08.23.2021 PRAB PacketPARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
Virtual Meeting
6:00 p.m., August 23, 2021
100 Years of Excellence
Boulder Parks & Recreation
Advisory Board Members 2021
Raj Seymour (Chair)
Pamela Yugar (Vice Chair)
Charles Brock
Elliott Hood
Mary Scott
Jason Unger
Tara Winer
Mission Statement
BPRD will promote the health and well-
being of the entire Boulder community
by collaboratively providing high- quality
parks, facilities and programs.
Vision Statement
We envision a community where every
member’s health and well- being is
founded on unparalleled parks, facilities
and programs.
Goals of the Master Plan
1. Community Health and Wellness
2. Taking Care of What We Have
3. Financial Sustainability
4. Building Community
5. Youth Engagement
6. Organizational Readiness
For more information on BPRD Master
Plan visit the City of Boulder web site
at: https://bouldercolorado.gov/pages/
parks-recreation-master-plan
AGENDA
All agenda times are approximate
/͘ APPROVAL OF AGENDA (2 minutes)
//͘ FUTURE BOARD ITEMS AND TOURS (2 minutes)
///͘ PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (15 - 30 minutes)
This portion of the meeting is for members of the public to communicate ideas or concerns to the Board
regarding parks and recreation issues for which a public hearing is not scheduled later in the meeting (this
includes consent agenda). The public is encouraged to comment on the need for parks and recreation programs
and facilities as they perceive them. All speakers are limited to three minutes. Depending on the nature of your
matter, you may or may not receive a response from the Board after you deliver your comments. The Board is
always listening to and appreciative of community feedback.
A.Greenways Advisory Committee (GAC) Updates (10 minutes)
B.PRAB Meeting Dates: Retreat, November and December Meetings (5min)
C.Remote Meetings Updates (2 minutes)
D.PRAB Retreat Planning (10 minutes)
E.PRAB Community Engagement Updates (verbal) (10 minutes)
This portion of the meeting is for members of the board to report on PRAB’s annual work plan goal of each
member: attending two or more parks and recreation-related community activities per month; promoting
parks and recreation through social media; attending site tours; and supporting the department’s partnership
initiatives.
VII͘ NEXT BOARD MEETING: 6:00 p.m., Sep. 27, 2021
VIII.ADJOURN
Is. CONSENT AGENDA (5 minutes)
A.Approval of Minutes from June 28, 2021
B. Approval of Minutes from July 12, 2021
C. Approval of Minutes from July 16, 2021 Special Meeting
D. Parks and Recreation Development and Operations Update
V. MATTERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT
A. Flatirons Golf Course Facility Update (15 minutes)
B. Master Plan Update (15 minutes)
VI͘ MATTERS FROM BOARD MEMBERS
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PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
FUTURE BOARD ITEMS
UPDATED: August 18, 2021
AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER PRAB August 23:
•Flatirons Golf Course
Facility Update (md)
•Master Plan Update (md)
•Greenways Advisory
Committee Updates (mb)
•PRAB Meeting Dates:
Retreat, November and
December (mb)
•Remote Meetings Update
(mb)
•PRAB Retreat Planning
(mb)
•PRAB Community
Engagement (mb)
September 27:
•Reservoir Annual
After-Action Review
Process Overview
(md)
•Historic Places Plan
Update (md)
•2022 Budget Update
(md)
•2021 Financial and
Metric Review (d/i)
•GAC meeting follow-
up (mb)
•PRAB Meeting
Format (mb)
•PRAB Retreat
Agenda Review (mb)
•PRAB Community
Engagement (mb)
October 25:
•Reservoir Annual After
Action Review (d/i)
•Howard Heuston update
(md)
•PRAB Retreat
Agenda (mb)
•Guidance for Annual
Letter to Council (mb)
•PRAB Community
Engagement (mb)
November 22:
•Approved 2022 Budget
(md)
•PRAB Recruitment
(mb)
•PRAB Retreat Follow
Up – Letter to Council
(mb)
•PRAB Community
Engagement (mb)Department Events and Items of Interest •August 14-22: NBRC
annual shutdown
•August 28-September 6:
EBCC annual shutdown
•Master Plan Engagement:
Details online
•September 6: Labor Day
–City Administrative
Offices Closed
•Starting September 7:
Swim Area at Reservoir
Closed, Leisure Area at
Scott Carpenter Closed
•Date TBD: PRAB
Retreat
AGENDA SETTING
The PRAB Chair, PRAB Vice Chair and BPR staff set the agenda for the next month on the Thursday directly following the regular PRAB
meeting. PRAB members can submit agenda requests to the Chair and Vice Chair by Wednesday following the PRAB regular meeting for
consideration. If time-sensitive matters arise, PRAB Chair and Vice Chair may amend the agenda as needed.
LEGEND
Action Item (a): A public hearing item to be voted on by the Board (public comment period provided).
Procedural Item: (p): An item requiring procedural attention.
Consent Item (c): An item provided in written form for consent, not discussion by the Board; any consent item may be called up by any Board
member for discussion following the consent agenda.
Discussion/Information Item(d/i): An item likely to be a future action item (or council item) and/or that benefits from an in-depth discussion.
Matters from the Department (md): Items that will be reviewed and discussed during the meeting but not requiring as much in-depth analysis.
Matters from the Board (mb): Items initiated by the Board that will be reviewed and discussed during the meeting but not requiring as much in-
depth analysis.
City Council Item (cc)
Other Boards and Commissions (obc)
Community Engagement and/or Events (e)
Holiday/Closure (h/c)
Italics indicate a tentative date or plan.
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TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
FROM: Ali Rhodes, Director, Parks and Recreation Department
Jeff Haley, Planning and Ecological Services Manager
Bryan Beary, Community Building and Partnerships Manager
Jackson Hite, Business Services Manager
Megann Lohman, Recreation Manager
Stephanie Munro, Regional Facilities Manager
Dennis Warrington, Urban Parks Manager
SUBJECT: Consent Agenda
DATE: August 23, 2021
A. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes June 28, 2021
B. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes July 12, 2021
C. Approval of Special Meeting Minutes July 16, 2021
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CITY OF BOULDER
BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
To listen to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meetings in their entirety, please go to the
following link: www.boulderparks-rec.org
Name of Board/Commission: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Date of Meeting: June 28, 2021
Contact Information Preparing Summary: Charlotte O’Donnell, Phone Number: 303-413-
7223
Board Members Present: Charles Brock, Elliott Hood, Mary Scott, Raj Seymour, Tara
Winer, Jason Unger, Pamela Yugar (arrived 8:00 p.m.)
Board Members Absent:
Staff Present: Ali Rhodes, Dennis Warrington, Jeff Haley, Bryan Beary, Stephanie Munro,
Jackson Hite, Megann Lohman, Stacie Hoffman, Charlotte O’Donnell, Chris Passarelli, Tim
Duda, Jonathan Thornton, Tina Briggs
Guests Present: Paul Sutter, Phoebe Young, Kimberley Jackson
Type of Meeting: Advisory/Regular
Agenda Item 1: Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. A quorum was present for the conduct of
business.
