Last Thursday, the City posted an article on Facebook about excessive trash in and near the Creek. The article asked residents to set a good example for tourists: to urge them to dispose of waste property and abide by other park rules. The City was also encouraging residents to volunteer for Creek clean-up on Monday mornings.
The responses were numerous and immediate. Some said they were sad to see the Creek so polluted. Some said they were tired of being overrun by visitors and remarked that they never go downtown anymore. Some agreed to join the trash pick-up crew on Monday mornings. Many were angry that the City was asking residents to help police visitors, and angry that the City was asking them to clean up after the visitors.
The City removed the post, along with all of the responses provided by residents. They posted a new article. This one did not suggest that residents help supervise the visitors but encouraged them to volunteer for clean-up duty on Monday mornings.
The new post elicited many of the same responses, along with a new theme of people who were upset at the City deleting citizen responses. This new topic emphasized the lack of trust people felt on seeing that their responses had been removed.
Many of the new responses suggested taxing tube sales and rentals and using the proceeds for Creek cleanup and restoration. Some said that if the City hadn't gone to a 32-hour workweek they wouldn't have to ask residents to clean up after visitors. Many said that the ranger system wasn't working--that the rangers were not stopping the bad behavior--littering, grilling, eroding the creekbanks. Many parking tickets were being issued, but few code violation (littering, etc.) tickets were written.
In related news, the Community Marketing Board has their new agency developing a "stewardship" campaign, designed to encourage visitors to take better care of Golden during their visit.
To end on a happier note, the City is still working to improve Creek management, and the crowds will begin to thin out in another month or so.
To learn more about this issue:
- Read the Facebook post (and the 160+ responses)
- Watch the Denver7 news segment
- Read letters to Council Comments (included among the 7-20-2026 batch)
- Read letters to Public Comments
- Listen to in-person comments to City Council (start at 13 minutes)
- Hear the Creek Update by City Staff (start at 45 minutes)
- Hear City Council feedback (start at 1 hr, 3 minutes)
- Listen to the marketing agency describe the new "stewardship" campaign (start at 54 minutes)
- Volunteer to help clean up the Creek on Monday (and now Thursday) mornings
