11.18.24 PRAB PacketAGENDA
All agenda times are approximate
I.APPROVAL OF AGENDA (2 minutes), Page 1
II.FUTURE BOARD ITEMS AND TOURS (2 minutes), Page 2
III.PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (15-30 minutes)
A.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.
IV.CONSENT AGENDA (5 minutes), Page 3
A.Approval of Minutes from October 21, and October 28, 2024, Page 4
B.Updates from the Director of Parks and Recreation, Page 8
C.Parks and Recreation Operations Updates, Page 9
D.Parks and Recreation Planning, Design and Construction Updates, Page 9
V.ACTION ITEMS
A.None
VI.MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION/INFORMATION, Page 12
A.Final Boulder Parks and Recreation 2025 Fee Adjustments (30 min)
VII.MATTERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT, Page 75
A.Future of Recreation Centers: Planning Analysis and Engagement Window 2
Summary (30 min)
VIII.MATTERS FROM THE BOARD, Page 83
A.PRAB Recruitment
B.PRAB Matters (verbal)
IX.NEXT BOARD MEETING:
A.January 27, 2025
X.ADJOURN
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
Fully Hybrid Meeting
6:00 p.m., November 18, 2024
Boulder Parks & Recreation
Advisory Board Members 2024
Andrew Bernstein
Elliott Hood
Eric Raffini
Jennifer Robins
Anna Segur
Sarah van der Star
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
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November 18 December January 27
Fully hybrid for members, staff, and community. PRAB Meeting Cancelled due to
limited agenda needs and holidays.
Fully hybrid for members,
staff, and community.
Regular Mtg
(c)
•Wonderland Lake Park Encroachments
•Coot Lake Foot Bridge
•Adjustment to Base (ATB) 2 –
Supplemental Appropriations to the 2024
Budget
•Minimum Wage Update
•Recreation Mgmt.
Software procurement
•Update on Donation for
Bill Bower
•Historic and Cultural
Asset Project
Regular Mtg
(a)
Regular Mtg
(d/i)
•Final Boulder Parks and Recreation 2025
Fee Adjustments (30 min)
Regular Mtg
(md) •Future of Recreation Centers: Planning
Analysis and Engagement Window 2
Summary (30 min)
•2024 State of the Urban
Forest (15 min)
•Primos Park Plan:
Schematic Design (30
min)
•East Boulder Community
Park Courts Plan Kick-
Off (30 min)
•Long-Term Financial
Strategy Process and
Timing (30 min)
Regular Mtg
(mb)
•PRAB Recruitment
Other Mtgs
or Topics
Nov 7:
•Declaration: Transgender Day of
Remembrance
•Consent Agenda: Consideration of a
motion to approve Revocable License
Agreements and Revocable Easement
Agreements to resolve several
encroachments around Wonderland Lake
Park
Nov 24:
•Joint public hearing with Planning Board to
consider initiating an Area III-Planning
Reserve Community Needs Survey
•Engagement Strategic Framework
(Communications & Engagement)
Nov 21: Special Meeting
•Continued Public Hearing and
consideration of a motion authorizing city
staff to conduct an Area III Planning
Reserve Community Needs Study
Dec 12: Study Session
•Landscaping Updates/Wildfire
Hardening
Dec 19: Regular Meeting
•MCM: Climate Action Plan
update
Dept Events
& Items of
Interest
•Winter Dance Concert •January 11: New Year’s
Fitness Event at EBCC
AGENDA SETTING
The PRAB Chair, PRAB Vice Chair and BPR staff set the agenda for the next month on 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.
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TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
FROM: Alison Rhodes, Director of Parks and Recreation
Bryan Beary, Senior Manager, Community Building and Partnerships
Mark Davison, Senior Manager, Planning
Denise Dawson, Senior Manager, Urban Parks
Regina Elsner, Senior Manager, Natural Resources
Jackson Hite, Senior Manager, Business Services
Megann Lohman, Senior Manager, Recreation
Scott Schuttenberg, Deputy Director
SUBJECT: Consent Agenda
DATE: November 18, 2024
A.Approval of October 21 and October 28, 2024, Minutes
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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 Study Session
Date of Meeting: October 21, 2024
Contact Information Preparing Summary: Rosa Kougl; 303-413-7223
Board Members Present: Elliott Hood, Sunny van der Star, Eric Raffini, Bernie Bernstein,
Jennifer Robins, Anna Segur
Board Members Absent:
Staff Present: Alison Rhodes, Rosa Kougl, Scott Schuttenberg, Jackson Hite, Regina Elsner,
Mark Davison, Bryan Beary, Megann Lohman, Denise Dawson
Guests Present: Andy Frohardt
Type of Meeting: Study Session
Start Time 6:02
I.Presentations
A.Staff Presentation. Board Roles and Functions
Frohardt presented this item.
The board requested clarification on protocols for conversations with community
members and with other board members.
B.Board Presentation. PRAB Handbook information
Hood presented this item.
The board requested further interpretation of how to share an item of interest
with the whole board to ensure compliance. Rhodes indicated that the easiest
way to ensure compliance is through the monthly PRAB packet.
II.Staff Presentation
A.Youth Engagement and Activity.
Schuttenberg and Beary presented this item.
PRAB requested further information on a future youth programming database
and resource connections for teens for educational opportunities, jobs or
leadership avenues. Davison shared the partnership and efforts with Growing
Up Boulder to form outdoor wellness spaces and programs for teens to move
them outside of the restrictions of technology, and the impact that community
connectors are making with retrieving input from teens to activate outdoor
spaces to their needs.
End Time 8:14
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Approved by: Attested:
___________________ _____________________
Elliott Hood Rosa Kougl
Board Member BPR Staff
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: October 28, 2024
Contact Information Preparing Summary: Rosa Kougl; 303-413-7223
Board Members Present: Elliott Hood, Sunny van der Star, Eric Raffini, Bernie Bernstein, Jennifer
Robins, Anna Segur
Board Members Absent:
Staff Present: Ali Rhodes, Scott Schuttenberg, Rosa Kougl, Jackson Hite, Stacie Hoffmann, Clarisa
Collins, Mark Davison, Tina Dalton, Deryn Wagner, Jonathan Thornton, Bryan Beary, Megann
Lohman, Denise Dawson, Regina Elsner
Guests Present: Kristen Sealey
Type of Meeting: Regular
Agenda Item 1: Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6 p.m. A quorum was present for the conduct of business. Motion
to approve agenda. First motion by Bernstein, second by van der Star. The motion passed 6-0.
Agenda Item 2: Future Board Items:
Rhodes, Director of Parks and Recreation, reviewed upcoming agenda items and events.
No PRAB follow up questions or comments.
Agenda Item 3: Public participation:
•Arron Mansika and David Becker voiced concerns about the South Boulder Recreation
Center’s replacement plan.
•Jill Tappert shared concerns about lane space for lap swimming in the city of Boulder pools.
Agenda Item 4: Consent Agenda
•Approval of Minutes from September 23, 2024, Business Meeting
Motion to approve the minutes from the September 23, 2024, Regular PRAB meeting. First
motion by van der Star, second by Bernstein. The motion passed 6-0.
B, C, D. Updates from the Director, Project Updates, Operations & Development
No PRAB follow up questions or comments.
Agenda Item 5: Items for Action
None
Agenda Item 6: Matters for Discussion
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A.Proposed 2025 Boulder Parks & Recreation Fee Schedule
Hite presented this item.
A.The Board responded to staff’s presentation and shared questions and input about the
facility access fee increases in connection to community feedback, and requested
market comparisons and a funding analysis compared to other cities. Additionally, the
Board requested clarification on paddle board fees compared to other reservoirs, a
clearer understanding of ANS and the Boulder Reservoir Operations Plan, and direct
costs associated with boating; decontamination, facility amenities, lake patrol, and
staffing.
Agenda Item 7: Matters from the Department
A.Future of Recreation Centers: Project Approach, Phase 1:
Wagner presented this item.
•The Board responded to staff’s presentation with gratitude for the concise overview of the plan
and explored how best to support the conversation with the community and city council.
Agenda Item 8: Matters from the Board Members
A.PRAB Matters
None
Agenda Item 9: Next Board Meeting
Next Board meeting:
•Monday, November 18, 2024
Agenda Item 10: Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 8:32 p.m.