Motion to amend the agenda to add Governance Training Follow-up under Matters from the
Board. Motion by Scott. Second by Seymour. The motion passed 6-0.
Agenda Item 2: Public Participation
There being no one who wanted to speak, public participation was closed.
Agenda Item 3: Future Board Items and Tours
Rhodes reviewed upcoming agenda items for PRAB.
Agenda Item 4: Consent Agenda
A) Approval of Minutes from May 24
Motion to approve the minutes from May 24, 2021 as presented. Motion by Hood. Second by
Brock. The motion passed 6-0.
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B) Development and Operations Update
Tina shared a request to share virtual Master Plan Engagement, open until July 12. The Board
had the following questions and/or comments.
• Why were only two elective vehicle (EV) charging stations planned for the renovated
golf course parking lot?
• Is there consideration for even more conduits based on anticipated EV growth? Would
this to add them now rather than re-do the lot later?
• Will there be a set up for a drive-in movie at the renovated golf course?
• Have BPR analyzed where errant golf balls may go and considered this risk in the
planned design?
• Thanks for great celebrations of the renovated facilities. Nice to meet everyone in
person.
• At the celebration, the Reservoir restaurant served ice cream which came in sytrofoam
cups. Is this something that can be changed in the future to be more in line with waste
and environmental policies?
• How is lifeguard cap acity and training?
• Enjoyed the neighborhood meeting at Howard Heuston Park. Based on the feedback
from the neighbors, is BPR changing the position of the skatepark? Impressed with
staff and their flexibility to work with the neighborhood and make that change.
• Will the skatepark at Howard Heuston now have a fence around it?
Agenda Item 5: items for Actions
A. Studio Arts Lease
This item was presented by Beary. There being no one who wanted to speak, the public
hearing was closed. The Board had the following questions and/or comments:
• Has staff received any negative feedback from the community about this lease?
• If this facility is not being used by the lessee, are other groups are able to use this
facility?
Motion to approve the Lease and Service Agreement with Studio Arts Boulder for the City of
Boulder’s Pottery Lab between the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation and Studio Arts
Boulder and authorize the City Manager to make minor amendments prior to or during the
term of this agreement in order to ensure that programming is provided in a manner that is
consistent with applicable laws and the policies and regulations of the City of Boulder. Motion
by Scott. Second by Unger. The motion passed 6-0.
B. 2022-2027 CIP 2nd touch
This item was presented by Haley. There being no one who wanted to speak, the public
hearing was closed. The Board had the following questions and/or comments:
• What are the next steps for this CIP after PRAB votes?
• What happens if there are changes or modifications?
Motion to approve the 2022 recommended expenditures from the Permanent Parks and
Recreation Fund. Motion by Brock. Second by Hood. The motion passed 6-0.
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Motion to approve the recommended 2022-2027 Parks and Recreation Department Capital
Improvement Program. Motion by Hood. Second by Unger. The motion passed 6-0.
Agenda Item 6: Matters for Discussion/Information
A. Park Names Research
This item was presented by Rhodes, O’Donnell and Kim Jackson. The Board had the
following questions and/or comments:
• Support for sharing research and exploring renaming especially when considering the
legacy of white settlers in names and the history of the land before white settlements.
• Support for using this as an opportunity to recognize history.
• Support for exploring renaming for more women and Native Americans, especially in
cases where the current names do not have historical ties to Boulder.
• Support for an in-depth process to engage kids, neighborhoods and other groups in
renaming.
• Support for this opportunity to engage the public in a transparent and open process.
Suggestion of soliciting names from the community.
• Support for adding interpretation and placards at the sites which include information
about the naming process.
• Would it be possible to see more of the research conducted by CU?
• A few examples of interpretation to consider replicating are the history presented at a
bus stop in North Boulder and the history of Boulder waterways included on a concrete
sidewalk with a map detail.
• Does Staff plan to reach out to new organizations about this project?
• Support for continuing work with community, exploring renaming, and looking to
integrate an equity strategy. Support for continuing to involve CU and students.
• Could this be an example process for how to integrate equity goals?
• Support for continuing to think carefully about values that the community wants
reflected in the park names and using that as guidance. Support for creating a value-
forward process to look at all the names.
Agenda Item 7: Matters from the Department
This item was presented by Hoffman. The Board had the following questions and/or
comments:
• What do you attribute the rise in use of recreation centers in the latest months to?
• Is BPR’s reserve funds a total of $500K or is that just the amount that BPR would
consider spending in this case?
• Have other departments experienced the same level of cuts?
• What can be done to make sure budget cuts do not impact the equity of service
delivery?
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Agenda Item 8: Matters from the Board
A. Board and Commission Governance Training Follow-up
Seymour presented several suggestions from the training to implement at PRAB
meetings. Board members had the following questions and comments:
• Does PRAB have a plan for responding to disruptive comments?
• Can the PRAB chair mute someone in a virtual meeting?
• Is there any update on the option of returning to in-person or hybrid meetings?
• Would PRAB be open to discussing these subjects at a future meeting?
• Could PRAB talk about these subjects at the retreat?
B. PRAB Community Engagement Updates
• Seymour, Hood, Winer, Brock and Unger attended the celebrations at the Visitor
Service Center at the Reservoir and Scott Carpenter Pool.
• Scott attended the master plan opening house and appreciated the activities and chance
to reflect on her own personal priorities for parks and recreation.
• Scott worked with Yugar on a training for PLAY.
• Winer visited the Chautauqua playground and thanked staff for the thoughtful design
which is serving as a meeting place for kids and adults.
• Seymour and Winer attended the Howard Heuston neighborhood meeting.
• Brock requested more information about the North Boulder park renovation
Agenda Item 9: The next PRAB meeting will be held Monday, July 12, 6:00 p.m. virtually
(via video conference).
Agenda Item 10: Adjourn: There being no further business to come before PRAB at this
time, the meeting was adjourned at 9:08 p.m. Motion by Seymour. Second by Winer. The
motion passed 7-0.
Approved by: Attested:
_______________________ _________________________
Raj Seymour Charlotte O’Donnell
Board Member Administrative Specialist
Date _____________________ Date ____________________
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CITY OF BOULDER
BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
To listen to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meetings in their entirety, please go to the
following link: www.boulderparks-rec.org
Name of Board/Commission: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Date of Meeting: July 12, 2021
Contact Information Preparing Summary: Charlotte O’Donnell, Phone: 303-413-7223
Board Members Present: Charles Brock, Elliott Hood, Mary Scott, Raj Seymour, Tara
Winer, Jason Unger, Pamela Yugar
Board Members Absent:
Staff Present: Ali Rhodes, Jeff Haley, Stephanie Munro, Jackson Hite, Charlotte O’Donnell,
Chris Passarelli, Tina Briggs, Morgan Gardener
Guests Present: Becky Zimmerman, Sarah Horn
Type of Meeting: Advisory/Regular
Agenda Item 1: Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. A quorum was present for the conduct of
business.
Motion to amend the agenda to add a discussion item about the Reservoir Driftwind Special
Events under Matters from the Board. Motion by Seymour. Second by Yugar. The motion
passed 7-0.
Motion to approve the agenda as amended. Motion by Hood. Second by Brock. The motion
passed 7-0.
