09.27.2021 PRAB PacketPARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
Virtual Meeting
6:00 p.m., September 27, 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.Information on CU South and Area III (5 minutes)B.PRAB Retreat Planning (15 minutes)C.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.,October 25, 2021
VIII.ADJOURN
s. MATTERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT
A͘ Reservoir Annual After-Action Review Process Overview (20 minutes)
B. Restaurants in Public Zones (20 minutes)
C.Historic Places Plan Update (20 minutes)
VI͘ MATTERS FROM BOARD MEMBERS
IV.CONSENT AGENDA (5 minutes)
A. Approval of Minutes from August 23, 2021
B.Parks and Recreation Development and Operations Update
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PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
FUTURE BOARD ITEMS
UPDATED: September 22, 2021
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER PRAB September 27:
•Reservoir Annual After-
Action Review Process
Overview (md)
•Restaurants in Public
Zones (md)
•Historic Places Plan
Update (md)
•Information on Area III
and CU South (mb)
•PRAB Retreat
Committee and Agenda
Discussion (mb)
•PRAB Community
Engagement (mb)
October 25:
•Reservoir Annual After
Action Review initial data
review (d/i)
•Dance Contract (d/i)
•MP Update- Key Themes
and Policies (d/i)
•Park Names: Next Steps
(md)
•Court Allocation Update
(md)
•PRAB Retreat Agenda
Review (mb)
•Guidance for Annual
Letter to Council (mb)
•PRAB Community
Engagement (mb)
November 22:
•Dance Contract (a)
•Approved 2022 Budget,
ARPA overview (md)
•Chautauqua
Sustainability and
Resiliency Strategy (md)
•PRAB Retreat Follow Up
–Letter to Council (mb)
•PRAB Community
Engagement (mb)
•PRAB Recruitment (mb)
•Reservoir Annual After
Action Review
operational
adjustments (d/i)
December 13:
•MP Update-
Implementation Plan
(d/i)
•PRAB Retreat Follow
Up (mb)
•PRAB Community
Engagement (mb)
•Historic Preservation
Plan HiPP (d/i)Department Events and Items of Interest •September 6: Labor Day –
City Administrative Offices
Closed
•Starting September 7:
Swim Area at Reservoir
Closed, Leisure Area at
Scott Carpenter Closed
•Master Plan Engagement:
Details online
•November 15: PRAB
Retreat
•November 25:
Thanksgiving Holiday –
City Administrative
Offices Closed
•Afternoon of
December 23, Full day
December 24:
Christmas Eve and Day
Holiday Observed–
City Administrative
Offices Closed
•Afternoon of
December 30, Full day
December 31: New
Years Eve and Day
Holiday Observed –
City Administrative
Offices Closed
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: September 27, 2021
A.Approval of Minutes August 23, 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: August 23, 2021
Contact Information Preparing Summary: Charlotte O’Donnell, Phone: 303-413-7223
Board Members Present: Charles Brock, Mary Scott, Raj Seymour, Jason Unger, Pamela Yugar
Board Members Absent: Elliott Hood, Tara Winer
Staff Present: Tina Briggs, Regina Elsner, Jeff Haley, Jackson Hite, Stacie Hoffman, Charlotte
O’Donnell, Megann Lohman, Ali Rhodes, Jonathan Thornton
Guests Present:
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 approve agenda. Motion by Scott. Second by Yugar. The motion passed 5-0.
Agenda Item 2: Future Board Items and Tours
Rhodes reviewed upcoming agenda items for PRAB.
Agenda Item 3: Public Participation
There being no one who wanted to speak, public participation was closed.
Agenda Item 4: Consent Agenda
A)Approval of Minutes from June 28
Motion to approve the minutes from June 28, 2021 as presented. Motion by Unger. Second by
Scott. The motion passed 5-0.
B)Approval of Minutes from July 12
Motion to approve the minutes from July 12, 2021 as presented. Motion by Yugar. Second by
Unger. The motion passed 5-0.
C)Approval of Minutes from July 16 Special Meeting
Motion to approve the minutes from July 16, 2021 Special Meeting as presented. Motion by
Unger. Second by Scott. The motion passed 5-0.
D)Development and Operations Update
The Board had the following questions and/or comments:
•When does the city expect to restore staff and services?
4
•What amount of ARPA funding might BPR receive?
•Elsner provided an update about the Meet and Bleat event.
•At North Boulder Park, how was it determined that structures are past their lifetime?
What is the long-term plan for exercise equipment at that park since some is being
removed? Is there a plan for development of the south end of the park or integration with
any Alpine-Balsam development?
•Exercise equipment at North Boulder Park is well used. Some of the moveable pieces are
less used but would like to see the used equipment preserved.
•What will the Boulder Creek Management plan entail? How does this interact with other
plans and infrastructure along the creek?
•Greenways Advisory Committee is interested in the Boulder Creek Management as well.
It would be great to have more meetings and know when the greenways budget might
increase.
Agenda Item 5: Matters from the Department
A.Flatirons Golf Course Facility Design
This item was presented by Briggs. The Board had the following questions and/or comments:
•How will golf carts access the to-go food window?
•Appreciate seeing the eco-friendly features. One of the problems with UV windows is
birds’ flying into them. Is BPR considering updated windows that have patterns that birds
can see and thus prevent harmful collisions?
•In addition to the issues with birds, has staff considered the practicality of changing light
bulbs and maintenance on the higher ceilings?
•Would rather see window meshing for bird protection instead of stone veneer (if funds are
not sufficient to purchase windows that protect birds).
B.Master Plan Update
This item was presented by Elsner. The Board had the following questions and/or comments:
•What type of partnerships with other municipalities are being considered?
Agenda Item 6: Matters from the Board
A.Greenways Advisory Committee (GAC) Updates
Scott provided updates from the GAC meeting in July. Board members had the following
questions and comments:
•How much of the Boulder Creek Path is BPR responsible for? Who has the ultimate
responsibility for other greenways and paths?
B.PRAB Meeting Dates: Retreat, November and December Meetings
Motion to hold the regular meeting on December 13. Motion by Scott. Second by Brock. The
motion passed 5-0.
Board members had the following questions and comments:
•Would it be possible to hold the retreat and meeting on the same afternoon and evening?
•It would be great to break up the retreat on a different day.
•It would be preferred to hold the retreat on November 15 when all members can attend.
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Motion to hold the retreat on November 15. Motion by Seymour. Second by Yugar. The motion
passed 5-0.
•Would it be possible to abbreviate the agenda for the November meeting and therefore
have time to hold the retreat on the same night?
Motion to hold the regular meeting on November 22. Motion by Yugar. Second by Brock. The
motion passed 5-0.
•Would it be possible to follow up with folks who did not provide names on the scheduling
poll?
C.Remote Meeting Update
Seymour summarized the written information from the PRAB packet.