Approved by: Attested:
___________________ _____________________
Elliott Hood Rosa Kougl
Board Member BPR Staff
Date: ______________ Date: _________________
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B.Updates from the Director of Parks and Recreation
Boards and Commissions 2025 Recruitment
In the spring of 2023, the city worked with Coreflection for a Boards and Commissions
(B&C) Assessment and Project Implementation. Proposed improvements were
considered based on their feasibility, level of impact toward achieving desired goals (role
clarity, representation, efficiency, etc.), available resources and staff capacity, change
mechanism (administrative, council, voters, etc.), interdependencies among
recommendations, and other factors. The assessment on the Boards and Commissions
program specifically recommended changes to the recruitment and selection process to
increase representation and ease participation. These changes have incrementally been
implemented. The application has been simplified and will consequently reduce barriers
for applicants, as well as to add questions that will collect demographic information. The
current recruitment process requires applicants commit to attend racial equity training
and B&C member on-boarding training if they are appointed. Applications are consistent
across all boards and commissions now, so there is no longer a need for individual
boards and commissions to review and edit questions.
The upcoming Recruitment Process Key Dates are listed in table 1 below. PRAB
vacancies include:
•Completing a vacant seat for a term until 2027 (replacing Lewis);
•Completing a vacant seat for a term until 2030 (Ruffini term, filling Unger
vacancy, completes in 2025).
Table 1: 2025 Board and Commission Recruitment Process Timeline
Monday, Dec. 16 Begin recruitment, 8am, for 7 weeks
Wednesday, Jan. 15 Begin outreach for staff and Council
Members on availability for virtual
interviews (Feb. 17 – Feb. 28)
Friday, Jan. 31 Application deadline, midnight
Monday, Feb. 3 – Friday, Feb. 7 Process qualified applications that have
not already been processed and
prepare application packet.
Send applicants interview dates for
signup.
Friday, Feb. 7 Applications sent to council members.
Application packet published to external
website.
Forwarded to board secretaries to
distribute to board members and staff
liaisons.
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C.Parks and Recreation Operations Updates
Wonderland Lake Park Encroachments
Following PRAB’s action on both the proposed Revocable License Agreements and
Revocable Easement Agreements at the September 2024 meeting, the agreements
have been reviewed by the Planning Board and City Council. Pursuant to Section 162 of
the Boulder Revised Code, Planning Board held a public hearing and made a
unanimous recommendation to City Council to approve the Revocable Easement
Agreements at their October 15, 2024 meeting. An item to approve the Revocable
License Agreements and Revocable Easement Agreements was included on City
Council’s November 7, 2024 consent agenda. Item 3F on the consent agenda was
approved with a vote of 7-2, with Councilmembers Folkerts and Schuhard dissenting.
During discussion of the consent agenda, Councilmember Folkerts expressed concern
about not charging fees for these agreements and hence allowing free private use of
public land. Staff recognizes this concern and will include a framework for assessing
fees in the proposed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) currently under development.
D.Parks and Recreation Planning, Design and Construction Updates
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.
Overview of Major Projects
Staff continue to work on the following projects and will update the PRAB as major
milestones are achieved:
Project Status
East Boulder Community Park: Courts Enhancement Planning
Future of Recreation Centers: System Plan Planning
Bill Bower Park: New Interpretive Garden Design
Boulder Junction Park: Opening a New Park Design
Boulder Reservoir: ADA Dock Replacement Design
Civic Area Phase 2: Major Renovation Design
East Boulder Community Center: Major Renovation Design
North Boulder Park: Major Renovation Design
Pleasantview: Parking Area Renovation Design
Primos Park: Opening a New Park Design
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Coot Lake: Bridge Replacement Completed
Crestview: New Community Outdoor Classroom Completed
Flatirons Golf Course: New Golf Clubhouse & Renovated Pro Shop Completed
Boulder Reservoir: Road and Parking Lot Repaving Start 2025
Chautauqua: Courts Enhancement Start 2025
Barker Park Refresh Start 2025
Eben G Fine Park Refresh Start 2026
Pearl Street: Major Renovation Start 2026
Coot Lake Footbridge
The Coot Lake parking lot and footbridge replacement project was completed in
October. This was a critical project due to the failure of the bridge and recognition that
ADA parking and access was not sufficient. The new bridge includes better trail
accessibility connecting to the two newly installed concrete ADA parking stalls in the
adjacent parking lot. Wetland restoration work is also ongoing to ensure any disturbance
to natural resources caused by the bridge replacement will be mitigated and monitored.
Footbridge replacement at Coot Lake. Newly installed ADA spaces at Coot Lake parking
lot.
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Adjustment to Base (ATB) 2 – Supplemental Appropriations to the 2024 Budget
At the November 21, 2024, council meeting, City Council will hold an introduction, first
reading, and consider a motion to order published by title only, an ordinance approving
annual supplemental appropriations to the 2024 Budget. Mid-year adjustments are
necessary to support governmental operations as Colorado law requires an annual
budget appropriation by December 31st of each year, however government businesses
continue year-round.
With ATB2, the department submitted $208,585 in requests that are associated with
grant revenue received in the second half of the year. These grants require increases to
both revenues and expenses. The eight grants received support the Recquity program,
which provides subsidized recreation visits for low-income residents, YSI and EXPAND
programs that serve low-income residents and people with disabilities, Camps, EV
Charging Stations and a Safe Routes to Primos Park.
The department also submitted $59,820 in donations to support four major initiatives:
EXPAND scholarships, YSI programming, an interpretive garden at Bill Bower Park, and
the memorial bench program.
Additional revenue and expenses were included in the amount of $122,357 to support
planned lease payments at Harbeck House and funding for the Tree Protection and
Mitigation Program.
These grant revenues and donations are examples of BPR seeking non-traditional
funding to support department operations, in line with the Financial Sustainability Goal 1
–Increase Non-Traditional Funding and Resources from the 2022 BPR Plan.
City Council is expected to hold the first reading of the Adjustment to Base 2 on
November 21, with the second reading scheduled for December 5, 2024.
Minimum Wage Update:
At the November 7, 2024 council meeting, City Council voted to approve a new local
minimum wage plan that is higher than the state’s minimum wage. Minimum wage is the
lowest amount of money that an employer can legally pay an employee. In the United
States, the minimum wage is described as an hourly rate, and wage floors are set
through legislation. While the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, rates vary widely
across states and local communities. Currently, the minimum wage for the state of
Colorado and the City of Boulder is $14.42 per hour, while unincorporated Boulder
County is $15.69 per hour.
City Council voted to approve Ordinance 8664, which resulted in a set local minimum
wage that will have 8% annual increases in 2025, 2026 and 2027. Following these 8%
increases, the minimum wage will increase yearly in accordance with the Consumer
Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in Denver-Aurora-Lakewood. Beginning in
2025, Boulder’s minimum wage will be $15.57 in 2025.
It is expected that the minimum wage adjustment will impact BPR employees in entry-
level non-standard positions that can include lifeguards, recreation instructors and slide
attendants. With a modeled minimum wage increasing from $15.57 in 2025 to $19.84 in
2030, staff modeled the direct effects of an increased minimum wage as well as the
effects of wage compression (which accounts for an increase in pay ranges for titles
related to those directly affected by minimum wage). The estimated fiscal impact to
BPR’s expenses is $113,000 in 2025, and increases to $825,000 by 2030. The total
fiscal impact over the next six years is expected to be $3.2 million, which has already
been factored into the department’s six-year financial assumptions as part of the 2025
budget development process..
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C I T Y O F B O U L D E R
PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: November 18, 2024
AGENDA TITLE: Final Boulder Parks and Recreation 2025 Fee Adjustments
PRESENTERS:
Alison Rhodes, Director of Parks and Recreation
Scott Schuttenberg, Deputy Director
Jackson Hite, Senior Manager, Business Services
Stacie Hoffmann, Senior Budget Analyst
Megann Lohman, Senior Manager, Recreation
Bryan Beary, Senior Manager, Community Building and Partnerships
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This item shares the 2025 Fee Schedule, which aligns 2025 fees with the Boulder Parks
and Recreation (BPR) Fee Policy and aligns projected revenues with anticipated
expenses in the adopted 2025 operating budget.
The Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule was introduced in draft form at the October 28,
2024 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) meeting. The proposed fee
schedule integrates priorities identified in the 2022 BPR Plan, the Fee Policy, historical
data, costing data, and market research. At the meeting, PRAB members asked
questions and provided feedback on the proposed fee schedule, which are addressed in
the Analysis section of this memo.