Agenda Item 2: Public Participation
There being no one who wanted to speak, public participation was closed.
Agenda Item 3: Future Board Items and Tours
Rhodes reviewed upcoming agenda items for PRAB. The Board had the following questions
and/or comments:
•Is it possible to see the PRAB packets as separate documents through the new website?
•Can PRAB discuss rescheduling the November and December meeting dates if
desired?
Agenda Item 5: Items for Discussion/Information
A.Preparation for Council Study Session: Master Plan Needs Assessment
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This item was presented by Elsner and Haley. The Board had the following questions and/or
comments:
• Acceptable to lower LOS by projections presented. Would like to see equity of park
distribution, proximity and amenities key metrics rather than overall area of parkland
per capita.
• To respond to increased needs and use of parks and facilities, PRAB agrees with the
recommendations of planning and potentially constructing future phases at existing
parks, repurposing existing sites to include more or different amenities which ensure
their resiliency and purchasing additional land for parks.
• They also recommended continuing to partner with private organizations to develop
programs or allow access to private facilities. Several members opposed investing
public money to develop any private facilities.
• PRAB asked for more details about what caused community members to feel unsafe in
the parks.
• To address financial barriers to programming, PRAB members recommended looking
at federal subsidies and other grant opportunities.
• PRAB members supported shifting recreation center programming to facility-based
management in order to support 15-minute neighborhood models but were concerned
that more affluent areas could receive more resources and therefore further inequities.
• PRAB supported continued focus on “Taking Care of What we Have” and potentially
looking to decrease the backlog of maintenance even more.
• To meet requests for additional programs and facilities, PRAB suggested partnering
with other organizations and staying responsive to community input and changing
demographics. For example, more warm water pools could be needed as the senior
demographic grows.
• PRAB supported prioritization of key ecosystem services, energy efficiency in
facilities and natural lands management given the climate emergency. PRAB
recommended collecting data on transportation and facility use as well.
• Since funding levels are projected to remain flat while costs increase, PRAB
recommended the following to increase revenues: ask council to implement a tourist
fee, review financial aid subsidies and consider moving to a sliding scale fee structure,
find alternative sources of funding such as events , larger donations, sponsorships and
requests for small donations as people pay for entry, add high-fee programs or facilities
to subsidize other areas or adjust fees modestly for some programs.
• To reduce costs, PRAB recommended evaluating attendance of different services to
identify potential reductions and scaling back facilities to reduce capital spending.
• To fund climate goals, PRAB recommended including facility enhancements as part of
the CIP process, exploring possible fundraising, encouraging citywide action, tracking
data on EV’s and offering rewards for alternative transportation or charging parking
fees.
• Given a decrease in support from surveyed residents, PRAB requested further council
guidance on the potential to change fee status of those who work in Boulder from
resident to non-resident.
• PRAB supported engaging youth to determine priority amenities for renovated parks
and facilities including unique exercise features, areas for socializing and programming
for mental health support.
9
• In support of partnerships, PRAB members showed interest in hiring staff to pursue
grants and partnerships and finding new and better ways to partner with the school
district and others including regular meetings for collaboration.
• On the topic of organizational readiness, PRAB members expressed concern that
employees cannot afford to live in the city.
Agenda Item 6: Matters from the Board
A. Discussion of Reservoir Driftwind Special Events
Seymour presented brief context for this item. Board members had the following
questions and comments:
• Who are the plaintiffs and defendants in the case?
• Since staff and PRAB will not address the substance of the lawsuit tonight, what were
the specific troubling behaviors by some neighbors which caused cancellation of the
non-profit events?
• Suggest PRAB write a letter or approve a resolution focused on protecting public
access.
• For a letter or resolution from PRAB, recommendation to include the 2017 planning
process which supports the goals of BPR, objection to current events and support for
staff in recent work with the neighbors on this topic.
• What is the difference between a resolution or a letter? Can the City Attorney review
the statement before it is finalized?
• Hood and Yugar volunteered to draft the letter or resolution.
• Suggested including that PRAB supports civil discourse and the mission of BPR.
• PRAB would need to meet to approve the resolution on Thursday, July 15 or Friday,
July 16.
• Suggested including details about the public process which led to the creation of a
restaurant and support for licensed liquor consumption.
• Will council discuss this resolution at an upcoming meeting?
• PRAB supports access to this facility in a safe and responsible manner.
• Suggested including that this amenity is desired by the community as expressed
through the planning process.
• Would it be appropriate to mention the alterations in operations that BPR offered this
summer?
• PRAB will on Friday to discuss and vote on the final resolution. The time will be
determined by a online poll of PRAB members and noticed to the public as required. A
draft resolution will be provided later this week and posted online beforehand.
B. Board and Commission Governance Training Follow-up
PRAB agreed to move this discuss to the meeting next month.
C. PRAB Community Engagement Updates
PRAB agreed to include July updates in the meeting next month.
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Agenda Item 9: Next PRAB Meeting
PRAB will hold a special meeting to discuss a Resolution regarding the Reservoir on Friday,
July 16.
The next regular PRAB meeting will be held Monday, August 23, 6:00 p.m. virtually (via
video conference).
Agenda Item 10: Adjourn: There being no further business to come before PRAB at this
time, the meeting was adjourned at 9:03 p.m. Motion by Yugar. Second by Unger. The motion
passed 7-0.
Approved by: Attested:
_______________________ _________________________
Raj Seymour Charlotte O’Donnell
Board Member Administrative Specialist
Date _____________________ Date ____________________
11
CITY OF BOULDER
BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
To listen to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meetings in their entirety, please go to the
following link: www.boulderparks-rec.org
Name of Board/Commission: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Date of Meeting: July 16, 2021
Contact Information Preparing Summary: Charlotte O’Donnell, Phone: 303-413-7223
Board Members Present: Charles Brock, Elliott Hood, Mary Scott, Raj Seymour, Tara
Winer, Jason Unger, Pamela Yugar
Board Members Absent:
Staff Present: Ali Rhodes, Dennis Warrington, Stephanie Munro, Jackson Hite, Charlotte
O’Donnell, Jonathan Thornton
Guests Present:
Type of Meeting: Advisory/Special
Agenda Item 1: Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 11:00 a.m. A quorum was present for the conduct of
business.
Motion to approve the agenda. Motion by Winer. Second by Hood.
Brock reported issues accessing materials online, so materials were resent via email.
The motion passed 7-0.
Agenda Item 6: Items for Action
A. A Resolution Concerning Recent Events Related to the Boulder Reservoir
Hood presented the resolution. Board members had the following questions and
comments:
• Concern that some community members did not feel heard during this process or other
processes. How can PRAB ensure that there is due process and that the concerns of
community members are responded to?
• The resolution includes details of the process which occurred and how responses were
handled.
• Staff often engage in community outreach and do not get very many responses.
• Disappointment that there will not be a pilot program for these events at the restaurant
this summer to see how they could work.
• The resolution is intended to be narrow in scope. It is a statement in support of the
general direction, goals and vision of the new facility. It is also a statement of support
for staff who engaged in good-faith outreach efforts. Finally, it is a disapproval of
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alleged actions and an encouragement for community members to engage in civil and
pragmatic dialogue which can continue through the many channels available to the
public.
