Don't let City Park Friends and Neighbors mace this dog.

Don’t let City Park Friends and Neighbors mace this dog.

Bruce Finley’s Denver Post portrayal of the Denver Zoo’s alternative energy plan as a catastrophic pollution event rivaling Three Mile Island has some residents of Curtis Park crying foul.

An alert reader sent us a post from the neighborhood’s Facebook page urging us to take a closer look at the select group of individuals known as the City Park Friends and Neighbors (CPFN) that opposes the zoo plans, and here’s what we discovered: It is the unofficial HOA from Hell. In fact, we suspect they are vampires.

The group was founded two years ago to block the City Loop playground, and went from there to oppose a dog park and several zoo activities.

They don’t want any races held in the park, no festivals or concerts, and no vendors making money. They oppose traffic, parking, any event that makes noise, and definitely no outsiders are desired. Essentially, they believe that City Park doesn’t belong to Denver, but to the cranky members of this select group of complainers and whiners.

What do they support? On Sept. 14, CPFN will hold a sunset walk and happy hour, on the 21st, there will be a sunset walk and happy hour, on the 28th, a sunset walk and happy hour, on Oct. 5th, sunset walk and happy hour …

See? Vampires.

Here’s what the CPFN had to say about, shudder, allowing an off-leash area for dogs in the park:

“It may be expected that additional dog owners will drive to City Park from other areas, park in the Pavilion lot, and simply let their dogs loose from their cars.”

“Off-leash dogs are a threat and a nuisance to runners, elderly and children … Will citizens be allowed to mace dogs that chase them in the park?”

Thanks in part to efforts by CPFN, City Park is now completely off limits to hosting new events as part of a moratorium imposed citywide.

 In Denver, last year brought a few clashes between neighborhoods and events in parks. Several City Park neighbors remain incensed about decibel levels and vulgar lyrics from bands that performed in the privately organized Chive Fest in August.

Louis Plachowski, president of the group City Park Friends and Neighbors, said that experience gave him little confidence in the new rules, because Chive Fest conceivably could earn permits for a repeat run this year.

“Letting a small group of people dictate the rules for how Denver’s City Park can be used is simply crazy,” said the Facebook post from Curtis Park.

“DO NOT standby and watch or you will be left out of the fun and there will only be twilight nature walks allowed at City Park in the very near future. Shame on the Denver Post for enabling this group and printing a one sided story and shame on CPFN for deciding to dictate who can do what in City Park. Stand up now and let your voice be heard.”

We hear you Curtis Park, loud and clear.