The ARA Foundation Completes Impact Project and Donates $20,000 to Denver Park Trust

The American Rental Association Foundation and The Toro Co. Foundation donated equipment, volunteers and a $20,000 grant to enhance the Tennessee Avenue Greenway in Denver with new trees, a pollinator garden and thousands of plants on Sept. 17. Collaborators from The Toro Co., Ditch Witch, Ditch Witch of the Rockies, Denver Park Trust, Denver Parks and Recreation, Arvada Rent-Alls, All Purpose Rental & Sales, Aspen Rent-All, Bighorn Rents, Butler Rents, LL Johnson, Alert Rental Software and Continental Divide Marketing joined the effort.

The Tennessee Avenue Greenway is an area between the Westwood Via Verde and the Athmar Park neighborhood. The project is transforming historically unused space along a power line easement into a safe, green, culturally engaging area where residents can live a healthy, active lifestyle.

“This has been a project that has been a long time coming for the community. It took the support of partners like the ARA Foundation and Toro to get it done today,” said Jolon Clark, executive director of Denver Parks and Recreation. “They have taken something that was an eyesore and made it a beautiful space that residents can enjoy.”

On the day of the project, 27 volunteers transformed portions of the greenway by creating a pollinator garden containing more than 1,000 flowers and shrubs, added nine trees, and spread mulch across more than 2,000 square feet. The newly installed fruit-bearing trees introduced a food forest to provide fresh produce for the neighborhood and long-term canopy and shade.

“I just want to thank you all for your contribution today” said Flor Alvidrez, Denver City Councilwoman for District 7. “This is an amazing opportunity to uplift the community, provide food, tree canopy and a beautiful walkable space in a neighborhood surrounded by highways.”