Motion to approve A Resolution Concerning Recent Events Related to the Boulder Reservoir.
Motion by Unger. Second by Brock. The motion passed 7-0.
Agenda Item 9: The next PRAB meeting will be held Monday, August 23, 6:00 p.m. virtually
(via video conference).
Agenda Item 10: Adjourn: There being no further business to come before PRAB at this
time, the meeting was adjourned at 11:23 a.m. Motion by Yugar. Second by Scott. The motion
passed 7-0.
Approved by: Attested:
_______________________ _________________________
Raj Seymour Charlotte O’Donnell
Board Member Administrative Specialist
Date _____________________ Date ____________________
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Consent Agenda August 23, 2022 (continued)
D. 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.
• Facilities Master Plan: The city’s Facilities Department manages most all the facilities
that support staff in delivering services to the community. While this is a separate
department than Parks and Recreation, many of the facilities within BPR are managed by
this team. Like BPR’s current master plan process, the Facilities Department is
concurrently developing a master plan to support the long-term management of the city’s
facilities. Recently, a study session with City Council allowed staff to present t findings
from the planning process and engage City Council in discussion about the outcomes.
• Historic Places Plan (HiPP): The formerly titled Multiple Resource Preservation Plan
(MRPP) was re-branded in the second quarter of 2021 as the Historic Places Plan (HiPP)
to better communicate with a broad range of audiences. Following this, staff and
consultants (led by consultant team Mundus Bishop) completed phases two and three of
this History Colorado, State Historical Fund (HC-SHF) grant funded project, with full
drafts of condition and historical assessments for the majority of BPR’s cultural and
historical resources. The final assessments will guide the department’s decision making
for ongoing maintenance and CIP enhancements.
Public participation began for engagement window one in April of 2021. This first
window included the HiPP in feedback-related surveys as part of the first Master Plan
(MP) Update Open House on June 24, with additional data derived from a HiPP-specific
survey question as part of the MP Update online engagement. The goal of this level of
engagement was to understand the community’s values that should be considered as staff
look to improvements for the historic facilities similar to the criteria that were initially
utilized during the Harbeck-Bergheim public process and will help define additional
feedback community goals for BPR’s historic and cultural properties.
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In July, engagement window two kicked off with targeted stakeholder meetings,
comprised of a small group of six community members with technical expertise in local
history, parks, architecture, and more. Five stakeholder meetings will be held throughout
the remainder of the year.
Engagement window two aligns with kick off phase four where HiPP consultants and
staff will draft treatment recommendations, implementation and outreach planning, as
well as prioritization and funding matrixes. Staff will present additional information to
PRAB during next month’s meeting including a presentation and discussion.
• Boulder Creek Management Plan: Staff are preparing to kick off a process to develop a
comprehensive management plan for the Boulder Creek corridor throughout the city that
will achieve goals associated with managing and mitigating impacts of high visitation and
unintended use, improving infrastructure and facilities for recreation and maintaining the
ecological value along the natural stream corridor. This process will be closely aligned
with a variety of other work occurring within many different departments including
Opens Space and Mountain Parks, Police, Public Works, Climate Initiatives and Human
Services as it relates to many citywide goals such as creating safe and welcoming spaces,
responsible recreation, climate goals and ecosystem management, water quality
assessment and stormwater management. The current schedule for the project is for an
official kick-off in the fourth quarter of 2021 with selection of a consultant team and
formalizing a multi-departmental staff team, background research and data collection and
community engagement into early 2022. By the spring of 2022, staff anticipate initial
phase of developing management strategies and recommendations that could begin to be
incorporated during the busy summer season of 2022. The other aspects of the plan
related to intended infrastructure upgrades and corridor improvements will be
programmed into the appropriate capital budgets as available. A key opportunity for this
project is that this work could be funded through the potential renewal of the capital tax
that has been discussed by City Council in the recent months. This potential funding
would allow for many of the initial high-priority strategies to be implemented.
• North Boulder Park Shelter and Playground Renovation: Funding has been identified
within the 2021 capital budget to renovate two key assets within North Boulder Park - the
shelter and play equipment. The goals of the project are to renovate and enhance the
restrooms within the existing shelter to be open year-round and eliminate the need for a
port-a-let in the colder months. Other general upgrades will be made to the shelter as
needed including painting, new tables, lighting, etc. Another key component of the
project is to replace the existing playground equipment that has reached the end of its life
and is obsolete where replacement parts cannot be easily sourced. The goal is to keep the
existing footprint of the play area the same, while replacing the equipment within the
play area. During the more detailed scoping and neighborhood involvement phase, staff
will explore the option of removing the existing exercise equipment as well. Finally, staff
will also be exploring the future plans for the Alpine Balsam site to understand if any
15
minor updates to the south end of the park are warranted or planned to include access
crossings and connections. Staff plan to kick off this project by October with initial
design and neighborhood involvement, followed by construction throughout the winter
and spring of 2022 with an expected completion date of early summer 2022.
• Planning Projects Underway: Staff or contractors continue to work on the following
projects and will update the PRAB as major milestones are achieved:
o Flatirons Golf Course Facility Design Project (see Matters from the Dept.)
o Master Plan Update (see Matters from the Dept.)
Construction
The following projects are scheduled for construction, under construction or have been recently
completed. For additional details please visit www.BoulderParkNews.org.
• East Boulder Community Park Restroom: A new, year-round restroom facility is
being constructed at East Boulder Community Park. A restroom was originally planned
as part of the 2009 Master Plan for the park, but due to limited funding, was not included
in the major 2010-2011 project that included the construction of the multi-use, synthetic
turf athletic fields and dog park.
The new restroom will provide much needed services for athletic field users as well as
users of the tennis and handball courts, dog park, and playground. Other improvements
will include a new shade shelter with tables, a drinking fountain with bottle filling station,
and installation of water hydrants in the small and large dog park.
Utilities servicing the restroom were installed in mid-July. The restroom is a
prefabricated (built off site) building. It is scheduled to be delivered and installed the
week of August 16. After installation, concrete sidewalks will be installed around the
building. A concrete pad will also be installed for a future shade structure. The facility is
expected to be open to the public in September 2021.
• Skate Park and Pump Track – Scott Carpenter Park, Howard Heuston, and
Valmont City Park: The construction of the skate park at Scott Carpenter Park was
completed and opened to the public in May 2021. Work at Valmont City Park and
Howard Heuston was also recently completed.
The addition of the new skate features and the pump track at the parks are supported by
community members and stakeholder groups and will greatly increase the amount of
skateable space in the city for users of all abilities. They will also provide much needed
outdoor, socially distant recreation opportunities and beginner skate features for those
starting to learn. Each of the locations will be accessible to all community members.
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The Parks and Recreation was recently awarded an $18,000 Regional Air Quality
Council (RAQC) grant for the purchase of two electric vehicle charging stations at
Valmont City Park. Providing these stations allows the Parks and Recreation Department
to continue our role in helping the city meet larger climate initiatives and goals.
