The City of Arvada wants feedback. Instead of encouraging their citizens to remain mum on community issues, every other year, city officials send out a survey — a citizen satisfaction survey. What they found out: Arvad-ians are pleased with their quality of life, they feel safe (Arvada boasts one of the lowest crime rates in the Denver metropolitan area), and were satisfied with city government. Actually, traffic congestion and the rate of growth is the largest concern among residents. That aside, Arvada's 100,000 residents are a happy lot.
According to the "Arvada 2005 Community Profile," the city has 1,500 acres of parks and sports complex land; 2,100 acres of open space with trails; 48 playgrounds; tennis and basketball courts; soccer and softball/baseball fields; 3 golf courses; 8 sports complexes and 12 recreation and city-centers.
Historic Olde Town Arvada, located between Yukon Street and Wadsworth Bypass, is a block of quaint boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants. Spend the entire day perusing the shops or hop on the RTD Light rail from Downtown Denver and stop by for a meal or a cappuccino. Each year, the Historic Olde Town Arvada Association hosts the Gold Strike Festival, a celebration of Arvada's mining history. The two-day event in June includes local live music, a celebrity dunk tank, a vintage car exhibit, and over 30 booths. Oh, and of course, a beer garden.
Re arts and entertainment, the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities offers programs for "community enrichment and arts education," according to their business profile. The 30-year-old institution brings award-winning theater and dance to the stage as well as art and dance classes, gallery exhibitions, and the occasional guest speaker. One of the most popular events hosted by the Arvada Center is the annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Over the course of four-days, Coloradoans from all four corners come to hear sidesplitting rhymes, musicians and yodelers.