BPR fees are set through Boulder Revised Code Section 8-3-8 through a process called
a city manager rule – that sets fees in amounts that are reasonable and necessary to
preserve, maintain and manage such (BPR) activities or facilities. BPR will work with the
City Manager’s Office to provide public notice of the fee updates pursuant to the
Boulder Revised Code Section 8-3-8, which calls for a 15-day public notice period
before fees can take effect. If approved by the City Manager Rule, the new fees would
take effect on January 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND:
At the October 28, 2024 meeting, staff introduced the Proposed 2025 BPR Fee
Schedule to PRAB. The updates to the Fee Schedule are aligned with: 1) the approved
2025 budget as recommended by the PRAB at the July 22, 2024 meeting and approved
by City Council at the October 17, 2024 meeting; 2) the need to balance revenues and
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expenses annually to maintain service levels; 3) the 2022 BPR Plan’s (p. 76-77)
financial sustainability goals; 4) the PRAB approved Fee Policy (Attachment A – BPR
Fee Policy).
Throughout the 2025 budget development process, the department communicated that
the 2025 fee adjustments would focus on Facility Entry, Golf Course, Commercial Use
and Special Events program areas. Due to project timelines, fees for Commercial Use
and Special Events will remain unchanged as review continues into 2025. The
department has typically adjusted Facility Entry fees every two years, with the last fee
increase occurring in 2023. Golf Course fees were last updated in 2024 and are being
revisited due to cost escalation, market rate data, and continued high utilization of the
course.
The adopted Fee Policy, in Figure 1, specifies ten (10) separate categories across
programming, facilities, and partnerships based on community benefit and
corresponding cost recovery targets. Programs and activities that provide the greatest
community benefit are primarily funded through subsidies from the General Fund and
grants. Activities that primarily benefit individuals are expected to recover a minimum of
100% of their costs through user fees. This structure overlays the existing direction that
adults with an ability to pay full costs for services and that the department offers
discounted access based on age and residency status.
Figure 1: Ten separate categories across programming, facilities, and partnerships
Included in the 2025 Fee Schedule
New pricing and consolidated fees intended to take effect January 1, 2025:
•Facility Entry: Last updated in 2023
•Golf: Last updated in 2024
•Rentals: Last updated in 2024
Coming in 2025 for 2026 Fees
•Special Events: In coordination with citywide Office of City Events
•Commercial Use: Review of the pilot program and creation of
Community Access Framework
Alternative Mechanisms in Place
Program Types subject to Cost Recovery and regularly updated pricing through
established processes:
•Recreation Services: Pricing updated through Service Delivery Model
and Recreation Priority Index
•Resale Items: Updated in the point-of-sale system when materials are
ordered
•Contracted Programming: Updated at time of contract negotiations
No Fee Setting
Program Types that do not have fees associated with them:
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•Open Access to parks: Always free to access
•Grants, Philanthropy and Donations: Procedures and management
pursuant to citywide grants policy
Further examples of these program types, benefit levels, cost recovery targets, program
definitions and examples of services are included in Attachment A – BPR Fee Policy on
pages 5 – 7.
As stated in the Fee Policy procedure, the Department’s pricing strategy is based on
several considerations:
•Level of Community Benefit
•Supply and Demand
•Market Comparisons
•Residency/Non-residency priority
•Age-based prioritization with an emphasis on youth and seniors
•Accessibility and health promotion
•Value of Program (availability of alternative providers, quality of program)
•Cost recovery
Following the approval of the Fee Policy in 2023, BPR used guidance from the PRAB to
set fees. The Fee Schedule for 2024, which was also reviewed by the PRAB,
represents the most comprehensive list of fees BPR charges. This update involved
significant work to ensure the fees reflect historical trends, market comparisons, and
recent cost escalations. Attachment B - Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule (red lined
changes from 2024) identifies the changes from the approved 2024 BPR Fee Schedule.
Attachment C – 2025 BPR Fee Schedule (clean version) is a clean version of the Fee
Schedule that would be shared with the public should it be approved by the city
manager rule.
The 2025 Budget approved by City Council included a $500,000 placeholder for
planned fee increases to balance revenues and expenses in response to rising costs. In
past years, fee increases have been reviewed parallel to the budget development
process, resulting in fees being reviewed and set in May and June. In 2024, staff
delayed the process of proposed fee updates until October and November. With this
timing, staff was able to benefit from the data from the 2024 peak season.
BPR typically updates Facility Access Fees every two years, with the last update in
2023, making a 2025 update expected to community members and appropriate given
the rising operational costs. Golf Course Fees will be adjusted based on continued
usage, market research, and supply and demand. The majority of rental fees were
updated in 2024; however, certain rental fees are proposed for further updates to
simplify options and align with market research and cost recovery targets.
In conducting market research, staff reviews benchmark agencies and industry-specific
data. A summary of this market research is identified in Attachment D – Market Study
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Comparison. BPR’s fees tend to be on the higher end compared to other public
agencies, with some fees falling in the lower half of the market range. It’s important to
note that BPR relies on higher cost recovery targets than many other public agencies
due to differences in funding structures as well as fee policy that charges adults full
costs for services. The funding differences between BPR and other benchmark
agencies are further described in Attachment E – Ballard King Analysis (p. 10), which
was completed as part of the 2022 BPR Plan.
ANALYSIS:
The PRAB asked many questions at the October 28, 2024 meeting. Responses to these
questions are grouped into general themes below in an effort to address common
questions and concerns collectively.
Community Impact:
PRAB’s questions and feedback focused on the perception of already high fees, the
need for continual increases, potential negative impacts of fee increases and alternative
fee structures.
As identified in Attachment E – Ballard King Analysis, there are different funding
methods for parks and recreation agencies. As BPR’s costs of operations have
increased for things such as minimum wage, living wage and inflation, these cost
increases have not been met with increased tax funding, that users are picking up these
costs.
Facility Access fee increases have occurred almost every other year, driven by
increased operational expenses such as labor, chemicals, janitorial, and utilities. When
comparing costs from 2019 to the 2024 budget, expenses have grown at the following
rates: labor +29%, chemicals +113%, janitorial +73%, and utilities +49%. The expected
increase for these costs from 2024 to 2025 is an additional $550 thousand, before
factoring in minimum wage increase. BPR Fee Policy directs that fees are set upon the
actual costs of delivering services. This is different from the Consumer Price index
(CPR), which aggregates common expenses. According to the Denver-Aurora-
Lakewood (CPI), there has been significant inflation since the last fee updates in 2020
and 2023. From 2020 to 2023, CPI increased 1.951%, 3.541%, 8.011% and 5.215% per
consecutive year for an average of 4.68% per year. The 2024 CPI is projected to be in
the 2.5% to 2.8% range. This has resulted in a total CPI increase of over 20% in the
past 5 years, which accounts for the cost increases that have been passed along to
users of the facilities, programs and services.
BPR increased Facility Entry Fees in 2020 and 2023. It was difficult to gauge the
impacts of 2020 Fee increase due to the COVID-related reductions in service. When
comparing 2022 to 2023, facility usage grew at 20% year over year, while revenue
increased 25%, which corresponds with increased usage and a fee increase. Staff does
not anticipate a significant amount of attrition or reduced participation as a result of the
proposed fee increases given past trends. BPR also provides a Financial Aid program
which is further addressed below.
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BPR regularly evaluates its fee structure and relies on the policy guidance from the Fee
Policy, which states that non-residents should pay higher fees than Boulder residents.
For most fees, non-resident fees already include a 20% premium over resident rates.
Market Comparison:
PRAB requested additional information on market rate comparisons, including the
agencies BPR benchmarks against and how its fees compare. Staff has prepared
Attachment D – Market Study Comparison to compare BPR’s rates with other public,
private and non-profit agencies. It is important to note that this comparison was based
on publicly available data. Based on conversations with other agencies, staff anticipate
that other agencies will also implement fee increases due to rising costs and the same
pressures that BPR faces. Other agencies have indicated that their fee adjustments
occur every 1 to 3 years, with average increases being in the 5-10% range and aligning
with quarter to dollar increments to streamline cash handling.
Financial Aid & Subsidies:
Questions and feedback from the PRAB focused on the financial aid process, potential
gaps in who is being served, and how to better promote awareness of the financial aid
program.
As shared in October, BPR offers a robust financial aid program that supports
individuals and families making less than 60% of Area Median Income (AMI) with free
annual memberships and up to $400 in scholarships for registered programs. In 2025,
the scholarship will increase to $500 per eligible participant to account for increased
costs of BPR’s programs. Boulder’s AMI is $102,200 for a household of 1, $116,800 for
a household of 2, $131,400 for a household of 3, and $146,600 for a household of 4.
The BPR financial aid program is available for Boulder residents, with the current
annual income limit set at $55,800 for a family of one, $63,750 for a family of two,
$71,300 for a family of three and $79,680 for a family of four. In 2024, the AMI eligibility
limit increased from 50% to 60% to align with other service providers.