Valmont City Park – Pump Track: A new beginner level bike pump track is complete. The
10,000 square-foot track is comprised of rolling asphalt trails. Other features can be considered
should future funding opportunities become available.
The pump track will remain closed to allow for growth of seed on the side slopes and
interior areas of the pump track. The track is planned to open in mid-September when
other Valmont improvements are complete.
Valmont City Park – Skate Park: A new 10,000 square-foot skate park has been
completed. The skate park has been designed for users of all skill levels. The design
includes bowls, transition elements, and street features.
While the skate park and pump track are complete, other areas around Valmont City Park
are still under construction. This includes the dog park, the Valmont Road parking lot,
and the area adjacent to the new skate park. Staff is currently developing a plan to open
the dog park, skate park and pump track as soon as possible, in advance of the completion
of the parking lot.
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Other improvements at Valmont include improved bike and walking connections, a new
storm-water quality garden, and addition of new site features such as a drinking fountain /
bottle filling station, new bike racks, etc. Most park improvements are expected to be
complete by mid-September. Irrigation and planting improvements will occur after this
date.
Howard Heuston: Skate spot construction at Howard Heuston is complete. Based on
feedback from the neighborhood at a June 17, 2021, public meeting, the skate spot was
decreased in size and relocated to an area adjacent to the existing basketball court. The
3,500 square foot skate spot is low-impact, transition oriented, and designed for all skill
levels.
While complete, the skate spot area will remain closed for irrigation and turf renovation
and for future installation of a fence. More information on an opening date will be
provided on the Howard Heuston website when contractor schedules are confirmed.
E. Operations Update
The following information is intended to provide the PRAB with relevant updates on specific
BPR services in the parks or facilities. This section is not all inclusive of all current operations
and intends to provide awareness on key accomplishments, new happenings, service
level adjustments or other information impacting operations.
COVID-19
The latest information and results of recovery efforts can be found
at https://bouldercolorado.gov/coronavirus.
• City of Boulder COVID-19 Recovery: As public health orders are lifted at the state and
county levels, the city’s Response and Recovery Team, in partnership with the City
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Attorney’s Office, is assessing remaining city emergency orders to prepare to repeal
those that no longer apply and plan to transition long-term recovery programs and
services to their applicable city departments.
Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) and University of Colorado officials joined
Boulder City Council at the August 17, 2021 business meeting to provide a COVID-19
update. The presentation includes updates on local epidemiology data and the county’s
recommended actions to address the current surge in cases (vaccinations for all and
masking indoors).
• Facility Masking Requirements: On August 9, Boulder County Public Health issued a
public health order requiring facial coverings indoors for all individuals two-years-and-
older in childcare, camps, and PK-12 school settings. Included in these guidelines are
facilities where youth extracurricular activities and sports take place indoors. In line with
this order, the department is currently requiring youth participants in registered
programming such as summer camps and gymnastics to mask when indoors. Staff
facilitating these programs are also required to mask to model behavior for young
participants. BCPH is also strongly recommending masking indoors for all regardless of
vaccination status.
Parks and Recreation and Climate Initiatives Collaboration Update
The Parks and Recreation and Climate Initiatives departmental teams have been working on
several exciting initiatives together. A few of these efforts are profiled below.
• Urban Forestry: The Boulder Urban Forest Strategic Plan (UFSP) recognizes the
enormous environmental, social, economic and health services provided by the city’s
urban tree canopy. The overarching goal of the plan is to maintain or expand the urban
tree canopy. The goal is ambitious given the impacts from both pests and extreme
weather events, but the need for more canopy and shade is critical to buffer the
community from climate change. The city also faces significant cost impacts associated
with the disposal of woody biomass, frequently spending over $50,000/year on this issue.
Urban Tree Canopy
Over the past two years, the Climate Initiatives department has been building a new
climate action focus area around ecosystems. This work started as far back as 2017 with
pilot projects focusing on soil sequestration on city agricultural lands. In 2020, a new
focus area began emerging around the significance of urban forests as both carbon sinks
(living systems capturing and holding carbon) and increasingly around the importance of
urban forests as buffers against a range of intensifying climate change impacts. These
impacts include intensifying heat, increasing flood risks, air quality impacts and other
factors.
In the June 8, 2021 City Council Study Session, Climate Initiatives proposed a target
urban tree canopy of 20% by 2035. Working together, Climate Initiatives and Boulder
Forestry are now developing strategies to engage the community in significantly
increasing the planting of trees in the community and jointly developing new tools and
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strategies to optimize the many ecosystem services that these carbon capturing systems
can create. Climate Initiatives expects to launch a major climate action initiative around
urban trees in 2022.
To increase urban tree canopy requires not only additional tree planting but preservation
of existing trees. The UFSP included three action items regarding tree protection and
preservation:
• Strengthen Boulder Forestry’s role in all city CIP projects to minimize damage to tree
assets and canopy loss.
• Strengthen existing city requirements for trees on public property to increase tree
protection, improve site preparation and strengthen tree species diversity
requirements to maintain the urban tree canopy and increase forest resiliency.
• Strengthen existing and develop new city requirements for private property to
increase tree protection, improve site preparation and strengthen tree species diversity
requirements to maintain the urban tree canopy and increase forest resiliency.
The UFSF technical working group and members of the public expressed support for all
three of these items during public engagement activities during the UFSP process. Such
changes are longer term however and will require extensive targeted public engagement
and updates to existing code and the city Design and Construction Standards. Forestry
staff plans to have a roadmap with more specifics and a timeline for implementation of
UFSP actions developed by year end.
Biochar
Climate Initiatives was also recently awarded a $100,000 grant for its carbon drawdown
and sequestration work - specifically to support Boulder’s bioenergy and biochar project -
in concert with three other climate-leading cities including Minneapolis, MN, Stockholm,
Sweden and Helsinki, Finland. The production of biochar captures carbon from the
atmosphere and locks it into the soil, where it provides nutrients that help trees and plants
grow. It is one of a small set of carbon drawdown and utilization strategies identified by
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as ready to deploy in city efforts
to stabilize the climate.
These four cities will together develop a bioenergy-biochar action strategy focusing on
two key areas: urban forestry and biosolids-to-biochar. Currently, Boulder Forestry
generates more than 1,000 tons of woody biomass "waste", frequently spending over
$50,000/year for grinding and disposal. The initial goal of the project is to capture and
convert this material into biochar, which can then be used in urban forestry expansion
and storm water treatment objectives. The heat emitted in the production of biochar can
also displace natural gas use. This project could benefit Forestry efforts in multiple ways:
reduce the costs of biomass disposal, create access to biochar for potential use in urban
forest plantings in ways that increase tree productivity and survival, and enhance the
ability to capture and store carbon in our urban forest.
Whittled down from a pool of nearly 50 cities, Boulder will develop a full proposal to
compete for two years of funding to support this work. As part of this effort, the Climate
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Initiatives department will collaborate with other city departments, as well as convene a
broad consortium of local partners, including Boulder County and the University of
Colorado Boulder.