D.PRAB Retreat Planning
•Seymour suggested that members email him if they are interested in serving on the retreat
committee.
•O’Donnell will email all members of PRAB so that members not attending this meeting
have the opportunity to volunteer.
•Yugar is willing to chair or volunteer for the PRAB retreat planning.
•PRAB will discuss the committee members and agenda at the September meeting.
E.PRAB Community Engagement Updates
•Yugar encouraged PRAB members to contribute to the team for the Duck Race.
•Seymour contributed to a previous team and posted on social media to encourage his
network to join.
Agenda Item 7: The next PRAB meeting will be held Monday, September 27, 6:00 p.m.
virtually (via video conference).
Agenda Item 8: Adjourn: There being no further business to come before PRAB at this time,
the meeting was adjourned at 7:52 p.m. Motion by Seymour. Second by Scott. The motion passed
5-0.
Approved by:Attested:
________________________________________________
Raj Seymour Charlotte O’Donnell
Board Member Administrative Specialist
Date _____________________Date ____________________
6
Consent Agenda September 27, 2021 (continued)
B. 2021 Financial Recovery through Summer Season
Throughout the course of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the department has worked with the
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB), the Finance Department, the city’s Executive
Budget Team and BPR staff to monitor and adjust the 2020 and 2021 operating budgets. The
funds that were impacted most heavily by the pandemic include the General Fund, the .25 Cent
Sales Tax Fund (.25ST Fund) and the Recreation Activity Fund (RAF).
As identified in Table 1, the 2021 sales and property tax revenues through August have seen
minor growth compared to 2019 revenues. The General Fund and .25ST Fund are heavily
dependent on sales tax which was significantly impacted by the pandemic. Sales tax revenues in
the .25ST Fund have recovered to slightly above 2019 levels; however, there remain concerns
about sales tax revenues not increasing at the same rate as expenses and the rising cost of goods
and labor. The Recreation Activity Fund receives a subsidy from the General Fund in addition to
revenue generated by grants/donations, user fees, and participation fees for access to recreation
facilities and programs.
The Recreation Activity Fund is seeing continued growth and recovery compared to 2020
revenue based on the reintroduction of programs, services and facility hours; however, revenues
are approximately 20% behind 2019 year-to-date due to declines in participation and reductions
in service levels. The Permanent Parks and Recreation Fund has seen year-over-year growth due
to the stability of property tax.
Revenue 2019 2020 2021 $ Change
19-21
% Change
19-21
$ Change
20-21
% Change
20-21
.25ST $5.3M $5.0M $5.4M $0.1M 1.9% $0.5M 9.5%
RAF $7.8M $4.5M $6.2M ($1.6M) -20.8% $1.8M 39.4%
Perm
Parks
$3.5M $3.6M $3.7M $0.2M 5.5% $0.1M 3.3%
Table 1: 2021 Revenue January through August
As identified in Table 2, the department has implemented cost control measures in all 5 of the
funds that BPR uses. These cost control measures were implemented in 2020 and continued into
2021. The variations in expense year-over-year in the .25ST Fund, Lottery Fund, and Permanent
Parks and Recreation Fund are tied to the timing of CIP projects that result in significant
increases and decreases each year.
Revenue 2019 2020 2021 $ Change
19-21
%Change
19-21
$ Change
20-21
%Change
20-21
General
Fund $2.9M $2.7M $2.5M ($0.3m) -11.7%($0.1m) -5.4%
.25ST $4.5M $9.3M $4.4M ($0.2m) -3.5%($4.9m) -53.1%
Lottery $0.5M $0.3M $0.4M ($0.1m) -17.1%$0.2m 71.0%
RAF $7.3M $4.8M $5.3M ($2.1m) -28.1%$0.4m 9.3%
Perm
Parks $3.3M $2.2M $1.5M ($1.8m) -54.0%($0.7m) -30.0%
Table 2: 2021 Expenses January through August
7
The department faced challenges throughout 2020 and early 2021 with the pandemic including
public health limitations, decreased participation levels, declines in revenue and decreased
staffing levels. The department adapted to these challenges in a way that was responsible to
participants and staff, while being financial stewards of public funds and reducing corresponding
expenses accordingly. With 2021 operations, the department was able to restore recreation
services in a way that provided the most equitable access (e.g. by focusing operating hours on
times that were most popular and ensuring that there was not a disproportionate impact on those
accessing with financial aid) but still saw decreased hours of operation at many facilities based
on budgetary and staffing constraints.
The following summary of activity between January and September 15 in 2019 through 2021
demonstrates the significant impacts of the pandemic across the recreation services provided.
Revenue 2019 2020 2021 $ Change
19-21
%Change
19-21
$ Change
20-21
%Change
20-21
Earned
Revenue $7.3M $3.5M $5.4M ($2.1M) -26%$1.9M 54%
RAF
Seasonal
Staff Hours 134,100 58,093 83,486 (50,614) -38%25,393 44%
All Seasonal
Staff Hours 148,843 65,345 87,624 (51,219) -34%32,279 49%
Rounds of
Golf 30,771 30,894 33,202 2,431 8% 2,308 7%
Table 3: BPR 2019-2021 Statistics January to September 15
The following charts provide actual usage from 2019 through September 15, 2021. Please note
that each of the September figures will increase when the full month of data is available.
Chart 1 identifies the trends in visits to the three recreation centers. The visitation at recreation
centers is still below 2019 levels; however, the visitation per hour has plateaued between 2019
and 2020 levels for the months of May through August. Typically, visitation to recreation center
decreases in the summer months, so a plateau in users in 2021 can be viewed as a positive trend.
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Chart 1: Recreation Center Visitation
2019 2020 2021
2019 Usage/Hour 2020 Usage/Hour 2021 Usage/Hour
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Chart 1: BPR Recreation Center Visitation (visits & usage per hour) January 1, 2019 to September 15, 2021
Charts 2 and 3 identify the number of registered recreation programs offered by season and the
number of participants by season. While 2021 levels are below 2019, there has been a 90%
increase since 2020 in the number of programs offered and participation has increased 54% in
this same time frame.
Chart 2: BPR Programs Offered January 1, 2019 to September 15, 2021
Chart 3: BPR Registered Participants January 1, 2019 to September 15, 2021
Chart 4 identifies the outdoor pool usage during the summer season. It’s important to remember
that 2018 was the last full summer both Spruce and Scott Carpenter Pools operated. In 2019,
Scott Carpenter Pool was closed for construction, with Spruce Pool open. In 2020, both pools
opened for a condensed outdoor season on a reservation-only basis. In 2021, due to staffing
shortages, the only outdoor pool open was Scott Carpenter Pool. Between the 2018 and 2021
seasons at Scott Carpenter Pool, there was an increase in 46,710 visits, which is a growth of
180%, showing enthusiasm for safe, outdoor recreation and the newly renovated facility.