Individuals can apply for the financial aid program online or at any of the three
recreation centers. The application process is available in both English and Spanish to
support a broader range of community members. Proof of residency is required through
a tax return, ID or license, lease, deed or property tax bill, a utility bill or any state
program letters. Proof of income is required through tax returns, Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) letters, Boulder Housing
Partners (BHP) leases, Boulder County program or State program documentation.
The approval process typically takes up to five business days. Once approved,
individuals receive a 100% subsidized membership at all three recreation centers, two
outdoor pools and the Boulder Reservoir. This also includes up to two hours of childcare
per day at NBRC or EBCC and 50% off eligible programs and services up to $400
annually. In 2025, the scholarship will increase to $500 per eligible participant to
account for increased costs of BPR’s programs.
16
Each year, new applications are accepted starting in late November. During this
renewal timeframe, staff communicates via email with all current financial aid
participants four to five times encouraging them to reapply for financial aid if they would
like to maintain their financial aid benefits, and continue to qualify for the program.
Physical signage is placed throughout the recreation centers, and information is shared
in the recreation guides. Community members may also apply throughout the year.
As previously shared with the PRAB, the department has operated the financial aid
program at a 50% subsidy for the past 2 decades. With the approval of the Sugar
Sweetened Beverage Tax (SSBT) and annual grant-based funding from the Health
Equity Fund, BPR was able to increase the financial aid subsidy to 100% beginning in
2018.
As a result, total financial aid membership accounts for 4,351. In 2024, these individuals
have had 51,087 visits through Q3, which accounts for approximately 17% of total
visitation. As of October, financial aid memberships have grown (27%) over 2023 and
visitations have grown 25%.
The department receives a General Fund Subsidy of approximately $1.6 million each
year. This subsidy supports the populations identified in the 2022 BPR Plan as priority
areas for investment. In 2024, the subsidy supported to the EXPAND program for
people with disabilities in the amount of $450 thousand, the Youth Services Initiative
(YSI) program for low-income families in the amount of $330 thousand., and subsidized
access for youth at $260 thousand, and seniors at $450 thousand. The value of
financial aid visits is subsidized by approximately $600 thousand a year. Additionally,
BPR provides discounted prices for youth organizations, discounted household prices,
and volume-based discounts for 10-punch, monthly, summer fun and annual passes.
Collectively, the subsidy of $2.1 million provided exceeds the subsidy of $1.6 million
received from the General Fund. BPR relies on additional subsidy from the .25 Cent
Sales Tax Fund, Health Equity Fund and grants to support these subsidies based on
2022 BPR Plan guidance. Some BPR services also generate revenues in excess of
costs which subsidizes other programs. This practice is in line with recommendations
from the 2022 BPR Plan, Fee Policy, and Ballard King Report.
The actual cost for providing access to BPR facilities in 2024 is approximately $12 per
visit at the three recreation centers, $14 per visit at the outdoor pools, and $382.00 per
operating hour at the Boulder Reservoir. Based on input from passholders conducted in
2019, the majority of respondents wanted a single pass that provided access to all
facilities, rather than individual passes per facility. Therefore, BPR has operated under
the model of consistent pricing at all recreation facilities (three recreation centers, two
outdoor pools, and the Boulder Reservoir). It should be noted that any daily entrance
fee that is set at less than the cost to operate that facility is being subsidized. Generally,
BPR has sought to ensure the daily drop-in fees for adults align with full cost recovery,
while discounting and subsidy goes towards youth, seniors, households, and volume-
based users.
17
Boulder Reservoir:
The PRAB asked questions related to the Boulder Reservoir pass types and fees –
particularly around small craft permits. Staff are currently working on the Reservoir
Management Plan, which will come to the PRAB for review in 2025. All questions that
were raised by the PRAB were shared with the project team to ensure that the plan
considers the concerns around: affordability, ease of access, lack of daily rates for small
craft permits, long-term implications of Aquatic Nuisance Species and overall facility
operations. As part of the 2025 season, staff will continue sales of small watercraft
permits until they are sold out. Staff may modify how these permits are sold starting in
May.
Customer Service and Staff Training:
There were general questions surrounding customer service, staff training, and logistics
of when fee changes would take effect. Currently, the recreation team hosts quarterly
meetings for front desk staff and recreation programmers to ensure there is consistent
sharing of information, collaboration and problem solving. Recognizing that fee updates
can create confusion, staff is working with the communications, marketing, and
recreation teams to create consistent Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) to help staff
answer questions and help guide patrons to the best product for their needs.
There will be a marketing push in December for the purchase of punch passes, monthly
and annual passes, which will allow for members to lock in 2024 pricing ahead of 2025
price increases. This marketing effort is consistent with efforts done in advance of 2023
price increases and ensures existing customers get the best value. Golf course annual
passes are restricted to 180 passes, and are only sold year round, with the pass
expiring 365 days from the date of purchase.
Long Term Financial Strategy:
The PRAB expressed interest in learning more about the city’s Long-Term Financial
Strategy and expressed support for funding measures to support facility enhancements,
and potential shifts in funding operations.
The city recognizes the fiscal constraints that BPR is facing, along with other
departments, due to flattening revenue and increased expenses. City Council has
prioritized a Long-Term Financial Strategy (LTFS) in their workplan; the project will be
led by the City Manager’s Office and Finance Department. The LTFS will include a
comprehensive fee study, an evaluation of service levels, an exploration of additional
funding mechanisms, refinement of financial policies, community engagement and a
ballot strategy. Staff will share more about this project at the January PRAB meeting.
Without additional funding and based on current expenses and projected revenues, by
2027, BPR will need to identify which services, facilities and programs to reduce or
eliminate to balance spending with funding. In alignment with the Long-Term Financial
Strategy, the department will begin exploring options to better align revenues and
expenses. In addition, the implementation of a new Recreation Management Software
18
(RMS) in the fall of 2025 will provide better data on cost allocation and cost recovery to
support this work.
NEXT STEPS:
BPR will work with the City Manager’s Office to publicly notice the fee updates pursuant
to the Boulder Revised Code Section 8-3-8 which calls for a 15-day public notice period
before fees can take effect. If approved by both the PRAB and City Manager Rule, new
fees would take effect on January 1, 2025.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: BPR Fee Policy
Attachment B: Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule (red lined changes from 2024)
Attachment C: 2025 BPR Fee Schedule (clean version)
Attachment D: Ballard King Analysis
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
1919
I.Purpose of Policy:
The purpose of the fee policy is to establish clear and consistent guidance for how fees are set
and subsidies are awarded. In establishing a fee policy, BPR intends to create a standard
approach for all fees collected, develop transparent fee categories and definitions of the types of
access or programs which are subject to various fees, and create clear cost recovery targets.
The Fee Policy should be applied equitably to all programs, with an understanding that
additional support may be provided based on General Fund Subsidy as called for in the 2022
Parks and Recreation Plan. In determining the subsidy levels, BPR will provide subsidies based
on the level of funding available and the level of community benefit each program provides.
II.Background:
The City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department promotes the health and well-being of
the entire Boulder community by collaboratively providing high quality parks, facilities and
programs.
BPR operates from five primary funds. These funds are the Recreational Activity Fund (RAF),
.25 Cent Sales Tax Fund (.25ST), General Fund, Permanent Park and Recreation Fund, and
Lottery Fund.
Recreation Activity Fund: A special revenue/quasi-enterprise fund that is specific to the Parks
and Recreation Department. The fund is the primary funding mechanism used to support
recreation centers and facilities and subsidize fees for services related to the provision of
recreation, reservoir and golf course services/programs that do not cover all their direct costs.
This fund is supported through user and participation fees, grants and donations, and an annual
subsidy transfer from the General Fund.
.25 Cent Sales Tax Fund: A special revenue fund that is specific to the Parks and Recreation
Department. The fund is primarily supported through a designated sales tax that was approved
by voters in 1995. In 2013 voters renewed the sales tax through 2035, with 85% of votes
supporting the tax. The fund supports multiple aspects of the department, including operations
and maintenance, administrative support services, renovation and refurbishment, and capital
improvements.
General Fund: The city’s largest fund that serves as the primary funding source for most
governmental services. BPR uses its portion for park operations, forestry and department
administration. The general fund is mostly supported through a blend of taxes, permits, fees,
and intergovernmental transfers. As a result of the fund’s heavy reliance on tax revenue and
pressure from other departments, the fund’s revenues, and ability to contribute to the
department’s budget can fluctuate, although it has been relatively stable over the years.