• Parks (Turf and Soils)
Just prior to COVID, the Climate Initiatives team began working with the Parks and
Recreation parks managers as well as Rella Abernathy, City Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) Coordinator in the Planning Department, to explore new approaches to turf
management that could enhance both pollinator habitats and carbon sequestration. These
approaches also show great promise for improving water conservation. With the resource
impacts of COVID, these efforts have been temporarily postponed. The city anticipates
beginning to explore pilot projects again in 2022. We hope to locate some of these pilot
projects adjacent to schoolyards so that they could also be used as educational resources.
• Greenways
Climate Initiatives and Parks and Recreation have also been two of the active
coordinators of a multi-department initiative to coordinate ecosystems management
across the city organization. One of the major opportunity areas identified in this ongoing
quarterly collaborative has been the potential of more coordinated, cross departmental
management of the greenways system. We anticipate some exciting joint initiatives to
emerge from this discussion by later this year.
Natural Lands
The following projects are focused on habitat and wildlife management in an urban environment.
• GOCO Grant Project Updates
Boulder Parks and Recreation was awarded two GOCO grants for 2021 to aid in the
management of the Boulder Reservoir North Shore and Coot Lake areas. Managing these
areas require a multi-faceted approach that seeks to balance resource conservation with
providing high quality recreational opportunities. Like many areas along the Front Range,
the area has seen a significant increase in visitation. The Conservation Service Corps
Grant is for outdoor recreation, stewardship, and restoration projects completed by
conservation service corps members. The goal of these funds is to employ youth and
young adults (ages 14-25) throughout the state on critical outdoor recreation and natural
resource stewardship projects.
The Boulder Reservoir Master Plan specifies creating and maintaining a sustainable trail
system as a key goal with specific recommendations of designating official trails and
closing undesignated trails. To assist in achieving this goal, the Mile High Youth Corps’
BIPOC Affinity Crew closed multiple social trails, addressed trail widening, realigned
the trail at the Boulder Reservoir West Trailhead and followed up by installing wooden
fencing and reseeding. Mile High Youth Corps’ BIPOC Affinity Crew is for young adults
who identify as Black, Indigenous or as a Person of Color. Participants gain professional
experience in the natural resources industry while breaking down barriers that have
prevented the field from being diverse and inclusive.
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The MHYC will join the Natural Lands team again this autumn to perform wetland
habitat improvements in this area.
The GOCO Resilient Communities program funded one-time, immediate needs or
opportunities that have emerged in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This
grant funded a seasonal ranger to perform surveys and data collection while leading
education and stewardship programs. This position also assists with land management
and enforcement including trail construction along the reservoir’s north shore, closing
social trails, mitigating invasive weeds, and encouraging compliance by visitors.
The Natural Lands team is in the process of infrastructure improvements
such as new waste receptacles, a trailhead kiosk and other signage. To
fulfill the education and outreach components, Natural Lands staff partnered
with the EXPAND program’s Camp Amico group on an Art in Nature walk.
Camp Amico is a camp for youth ages 12-17 with developmental
disabilities. A group of 11 came to explore the plants and wildlife of Coot
Lake.
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 Wildlife Management;
o Visitor Management;
o Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Restoration;
o Volunteer Programs;
o Natural Lands Maintenance;
o Boulder Aeromodeling Society coordination; and
o Natural Lands Maintenance.
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Regional Facilities
• Boulder Reservoir
Boulder Ironman 70.3: Hundreds of supporters and 1,572 athletes showed up at the
Boulder Reservoir Saturday, August 7th for the Ironman 70.3 Triathlon race. They swam,
biked, and ran in and around the Reservoir. In the days leading up to the Ironman, the
Reservoir transformed into a race event center. The Boulder Reservoir team facilitated
two open water swims for the athletes on Thursday and Friday. The Reservoir water
safety team successfully provided safety and support for the athletes. Cooler temperatures
and poor air quality impacted athletes as well as spectators causing fewer post-
participation post-race activities. The event Command Center was located in Visitor
Services Center administrative offices and included representation from Boulder County
Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Barricade and Ironman officials.
Clean-up and take-down of the event were complete by Monday, August 8.
Boulder Reservoir and Driftwind Restaurant: At the July 20, 2021, regular business
meeting, the City Council supported the work that Boulder Parks and Recreation staff
have done to implement the 2017 Boulder Reservoir Visitor Services Concept Plan and to
respond to the concerns from neighbors. The Tuesday, August 3 City Council meeting
began with a Declaration of Support for Constructive Community Engagement, largely
mirroring the PRAB’s resolution on this same matter. Staff are working with various
members of the city's team and hospitality partners to determine the best next steps and
will update the PRAB as information is available.
Reservoir Flank Season: begins September 7 and continues through October 15.
Operating hours are based upon the 2021 reduced budget, and will be Monday – Sunday
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. All services are offered except for the swim beach. As approved by the
PRAB in fall 2020, flank season gate fees are $5.00 per visitor or $10/car. We recognize
that this flank season fee is new, and the city has taken the opportunity to pilot the “Stay,
Play, Pay” structure. If you are staying and playing (i.e. enjoying the beach or using a
watercraft) at the South Shore, users must pay the flank season fee. Those simply passing
through on bike or foot do so without paying the flank season fee.
• Flatiron Golf Course
Flatirons is excited to have Boulder High School Physical Education classes back this
fall. Beginning in September Flatirons will host two fall golf classes using the chipping
greens and range for 24-27 students. This programming is part of the youth programing
paused during the pandemic and we are honored to have the opportunity to host the
students. This is one of a few programs that Flatirons team has incorporated at the golf
course providing a mixture of programming that offers opportunity for a wide cross
section of the community.
The below list showcases the current mix of programming of youth and adult
programming:
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o Multiple EXPAND sessions at the driving range and on the course in August.
o Hosted a junior golf end-of-summer event at no charge including food and prizes
(thanks to sponsors – primarily Great Western Bank).
o Support Fairview, Boulder, Dawson and Centaurus High Schools with boys’ and
girls’ team practices when other courses would not have them.
o Assist the CU Men’s and Women's teams with a place to practice Spring ‘21
when their home facility at Colorado National GC was not available.
o Development of a “Two Hole” introduction to golf program where new players,
parents with young kids, etc. come an hour before dark and play holes #1 and #2
at no charge to touch the golf course and see what golf feels like.
o Contracted golf instruction, piloted as a result of pandemic staffing changes, has
gone very well with more lessons taught than ever.
o Disc golf tournaments are back! Offering Disc Golf tournaments during the fall
and spring maintenance days when the course is closed to ball golf.
Fall Facility Operational Changes
As the community shifts from long days to longer nights and from summer break to the school
year, BPR facilities are shifting hours of operation.
Operating hours are based upon available resources (both financial and human), utilization
trends, and weather. All operations are subject to change due to staffing and COVID-19 impacts.
The city's website outlines specific operational adjustments, such as hours of operation:
https://bouldercolorado.gov/parks-and-recreation-service-levels
The Boulder Reservoir swim area will be open on Labor Day, however both the swim area and
Driftwind restaurant will start to adjust their hours starting Monday, Aug. 23.