Chart 4: BPR Outdoor Pool Visitation January 1, 2019 to September 15, 2021
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Chart 4: Outdoor Pool Visitation
2018 2019 2020 2021
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
Winter Spring Summer Fall Camps
Chart 3: Registered Participants
2019 2020 2021
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Winter Spring Summer Fall Camps
Chart 2: Programs Offered
2019 2020 2021
9
BPR continues to see positive trends in the recovery of recreation. Outdoor facilities continue to
have higher visitation and usage than indoor facilities which is likely attributed to people feeling
more comfortable outdoors. The recovery levels observed so far are expected to result in a
balanced budget across all funds and are in line with the department’s modified revenue and
expense forecasts for the RAF.
Given the positive economic recovery efforts being observed across the city and the availability
of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, there is the opportunity to restore additional
services in 2021 prior to the 2022 budget year. On August 24, the City Council study session
included a briefing on ARPA Funding Use Considerations, 2021/2022 Budget Context and
Consideration of Special Adjustment to Base. There was a first reading of a Special Adjustment
to Base (ATB) on September 9th, with the second reading scheduled for September 28, 2021. The
Parks and Recreation service restorations included in the request 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 since spring 2020. 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.
• $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 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 since spring 2020. This
position will support park operations and maintenance within the Irrigation division.
Based on staff vacancies in this division and the general and demanding task of maintain
the urban park system, additional support will help with winterization of irrigation
systems, while allowing other managers to focus on primary duties.
10
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.
In addition to these service restorations, the Special ATB also includes a one-time restorative
payment to 2020 Extended Holiday Furlough Impacted Employees. As a result of the pandemic,
economic conditions required the city to make decisions to reduce personnel expense in FY20
and FY21. These decisions included layoffs, a hiring freeze, furloughs, extended holiday
furlough days in 2020, vacancy holds and suspension of merit increases and bonuses in 2021.
This represented a significant sacrifice for staff throughout the city. True to the shared spirit of
public service, employees took these challenges in stride and doubled down on their commitment
to serving our community through crisis.
As economic conditions improved, the city is in a financial position to restore pay to employees
who took a pay cut because of the 2020 extended holiday furlough. Contingent upon council
approval on September 28, 2021, at second reading, the city proposes to pay employees a one-
time restorative payment for 2020 extended holiday furlough hours. The restorative payment
would apply to current active employees in standard positions or in temporary/seasonal positions
by July 1, 2020, who were required to take up to six unpaid extended holiday furlough days in
2020 (police and fire union employees were excluded from this furlough). The one-time payment
would be at the employee’s current rate of pay and paid in fall 2021. City Manager staff
recommended this payment to recognize how valuable our employees are and as a sign of
gratitude. The payments would come from the fund where the employee is budgeted with the
exception that the General Fund will fund the payment for those employees budgeted in the
Recreation Activity Fund (RAF) and for those eligible seasonal/temporary employees (many of
whom are funded by the RAF).
The 2022 recommended budget will be introduced with a staff presentation, City Council
discussion, and public hearing on September 28, 2021 with a second reading and public hearing
on October 19, 2021. If approved, the 2022 approved budget would be available to spend on
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
11
budget, while the CIP is decreased by 46% based on the timing of CIP projects. As a reminder,
the PRAB unanimously approved the following two motions in support of the BPR 2022-2027
CIP at the June 28, 2021, meeting: a motion to approve the 2021 recommended expenditures
from the Permanent Parks & Recreation Fund and a motion to approve the recommended 2022–
2027 Parks & Recreation Department Capital Improvement Program. The PRAB was involved
in reviewing the 2020 actual revenues and expenses, 2021 approved operating budget, levels of
service, and recreation facility entry fees as they were consulted on the Parks & Recreation
Department’s 2022 budget strategy. The PRAB provided feedback and input on this strategy at
the board meetings on February 22, April 12, April 26, May 10, and May 24, 2021.
C. 2022 Action Plan
Each year, the department goes through awork planning and action planning process in Q4 to
help drive the department’s key initiatives for the following year. Based on the timing of other
related initiatives including the Master Plan Update and the ARPA Funding, the department’s
leadership team developed a 2021-2022 Action Plan to guide the organization. The goal for the
end of 2022 is to be an organization where our resources (human and financial) are aligned with
city and community goals and values; and our teammates have the skills, systems and support
needed to be highly effective and engaged. Below is a breakdown of key milestones that will be
completed each quarter as they relate to the three key initiatives that will drive our progress:
Master Plan Update, Financial Resources and Human Resources.
Master Plan Update Financial Resources Human Resources
Q3-2021 •Complete Needs
Assessment
•Begin drafting
Implementation
Plan
•ARPA Funding Allocated
•2022 Budget Study Session
•Recruit 2022
Advanced ATB
Positions
•Prepare for ARPA
Funding
Q4-2021 •Implementation
Plan Development
and Review
•2022 Budget Approval
•November Election
Includes Capital
Infrastructure Tax
Renewal. 4 BPR projects
include: Pearl Street Mall
Refresh, Civic Area Phase
II, East Boulder
Community Center Refresh
and Boulder Creek Path
•Recruit ARPA
Funded Positions
•Prepare for 2022
funded position
recruitment
•Complete BPR
Organizational
Assessment
(Management
Focus)
Q1-2022 •Draft Master Plan
review with PRAB
and City Council
•2021 Budget Close-out and
Analysis
•2022 funded
position
recruitment
12
•Prepare for peak
season recruitment
and operations
Q2-2022 •Master Plan
acceptance by City
Council
•2023 Budget Development •Ensure capacity for
peak summer
operations
Q3 & Q4
-2022
•Develop
Implementation
Plan through 2023
•2023 Budget Review and
Approval
•Supported, ready
and operating peak
season and beyond
C. 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.
•Master Plan Update: Following the wrap up with the PRAB in August, the Needs
Assessment phase of the Master Plan Update is complete. Final reports of all documents
developed during this phase will be available by the end of September on the project
webpage.
The project team is currently starting work on the Implementation Plan phase of the
Master Plan Update. During this phase, the policies, long-range goals, and initiatives that
will guide the department for the next five to seven years will be developed and
prioritized. These policies, goals, and initiatives are the framework for how the
department will address the needs that were identified by the research and community
engagement from previous project phases. The project team will be coming to discuss the
initial components of the Implementation Plan with the PRAB in October. The PRAB
will be involved throughout this phase of the project with multiple check-ins as work
progresses.
•Flatirons Golf Course Facility Design Project: As part of the standard application
process for new buildings, a minor modification application was submitted to Planning
and Development Services (P&DS) on June 18, 2021. A re-submittal to address minor
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clarifications was submitted on July 29 and an official approval of the Minor
Modification was communicated on September 15. Tech Docs of the project were
submitted to P&DS on September 3, in anticipation of a Minor Modification approval.