Permanent Park and Recreation Fund: A fund specific to the Parks and Recreation
department, this source of funding is permanent according to the City of Boulder’s charter and is
supported through earmarked property taxes, with the Parks and Recreation Department
receiving $0.01 for every dollar of property tax collected by Boulder County. These funds are
limited to the acquisition or permanent improvement of parkland, renovations, and refurbishment
of recreation facilities, and is a source of funds for capital improvements.
20
Attachment A:
BPR Fee Policy
20
Lottery Fund: A special revenue fund that accounts for State Conversation Trust proceeds that
are distributed to municipalities on a per capita basis. Money from the Lottery Fund must be
used only for the acquisition, development, and maintenance of new conservation sites or for
capital improvements or maintenance for recreational purposes on any public site.
III.Definitions:
Residency:
Resident: any individual who lives at an address located within the City of Boulder
service area.
Non-Resident: any individual who lives outside of the City of Boulder.
Resident/Worker: individuals who live or work in the City of Boulder are eligible for
Resident/Worker rates for facility entry. Resident or non-resident status applies for all
other types of programs.
Age Based Fee Groupings:
Youth: participants between 3 and 18 years old.
Adult: participants between 19 and 59 years old.
Senior: participants who are over the age of 60.
Household: any adults, seniors or youth residing at the same address. Proof of address
is required and no more than 8 members aged 19 or older.
Costing Definitions:
Cost Recovery: the collection of revenue to pay for the direct and/or indirect costs of
providing a service or program. The level of cost recovery will vary based upon the
service, type of program, program category benefit level, targeted skill level, market
costs and other factors.
Direct Costs: The costs directly related or attributed to providing a specific service.
Direct costs include staff time, materials and supplies directly related to providing the
service.
Indirect Costs: Costs incurred across the department that are not directly attributed to a
specific service but benefits the department as a whole. Indirect costs typically include
marketing expenses, software, utilities, space allocation, and management staff that
support a variety of services or programs.
21
Attachment A:
BPR Fee Policy
21
Market Analysis: A point-in-time analysis or survey of prices charged by other
agencies, public and private for a similar service. Market Analysis is typically limited to
benchmark communities, local private business and non-profit organizations.
Subsidy: Funding provided by the city to offset the costs of a service to support a higher
level of community benefit. Based upon community input, subsidies are typically
awarded to programs that support low-income residents, people with disabilities, older
adults and youth.
Discounts: Discounts may be provided associated with marketing and/or volume-based
discounting to provide benefits to participants who are regularly using a service or
program.
Program Benefit Categories:
Community: Services that enhance the health, safety and livability of the community
and therefore require minimal obstacles to participation.
Recreation: Services that benefit a broad range of users and are targeted to promote
physical and mental well-being.
Individual: Services targeted to specific individuals or user groups with limited
community benefit.
IV.Policy:
The Department of Parks and Recreation’s Fee Policy represents a standardized approach to
program categorization and definitions, while aligning a clear subsidy level based on the level of
community benefit provided. Fees are an efficient and equitable way to distribute the costs
22
Attachment A:
BPR Fee Policy
22
associated with providing services that exceed the ability of the tax base to support the costs.
This comprehensive policy will promote community understanding with clear fee practices and
financial sustainability. This Fee Policy was developed through the documentation of previous
policy guidance from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, includes guidance received
from the 2022 Parks and Recreation Plan, along with significant input from the Parks and
Recreation Advisory Board, Community Connectors in Residence and City Council. This Fee
Policy identifies and informs the program types and a consistent method to assign services to
those types and includes the appropriate benefit level of subsidy and cost recovery target that
should be achieved. Tax subsidy provided each year from the General Fund and/or other
sources such as .25 Cent Sales Tax Fund should be allocated in a way that supports the cost
recovery targets based on available funding, which then directs the corresponding pricing
strategy each year.
The concept of cost recovery involves setting fees based on the total cost of providing the
service and factors in the program category benefit level so that the total funding received
(Taxes and User Fees) equals the total cost of providing a particular service. This is critical to
the financial sustainability of public parks and recreation.
V.Procedure:
The department will review fees and charges for all programs and services along with cost
recovery performance at least every two years as part of the annual citywide budget
development process. Once the cost to provide services is analyzed, each service area will
review cost recovery performance compared to stated goals within the Fee Policy. Total cost of
service as well as the department’s Service Delivery Model, market analysis, and feedback from
staff and participants, will inform any recommendations to the Department Director to update
fees.
The Department’s pricing strategy is based on several considerations:
•Level of Community Benefit
•Supply and Demand
•Market Comparisons
•Residency/Non-residency priority
•Age-based prioritization with an emphasis on youth and seniors
•Accessibility and health promotion
•Value of Program (availability of alternative providers, quality of program)
•Cost recovery philosophy
•Availability of subsidy to support age-based discount, community benefit recreation and
financial aid.
Each activity will be sorted into a program type. Each program type will have a minimum cost
recovery rate and a target cost recovery rate. Programs that are being introduced will likely be
at the minimum cost recovery rate; over the lifecycle of the program, the goal will be to achieve
the target cost recovery rate. While setting rates, staff must evaluate market rates and demand
for the activity to determine price sensitivity for any proposed price adjustments. If the price is
too high and/or there is little demand for the program, staff must consider the feasibility of
reducing costs, reducing fees or propose the elimination of the program. To minimize impacts to
23
Attachment A:
BPR Fee Policy
23
participants, fee increases may be limited to 10% in a year for any community or recreation level
programs. Fee increases may be phased in over a 2-to-3-year period to minimize impacts to
participants.
When establishing fees, BPR will support fees that the market will bear, even if this exceeds the
cost recovery targets. Additionally, BPR will not undercut the market as it is not a good use of
subsidy and jeopardizes the overall health of the market. Programs with high demand should
also evaluate fee increases to improve cost recovery. Both tactics will allow the department to
reinvest in other program areas with lower cost-recovery goals, in turn allowing the department
to reduce the reliance on tax subsidy and reinvest in priority programs. During future updates to
the Fee Policy, BPR will adjust the cost recovery targets accordingly based on actual
performance.
To ensure there is equitable access for populations the community has prioritized, the
department will continue to subsidize access for low-income individuals, people with disabilities,
youth and seniors. The department is committed to maintaining financial aid programs to
qualifying Boulder residents, providing subsidized access to facilities and programs, as funding
allows.
All fee updates will be reviewed annually by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and for
consideration by City Council with the adoption of the operating budget each year. The City
Manager shall give notice regarding changes in fees by filing a schedule of fees with the City
Clerk and displaying the changed fees on the City’s website. Increases shall not take effect until
at least two weeks have passed since notice was given. Fees shall be in effect as of the
effective date specified in the schedule.
Fees may be temporarily discounted or reduced through special promotional pricing as warranted.
The City Manager may reduce fees from time to time as market conditions warrant, and may also
raise them again, so long as the fee never exceeds that specified in the fee schedule.
Below are the program types with associated category benefit level and cost recovery target
goals, definitions and examples of activities. These are examples of various types: they are not
all-inclusive lists and program offerings change over time.
Program
Type
Program
Category
Benefit
Level
Cost
Recovery
Program Definition Examples of
Services Included
Open Access Community 0% Access to parks, park
amenities, pathways and
natural areas. Open
access allows for self-
directed activity and does
not include supervision
or oversight by staff.
Pocket,
neighborhood, and
community parks,
skateparks,
playgrounds, multi-
use paths, non-
reserved outdoor
courts, dog-parks
24
Attachment A:
BPR Fee Policy
24
Grants,
Philanthropy
& Donations
Community Grants, philanthropy and
donations which further
the mission of the
department by providing
outside funding for a
specific focus which
increases access and/or
removes barriers to
participation
Health Equity Funds,
Grants, Memorial
Benches, Tree
Donations, Project
Specific Donations
Special
Events
Community 10%+ Large-scale events that
appeal to a broad portion
of the community.
Snow Much Fun,
Holiday Lights
Recreation 70%+ Large-scale events
produced by the
department and/or city
intended for a specific
demographic within the
community.
Drive-in movies,
Sweetheart Dances,
Halloween Carnival
Individual 100%+ Large-scale events with
pre-registration required
for a niche market or
specific interest.
