Neighborhood

Lakes at Westwoods: A Neighborhood Shaped by Arvada’s Western Heritage

Lakes at Westwoods: A Neighborhood Shaped by Arvada’s Western Heritage

Where the Neighborhood Begins

The Lakes at Westwoods neighborhood sits in western Arvada, where the city begins to feel more open, scenic, and connected to the foothills. With residential streets near West 64th Avenue, Quaker Street, Kendrick Drive, and the broader West Woods area, the neighborhood reflects a distinctly Arvada blend: newer suburban planning laid over a landscape shaped by farms, irrigation, reservoirs, open prairie, and long views toward the Front Range.

Unlike Olde Town Arvada, whose historic buildings date to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Lakes at Westwoods is a modern neighborhood. Its heritage is found less in preserved storefronts and historic houses than in the land itself—and in the way developers, schools, parks, and public agencies transformed former agricultural ground into a connected residential community.

The neighborhood’s story is part of Arvada’s larger transition from a farming town to a suburban city. Jefferson County’s historical surveys describe how Arvada and nearby communities gradually shifted from agricultural economies toward suburban development during the twentieth century. ([jeffco.us](https://www.jeffco.us/DocumentCenter/View/9446/Historic-Contexts-Cultural-Resource-Survey-Jefferson-County-PDF?bidId=&utm_source=openai))

The Land Before the Houses

Long before streets such as Westwoods Circle and Kendrick Drive appeared on a map, this part of Arvada was open country. The area’s early history was tied to homesteading, ranching, farming, and water.

Arvada’s growth was made possible by the creeks, canals, and irrigation systems that carried water across the western edge of the Denver metropolitan area. Ralston Creek, Clear Creek, agricultural ditches, and later reservoirs all helped define how the land could be used. Some modern parks and greenbelts still follow drainage patterns and irrigation corridors that existed well before the neighborhood was built.

The surrounding region also includes the legacy of early settlers such as Harpin Davis, who homesteaded a large parcel near present-day western Arvada in the nineteenth century. Davis operated a ferry across Ralston Creek and donated land for a road later known as Davis Lane, which eventually became Oak Street. That history helps explain why so many Arvada neighborhoods retain a strong connection to roads, waterways, and family farms that predate suburban construction. ([studylib.net](https://studylib.net/doc/7699476/arvada-parks-history—arvada-visitors-center?utm_source=openai))

How Westwoods Got Its Name

The name *Westwoods* is closely connected to the West Woods subdivision and West Woods Golf Course. The “west” is straightforward: the community lies in western Arvada. “Woods” evokes the natural character of the area, particularly the cottonwoods and other trees associated with creeks, drainageways, and established farmsteads.

West Woods Golf Course opened in June 1994 and took its name from the subdivision in which it was located. Today, the 27-hole public course remains one of the area’s best-known landmarks, with its clubhouse, practice facilities, and broad fairways creating a distinct visual edge for nearby neighborhoods. ([arvadaco.gov](https://www.arvadaco.gov/1039/Park-Inventory-and-Amenities?utm_source=openai))

The “Lakes” portion of the neighborhood’s name reflects the community’s water-oriented landscape and the ponds or lakes incorporated into the residential setting. In a region where water historically determined settlement and agriculture, lakes became both practical design elements and visual centers for modern neighborhood planning. They give the community its name, its open views, and much of its peaceful character.

A Major Milestone: Suburban West Arvada

The development of Lakes at Westwoods belongs to the larger suburban expansion of Arvada that accelerated during the late twentieth century. As Denver’s population grew and transportation improved, areas west of the city became attractive for families seeking larger homes, mountain views, parks, and access to recreation.

By the 1990s, western Arvada was developing into a collection of carefully planned communities rather than isolated subdivisions. Streets curved around parks and water features, sidewalks connected homes to schools, and builders worked within a broader framework of open-space planning.

West Woods Park offers a particularly clear example. Located near Quaker Street and West 70th Avenue, the park was created in connection with the West Woods subdivision. Developer-dedicated land and development fees helped fund ballfields, parking, a playground, tennis courts, trails, landscaping, and irrigation improvements. The park was completed in 1999, with the school district improving one ballfield for shared use. ([studylib.net](https://studylib.net/doc/7699476/arvada-parks-history—arvada-visitors-center?utm_source=openai))

That milestone captures the neighborhood’s character: homes, schools, parks, and trails were planned as parts of one community rather than as separate additions.

Parks, Schools, and Everyday Landmarks

For residents, the heritage of Lakes at Westwoods is most visible in the places used every day.

Schools are equally important to the neighborhood’s identity. West Woods Elementary helped anchor the community from its early development, while shared park and school facilities created places where generations of children played, practiced sports, and met neighbors.

The nearby West Woods Police Substation on Kendrick Street is another modern civic landmark. It represents the infrastructure that grew alongside the neighborhood as western Arvada became more established. ([samwilsongroup.com](https://samwilsongroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Arvada_Trails_Map_Brochure.pdf?utm_source=openai))

How the Neighborhood Has Evolved

When the first homes were built, Lakes at Westwoods likely felt like the edge of town. Over time, that edge moved farther west. What was once open agricultural land became a mature residential setting with established trees, landscaped medians, trails, schools, golf-course views, and recognizable community routines.

The neighborhood has also evolved socially. Early residents often arrived as young families, drawn by newer homes, schools, recreation, and the promise of a quieter western setting. Decades later, many of those homes are occupied by longtime residents, while new owners bring another generation of families into the community.

That mixture gives Lakes at Westwoods much of its warmth. It is no longer a new subdivision, but it is not frozen in time. Gardens have matured, houses have been remodeled, children who once played at West Woods Park have grown up, and neighborhood traditions have continued in changing forms.

A Living Piece of Arvada’s Heritage

The history of Lakes at Westwoods is not built around one famous courthouse, railroad depot, or pioneer cabin. Instead, it is a story of landscape and continuity.

The neighborhood remembers Arvada’s agricultural past through its water features, open corridors, mature trees, and connection to regional trails. It reflects the city’s suburban era through its planned streets, schools, parks, and golf course. And it points toward Arvada’s future as the community continues to protect open space while accommodating growth.

For longtime residents, the special quality of Lakes at Westwoods may be found in ordinary moments: walking along a quiet street near the lakes, watching golfers move across the West Woods course, hearing children at the park, or seeing the mountains brighten at sunset beyond Quaker Street.

Those everyday scenes are the neighborhood’s heritage in living form—a reminder that places become meaningful not only through age, but through the memories people build there over time.

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