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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem IV-B Consent Agenda PR Update 3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200 TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board FROM: Yvette Bowden, Director, Parks and Recreation Department Ali Rhodes, Deputy Director Jeff Haley, Planning, Design and Community Engagement Manager SUBJECT: Consent Agenda DATE: June 26, 2017 A. Approval of Minutes from May 22, 2017 B. Parks and Recreation Development Update The following information is intended to provide the PRAB with relevant updates on specific projects as they reach major milestones. This section is not all inclusive of all current projects and only illustrates major project updates. For a complete list of all current projects and details, please visit www.BoulderParkNews.org. Planning and Design The following projects are currently in the planning and design process that involves research, alternatives analysis, public involvement and development of planning documents and design plans to guide decision making and future capital improvements.  Boulder Reservoir South Shore Site Management Plan: The planning process begins this month and includes a significant public engagement effort as well as PRAB engagement. Efforts begin with staff interviews followed by meetings with reservoir camps, clubs and vendors on July 5th, a public open house on July 18th and a second public open house to be held at the reservoir on July 23rd. Staff will update the PRAB on results of stakeholder engagement efforts at the August 28 meeting and will be seeking PRAB comment and feedback at that time. The overall approach to the project was born from the Boulder Reservoir Master Plan (BRMP) hat outlined a set of goals and objectives intended to achieve a vision for the future of the Boulder Reservoir that states: “Recognizing that the Boulder Reservoir is first and foremost a source of clean water and valuable natural resources, the community envisions a Reservoir where high quality and appropriate recreation activities are managed and sustained in a manner consistent with preserving and enhancing the environment.” Among many objectives, the BRMP sets forth an objective to develop a Site Management Plan for the South Shore area to address programmatic opportunities, operation and management thresholds, sustainable business model(s), vehicle and trail access and future capital improvements. The process will include: 3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200 1. Developing a Site Plan  Incorporate public, staff and stakeholder engagement findings;  Identify existing site infrastructure suitable for re-use or continued use;  Develop and illustrate proposed locations of site design and program elements;  Incorporate and seamlessly integrate with current planning efforts for the new Visitor Services Center; and  Promote visitor safety. 2. Promoting a Sustainable Business Model  Support multiple-user, multiple season use of the facility;  Identify staff resources needed to support current and expanded services; and  Include opportunities for public/private partnerships to offset development and operational costs. 3. Promoting Sustainable Development  Protect water quality and minimize water pollutant sources;  Support the City of Boulder’s sustainability goals;  Address city criteria for sustainability in the planning process;  Incorporate sustainable development practices; and  Protect sensitive wildlife and plant species and habitat. 4. Incorporating Public Engagement  Actively engage the public, staff user groups, stakeholders and policy makers in the planning process;  Recognize that the Boulder Reservoir is owned, operated and managed by a variety of public and private entities; and  Garner broad community involvement and support in the planning process.  Chautauqua Pedestrian Safety Access and Lighting Improvements: Construction is complete on the 2014 voter-approved Community, Culture and Safety Tax funded Chautauqua Project to address the safety hazard caused by the lack of sidewalk on the south side of Baseline Road from west of Sixth Street to west of 10th Street. The project scope included building a sidewalk on the south side of Baseline Road between 6th and 10th streets, improving pedestrian crossings within the project area, reconstructing the transit stop near 10th Street (also known as King’s Gate) to be ADA compliant and improving pedestrian connections to Open Space and Mountain Parks-designated access trails and existing department paths. Pedestrian lighting along key park access points is scheduled for the second phase of the project, currently anticipated to occur in 2018. A completion celebration that included a Meadow Music event, was held at the park on June 5th.  Scott Carpenter Outdoor Pool Redevelopment: BPR selected Essenza Architecture as consultant to prepare design and construction drawings for the Scott Carpenter Outdoor Pool Redevelopment project. Essenza completed the concept plan for Scott Carpenter that was approved in January 2017. Over the next several months, staff will work with Essenza to develop design drawings. The PRAB will be updated as the plans progress. 3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200  Planning Projects Underway: Staff or contractors continue to work on the following projects and will update the PRAB as major milestones are achieved: o Asset Management Plan; o Boulder Junction Park; o Boulder Reservoir Visitor Services Center Design Development; o Lighting Ordinance Compliance Assessment; o Parks Planning, Construction, Operations and Maintenance Manual; and o Urban Forest Strategic Plan. Construction The following projects are scheduled for construction, under construction or have been recently completed. For additional details please visit www.BoulderParkNews.org.  