Typically provided by
non-department
organization
Organized races
Recreation
Services
Community 50%+ Foundational classes,
leagues and workshops
which include instruction
and the primary goal of
introducing participants
to basic skills at a “learn
to” level; programs which
facilitate access to other
program types
Facility childcare,
beginner level sports,
fitness orientations,
EXPAND programs,
Youth Services
Initiative (YSI),
aquatics clinics
Recreation 70%+ Classes, leagues, clinics
and workshops with
instruction provided at an
intermediate level
Intermediate level
sports, enrichment
classes, youth sport
leagues, camps
Individual 100%+ Classes, leagues, clinics
and workshops with
instruction provided at an
advanced level of
training and
development; private or
semi-private setting to
meet unique needs of an
individual or small group
Advanced level
sports, specialty
fitness, adult sports
leagues, competitive
team events, boating
25
Attachment A:
BPR Fee Policy
25
Facility Entry Recreation 90%+ Access to recreation
centers, indoor & outdoor
pools, outdoor swim
beaches and passive
recreation at Boulder
Reservoir where
monitored access is
provided for self-directed
activity with general
supervision and
oversight provided by
department staff
Facility admission,
drop-in classes, swim
beach, passive
recreation at Boulder
Reservoir
Resale Items Individual 100%+ Consumable and non-
consumable goods
available for purchase
Swim diapers, locks,
food or concessions,
clothing, pro-shop
items
Contracted
Programming
Individual 100%+ Registered programs
offered by a non-
city/department agency
that operate under a
revenue share/profit split
Specialty summer
camps, Tennis
lessons
Golf Course Individual 100%+ Utilization of golf course
and related amenities
Driving range, rounds
of golf, cart rentals,
tournaments
Rentals Individual 100%+ Space, facility,
equipment, park and
shelter reservations for a
use by an individual,
group or organization.
Field rentals, court
rentals, facility
rentals, shelter
rentals, lane rentals,
private access
rentals
Commercial
Use
Individual 100%+ Fee based instruction,
education, care or
supervision on park land
provided by an individual,
group or organization.
Yoga in a park,
summer camps or
nature programs held
exclusively at a park.
Attachments:
•Attachment A – Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
26
Attachment A:
BPR Fee Policy
26
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
1
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
This fee schedule provides detail in support of the BPR Fee Policy for the department’s facilities
and operations. The Definitions found in the Fee Policy apply throughout this document and are
incorporated by reference.
Subsidy Levels
To advance equity by lowering barriers and supporting access based on the priorities identified in
the 2022 BPR Plan, subsidy is provided to programs that support low-income residents, people
with disabilities, older adults and youth.
Other Facility Use and Services
Any other Boulder Parks and Recreation facility or service not listed specifically in this fee
schedule or elsewhere shall be available at the discretion of the Parks and Recreation Department
Director. The Director or their designee will determine the applicable fees and necessary
requirements.
Staffing
Additional fees may be charged for events, rentals, and reservations that require staff above and
beyond those that are regularly scheduled to work. An additional premium applies for staffing
that must take place outside of regular operational hours, recognizing it requires a shift in regular
scheduling and management support to administer.
Specific fees are based on the approximate cost of staff as follows:
Staff Category Hourly Rate Per Employee
Seasonal & Temporary (Non-Standard) Staff $2224.50
Standard Operations Staff $3840.00
Standard Management Staff $5961.00
Overtime/After Outside of Operating Hours 2x multiplier
Fees by Program Type
I.Open Access
Access to parks, park amenities, pathways and natural areas. Open access allows for
self-directed activity and does not include supervision or oversight by staff.
No fees are associated with the use of Open Access facilities.
II.Grants, Philanthropy & Donations
Grants, philanthropy and donations which further the mission of the department by
providing outside funding for a specific focus which increases access and/or removes
barriers to participation.
2727
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
2
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
No fees from customers are associated with this revenue category, though a portion of
funds may be due to pass-through organizations.
III.Special Events
Large-scale events that involve reservation of department facilities and parks.
Depending on the intended audience of the event, any of the 3 community benefit
levels may apply.
Typically, most Community and Recreation level programs are produced by the
department and/or city, that fees would primarily apply for Special Events with an
Individual Benefit level. Citywide Special Events Office may have additional fees
beyond fees charged for Parks and Recreation facilities, programs, and staff.
a.Special Event Fees
Special Events Per Day
50 – 250 people $300.00
251 – 1,000 people $500.00
1,001 – 5,000 people $1,250.00
5,001 – 50,000 people $2,000.00
50,000+ people $2,500.00
Glen Huntington Bandshell Per Day
50 + people $900.00
Special Event Locations: Boulder Creek Path, Central Park, EBCC Community Park,
North Boulder Park, SBRC – Harlow Platts Park
b.Reservoir Events
Per Day
April 1 – Oct 31
Per Day
Nov 1 – March 31
Full facility closure $15,000.00 $7,500.00
Reservoir Basic site $400.00 $200.00
Reservoir Premier site $600.00 $300.00
½ Parking Lot (double for full) $250.00 $125.00
Restrooms N/A $200.00
Reservoir Lake Per Hour
April 1 – Oct 31
Per Hour
Nov 1 – March 31
Reservoir Lake closure inside no
wake area
$75.00 $50.00
2828
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
3
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
Reservoir Lake wake area ½ $500.00 $250.00
Reservoir Lake wake area Full N/A $500.00
Picnic Fees: Basic Site Per Event Premier Site Per Event
Silver $400.00 $440.00
Gold $625.00 $685.00
Platinum $800.00 $880.00
Custom a la carte pricing A la carte price A la carte price
Per participant impact fees $5.00 - $6.00 per
participant based on
impact of event
$4.00 - $6.00 per
participant based on impact
of event
Per car participant fee for picnics
only
$10.00 $10.00
Room Rentals: Per Hour
Main building dining room $200.00
Outdoor patio $50.00
c.Valmont Events
Valmont hosts limited Special Events during a typical year, so for each of those
instances applicable fees will be calculated based on the projected impact, staff
resources, and exclusivity of the rental based on the principles and targets in the
Fee Schedule and Fee Policy.
IV.Recreation Services
Fees associated with recreation programs and services are determined based upon the
department’s Service Delivery Model and may be updated each program session.
Rates are published in the Recreation Activity Guide each registration session.
V.Facility Entry
Access to recreation centers, pools, and other facilities are consistent across the BPR
system. Visitors may pay for individual daily entries, packages of “punches” to be
used for entrance , or memberships that allow unlimited use during a set time period.
a.General Definitions & Promotions:
i.Resident/Worker Fee: Rate reflects a discount for those who either live
or are paid employees of businesses or organizations within the city limits
of Boulder.
2929
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
4
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
ii.Household: Any adults, seniors or youth residing at the same address
(anyone 19 years old and over must provide proof of same-address
residency). The package may not include more than 8 members aged 19 or
older.
iii.Additional Annual Pass Family Members: First family member pays
highest full price; additional family residing at the same address qualify
for 50% off. Unlimited Annual passes only, purchased at the same time.
iv.Military and Public Service Discounts: A 15% discount on monthly or
annual passes is available to Active Military & Veterans; Local, State,
Federal Government employees within the city of Boulder; and University
and School District employees within the city of Boulder.
v.Silver Sneakers, Renew Active, One Pass, Silver & Fit: These programs
encourage older adults to participate in physical activities that will help
them to maintain greater control of their health. Many insurance
companies offer these benefits to their members which allows them to
access the Boulder recreation centers and participate in drop-in activities.
This does not include registered programs (see Section IV – Recreation
Services above).
b.Single Visit – Unlimited facility access within the same day
Ages Non-Resident Rate
Daily Entry Fee
Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $12.00 $10.00
Senior (60+) $9.00 $7.50
Youth (3-18) $7.257.00 $6.00
Group Daily (4 entries; max 2 adults) $32.00 $27.00
c.10 Visit Pass
Ages Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $108114.00 $9096.00
Senior (60+) $8185.00 $6872.00
Youth (3-18) $6566.00 $5456.00
d.Monthly Pass
Ages Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $8387.00 $6972.00
Senior (60+) $6265.00 $5254.00
3030
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
5
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
Youth (3-18) $5052.00 $4143.00
Household $133139.00 $110115.00
e.Annual Pass
Ages Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $864907.00 $720756.00
Senior (60+) $648680.00 $540567.00
Youth (3-18) $522548.00 $432453.00
Household $1,3821,451.00 $1,1521,209.00
f.Unlimited Summer Fun Pass
Ages Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $249261.00 $207216.00
Senior (60+) $186195.00 $156162.00
Youth (3-18) $150153.00 $123126.00
Household $399417.00 $330342.00
*Valid from Friday before Memorial Day to Labor Day
g.Reservoir Only Fees:
i.Flank Season Fees & Twilight Entry Fees
Season Individual Carload
Flank Season* $5.00 $10.00
Twilight Entry**$5.00 $10.00
Large Vehicle fee – buses, vans, etc.
