A Child of Lowry Grows Up

Sixteen years ago my wife and three toddlers outgrew our cozy but cramped vintage brick home in West Wash Park. We researched neighborhoods with larger houses and bigger lawns and met with a realtor. “We’d like to look at Highlands Ranch, Grant Ranch, Golden, maybe Broomfield,” we told her. “Up and down the Front Range.”

Our realtor listened impatiently and then cut us off. “Get in the car. We’re driving to Lowry.”

The Lowry Air Force base had been around for decades but the Lowry urban community had just been born. The first house we looked at had a spacious atruim, jack-and-jill bathrooms, and a playroom downstairs. The living room’s wooden floors sparkled. Corner parks were being built, an elementary school just opened, the town center was under construction.

As we stood outside gazing at the wide streets and lush landscaping a mom pulling a toddler in a red wagon walked by. “You’re going to love this neighborhood” she said, unprompted.

We were sold.

Soon afterward our family — along with so many other young families at the time — moved to Lowry. Our children climbed the monkey bars together, played soccer and four square in the neighborhood parks, rode their bikes to school, and more recently learned to drive. Neighbors became friends, jogging partners, and confidantes; emergency contact numbers were updated to include close friends living around the corner.

As Lowry grew, families grew up. Very soon our our oldest — Maddie — will leave for college. Maddie graduated from the Denver School of the Arts (majoring in creative writing), played sports at East, worked a part time job at Target and this summer is interning for City Year, an educational nonprofit organization working to close the achievement gap. Like many of her Lowry peers, her resume is filled with academic, athletic, service and work accolades.

Maddie’s path to college also led her to writing the Teen Beat column for the Aviator for the past two years. There’s that saying “All politics is local”; the same is true for journalism. Maddie’s style evolved from writing poetry and prosaic prose for school assignments to penning short, topical pieces about her community.

In the beginning it was easier said than done. For Maddie’s first Aviator assignment about local green thumbs she was a little hesitant about interviewing residents living in Lowry’s now expansive foot print. So we hopped on bikes together and pedaled around the neighborhood and knocked on doors with lush gardens in search of an interview. (Maddie soon discovered everyone loves talking about their garden. She was learning to step outside her comfort zone.

This past spring Maddie was a recipient of the Ian James Wallace Scholarship. Ian Wallace was a promising Smoky Hill High School student whose life was tragically cut short in a car accident in 2005. Ian’s mother Susan Wallace hosted the dinner and awards ceremony and spoke eloquently about Ian’s social activism, generous spirit, and higher purpose in life. Ian’s family and award recipients spoke from the podium about continuing this young man’s legacy. It was an inspirational, tear filled night for everyone in the room.

At the end of the night Ms. Wallace opened the floor to anyone who wished to say a few parting words. The room, also filled with parents and friends of the recipients and board members, grew quiet; some fidgeted, reluctant to speak at such a highly charged moment. At the far end of the room I heard a familar voice. Our daughter Maddie stood up and spoke about how grateful she was for winning the award, how she would try her best to honor Ian’s name and spirit, and looking Ms. Wallace in the eye, thanked her for being so strong, gracious, courageous, and generous.

Maddie, this child of Lowry, hesistant to knock on a neighbor’s door to talk about flowers, had grown up. Next month she heads to Occidental College in Los Angeles to study social justice, education, and wherever else her passions lead her.

The floors in our home no longer sparkle. They’ve taken a beating from four kids juggling soccer balls and dribbling basketballs on them over the years. The contactor we hired to refinish them said “they’ll need a lot of love. And if you do the floors, you want to repaint the baseboards to cover the nicks, and if you do the baseboards, you’ll want to repaint the walls, and if you do the walls you’ll want new cabinets, and before you know it, it’s time to, you know, put the sign up.”

One day in the distant future a young couple clutching a toddler will be standing outside our house or a house nearby. If I see them, I’ll give them a message: “You’re going to love this neighborhood.”

• Jay Solomon, a long time Lowry resident is the owner Jay’s Gourmet 2 Go, a dinner delivery business, and a youth sports coach. He is married to Emily Solomon and they have raised four children in Lowry: Maddie, Noah, Bella, and Marina.