Denver Mayor Michael Hancock delivered a farewell address Wednesday over a live feed as he prepares to leave office.

Hancock is Denver’s 45th mayor and second Black person to hold the position.

“It was here where an ambitious young middle school kid aspired to be Denver’s first African American mayor,” Hancock said in his address. “While I didn’t get to be the first … being second is just as good.”

He is a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, where he chairs the Communications and Transportation Committee, is the vice president of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors and is a member of the African American Mayors Association.

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Hancock grew up in Denver, noting his love for the city that raised him in his address. He has lived in Denver since he was 10 months old.

“Denver is where I started my career, raised my family and committed my whole self to public service,” Hancock said. “As I watched my children come into their own, we all had the privilege of watching our city rise like never before.”

Hancock’s first term began in 2011, in the midst of a great recession, he said. His administration “fought through it,” and 12 years later, is leading the city through the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

The job of building a city is never done, Hancock said, but he hopes his administration left a strong foundation for Mike Johnston’s administration to follow. 

“The pieces are in place for Denver to seize its future,” Hancock said. 

The pieces include $1 billion in infrastructure investments approved by voters and more primed for the future, including the revitalization of the 16th Street Mall, improvements to the Convention Center and National Western Center, preservation of the South Platte River and expanding DIA, Hancock said. 

Tens of thousands of new jobs and businesses were created under his administration as well, taking what was near 9% unemployment during the recession in 2011 to 2.9% today, Hancock said. 

“We will continue to connect the world with the 17 international flight destinations we established, which are slated to have a $4 billion economic impact for all of Colorado,” Hancock said. 

His administration reached beyond building the city, also focusing on people, housing, homelessness, transportation and climate action, Hancock said. 

Ten thousand affordable homes were built or preserved under his administration and 15,000 homeless people were re-housed, he said. 

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Under his administration, all Denver kids and older adults were given free access to rec centers and pools and the city now has four new recreation centers and four new libraries, Hancock said. 

Over 5,000 miles of city streets were re-paved and the city added 231 miles of bike lanes and 140 miles of sidewalks, expanding transit and mobility options. 

Park and recreation spaces were increased by over 2,000 acres under the Hancock administration as well, he said. 

“There’s so much more we can be proud of as a city and about the work we’ve been able to achieve together over these last 12 years,” Hancock said. “We made meaningful progress.”

Challenges still remain, however, Hancock said, but Denver will never give up. 

“We always lean in and put people first because that’s how we deliver a world class city,” Hancock said. “I see a city that continues to meet challenges with our signature Denver spirit.”

Denver is heading in the right direction and the city needs to challenge polarization and attacks on human rights, Hancock said. 

“Far too often in our country, polarization, whether partisan in nature or not, drowns out the honest debate and exchange of ideas and points of view,” Hancock said. “When attacks on basic fairness, on justice, on freedoms for women, our LGBTQ neighbors and others are used as blunt force objects, when differences are weaponized to pit us against one another, the very foundations of our country’s great experiment and democracy are under threat.”

Denver thrives because it rises to meet the challenges it faces, Hancock said, and turns obstacles into opportunities “with an innovative spirit and determination.”

The city is “brimming with opportunity, partnerships and collaborations,” he said. 

He also expressed his hope for the next administration, saying he is rooting for his friend, Johnston, and his team.

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“I have full confidence that mayor-elect Mike Johnston will achieve great things with all of us for our beloved city,” Hancock said. “When the mayor is successful, Denver thrives.”

As Hancock closed out his speech, he emphasized the importance of the right to vote and urged his city’s residents to remember their votes matter. 

“We must never allow ourselves to think that our vote doesn’t matter, because it matters most of all,” Hancock said.

Hancock’s successor, Johnston, will take office on Monday. Johnston won the Denver mayoral runoff election on June 6, beating opposing candidate Kelly Brough.