* **
$10 + $3 for every person over 10 people
*April 1 to Thursday before Memorial Day & Tuesday after Labor Day to October 31
** 6:00 pm to facility close
*** Large Vehicle Fee – only during Flank Season
ii.Reservoir Only Annual Pass (January 1 to December 31)
Ages Daily Entry FeeNon-
Resident Rate
Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $414435.00 $345362.00
Senior (60+) $310325.00 $260273.00
Youth (3-18) $249261.00 $207217.00
3131
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
6
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
Household $662695.00 $552580.00
VI.Resale Items
Consumable and non-consumable goods available for purchase at BPR facilities.
Resale items change throughout the year based on the season, availability of product
and price. All resale items will be priced at 100% recovery of direct costs or higher.
Discounting may be used to reduce inventory.
VII.Contracted Programming
Registered programs offered by a non-city/department agency that operate under a
revenue share/profit split. If city staff are managing registration and payment, a
revenue split of at least 30% to the city is expected with 70% to the partner, whereas
if the partner is handling those tasks, the revenue split would be at least a 20% to the
city and 80% to the partner. It is expected that contractors support department
priorities of supporting participation among youth, seniors, people with disabilities
and low incomes to encourage a greater diversity of participation.
VIII.Golf Course
The fees for Flatirons Municipal Golf Course year-round are:
a.Per Round (Monday through Thursday)
Ages 9 Hole 18 Hole
Adult $2730.00 $483.00
Senior $2224.00 $3740.00
Youth $1920.00 $2930.00
b.Per Round (Friday to Sunday) & Holidays
Ages 9 Hole 18 Hole
Adult $3329.00 $4853.00
Senior $2529.00 $4347.00
Youth $2124.00 $3134.00
c.Annual Pass:
Ages PerYear
Adult $1,5001,650.00
Senior $1,2001,320.00
Junior (14 11 to 17) $414425.00
Children (10 and under free w/ paying adult)
3232
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
7
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
Youth (Under 14) $314.00
d.Value Plan Card
Ages Per Pass 9 Hole w/ Value Plan 18 Hole w/ Value Plan
Adult $699.00 $9 per round $12 per round Senior $599.00
e.Tournament Fees
Weekday Tournament* $78.00
Weekend Tournament* $83.00
Add-On’s based on market rate+ Customized with Golf Staff
*Includes 1 round per person; 1 cart for every 2 players
e.f. Other Fees:
Practice Range Balls Per Item
Small – 40 balls $78.00
Medium – 75 balls $1011.00
Large – 100 balls $1314.00
Carts (per person) 9 Hole 18 Hole
Riding Cart with GPS $1315.00 $1820.00
Push Carts $45.00 $67.00
Rental Clubs 9 Hole 18 Hole
Standard Clubs $910.00 $1820.00
Performance Clubs $3035.00 $4550.00
IX.Rentals
Space, facility, equipment, park reservations for a use by an individual, group or
organization.
a.Reservoir-Specific User Groups, Events and Picnics
Exclusive Use Youth Per Hour Adult Per Hour
Hourly Rate Based on 2024 Expenses:
for before and after hours use only.
$284.00
20254 Rates $170.50185.00 $284.00$213.00
3333
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
8
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
Add Ons Per Day
Fire Extinguisher $10.00
Large Ice tub $20.00
Charcoal Grill $40.00
Picnic Tables $20.00
20’ x 20’ canopy $350.00
20’ x 30’ canopy $400.00
Equipment Use Per Hour
Loader / Tractor $85.00
Personal Water Craft $30.00
Motor Boat $50.00
b.Boating
Decontaminations Per Craft
Small craft $20
Large craft $50-$250 (depends on severity)
Annual Boat Storage: Mooring Resident Non-ResidentPer Boat
Fee
Rack $300.00 $380.00
Gravel $665.00 $830.00
Paved $755.00 $945.00
Wet $890.00 $1,110.00
Season – 7 days per week: Resident Non-ResidentPer Boat
Fee
Powered 50-499 HP $600.00 $735.00
Powered 1-49 HP and Sail boats $265.00 $315.00
Small watercraft $60.00 $70.00
Weekday – Mon – Fri (excludes
holidays)
Resident Non-ResidentPer Boat
Fee
Powered 50-499 HP $340.00 $400.00
Small watercraft $40.00 $45.00
Small Watercraft Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Weekday (Mon – Fri & excludes
holidays)
$45.00 $40.00
7 days per week $70.00 $60.00
3434
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
9
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
c.Outdoor Sport Fields & Tournaments
Rental Space Youth Group Per Hour Adult Group Per Hour
Inline Hockey Rink $16.00 $19.00
Horseshoe Pits $27.00 $32.00
½ Multi-purpose /
Satellite /Recreation Field
$18.00 $25.00
Multi-purpose / Satellite / Recreation
Field
$28.00 $35.00
Baseball & Softball Diamond / Soccer
Fields
$35.00 $44.00
Premier Field $67.00 $88.00
Add On’s
Lights $45.00 $45.00
Painting & Striping $38-110
Garbage At Cost At Cost
Portalet Rentals At Cost At Cost
Added Prep Costs See staff rates See staff rates
Cost Multipliers:
Daily rate is equivalent to 7.5 hours booked
Multi Day/Tournament rate is equivalent to 6 hours booked over multiple days
Multi-Purpose / Satellite / Recreation Field: Aurora 7 Park, Arapahoe Ridge Park, Columbine
Park, Foothills Community Park, East Boulder Community Park, Harlow Platts Community
Park, Keewaydin Meadows Park, Martin Park, North Boulder Park, Tantra Park, Summitt Middle
School, Tom Watson Park, Valmont Regional Park
Baseball & Softball Diamond / Soccer Field: East Mapleton Ballfields, Gerald Stazio Softball
Fields, Pleasant View (Fields 2-12)
Premier Fields: East Boulder Community Park (artificial turf only), Pleasant View (Field 1),
Scott Carpenter Park
d.Outdoor Space Rentals
Resident / day Non-Resident / day
Park Shelters $100110.00 $125135.00
Alcohol Permit $25.00 $25.00
Parking Lots $100.00 $100.00
Chautauqua Lawn Free – permit & deposit required
Valmont Park Resident Non-Resident / day
Shelter - 3 hours $150.00 $150.00
3535
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
10
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
Park Shelters: Foothills Community Park, Harlow Platts Park, Martin Park, North Boulder Park
Parking Lots: full closure of a parking lot is per day
e.Outdoor Court Rentals:
Court Type Fee Per Hour
Sand Volleyball Court $30.00
Pickleball Court $6.00
Handball Court $8.00
Tennis Court $6.00
Tennis Court with Lights $10.00
Platform Tennis Court $5.00
Basketball Court $33.00
f.Indoor Space Rentals
Resident / Hour Non-Resident / Hour
Small Room Rental $40.00 $50.00
Large Room $65.00 $80.00
Specialty Recreation Facility $80.00 $100.00
Basketball ½ Gym $50.00 $62.50
Basketball Full Gym $110.00 $135.00
EBCC Ballroom $250.00 $250.00
EBCC Kitchen Surcharge Surcharge
Valmont Farmhouse $125.00 $125.00
NBRC Gymnastics Room $2,575.00 / day
Small rooms: SBRC Lobby and Stretching Room; Indoor Racquetball Court
Large rooms:
All Centers: meeting or classroom space
EBCC: 1/3 of ballroom
NBRC: 2/3 of multipurpose room
SBRC: Ninja Studio; Community Lounge
Specialty Recreation Space: not normally rented except for special occasions:
Full multipurpose room, dance rooms, aerobics room, yoga room, childcare room
g.Aquatics
3636
Attachment B:
Proposed 2025 BPR Fee Schedule
11
Attachment B: Proposed Parks and Recreation Department Fee Schedule
Rental Space Youth Per Hour Adult Per Hour
Pool Patio $35.00 $42.00
Indoor Lap Lane – 25yd $14.00 $16.00
Outdoor Lap Lane – 25yd $16.00 $20.00
Scott Carpenter Lap Lane – 50m $27.50 $33.00$40.00
Leisure Pool Space $64.00 $80.00
Cabana Rental Resident Non-Resident
Rental + admission fee per person
4 hour rental
$4065.00 $5075.00
X.Commercial Use
User groups and other entities rent space from the department and provide
programming outside the scope of BPR services. This is Ccurrently guided by a 2012
pilot program with minimal charges applied based upon participation; to be reviewed
in 2024.
a.Rentable Properties
For all 1+ year leases such as Boulder Reservoir Main Building Restaurant Space,
Flatirons Golf Course Food and Beverage Space, Harbeck House, etc., staff issue a
formal Request for Proposal with lease terms agreed upon by the Department and
confirmed by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (leases up to 3 years) and
City Council (leases over 3 years).
