The My Denver card, which gives youth free access to the city’s recreation centers, pools and libraries, is going to expand in 2015.
Mayor Michael Hancock’s office has been contacting cultural facilities in Denver and several have agreed to give benefits to kids subscribing to the My Denver Card. The new sites include: the Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver Art Museum, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver Zoo and Denver Botanic Gardens.
Hancock pointed out the expansion of the My Denver Card during his State of the City address in July.
Each facility is offering different benefits for having the card, which will go into effect when the cards are renewed in November.
The Denver Zoo will offer five free visits in January and five more in February with a paid adult. The Denver Botanic Gardens is providing a similar deal with free admission for the month of February with a paid adult, however, Denver Botanic Gardens spokeswoman Erin Bird said that is not yet finalized.
Bird said the reason for the limited use is that the Botanic Gardens is typically overcrowded in the summer and early fall. Denver Zoo spokeswoman Tiffany Barnhart echoed that and said they can’t push too much extra traffic during the busy season.
Both expressed that they are glad to be able to offer access to children who might not be able to come and experience the facility otherwise.
“We want to be accessible to all of the community,” Barnhart said. “The mayor’s program is an extension of that.”
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has not yet determined what it will offer to kids who show up with a My Denver card, but a decision will be made before November. The other new participants did not return calls seeking comment.
“It really stemmed from the mayor’s office wanting to add a cultural element,” said Maura O’Neal, spokeswoman for the Museum of Nature and Science. “We were asked if we were interested and of course we jumped at the chance.”
The My Denver card was launched when ballot measure 2A was passed November of 2012, generating $1.5 million to pay for the service out of the $68 million it created for the city’s budget. The Denver Office of Children’s Affairs budgets in $500,000 annually to continue the project. The first cards were issued in March of 2013 and currently 57,000 Denver youth ages 5-18 are in possession of the card out of a possible 105,000.
The Denver Office of Children’s Affairs is responsible for the card in conjunction with Denver Parks and Recreation. Children’s Affairs executive director Erin Brown commended Denver Parks and Recreation for giving youth access to more than just the facilities and offering other opportunities such as arts and crafts classes.
“What we’re finding is that, because now that kids have somewhere to go and adults to engage with, they’re coming back over and over again,” Brown said.
Brown said she hopes that new groups will sign on every year and the My Denver card will be an even bigger draw for the youth of Denver.
“We’re don’t want it to be a well-kept secret,” she said.
Joe Vaccarelli: 303-954-2396, jvaccarelli@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joe_vacc
My Denver card
• Beginning Nov. 1, parents and guardians can renew or register for their child’s My Denver card online or take their children to any of the 23 recreation centers throughout the city to fill out the appropriate paperwork.