Arapahoe Ridge Park Renovation: Construction of Arapahoe Ridge Park is underway. Arapahoe Ridge is the first of three neighborhood parks scheduled for renovation in 2017. Demolition of the playground and shade shelter walls began the second week of June and will continue through the end of the month.  Christensen Park: Construction of Christensen Park nature play and traditional playground is complete. The nature play features were inspired by the 2015 Nature Play Symposium hosted by the department. A summary of the symposium can be found online. Community members have been invited to join staff for a re-opening celebration on June 29th for light refreshments, youth activities and a drawing for recreations center or pool passes.  Civic Area Park: Construction activities in the Civic Area continue to progress on schedule with completion anticipated in December 2017. A significant schedule milestone was completed the week of June 12 with the successful relocation of a major utility line. This relocation involved the shut-down of power to the Municipal Building on Friday, June 16 and restoration on Saturday, June 17. This relocation will allow for the construction of a second access point to Boulder Creek. Upcoming work items and milestones include: o Installation of nature inspired playground equipment and water play features; o Excavation of the creek terrace under the new bridge; o Final connections to the Boulder Creek Path; and o Landscaping and irrigation work on the north side of creek. Significant changes to circulation north of Boulder Creek can be expected in July. These changes will be communicated through the Civic Area website, internal communications, and external communications, as necessary. 3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200 Summer activities at the site include: o Free Nature Play programming for children Monday/Wednesdays 9-11 a.m.; o Bandshell Boogie, Mondays 7:30-9:00p.m., June 12, 19, 26 and July 17, 24, 31; o Boulder Farmers Market, Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings; o Boulder Art and Jazz Festival July 1-2; o Summer Fest, July 29; o Hometown Festival, September 2-4; o Bee Boulder Pollinator Festival, September 23; and o The Cult Classic Movie Series, October 3, 10, and 20.  Elks Park Arbor: The artistic wheel house arbor commissioned through a competitive selection process in 2015 is currently being fabricated with installation in Elks Park expected in late summer. The wheel house arbor concept was developed to integrate with new features while preserving the agrarian character of the park by reflecting the forms found in a historic windmill and pump. The artistic arbor is the second of the two functional art installations at Elks Park. The first functional art piece was installed as a mosaic tile wall inside the shelter. Pieces of tile in the mosaic were procured from neighbors and integrated into the artwork.  Tantra Park: Irrigation replacement on the north field at Tantra Park will begin the renovation construction. North field irrigation was scheduled to accommodate upcoming reservation schedules and joint-use for Summit Middle School. Playground renovation and other irrigation replacement in the park are scheduled to begin in early August as the north field irrigation replacement is completed.  Valmont Dog Park: Last fall, two islands within the dog park were reconfigured for user access. Original islands of trees and native shrubs were inaccessible to users for vegetation establishment. The reconfigured islands were opened to users with additional sod, new irrigation and tree replacements, where needed. Due to a high level of popularity with the users, this summer, three more islands will be reconfigured for user access.  Construction Projects Underway: Staff or contractors continue to work on the following projects and will update the PRAB as major milestones are achieved: o Holiday Park Shade Shelter; o Howard Heuston Park; and o North Boulder Recreation Center Aquatics Facility Renovations. Forestry and Natural Lands Management The following projects, focused on habitat and wildlife management in an urban environment, are currently being managed by the Urban Resources staff:  Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Staff continues to participate in the city-wide West Nile Virus and Nuisance Mosquito Management programs that met recently to discuss program changes. There are multiple sites that have not bred nuisance nor vector mosquitoes in over a decade. Sites visits to these nine parks and recreation sites and 80 to determine suitability for continued inclusion in the monitoring program will be conducted 3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200 by staff. Any reduction to the number of sites included in the monitoring program, will result ia cost savings. Field staff Field staff continue to monitor and control for State regulated noxious weed control, however, new species and new areas are continually added to the mandated eradication list requiring additional monitoring and eradicating hours. As of June 16th, over 200 hours have been spent in the field controlling just the A-list species such as myrtle spurge, Mediterranean sage and Dyer’s woad. This does not include education, planning or B-list eradication mandated species. The Goat Extravaganza with its innovative programs for weed control, educational opportunities to learn about and meet the goats and the yoga practice was a great success. During the staff debrief of the program, additional opportunities were discussed for 2017 and beyond. The next opportunity is a Meet and Bleat (no yoga) from 5-7 p.m. on June 22nd at Christensen Park. Urban Wildlife Management: The City Manager’s Office recently accepted all six 2017 staff recommendations from the Prairie Dog Working Group (PDWG): 1. Create guidelines and criteria for prioritizing relocation/take sites on both public and private land; 2. Create guidelines and criteria for prioritizing receiving sites on