Parker, Colorado

The town of Parker is by no means a hop-skip-and a jump from Downtown Denver. Nor is it even a leap. Although Parker is considered part of Denver's suburban community, it is located 20 miles southeast of the city. For Coloradoans who want to live in the area, that has not been a deterrent: between 1990 and 2000, Douglas County, where Parker is located, saw almost a 120 percent population increase, placing it at the top of the list of fastest growing counties in the United States. Parker took the cake as the fastest growing municipality in the county, with a 332 percent increase.

Due to Parker's recent growth, it is a modern town with up-to-date architecture and amenities. Most of Parker appears brand new: pristine and barely touched. Parker's bureaucracies help the recently developed suburb feel like a community couched in tradition. Parker's Cultural Commission presents on-going events for residents of all ages. For example, on the third Saturday of each month, they organize Kids Kulture, a free event for children at the Parker Mainstreet Center, a community center where they can explore arts, science, literature and a host of other stuff to get their hands dirty. Among other activities, the group also presents Concerts in the Park at O'Brian Park each Sunday afternoon in August.

Currently, plans for the Parker Fieldhouse, a 90,000-square-foot recreational facility that will include a four-court gymnasium, indoor roller hockey rink, and full-size indoor turf field, a climbing wall, kids' bouldering structure, fitness center and indoor running track are in the process of being finalized.

Despite the town's amazing growth, Parker has sectioned off approximately 200 acres of developed parkland and over 700 acres of open space in the town's 19-square-mile vicinity. For the 42,000 people who live in Parker, that is just enough space... and then some.