After multiple discussions with internal project managers, purchasing, and legal staff, the
Flatirons Golf Course Facility will utilize the Construction Manager/General Contractor
(CMGC) project delivery method. The CMGC method is an integrated approach to
planning, design, and construction. Owners, designer(s), and contractors work
collaboratively to optimize the design, improve quality, manage costs and share risks.
This project delivery method is modeled after other recent City projects such as Fire
Station #3. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a Construction Manager/General
Contractor (CMGC) was posted to Bidnet on September 16 with anticipation of awarding
the CMGC contract in early November. The first milestone is a mandatory pre-submittal
site tour and conference for interested contractors on September 27.
In the meantime, staff and consultants continue to refine the existing plans as shared in
the August memo to PRAB (page 5). Staff will share the plan set with other related
departments, such as Facilities, and project managers of other related plans in
development, such as the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan, to ensure alignment and
consistency.
•North Boulder Park and Scott Carpenter Park Playground Replacements: Staff is
planning playground equipment replacement at North Boulder Park and Scott Carpenter
Park Playgrounds. Deficiencies and needs will be identified at an upcoming scoping
meeting with a more detailed project description and schedule to follow. Both
playgrounds have been identified in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for
playground equipment replacement to complement other recent renovations at each
location. Improvements to the restrooms and shelter at North Boulder Park are included
in the base scope of the project.
The limited nature of the project scopes and the recent park improvements will require a
lower level of engagement and outreach than an entire park renovation project and allow
for an expedited timeline to anticipate construction in the summer of 2022.
North Boulder Park: Recent improvements at North Boulder Park include partial
renovation in 2014, sewer line replacement in 2015, and the addition of a tot track in
2018. The playground renovation will focus on equipment replacement in a similar
footprint as the existing playground to minimize any impacts on the trees. The
underutilized exercise equipment may be replaced, and more specific information will be
available after the scoping meeting. In addition, BPR will coordinate with the Facilities
Department to scope the extent of the renovation of the restrooms and shelter. The
bathrooms, at the very least, will be ADA accessible and support year-round use. Recent
vandalism has impacted the larger slide and connecting tunnel at the existing play feature
for children ages 2-5. Both pieces are past their life-cycle and not available for
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replacement by the manufacturer. In the coming months, the large slide and tunnel may
be removed, the vandalized equipment will be secured as is until renovation is complete.
Scott Carpenter Park: Recent improvements at Scott Carpenter Park were completed in
2021. This significant capital project replaced the facility, pool, public restrooms, and
parking lot. An addition to the skate park included a beginner-level area. This project will
focus on equipment replacement in a similar footprint as the existing play features. The
beloved rocket ship play structure will remain in the playground with a similar theme and
color scheme to replace the remaining equipment.
•Planning Projects Underway: Staff or contractors continue to work on the following
projects and will update the PRAB as major milestones are achieved:
o Historic Places Plan (HiPP) – 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.
•Boulder Reservoir Capital Projects
In 2021, $200K was allocated in capital funding to continue implementation of the recent
Boulder Reservoir Capital Strategy and Concept Plan. The key improvements identified
for this funding includes parking lot repairs near the boat parking and ramp on the east
side of the park as well as a complete renovation to the restrooms at the marina. These
improvements were prioritized through the development of the capital strategy that
provide necessary upgrades to existing facilities while also supporting the visitor
experience. Funding will also allow improvements to existing signage on site as well as
new signs to assist in wayfinding and visitor information. The schedule for these projects
is to be complete with the parking lot this fall, restroom renovation over the winter and
signage installation by next spring. All improvements will be complete for the summer
2022 season.
East Boulder Community Park Restroom:
A new, year-round restroom facility has been
installed at East Boulder Community Park. The
new restroom will provide much needed
services for athletic field users and 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.
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While installed, the restroom remains closed while irrigation and landscape repairs are
made, final building permits are closed out and the facility is brought on to a regular
cleaning cycle. The restroom is expected to be fully open to the public by the end of
October.
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.
•Skate Park and Pump Track –Valmont City Park and Howard Heuston Park: 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.
The skate park and bike pump track at Valmont City Park had a ‘soft opening’ for the
public over the Labor Day weekend and are already seeing wide use by the community.
The dog park also reopened.
The bike pump track is a 10,000 square foot beginner level track comprised of rolling
asphalt trails. The skate park is 10,000 square feet and is designed for users of all skill
levels. The design includes bowls, transition elements, and street features.
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Although the dog park, skate park and pump track are complete and open to the public,
construction continues in other areas of the park. This includes the Valmont Road
parking lot and the area adjacent to the new skate park.
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 and new bike racks.
Most park improvements are expected to be complete by mid-October. Irrigation and
planting improvements will occur after this date.
Howard Heuston: The skate spot at Howard Heuston Park is a 3,500 square foot, low-
impact, transition-oriented skate area designed for all skill levels.
The skate spot has been complete since August; however, it has remained closed to the
public while a contractor was selected to complete irrigation and landscape renovations
around the skate spot. These repairs and renovations are expected to be completed by the
end of September. The skate spot is expected to fully open to the public in early October.
Natural Lands
The following projects
are focused on habitat
and wildlife management
in an urban environment.
•GOCO Grant
Project Updates
Starting in early October,
construction will begin
on trail improvements
along the North Shore of
the Boulder Reservoir
(see map to the left).
Specifically, two trail
segments will formalize
undesignated trails to
allow access from the
main trail down to the
shoreline. Additional improvements will be made to the trail just west of the Boulder
Feeder Canal to create a sustainable trail tread for a steep and sometimes muddy portion
of the existing trail. This construction work will include equipment and some materials
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storage on-site. The pedestrian trail west of the Boulder Feeder Canal will be closed for
up to two weeks to accommodate those improvements. Visitors will be made aware of
construction activities via social media posts and onsite signage.
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 Boulder Aeromodeling Society coordination; and
o Natural Lands Maintenance.
C. 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.
•Facility Masking Requirements: On September 3, Boulder County Public
Health issued a public health order requiring facial coverings indoors for all
individuals two-years-and-older regardless of vaccination status. In line with this
order, the department is currently requiring all staff and patrons to mask when
indoors.
•Staff Vaccine Attestation: To promote a safe and healthy workplace for staff and
the community we serve, the city has implemented a requirement for all employees to
report vaccination status.
2020 Health Equity Fund Report
Since the establishment of the Health Equity Fund (HEF) in 2017 as the result of a voter-
approved Sugar Sweetened Beverage Product Distribution Tax, the department has been awarded
funding to support programming and services aimed at reducing disparities and improving health
equity among Boulder’s at-risk population.
Granted through a competitive annual application process, the department has championed a pair
of programs through the HEF which have sought to increase opportunities for physical activity
and fitness in a two-fold approach to access:
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•The Recquity Program seeks to increase physical fitness opportunities for community
members through access to BPR recreation facilities - removing the financial barriers
associated with entry. Effectively acting as ‘matching funds’ to the department’s financial
aid program (which historically provided a 50% subsidy towards facility entry) this
additional HEF program funding allows the department to offer 100% subsidized access
to low-income residents of all ages. At full funding and services levels, this program has
the potential to provide nearly 38,000 annual visits to at-risk community members at the
Recreation Centers, Pools, and Reservoir.
