in a PRUA.

• Team and league organizers, groups and individual players should read it before planning a game or practice in Washington Park on the days it covers.
• Event organizers who want a team sport event in a PRUA need a permit issued by DPR or a City contract authorizing it, and must comply with its terms, conditions and restrictions.
• All park users must follow the signs DPR posts about PRUAs and must stop play and leave the area when Park Rangers, Denver Police or DPR staff direct them to.
• Anyone wearing cleats or spikes is covered by the shoe rule in a PRUA.

The rules apply within Washington Park only. The document names no other park and sets no signing or filing duty for users.

The rules apply in Washington Park on Saturdays, Sundays and City-recognized holidays, from April 1 through September 31 of every year, as the amendment prints the dates. Nothing is filed on those days; the date matters for planning. If you want to hold a team sport event in a PRUA, arrange the DPR permit or City contract before the event, since that authorization is the exception to the ban. The amendment was adopted in 2015 under section 39-2 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code and the notice of adoption was published in March 2015. It sets no application deadline or renewal cycle of its own.

This amendment is not submitted anywhere. It is a published rule, and no application, address or portal is attached to it. If you want to hold an event or activity in a PRUA, the exception requires a permit issued by DPR or a City contract, and the City's Parks Permit Office handles park permits:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 720-913-0700
• In person: 6820 E. 12th Ave, Denver, CO 80220, by appointment on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Mail: 201 W Colfax Ave, Dept. 108, Denver, CO 80202
• Online: the City's Online Service Center lets you reserve picnics, fields, facilities and event spaces. Film and photography permits go through the Office of Special Events website.

On Monday and Friday the office answers by phone and email from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. FillingPDF lets you view and download the PDF; any permit request follows the City's channels above.