ARVADA, Colo. — The City of Arvada is moving forward with a multi-million dollar redesign plan for Gold Strike Park.
The 7.3-acre park is located on the site where Lewis Ralston discovered gold at the confluence of Clear Creek and Ralston Creek in 1850.
“It wasn't much, but it was. It was the first gold strike in Colorado,” City of Arvada Parks and Urban Design Manager Darin DeLay said. “We underwent a schematic design of this in 2023 and took that and evolved that into design development, construction documents with Wenk Design.”
DeLay told Denver7 the project has a $14 million budget thanks to a matching grant.
“We're looking at adding some shade structures, a new bathroom, a bike park, a smaller bike park, a great lawn, green lawn for folks to hang out and enjoy just passive recreation,” DeLay said. “This is kind of an underutilized space here. I think that at the confluence of these two rivers, it’s an important place in terms of place making, and it needs a lot of love and care right now.”
DeLay explained the design team consulted community members, including representatives of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes on the features that should be included in the project.
“In speaking with Gordon Yellowman, with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, with historians, I think there's some sacredness to this space, and it's really about healing of the land, and in bringing that back to the residents of Arvada,” DeLay said.
Work is scheduled to begin on the park in 2026.