•Recognizing that financial limitations are not the only access barriers related to
participating in recreation, the Rec on Wheelz Program seeks to counter obstacles like
transportation and childcare by bringing recreation programming to low-income and
manufactured housing sites. Rec on Wheelz is delivered by a colorful branded minivan
filled with enthusiastic staff and engaging recreation equipment. Facilitated by BPR’s
Youth & Families team, the program uses a nationally recognized SPARK curriculum to
deliver 90-minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity three days per week to over
400 low-income youth ages 5-11 years old.
While the pandemic has resulted in both reduced HEF awards and a myriad of adjustments to
program delivery due to limits on operations and participation, these programs have continued to
adapt and provide health and wellness opportunities to communities that have also been
disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Applications for 2022 HEF funding for Recquity and
Rec on Wheelz were submitted in late August, and funding decisions are expected in November.
A full annual report of the 2020 Health Equity Fund’s efforts to address systematic health
disparities in our community can be found here.
Field Turf Mowing Pilot
In the mutual interest of supporting youth sports activity in the community, the department has
entered into a one-year pilot agreement with Boulder County United, a local non-profit youth
soccer organization, to allow them to perform supplemental field turf maintenance and mowing
at Crestview Park and East Boulder Community Park. This agreement aligns with Boulder
County United’s preference for a lower field turf height than the City maintenance standards,
which are designed to balance a wide range of user preferences with optimal heights for turf
condition and water conservation.
The pilot is intended to explore how cooperative relationships with permitted user groups may be
able to better achieve mutual goals through sharing resources and responsibilities, building upon
Master Plan direction to develop community and relationships.
Recreation Center and Outdoor Pool Operations
The 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
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ensure enough time to winterize the facility, the last day the pool could be operational is Friday,
Oct. 1.
Upon closure of the Scott Carpenter Pool, the South Boulder Recreation Center will extend its
hours of operation to Monday-Friday, 6am-7pm (currently only open 7am-1pm). The South
Boulder Recreation Center lap pool will also reopen at that time for select hours of operation.
As of October 4, the East Boulder Community Center will extend its weekday hours to close at
8pm Monday-Friday.
Flatirons Golf Course:
Golf continues strong performance, with 2021 rounds played at 117% of 2020 numbers through
August.
Fall aerification: August hot temperatures and little rain stress the greens, therefore golf
maintenance crew applied a more aggressive aerification for the fall aerification. This three-step
process involved poking some big holes with a “Verti-Drain” machine followed by lots of
smaller holes with a conventional aerifier. The final step is a healthy coating of special sand that
gets brushed into the holes. The helps preserve the life of the putting greens and within a week
the greens are healthy. This meticulous process and conscientious care have greatly extended
the life expectancy of the greens. Most courses must re-build their greens every 30 years or so
because they don’t follow such vigilant maintenance practices. A great example of innovation
and the result is a lot of positive feedback about conditions at Flatirons.
A community feel: In fostering the vision that “Flatirons is a place where everyone feels at
home, there is a growing, broad growing community of golf at Flatirons. This season Flatirons
welcomed back participants from the Youth Services Initiative (YSI) to the golf course. Staff
also welcomed the Setiawans from Sumatra, Indonesia dropped their daughter off at CU and
came right over to Flatirons as their first empty nester activity. It was their first time in Colorado
and they came back to Flatirons the next day too.
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Reservoir:
Sound Monitoring: As committed this spring, the Reservoir team installed sound equipment at
the main entrance gate. This equipment continuously monitors and records sound levels. This
data can help avoid and address any issues that may arise related to sound. In addition, sound
checks throughout the season allowed us to address speaker placement and other elements of
programming to minimize any sound intrusion to nearby properties. The team sound check
multiple events through the season and found that the sound was w ordinance decibel readings.
Flank Season Hours adjusted: 2021 Flank Season hours were based upon current 2021 budget
projections (see table below for 2021 Flank Season hours as outlined in Fall 2020). By reducing
flank season hours, more services were able to be offered during the peak season when more
visit and benefit from the services. With the 2021 Operational Adjustments proposed last year,
staff outlined that should recovery revenues exceed projections, hours could be adjusted
accordingly.
2019 Flank Season:
Mon-Sun: 7 am – 7 pm
(total of 84 hours per week)
2020 Fall Flank Season*:
Mon-Sun: 10 am - 6 pm
(total of 56 hours per week)
2021 Flank Season:
Mon-Sun: 10 am - 6 pm
(total of 56 hours per week)
Completing the financial analysis of the peak season, ending on Monday, September 7th, 2021,
the Peak season revenues were higher than projected. Given this revenues and expenditure status,
flank season hours were incrementally expanded to address demand and to support youth rowing.
The extended Flank Season hours are as follows through the end of the season in October:
Monday - Sunday 10 am - 7 pm (Water and incoming gates close at 6 pm)
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
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
Matters from the Department
September 27, 2021
A. Reservoir Annual After-Action Review Process Overview
The City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department (BPR) uses adaptive management
principles to evaluate and improve services continually. These principles are outlined in
the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) and Boulder Reservoir Master Plan
(BRMP). At the Boulder Reservoir, BPR routinely considers operational procedures and
programs to identify opportunities to better support recreational opportunities for all
Boulder Reservoir users and to ensure the appropriate balance of recreation and
conservation.
Since 2019 and each fall, reservoir staff perform an annual After-Action Review (AAR)
of the peak season and boating program. This process involves a city-sponsored
questionnaire to gather feedback and qualitative data as one tool to inform planning for
the following year. The questionnaire includes both consistent questions year-to-year and
feedback opportunities related to current issues. This input, combined with quantitative
data and other inputs, allows BPR to respond appropriately for the upcoming year and/or
those that follow.
Staff ze this qualitative and quantitative input and discuss the findings with the Parks and
Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) in November. The PRAB’s input will inform the
2022 South Shore Management Plan. Following is a brief summary of the process and
timeline:
September: Prepare and Gathering Information
•September 22: Questionnaire launch, open for 2 weeks through October 5th
•September 27: PRAB Process Overview
October: Analyze Data and Develop Options
•Analyze questionnaire results and peak season performance data
•Evaluate Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) program for species risk,
technological advancements,
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
November-December: Finalize and Communication 2022 South Shore
Management Plan
•PRAB Discussion of potential policy changes or operational adjustments
(November)
•Finalize 2021 boater program for December communications and January
sales
B.Restaurants in Regional Parks
Recent controversy about the restaurant at the reservoir has raised the question of how restaurant
uses are permitted and managed within city facilities from the zoning perspective. The proposed
code change would make it more clear how the uses are permitted on Publicly zoned properties,
more specifically within the city’s larger regional parks. On October 5, 2021 (first reading) and
October 28, 2021 (second reading), City Council will review changes to the Land Use Code in a
draft ordinance which would make restaurants allowed by right if within a regional park
managed government facility and no closer than 500 feet from any residential zone. Restaurants
closer than 500 feet would require Use Review. This code change would only apply to the
Flatirons Golf Course, Boulder Reservoir and Valmont Park, which fit the definition of a
regional park. The Planning Board will also discuss this ordinance at the October 7, 2021
meeting. The relevant memos will be shared with the PRAB as they are finalized and available
and the below information is shared with the board as background.