Scott Carpenter Pool’s leisure areas will be open weekdays through Tuesday, Aug. 17 and then
be open only on weekends through Sunday, Sept. 5 to coincide with Boulder Valley School
starting again. The lap and leisure pool areas will be open on Labor Day. After Labor Day, the
city will adjust lap pool hours until Scott Carpenter closes for the season. Hours (11:00a.m.-
6:00p.m. daily) are based upon available staffing and 2020 post-season utilization.
For the extended season, Scott Carpenter Pool will remain open until daily average temperatures
drop below 50 degrees or nightly temperatures drop below 28 degrees.
Based upon historic averages, and to ensure enough time to winterize the facility, the last day the
pool could be operational is Friday, Oct. 1.
The North Boulder Recreation’s leisure pool will open weekdays after Labor Day, the first time
since March 2020. In addition, NBRC will extend its hours of operation and make weekend lap
pool times available.
The East Boulder Community Center will increase the amount of leisure pool operating hours.
Due to a major repair to EBCC leisure pool pump, the leisure pool will be closed Monday
August 16- Sunday August 22.
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South Boulder Recreation Center’s pool will remain closed until such time as staffing levels
allow.
• Scott Carpenter Dog Days: Historically at the end of the outdoor pool swimming season
each year the Scott Carpenter Pool hosts Dog Days, a week to two week long event in
which our furry friends get a chance to swim daily before the pool is finally winterized
for the season.
With outdoor activities for humans still being in high demand due to the ongoing
pandemic, the Scott Carpenter Pool will instead offer an extended swimming season for
humans this year.
We recognize how much our community members love this annual event; however, it
requires a significant amount of management capacity which we do not have- and we are
focusing on providing swimming for our human community members at this time.
ARPA and 2022 Budget Process Update
The August 24, 2021 City Council study session includes a briefing on ARPA Funding Use
Considerations, 2021/2022 Budget Context and Consideration of Special Adjustment to Base.
There will then be a Special Adjustment to Base (ATB) during future City Council meetings,
with the first reading scheduled for September 9, 2021 and the second reading scheduled for
September 28, 2021. This will appropriate additional funds in the 2021 budget.
Based on 2021 revenue exceeding projections, there is an opportunity for restoring some services
in 2021 rather than waiting until 2022 budget adoption. During the 2022 Budget process
departments were asked if proposed program or service restorations could be implemented in
2021 to speed up recovery. There are some service restorations planned in the City Manager’s
Recommended 2022 Budget, that are being recommended to be restored in 2021, rather than
waiting for the 2022 budget to be approved. The 2021 service restorations will be appropriated
through a Special ATB process to provide budget for the remainder of 2021. The Parks and
Recreation Department submissions to this list of 2021 service restorations include:
General Fund – Parks & Recreation
• $51,594 for two maintenance person positions, one for the South Zone and one for the
Civic Area/Downtown/Cemetery to support park operations, prepare for snow season
routes and maintain these cultural areas to our high community standards.
• $32,571 to restore an Assistant Forester position held vacant. Filling this position will
allow the team to shorten pruning cycle times, use current budget to manage contracted
work related to planting and pruning, and increase safety by restoring aspects of the tree
risk program.
• $13,818 to restore Urban Parks non-standard staffing across the park system to catch up
on deferred maintenance and address increasing needs for care of parks.
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• $44,000 to restore funding for the computer replacement and telecommunications
funding that was temporarily shifted to the 0.25 Cent Sales & Use Tax fund.
0.25 Cent Sales & Use Tax Fund - Parks & Recreation Department
• $40,490 to restore special events and outreach funding for activation in the
downtown/Civic Area. As COVID restrictions are lifted and the community feels more
comfortable congregating, especially outdoors, BPR can offer events like this summer's
Arts in the Park to celebrate emergence from COVID and opportunities to reunite in our
public areas. Funding would provide for 2021 Snow Much Fun, a favorite Boulder
holiday tradition. The funding would provide budget for non-personnel costs (NPE) and
seasonal staff.
• $53,899 to fund an irrigation manager position held vacant. This position will support
park operations and maintenance within the Irrigation division. Based on staff vacancies
in this division, additional support is needed to help with winterization of irrigation
systems, while allowing management staff to focus on primary duties.
As part of the 2022 Budget process, staff also considered which budget requests might be
eligible for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Because ARPA funding is one-time, the
focus was to largely use city ongoing revenue to restore ongoing programs and services and
reserve the ARPA funding for one-time or gap funding in a few instances. A summary of the
Parks and Recreation proposals for 2021 ARPA funding is included below:
• Restoration of recreation services: $600,000. In compliance with public health
restrictions and to ensure community safety, many of the facilities and programs funded
through the Recreation Activity Fund (RAF) were closed or cancelled for much of 2020
and 2021. Because this fund was so directly impacted by COVID, the RAF needs gap
funding to restore services and balance the fund. The special appropriation includes
$600,000 from ARPA and the 2022 recommended budget includes an additional
$600,000 one-time gap funding from the General Fund. Additional ARPA dollars will be
considered in 2022 to address any additional shortfall.
Concurrent to this ARPA and Special ATB process, the 2022 proposed budget will be introduced
with a staff presentation, City Council discussion, and public hearing on September 28, 2021. On
June 28, 2021, the PRAB reviewed the department’s 2022 proposed operating budget (p. 92)
Since this review, minor changes have occurred based on updated financial information,
Executive Budget Team and City Manager recommendations to the proposed 2022 budget. None
of these changes would have a significant impact on planned service levels for 2022. On October
19, 2021, there will be a second reading and public hearing of the 2022 proposed budget. If
approved, the 2022 approved budget would be in place starting January 1, 2022. The BPR 2022
budget recommended by the Executive Budget Team and City Manager is a total budget of $28.3
million, with approximately $15.3 million for personnel, $7.8 million for operating expenses,
$4.5 million for CIP and $700,000 for interdepartmental transfers. This represents a 14%
increase in the operating budget over 2021’s approved operating budget, while the CIP is
decreased by 46% based on the timing of CIP projects.
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Boulder Creek Festival
From July 16-18, the City of Boulder celebrated the return of Boulder Creek Festival ® in the
Civic Area. The event featured three days of live music and performances, a marketplace,
children’s activities, food, a beer tasting, and more. The festival highlighted more than 150
Colorado artists and crafters, Boulder businesses.
Hosted annually for more than 30 years and presented by the City of Boulder in coordination
with Team Player Productions, Boulder Creek Festival took place in July rather than May to
better serve the community as Boulder County is in Level Clear on the State of Colorado’s
COVID Recovery Dial.
Evaluation, reporting and measurement metrics will be shared in subsequent PRAB agenda
materials once submitted by the event producer in late August, per contract requirements.
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
FROM: Alison Rhodes, Director, Parks and Recreation Department
SUBJECT: Matters from the Department
DATE: July 26, 2021
A. Flatirons Golf Course Facility Design Project: As part of the new facility design
project, renovations are planned for the existing building used for golf services and cart
storage. Golf services and golf cart storage will remain in the renovated existing building
at the golf course. Existing building renovations are part of the project scope that will
allow for maintenance, repair, and replacement as needed to ensure the building is
efficient and effective for the near future. The existing building renovations will use
similar colors and materials as the new facility where possible while considering the
value and cost-effectiveness. Significant renovations to make the existing building match
the new building are not in this project's scope. The intention is to design functional
improvements to the existing building that relates to the new building while taking
advantage of potential volume discounts to purchase materials for both.