public lands within existing plans and develop recommendations for making receiving sites more feasible; 3. On approved receiving sites, ensure that the number of prairie dogs to be relocated have adequate accommodations; 4. Define successful prairie dog relocation, including evaluation criteria and processes; 5. Develop a research proposal for the use of the sylvatic plague vaccine on the southern grasslands in 2018 and beyond; and 6. Create a subgroup to work with staff to further develop the above recommendations. Staff will proceed with implementing the 2017 recommendations in a collaborative manner, and will either report out further at a City Council Study Session tentatively scheduled for September 26, 2017 or alternatively at a later date after the working group has learned from the 2017 efforts and had a chance to make longer-term plan and policy recommendations. The final IP packet can be found at https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/prairie-dog-working-group. 3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200  Emerald Ash Borer Management: The Colorado Emerald Ash Borer Response Team (EAB Team) is a multi-agency group formed after the discovery of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Boulder and allowed all affected agencies to share communication while developing mitigation and management strategies and outreach materials for EAB in Colorado. Agencies participating in the EAB Team include: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), City of Boulder, Boulder County, University of Colorado (CU), Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), and Colorado State University (CSU). The CO EAB Team and City of Boulder Forestry Division are hosting four free EAB van tours in mid-August in the City of Boulder. The tours are geared towards city officials, municipal foresters and tree care professionals from Boulder and nearby communities. The tours will visit infested sites around the city to give attendees experience diagnosing EAB in the field by learning to assess symptomatic trees. Management considerations, biology and regulation will also be discussed. The tours are free but space is limited and reservations are required.  Forestry and Natural Lands Projects Underway: Staff or contractors continue to work on the following projects and will update the PRAB as major milestones are achieved: o Regulations and Seasonal Wildlife Closures (Species of Concern); and o Natural Lands Volunteer Recruitment and Training. C. Operations Update Boulder Creek Festival Update: The 30th annual Boulder Creek Festival, presented by the City of Boulder and produced by Boulder Creek Events (BCE), included a transformed footprint to accommodate construction in the Civic Area. This year's festival encompassed the area between Broadway to 14th Street, Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue, the Arapahoe library parking lot, and the Boulder High School soccer fields. Despite the footprint change, the 2017 festival featured three stages of music, a carnival area, an artisan tent, food, two beer gardens and numerous vendor and non-profit booths. BCE worked with city staff to implement a zero-waste plan and promote multi-modal transportation. Additional information on event metrics and diversion will be shared with thePRAB at future meetings. The event’s footprint will continue to transform as construction advances and BCE will produce the event again in 2018.  Sugary Sweetened Beverage Distribution Tax Update (SSBDT): Following the update on the SSBDT provided to the PRAB at the April business meeting, staff issued an invitation for Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to fund existing 501(c)(3) nonprofit agencies, educational or governmental entities which have the express purpose of promoting health and preventing diseases associated with sugary drink consumption. RFPs were due June 23rd and requested funds to support or enhance existing programs with the 2017 revenues from the SSBDT. 3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200 The city also invited community members to apply for membership on the Health Equity Advisory Committee (HEAC). The HEAC’s intent is to ensure tax fund expenditures align with the intention of Ballot Issue 2H and to make funding recommendations to the City Manager. The seven-member panel will meet beginning at the end of June to review 2017 RFPs, assist with the identification and prioritization of success measures for SSBDT funding and provide input on effective outreach strategies to reach residents most affected by chronic disease and lack of access to health services. Funding recommendations will be shared with City Council in an Information Packet (IP) in early August.  Silver and Fit Update: To increase resident access to wellness opportunities, the department will enter an agreement with the ‘Silver & Fit’ division of American Specialty Health, that provides fitness center access to older adults on eligible insurance plans. The agreement is intended to act as a complement to the existing discounted senior entry rates to recreation centers and ‘Silver Sneakers’ program. This addition leverages existing services oriented towards older adults and provides a broader range of eligible insurance plans. Silver & Fit access will be integrated directly into the Active.net platform and is on track for implementation at the start of the fall 2017 season.  Boulder Reservoir’s Star Spangled Splash: Beginning in 1955, many generations of Boulder residents have enjoyed spending their July 4th at the Boulder Reservoir. This year, on Tuesday, July 4, the reservoir will open for self-directed sunrise meditation and early morning yoga. At 8:00 a.m., community members are invited to run the Craig Tower Freedom 5k and 10k. The swim beach and a beer garden will open from 10:00a.m and wills serve beverages until 4:00 p.m. Standard admission fees apply for this event.