Restaurants in parks contribute to placemaking by providing spaces for people to eat, gather and
celebrate; they provide community benefit through enhancing place-based experiences with
specialized services and by providing revenues to cash-strapped agencies. They exist in parks of
many jurisdictions and sizes all over the world and here in the United States help to make public
spaces the heart of every community.
In Boulder, the public realm has been similarly and carefully designed, developed, and fostered
to provide spaces for people to connect to nature and each other. The decline of tax revenues
related to the pandemic and shifting consumer trends highlight the importance, now more than
ever, of the Boulder Parks and Recreation 2014 master plan direction to actively seek out
partnerships to help build community and strengthen financial sustainability. Engagement to date
for the Parks and Recreation master plan update, including input from the PRAB and City
Council, supports continuation of partnership efforts, and current financial challenges accentuate
the value of diverse revenue streams.
Allowing restaurants by right in the city’s regional and city parks (not including the smaller
neighborhood parks throughout the city) aligns with the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan,
supports community-developed and PRAB-approved concept plans, and allows the city to
appropriately program public spaces while still providing for full City Council review through
lease approval and use review.
Community planning demonstrates direct support for restaurants at the regional parks (the
Boulder Reservoir, Flatirons Golf Course and Valmont City Park). Details from the site-specific
planning processes are highlighted here, with complete planning documents also available as
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linked.
•Develop possible policy and/or service adjustments.
•Evaluate financial and programmatic impacts of potential adjustments
3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
At a broader community level, and while not within the defined area of the East Boulder Sub-
Community Plan, the city’s only golf course is adjacent to the southern border of the area and
just east of the 55th and Arapahoe Station Area. With a full summary of recent engagement
available here, a restaurant at Flatirons Golf Course can help address feedback noting desires to:
-Support small businesses, with food and beverage one of the most requested retail types.
-Provide new places for social gathering as well as passive recreation or green spaces.
-Develop 15-minute neighborhoods, with dining readily available to current and future
neighbors.
Flatirons has a history of food service, with the Flatirons Country Club providing hospitality on-
site as part of the membership and for events. The Parks and Recreation department began
operating Flatirons Golf Course as a municipally owned public golf course in 1986. The original
clubhouse was converted to become the Flatirons Events Center, which was further expanded to
a total of 17,400 SF in 1991. For more than 10 years and up until 2013, Spice of Life leased the
facilities for meetings and events as well as off-site catering. Included in the original structure
was a snack bar operated by a third-party vendor.
The September 2013 floods contributed to a City Council approved decision to demolish the past
its life-cycle, extremely energy inefficient, inaccessible, and hazardous Flatirons Events Center.
In 2020 and as outlined in the demolition decision, Boulder Parks and Recreation began planning
for the facility’s replacement; the 2021 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) includes funding for
the design and construction of a PRAB-approved concept plan. Final design and permitting are
underway, with construction bidding anticipated winter 2021-2022.
The PRAB-approved concept plan outlines a restaurant envisioned to appeal to the surrounding
neighborhoods as well as to daily golfers, and the event lawn will be utilized for many
community activities and events. As the project team finalizes the building’s
design, the intentions are to deliver a well thought out and functional facility that will reach new
markets and increase revenue.
As one survey respondent and neighbor shared, “With a full-service bar/restaurant, this could
easily become a place to grab a reasonable dinner with the family after a round of golf or just to
enjoy the outdoors without having to go very far (live 3 blocks west).”
Revenues from successful hospitality can contribute interfund subsidy to increase golf
accessibility to the broader community and support community programming at Flatirons.
Boulder Reservoir
The City of Boulder Reservoir (“the reservoir”) is one of the most popular and heavily visited
park facilities in the city and region. It is also one of only six northern Front Range facilities
supporting water-based and powerboating recreation opportunities and though smaller than other
area facilities, the reservoir offers a significant range of services to the community and maintains
one of the highest visitation rates of approximately 300,000 per year.
The Reservoir has always operated a concessions area near the beach provided by an outside
contractor. Prior to the demolition of the previous Bathhouse and Administration Building and
patio as described previously, the concessions area was on the ground level and provided a snack
bar concessions experience with grab and go food and drinks.
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Flatirons Golf Course
3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
In 2012, the Boulder Reservoir Master Plan (BRMP) indicated that the most critical facility
serving reservoir visitors was needing repairs and renovation, and in 2016, staff began planning
for its replacement based on the cost of rehabilitation exceeding that of a new facility. The
final concept plan, approved by the PRAB in January of 2017, was developed based on feedback
from a cross-section of Boulder community members, reservoir user groups and the PRAB. The
details of that process and concept plan may be found in the PRAB Memo January 2017 (starting
on page 27). Based upon community engagement, including several open houses, on-site
feedback sessions, and policy direction from the Boulder Reservoir Master Plan and Boulder
Parks and Recreation Master Plan, these goals were established and approved by the PRAB:
• Extending shoulder season use opportunities of the Boulder Reservoir Regional Park;
• Establishing partnerships with various groups to expand programming and offset
construction and operating costs;
• Expanding concessions offerings with possibilities of obtaining a liquor license for the site
and for exploring a partnership with a larger scale concessionaire;
• Creating a “welcoming” and “family oriented” design character, promoting a healthy and
athletic lifestyle, and focusing on sustainability of the facility; and
•Creating multi-use spaces serving a variety of events across all generations of user
groups.
The PRAB and Council-approved lease with Landloch, LLC to operate Driftwind Restaurant at
the Rez is designed to achieve these goals and includes guiding principles to ensure that
operations of the leasehold align with and promote community values.
Valmont City Park
Findings of the East Boulder Sub-community plan apply to Valmont City Park as well, and both
the developed and undeveloped portions of the park fall within the planning area.
The 2015 South Valmont Concept Plan supports many of the same desires expressed to date in
the East Boulder sub-community plan (access to food and beverage, walkable amenities), and
emphasizes the development of facilities that will support a wide range of activities and uses and
serve nearby neighbors and the region. The South Valmont portion of the city park is at concept
plan only, and development of any facilities will include more specific and targeted outreach to
develop facility specific concept plans. Future community facilities are outlined in the South
Valmont concept plan; facility development, such as food and beverage, is dependent upon
future public/private partnerships to become reality as they are unfunded.
