DUG officially welcomed the community back to Crumley Park Community Garden and Food Forest this spring with a joyful ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating renewal, resilience, and the lasting legacy of community advocate April Crumley.
Formerly known as Cedar Park Community Garden, the reimagined growing space now includes a community garden, food forest, and sensory garden designed to create a more welcoming, accessible, and environmentally resilient gathering place for the Barnum neighborhood. Located beside Appointed Seed Ministry at West Cedar Avenue and South Knox Court, the garden stands as a living tribute to the work April Crumley devoted to creating safe, joyful outdoor spaces for local children and families.
Community members, local leaders, and partner organizations gathered for the free public celebration, hosted in partnership with Appointed Seed Ministry. The morning featured remarks from community leaders, including Councilwoman Torres, alongside opportunities for neighbors to connect and explore the transformed site together.
Attendees enjoyed light refreshments and coffee generously donated by Dutch Bros Coffee while learning about the vision behind the newly expanded garden space. Designed to nourish both people and pollinators, the site now offers opportunities for food cultivation, environmental education, sensory engagement, and community gathering.
The reopening represents years of neighborhood stewardship and collaboration. April Crumley played a central role in caring for the space throughout the 1990s, helping ensure the neighborhood’s children and families had access to green space and outdoor connection. The renewed garden honors that legacy while creating new opportunities for future generations to grow food and community together.
The event also highlighted the power of partnerships in building greener neighborhoods across Denver. Through collaboration between DUG, Appointed Seed Ministry, volunteers, community advocates, and local supporters, Crumley Park has become more than a garden; it is a shared investment in health, accessibility, education, and neighborhood resilience.
As guests toured the revitalized grounds, the celebration reflected DUG’s broader mission to create spaces where communities can connect through food, nature, and collective care. With fruit trees, garden beds, sensory elements, and gathering spaces now woven throughout the site, Crumley Park Community Garden and Food Forest is poised to serve as a vibrant neighborhood hub for years to come.