The existing building renovations include:
1. Removal of deteriorating exposed beams and a small section of the roof eave over the
south-facing deck: Staff reviewed several options to repair, replace or remove the
beams. The most cost-effective option with the most negligible visual impact was to
remove the beams and attached roof eave. Patrons will experience minimal impact
since they rarely use the area other than as an occasional access point.
2. A new grey standing seam roof to match the new building: This will include a new
gutter system to replace the existing failing system. A new gutter system can prevent
future foundation and drainage issues.
3. Replacement of windows with aluminum black clad windows similar to the new
building: The size, function, and location of the windows will remain the same except
for the high windows on the backside of the building. The eave removal w ill cause
undesirable sun exposure through the high windows into the golf services area.
Removal of the windows should not impact the overall natural light in the golf
services area due to the number of windows and an existing skylight over the area.
The replacement windows will be more energy-efficient, UV-protected, and will have
the functionality to open for fresh airflow.
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
4. Replacement of doors to match the windows: The size and placement of the doors will
remain the same except for one non-functional door adjacent to the existing front
entrance. That door will be removed and replaced with a wall.
5. Exterior color: The exterior of the existing building's paint color will coordinate with
the color palette of the new building.
6. Landscaping: Landscaping around the exterior of the building will be designed to
utilize what is existing and flow seamlessly into the landscaping of the new facility.
The landscaping is not yet depicted.
7. Interior staff areas: The current office, storage, breakroom, and bathroom will be
reconfigured to be more functional and serve staff better. One small additional office
space will be added.
8. Interior materials: Interior paint, tiles, and carpet will be the same or similar in style
and color palette to the new building. Interior design of new building is in the early
stages but will be neutral and durable in nature.
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
There have been a few inquiries regarding the restroom trailer currently in use at the golf
course. In discussions with the manufacturer, they stated that the life expectancy is not
explicitly indicated in documentation because there is high variability in the type and
volume of use, maintenance, weather conditions, and mobility. Fortunately, this trailer
has remained in one location, is hooked up to local services (water/sewer), and has been
adequately maintained thus prolonging its usability. While not appropriate for this
location long-term, staff intends to explore re-use of the restroom trailer within the parks
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
and recreation system. Planning the best use will continue through the fall with a final
plan in advance of the scheduled removal.
B. Master Plan Update:
Council Study Session
A study session was held with City Council on July 27, 2021. The primary goal of the
session was to present the results of the Needs Assessment phase of the project and to
solicit feedback from City Council on key issues. Staff and the consultant team presented
the results of the research and community engagement, highlighting areas where policy
guidance was needed from council. The presentation was structured using the key themes
from the 2014 Master Plan to guide the discussion: Community Health and Wellness,
Taking Care of What We Have, Financial Sustainability, Youth Engagement and
Activity, Building Community and Relationships, and Organizational Readiness. Council
provided guidance to continue to focus on taking care of existing amenities and facilities
while striving to pursue equity in access for all the department’s facilities, programs and
facilities. Council acknowledged the struggle to maintain financial sustainability between
static revenues and growing expenses and highlighted that this challenge is not unique to
Boulder Parks and Recreation within the city.
The first section of the presentation provided a brief overview of the current status of the
project and then focused on the key theme of Community Health and Wellness. Through
extensive community engagement, this key theme has been identified as a continued
priority for the department and a critical component to serve the community. Boulder’s
population is anticipated to grow by 2040 and without the addition of park lands, a key
metric for BPR’s level of service, acreage per capita, will fall. Council provided
confirmation that purchasing additional land for parks is a lower priority than focusing on
metrics related to proximity, quality of amenities and equity of access. Council also
expressed a priority to look at partnering with other departments, agencies and
municipalities to provide facilities or services not as equally distributed.
The second section of the presentation focused on the key theme of Taking Care of What
We Have. Again, the community prioritized taking care of existing amenities and
facilities, but also expressed a desire for specific new facilities to meet specific needs.
Council strongly supported prioritizing maintaining and enhancing existing assets while
providing new amenities only once funding opportunities become available.
The third section of the presentation focused on the key theme of Financial Sustainability.
Since 2016, BPR’s funding has stayed relatively flat with an annual growth rate of -0.4%,
while non-capital expenditures have grown at an average annual rate of 0.35%. Through
2026 BPR’s expenditures are projected to increase on average 5.8%, while funding is
only projected to increase on average 2.8%. This creates an imbalance which is
accentuated when also considering an increase in budgeting for repair, replacement and
operations and maintenance costs, as well as $20.5 million in backlogged maintenance
and $177.9 million in identified unfunded capital projects. Council focused on how fees
charged for programs and facilities could be one way to make up the gap in funding.
Specifically, ensuring that the fees charged are appropriate, but continuing to focus on
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providing subsidies for access to those less able to pay or otherwise pricing them out of
services. Council generally supported raising fees from non-residents as non-taxpayers
but having exchange-type programs that facilitate access to specialty facilities or
programs without duplicating them. Council also expressed interest in understanding
revenue generating opportunities that might be pursued to provide subsidies and address
equity.
The final section of the presentation quickly presented the outcomes from research and
community engagement related to the key themes of Youth Engagement and Activity,
Building Community and Relationships, and Organizational Readiness. Council was not
asked to provide feedback on any issues related to these topics due to alignment with
current direction and community input.
Following the finalization of the Needs Assessment reports, the project will move into the
Implementation Plan phase. During Implementation Plan, specific strategies and
initiatives will be identified for the next 5 to 7 years, as well as the metrics that will be
used to measure success. There will be a third window of community engagement to help
prioritize which strategies and initiatives should be pursued. The project team anticipates
several conversations with the PRAB during Implementation Planning to help identify
the strategies and initiatives, as well as discuss how to prioritize those strategies. A draft
Master Plan Update document is anticipated at the end of the year or into early 2022.
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
SUBJECT: Matters from the Board
DATE: August 23, 2021
A.Greenways Advisory Committee (GAC) Updates
In July, Mary Scott represented PRAB at the GAC meeting. Mary will share updates from that
meeting.
B.PRAB Meeting Dates: Retreat, November Meeting and December
At the July meeting PRAB discussed moving the November and December meetings due to their
proximity to the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays. PRAB also usually meets
one additional evening in November for an annual retreat. PRAB members responded to an
online poll and will discuss results for potential meeting dates at this August meeting.
C.Remote Meeting Update
The intent of this item is to provide an update about the meeting format for council, boards and
commissions. No action is needed by PRAB tonight as board and Commission meetings will
likely be virtual through the remainder of the year. If PRAB is able to have an in-person meeting,
it would have to be fully in-person and not hybrid due to lack of staff and technological support
for hybrid.
Council has delayed returning to hybrid or in-person meetings from July until later this Fall at
the earliest. Piloting the resource-intensive hybrid meeting approach with Council will allow
staff to apply lessons learned to board and commission meetings once a hybrid option is
available.
D.PRAB Retreat Planning (verbal)
E.PRAB Community Engagement Updates (verbal)
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