C.Historic Places Plan
As previously presented to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB), the Historic
Places Plan (HiPP) will serve as a planning document and guide for the department’s
stewardship of twelve culturally relevant and historically designated resources that are both
owned and managed by BPR. The outcomes of the final plan will ensure each site’s vibrant
integrity and preservation within the community. The intent of this agenda item for PRAB is to
provide background information and updates for awareness on plan development to-date and
next steps.
The results of the current planning process will fill gaps in information required to align each
resource/site with specific d strategies and initiatives. Further, the HiPP will integrate with the
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concurrent BPR Master Plan Update as strategies and initiatives are developed for historic
properties, outlined in the final HiPP. These priorities will allow staff to prioritize future
financial needs and data-driven decision making. Resources addressed in this process are
historically designated at a variety of levels including City of Boulder landmark status, State
Register of Historic Properties, National Register of Historic Places, and a National Historic
Landmark. The twelve sites are grouped under the following four categories:
Historic Districts:
o Chautauqua Park
o Columba Cemetery
o Downtown Boulder-Pearl Street Pedestrian Mall
Buildings/Structures
o Harbeck- Bergheim House
o Glen Huntington Bandshell
o Fire Station No. 02
o Roney House
o Platt Farmhouse
Rolling Stock:
o Colorado & Northwestern Railroad Locomotive No. 30
o Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Caboose No. 04990
o Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Coach No. 280
Archeological Site:
o Boyd Smelter Site
Background & Project Goals
In March of 2019, BPR applied for a survey and planning grant from History Colorado, State
Historical Fund (HC-SHF), to develop this plan. In August of 2019, the department was
awarded the full funding request of $190,000 from HC-SHF, with a cash match of $77,000 for a
total project budget at $267,000. Following a competitive bidding process, staff selected
Mundus Bishop (Landscape Architecture) as the lead consultant with additional contributions
by Ratio/HP (Architectural) JVA, Inc., (Structural Engineering) and PaleoWest
(Archeological). Each consulting team demonstrates an interdisciplinary approach to historic
and cultural resource planning.
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Goals of this project include:
A.Integrate all relevant plans and analyses completed prior to the grant award, and all
survey and planning work funded as part of this project, into one concise planning
document, including those done to inform capital decisions, programs, and operations.
B.Separate, define, and integrate Historical & Cultural resources across a variety of
departmental practices to balance levels of service, operations and maintenance, financial
sustainability, and program quality.
C.Begin with the end in mind to inform data-driven decision making.
D.Utilize the final plan to serve as a guiding document for departmental staff to rely on and
revisit when engaging in decision making for work related to any of the twelve
designated resources.
As outlined, the HiPP will dovetail with the BPR Master Plan update. In addition to this
departmental guiding document, the HiPP also supports goals and objectives in two other plans:
one city-wide plan and one countywide plan. Specifically, this project supports the objective
listed in the City-wide Historic Preservation Plan to, "Ensure the City of Boulder remains a
leader in historic preservation through the careful stewardship of its own historic resources and
encouragement of the innovative and collaborative approaches to historic preservation." And it
supports the county-wide goal within the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan to address,
"Community Conservation & Preservation" through "Leadership in Preservation: City & County
Owned Resources".
Project Phases, Timeline & Community Engagement
The project will be developed over five main phases led by the consultant and core team, with
stakeholder’s providing feedback in phase one through three and subject matter
recommendations for consideration through phase four and five. Each phase and the project
timeline are informed by, and align with, the BPR master plan update. Staff are partially
complete with phase four with major key project deliverables for phase one through three
presented in the draft ‘Existing Conditions and Historical Contexts’ document, which includes
staff and grantor comments, and can be viewed here. An overview of each phase is presented
below.
Phase One: Project Kick Off & Background Research (August 2020 –January 2021)
o Hold preliminary meetings with interdisciplinary consultant team and city staff and initial
consultation with SHF
o Conduct archival research and collect existing materials on each resource
o Review goals and objectives for the Historic Places Plan
o Complete initial site visit for each resource
Phase Two: Assessment and Inventory of Existing Conditions (October 2020 – June 2021)
o Complete project base mapping for 6 resources
o Conduct field reconnaissance to record existing conditions of 9 resources
o Assess current and potential use of all resources
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o Prepare ADA assessment and identify safety/compliance for landscapes/buildings
o Prepare Existing Condition Assessment Plan
Phase Three: Historic Context Development and Resource Evaluation (October 2020 – June
2021)
o Develop property history for each resource
o Assess integrity and identify character-defining features
o Compile draft historic context statements for each resource
o Analyze spatial relationship between the landscape, natural resources and built
environment, finalize written descriptions for each, and finalize graphic representations
with maps for select resources (illustrating significant features)
Phase Four: Treatment Recommendations, Prioritization + Implementation (June 2021 –
February 2022)
o Integrate historic integrity, significance, existing features, overall conditions, and
current and future use in treatment recommendations
o Identify management approaches and align with the city’s Asset Management
Program
o Draft graphic illustrations and sketches detailing recommended treatments and
priorities
o Determine how preservation approaches within the plan align with applicable
county, city, and departmental planning documents and initiatives
o Explore funding strategies and estimate potential proposed costs
o Develop options for community involvement, programming, and education
Phase Five: Complete Historic Places Plan (February 2022 – May 2022)
o Compile, illustrate and integrate all resources into the final HiPP plan
o Prepare final Management Report
o Include tailored results from the maintenance Condition Assessment Reports, Cultural
Landscape Reports, ADA assessments, list of prioritized resources and individual
features for management decision making)
o Prepare final Historic Places Plan
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
Community Engagement
Throughout the HiPP planning process, the department continues to engage with city-wide
staff, the Boulder community, a targeted stakeholder group and local decision makers PRAB
and Landmarks Board (LB) to gather their input on the plan’s direction and focus. Additional
information on engagement structures may be found in the Project Charter, and accessed here.
Three core engagement goals with underlying objectives will be addressed across three
engagement windows and span the city‘s engagement spectrum from input to collaboration.
Each goal is being explored at key touch points with major milestones for the following
engagement participants in the HiPP’s planning and decision-making process :
o Broader Public – the HiPP is utilizing opportunities to connect with a wide-range of
community members through Master Plan Update engagement touch points including
open houses, awareness at public park openings and in person/digital surveys.
o Subject Matter Stakeholders – a group of eight stakeholders are participating in targeted
engagement, which is a key component of public outreach for the HiPP. The group is
comprised of community members with technical and subject matter expertise.
o City Staff – in addition to the BPR project core team, staff across BPR’s Urban Parks
and Community Building divisions provide input and feedback on their respective
fields. Additional city staff from Planning & Development Services Historic
Preservation division and the Public Works Facilitates division provide valuable
contributions to this project.
o State Staff – the grantor (HC-SHF) provides two staff members that lead review of this
projects work products and provide financial oversight for project budgeting. All draft
project deliverables are reviewed for final grantor approval following city staff and
stakeholder review.
