"A lake that used to be 12 feet deep is in some places only 4 feet deep," Mayor Mike Johnston said from the shore of Sloan's Lake on September 2. The city's own announcement that day put the numbers lower. Many areas of the lake now average just 2.5 to 3 feet deep, compared with historical depths of 8 to 12 feet.
Most of the money proposed to fix that would come from about four blocks away. Under the plan announced September 2, up to $40 million of a $50 million restoration would come from the St. Anthony Urban Redevelopment Area. That is the tax-increment district that helped build the Alamo Drafthouse and The Raleigh at Sloan's Lake. This October, most of the fall calendar takes place on that same south edge of the park. It is also where the city scheduled the first park closures.
What 3 Feet of Water Does to a 177-Acre Lake
Sloan's Lake covers 177 acres and draws about 2 million visitors a year for kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing and walking the loop. Water drains into it from large parts of Denver, Edgewater, Lakewood and Wheat Ridge, carrying sand, sediment and street grime that settles on the bottom.
The city ties that buildup directly to the lake's problems. In shallow water, harmful algae blooms form more easily. The blooms lower oxygen levels, kill fish and destroy aquatic habitat. Shallow water also leaves the lake less able to handle drought and absorb stormwater. The Denver Post's coverage of the announcement warned that if nothing is done, the lake risks turning fully stagnant.
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival shows how this plays out in practice. In 2025, the festival moved its dates to September because of concerns about lake health and safety. This year it returned to Sloan's Lake on August 29 and 30. Johnston brought it up himself: "It affects algae blooms. It affects our most beloved events."
Following the Money to West Colfax
The St. Anthony district was created in 2013 on the former St. Anthony Central Hospital site. It covers 32 acres between North Perry and Stuart streets and between West Colfax and 17th avenues. Tax-increment financing works like this: as redevelopment raises property values, the growth in property tax pays back eligible project costs. That money has gone into the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, The Raleigh at Sloan's Lake and Vida at Sloan's, a Denver Housing Authority building for seniors and people with disabilities.
To fund the lake work from that district, the city is asking the Denver Urban Renewal Authority to add the lake to it. Here is the proposed funding:
| Source | Proposed amount |
|---|---|
| St. Anthony Urban Redevelopment Area | Up to $40 million |
| Vibrant Denver Bond, approved by voters | $5 million |
| Wastewater Enterprise Fund | About $5 million |
| Total | $50 million |
The city says the funding will not raise taxes or affect the city budget. The full lake improvement plan has been estimated at $130 million or more, so this package is a first phase and not the whole job. The city describes it as a start on sediment removal and a test of which dredging methods work in a busy urban park, so the lessons can be used on other Denver lakes. Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval said a cleanup has been in city plans since at least 2002.
Still Waiting on Two Votes
As of September 30, the plan still has approvals to clear. DURA scheduled a special board meeting for September 14, with an agenda item to commit funds for a project in the St. Anthony Urban Redevelopment Area. We could not find a published result from that meeting. City Council would vote after DURA, and the item was not on the full Council docket for September 28.
The start date is also unsettled. The city's release says a contract and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting would come in 2027, with work starting in 2028. The Denver Post, reporting the same day, said construction is estimated to begin in 2027 and that design and construction together would take about two and a half years.
The Post also reported a few details that matter to anyone who uses the loop:
- The lake stays filled. Denver Parks and Recreation Executive Director Jolon Clark said the lake would not need to be drained, though some sections may be closed off from the rest while crews work there.
- Most of the park should stay open. Clark said he hoped to keep as much of the park open as possible during the work.
- The goal is paddling, not swimming. After the project, the aim is safe paddleboarding and boating. Swimming would require a much higher water quality standard.
The historic boathouse on the north shore is on its own track. Plans call for a community and event space of 2,500 to 3,000 square feet, and a preferred design was presented at a public meeting on January 29. The city's request for concession services there expects operations to begin in spring 2028.
The South Edge Gets Crowded First
Long before any dredging starts, the south side of the park is already the busiest part of the lake, and the construction is starting there too. Denver Parks and Recreation scheduled the parking lot and basketball court near Sheridan Boulevard and 17th Avenue to close this September. The building there is being renovated into a maintenance facility for northwest Denver parks. Later in construction, part of the trail will close as well, and closures are expected to last through early 2027. On the north side, replacement of the tennis and basketball courts starts this winter and is scheduled to finish in fall 2027.
The first weekend of October puts four events within a few blocks of that corner:
- Saturday, October 3, noon to 6 p.m. The free Sloan's Lake Fall BAZAAR sets up at 1611 N. Raleigh St., with a YogaSix class at 11 a.m. and ticketed mimosas from noon to 2 p.m.
- Saturday, October 3, 4 p.m. Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp holds its 20th annual Grace Race 5K, a fundraiser for ELCA World Hunger. Registration opens at 2:30 p.m. by the restrooms at 17th Avenue and Utica Street, and race-day entry is $45.
- Sunday, October 4, 10 a.m. Walk ALS Denver starts in the park's south-central area, with check-in at 9 a.m.
- Sunday, October 4, 2 to 6 p.m. West Colfax Lucha Libre brings outdoor wrestling, local makers, food and drinks back to 1611 N. Raleigh St.
Grace Race organizers are sending participants to the lot at 17th and Utica, which is a separate access point from the lot slated for closure at Sheridan. Three weeks later, on Saturday, October 24, Colorado Race Events runs MonsterDASH Denver on the lake bike path, with 5K and 10K races at 9:30 a.m. and a Kids Monster Mile at 11. For a regular weekly outing, the Mile High Ramblers meet Tuesdays at 6 p.m. outside the restrooms where Utica Street meets the south parking area for a dog-friendly walk around the loop.
The lake's northwest corner in Edgewater has its own schedule. Edgewater Public Market at 5505 W. 20th Ave. holds Second Fridays artisan markets on October 9 and November 13 from 5 to 8 p.m. It is also screening Practical Magic outdoors at sundown on Monday, October 5. On Thursday, October 8, 5280 Run Club gathers there at 5:45 p.m. and heads out for a lake loop at 6:15.
Paddling the Shallow Lake Before Winter
Low water does not close the lake to boats. Denver allows hand-launched, human- or wind-powered boating on almost all city park lakes from sunrise to sunset with no permit. Each boater must carry a life jacket and a sound device. Denver's Adventure Hub rentals are at City Park and Washington Park, not Sloan's, and close for the season after November 1. Denver Outdoor Adventure Company advertises paddleboard delivery to Sloan's Lake, but its site does not list fall dates, so check with them before planning around it.
The algae issues behind the dredging plan also affect how people use the water today. Denver's Department of Public Health and Environment advises against swimming, wading or playing in city lakes. It notes that kayakers can get sick from swallowing surface water and asks people to keep themselves and their pets away from algae slicks that look like green paint. We found no 2026 algae advisory specific to Sloan's Lake, so posted signs at the shoreline are the best guide on any given day.
More roadwork is coming on the park's west side. Edgewater's Sheridan Boulevard safety and multimodal project is in final design, with construction expected in late 2026 or early 2027 and lasting 12 to 16 months. The project page says most work will happen overnight and all lanes will stay open during the day.
Sloan's Lake Park Foundation turns 10 this year, and its executive director, Kurt Weaver, called the proposal "an amazing gift." He also asked the community to keep advocating through the entire construction process until the work is done.
If you own near the lake and want to know how a multiyear restoration and a new boathouse could affect your property's value, Alex Rice follows these projects closely and can walk you through the timeline. Start Your Home Journey with a conversation about what the next few years at Sloan's Lake could mean for you.