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
o City Boards & Commissions – two city boards provide administrative review
procedures for the HiPP. PRAB will review regular milestones and key planning
developments, while discussing and considering support of the draft plan and approval
of the final plan. Landmarks board will receive a consolidated update on milestones and
project developments while informally considering support of the plan.
Engagement Window 1 (October 2020 – July 2021)
Secure technical community experts as project stakeholders following gathering of background
and assessment data in phase one through phase three. Solicit expert feedback and records from
a Stakeholder Group of industry experts, to close these information management gaps. Integrate
all relevant plans and analyses completed prior to the grant award, and all survey and planning
work funded as part of this project, into one concise planning document, including those done
to inform capital decisions, programs and operations.
Engagement Window 2 (August 2021 - December 2021)
Utilize feedback from the community, aligning outcomes of the public engagement process for
both the HIPP and the Master Plan update to help separate, define, and integrate Historical &
Cultural resources across a variety of departmental practices to balance levels of service,
operations and maintenance, financial sustainability, service excellence, and program quality.
Engagement Window 3 (January 2021 – May 2022)
Integrate all public input to form the draft plan and informed, data-driven decision making.
Current & Next Steps
As described above, phase one through phase three of the HiPP produced extensive
documentation on existing conditions and historical contexts for resources. One condition of the
grant requires staff to select a “sample” resource to address first, across each project phase. The
sample staff selected was the Glen Huntington Bandshell. The charts and graphics provided
below highlight work completed for the Bandshell during phase one through three, and how
these inform BPR’s current and next steps for this site and all other resources.
Phase One – Three ------> Informs ------> Phase Four
Condition Assessment Chart Aligns with
Character Defining Site Features
Treatment Recommendations Chart is
Developed from Assessing Conditions, Future
Use and Potential Funding Levels
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
Graphic Representations of Existing Site
Conditions, Generated from the Chart Above
Diagram of Proposed Treatments is Informed
by the Chart Above
Recommendations proposed for each resource align treatments that inform physical alterations,
regular operations and maintenance, community building and funding explorations. This project
will not propose specific “options” or “designs” for physical alterations, rather the project
documents alignment and acceptance of future planning, community building and operational
work at each site. Specifically, for the Bandshell and Pearl Street Pedestrian Mall, work
developed through the HiPP may assist in future decisions at each site, should park
improvements be funded in November through the Community Culture & Safety tax/ballot
measure. In addition to the charts and diagrams highlighted above, consultants are developing
renderings to help visually showcase alignment of recommendations. A rendered sketch that
highlights proposed treatments to the Bandshell is provided below.
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
Currently staff and consultants continue phase four work on remaining resources, which utilize a
similar approach as outlined above. Staff will continue to provide PRAB with regular updates
through future Consent Agenda items and look forward to a more in-depth discussion item in
December to present all treatment options developed for all the historic resources. This
information will be presented for review and feedback from PRAB and the city’s Landmarks
Board. Finally, a draft plan is expected to be presented to PRAB, to review and consider
approval, in Q2 of 2022.
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TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
SUBJECT: Matters from the Board
DATE: September 27, 2021
A.Information on Area III and CU South (verbal)
Per request by a PRAB member and as approved by the PRAB Chair and Vice-Chair, staff will
provide an overview of undeveloped parkland at CU South and Area III. Specifically, staff will
outline the rationale and purchase information for Area III. For CU South, staff will remind
PRAB of the information available for recreation amenities at this site. For both properties, staff
will share an overview of how the projects would be considered for funding, design, and
development.
B.PRAB Retreat Committee and Agenda Discussion
PRAB members will determine a committee to assist with the retreat and discuss potential
agenda items. The PRAB retreat agendas from 2019 and 2020 are attached to this packet as
examples.
C.PRAB Community Engagement Updates (verbal)
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
2019 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Study Session
October 14, 2019
Purpose:
Once a year, members of the PRAB participate in a study session to develop a work
plan and priorities to share with staff and City Council. The retreat offers an opportunity
to celebrate successes, make course corrections in work plans and chart the course
ahead.
PRAB Board Retreat – October 14, 2019
Chautauqua, Rocky Mountain Climbers Club
4:00 p.m. -4:30 p.m. – PRAB Business Meeting
PRAB Roles, Responsibilities and Meeting Management
a.Review City Charter and PRAB roles
b.Discuss meeting management (PowerPoint presentation)
c.Review of presentation guidelines
d.Public meetings, open records, Boulder’s Code of Conduct
e.Mentoring and onboarding
4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. – State of the Work
a.Discussion of 2020 milestones
b.Review of Master Plan progress
c.Review of 2019 PRAB Action Plan and accomplishments
5:00 p.m. - 6:00p.m. – Working Session
a.Development of 2020 priorities and initiatives
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: PRAB Handbook
Attachment B: PRAB Procedural Rules
Attachment C: Power Point Presentation – Meeting Management
Attachment D: PRAB Presentation Guidelines
Attachment E: CAO Memo: Public Meetings; Open Records; Boulder’s Code of Conduct
Attachment F: PRAB 2018 Action Plan
Attachment G: 2019 BPR Master Plan Status Update
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PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
Virtual - Study Session
5:00 p.m., November 16, 2020
100 Years of Excellence
Boulder Parks & Recreation
Advisory Board Members 2020
Raj Seymour (Chair)
Allison Fronzaglia (Vice Chair)
Charles Brock
Mary Scott
Jason Unger
Tara Winer
Pamela Yugar
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
I.PRAB Members "Get to Know You” - 3 minutes each (5:00)
A.Tell us something we don’t know about you.
B.What about PRAB are you passionate about?
II.Board Communication and Letter to Council (5:30)
A.City Communication with PRAB – 2020
B.What communication improvements would PRAB like to see in 2021?
C.Crafting the Letter to Council – What makes you sad? What makes you happy? Be
prepared to discuss and bring an example for each scenario.
III.Movement – Raj (6:15)
A.Get up and move – let’s stretch!
IV.PRAB Board Roles and how can we assist the Dept. best? (6:20)
A.Resident Response Plan – Alli Fronzaglia
B.Board and Commission Responsibilities Comparison – BPR Staff
V.Tai Chi – Mary Scott (6:35)
A.Let’s breathe! Stay Focused!
VI.Onboarding/Transition Plan (6:40)
A.What is the plan to help New Board Members transition successfully?
B.What is the plan to transition if a new board member is chosen in 2021?
C.What is the transition plan to “thank” volunteer board members for their time?
VII.Next steps… (6:45)
PRAB RETREAT AGENDA
Purpose: Once a year, members of the PRAB participate in a study session to develop a
work plan and priorities to share with staff and City Council. The retreat offers an
opportunity to celebrate successes, make course corrections in work plans and chart the
course ahead.
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