The department’s preference is a base rent plus a percentage of revenue, with
tenant responsible for all utilities.
b.Park Commercial Use Program (2012 Pilot)
Minimum Visitors* Maximum Visitors Quarterly Fee
50 250 $50.00
251 500 $250.00
501 1000 $500.00
1,001 2,000+$750.00
*Total projected visitations over a quarter
3737
This fee schedule provides detail in support of the BPR Fee Policy for the department’s facilities
and operations. The Definitions found in the Fee Policy apply throughout this document and are
incorporated by reference.
Subsidy Levels
To advance equity by lowering barriers and supporting access based on the priorities identified in
the 2022 BPR Plan, subsidy is provided to programs that support low-income residents, people
with disabilities, older adults and youth.
Other Facility Use and Services
Any other Boulder Parks and Recreation facility or service not listed specifically in this fee
schedule or elsewhere shall be available at the discretion of the Parks and Recreation Department
Director. The Director or their designee will determine the applicable fees and necessary
requirements.
Staffing
Additional fees may be charged for events, rentals, and reservations that require staff above and
beyond those that are regularly scheduled to work. An additional premium applies for staffing
that must take place outside of regular operational hours, recognizing it requires a shift in regular
scheduling and management support to administer.
Specific fees are based on the approximate cost of staff as follows:
Staff Category Hourly Rate Per Employee
Seasonal & Temporary (Non-Standard) Staff $24.50
Standard Operations Staff $40.00
Standard Management Staff $61.00
Overtime/Outside of Operating Hours 2x multiplier
Fees by Program Type
I.Open Access
Access to parks, park amenities, pathways and natural areas. Open access allows for
self-directed activity and does not include supervision or oversight by staff.
No fees are associated with the use of Open Access facilities.
II.Grants, Philanthropy & Donations
Grants, philanthropy and donations which further the mission of the department by
providing outside funding for a specific focus which increases access and/or removes
barriers to participation.
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
38
No fees from customers are associated with this revenue category, though a portion of
funds may be due to pass-through organizations.
III.Special Events
Large-scale events that involve reservation of department facilities and parks.
Depending on the intended audience of the event, any of the 3 community benefit
levels may apply.
Typically, most Community and Recreation level programs are produced by the
department and/or city, that fees would primarily apply for Special Events with an
Individual Benefit level. Citywide Special Events Office may have additional fees
beyond fees charged for Parks and Recreation facilities, programs, and staff.
a.Special Event Fees
Special Events Per Day
50 – 250 people $300.00
251 – 1,000 people $500.00
1,001 – 5,000 people $1,250.00
5,001 – 50,000 people $2,000.00
50,000+ people $2,500.00
Glen Huntington Bandshell Per Day
50 + people $900.00
Special Event Locations: Boulder Creek Path, Central Park, EBCC Community Park,
North Boulder Park, SBRC – Harlow Platts Park
b.Reservoir Events
Per Day
April 1 – Oct 31
Per Day
Nov 1 – March 31
Full facility closure $15,000.00 $7,500.00
Reservoir Basic site $400.00 $200.00
Reservoir Premier site $600.00 $300.00
½ Parking Lot (double for full) $250.00 $125.00
Restrooms N/A $200.00
Reservoir Lake Per Hour
April 1 – Oct 31
Per Hour
Nov 1 – March 31
Reservoir Lake closure inside no
wake area
$75.00 $50.00
39
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
39
Reservoir Lake wake area ½ $500.00 $250.00
Reservoir Lake wake area Full N/A $500.00
Picnic Fees: Basic Site Per Event Premier Site Per Event
Silver $400.00 $440.00
Gold $625.00 $685.00
Platinum $800.00 $880.00
Custom a la carte pricing A la carte price A la carte price
Per participant impact fees $5.00 - $6.00 per
participant based on
impact of event
$4.00 - $6.00 per
participant based on impact
of event
Per car participant fee for picnics
only
$10.00 $10.00
Room Rentals: Per Hour
Main building dining room $200.00
Outdoor patio $50.00
c.Valmont Events
Valmont hosts limited Special Events during a typical year, so for each of those
instances applicable fees will be calculated based on the projected impact, staff
resources, and exclusivity of the rental based on the principles and targets in the
Fee Schedule and Fee Policy.
IV.Recreation Services
Fees associated with recreation programs and services are determined based upon the
department’s Service Delivery Model and may be updated each program session.
Rates are published in the Recreation Activity Guide each registration session.
V.Facility Entry
Access to recreation centers, pools, and other facilities are consistent across the BPR
system. Visitors may pay for individual daily entries, packages of “punches” to be
used for entrance , or memberships that allow unlimited use during a set time period.
a.General Definitions & Promotions:
i.Resident/Worker Fee: Rate reflects a discount for those who either live
or are paid employees of businesses or organizations within the city limits
of Boulder.
40
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
40
ii.Household: Any adults, seniors or youth residing at the same address
(anyone 19 years old and over must provide proof of same-address
residency). The package may not include more than 8 members aged 19 or
older.
iii.Additional Annual Pass Family Members: First family member pays
highest full price; additional family residing at the same address qualify
for 50% off. Unlimited Annual passes only, purchased at the same time.
iv.Military and Public Service Discounts: A 15% discount on monthly or
annual passes is available to Active Military & Veterans; Local, State,
Federal Government employees within the city of Boulder; and University
and School District employees within the city of Boulder.
v.Silver Sneakers, Renew Active, One Pass, Silver & Fit: These programs
encourage older adults to participate in physical activities that will help
them to maintain greater control of their health. Many insurance
companies offer these benefits to their members which allows them to
access the Boulder recreation centers and participate in drop-in activities.
This does not include registered programs (see Section IV – Recreation
Services above).
b.Single Visit – Unlimited facility access within the same day
Ages
Daily Entry Fee
Adult (19-59) $12.00
Senior (60+) $9.00
Youth (3-18) $7.00
Group Daily (4 entries; max 2 adults) $32.00
c.10 Visit Pass
Ages Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $114 .00 $96.00
Senior (60+) $85.00 $72.00
Youth (3-18) $66.00 $56.00
d.Monthly Pass
Ages Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $87.00 $72.00
Senior (60+) $65.00 $54.00
41
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
41
Youth (3-18) $52.00 $43.00
Household $139.00 $11 5.00
e.Annual Pass
Ages Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $907.00 $756.00
Senior (60+) $680.00 $567.00
Youth (3-18) $548.00 $453.00
Household $1,451.00 $1,209.00
f.Unlimited Summer Fun Pass
Ages Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $261.00 $216.00
Senior (60+) $195.00 $162.00
Youth (3-18) $153.00 $126.00
Household $417.00 $342.00
*Valid from Friday before Memorial Day to Labor Day
g.Reservoir Only Fees:
i.Flank Season & Twilight Entry Fees
Season Individual Carload
Flank Season* $5.00 $10.00
Twilight Entry** $5.00 $10.00
Large Vehicle fee – buses, vans, etc.
* **
$10 + $3 for every person over 10 people
*April 1 to Thursday before Memorial Day & Tuesday after Labor Day to October 31
** 6:00 pm to facility close
*** Large Vehicle Fee – only during Flank Season
ii.Reservoir Only Annual Pass (January 1 to December 31)
Ages Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Adult (19-59) $435.00 $362.00
Senior (60+) $325.00 $273.00
Youth (3-18) $261.00 $217.00
42
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
42
Household $695.00 $580.00
VI.Resale Items
Consumable and non-consumable goods available for purchase at BPR facilities.
Resale items change throughout the year based on the season, availability of product
and price. All resale items will be priced at 100% recovery of direct costs or higher.
Discounting may be used to reduce inventory.
VII.Contracted Programming
Registered programs offered by a non-city/department agency that operate under a
revenue share/profit split. If city staff are managing registration and payment, a
revenue split of at least 30% to the city is expected with 70% to the partner, whereas
if the partner is handling those tasks, the revenue split would be at least a 20% to the
city and 80% to the partner. It is expected that contractors support department
priorities of supporting participation among youth, seniors, people with disabilities
and low incomes to encourage a greater diversity of participation.
VIII.Golf Course
The fees for Flatirons Municipal Golf Course year-round are:
a.Per Round (Monday through Thursday)
Ages 9 Hole 18 Hole
Adult $30.00 $48.00
Senior $24.00 $40.00
Youth $20.00 $30.00
b. Per Round (Friday to Sunday) & Holidays
Ages 9 Hole 18 Hole
Adult $33.00 $53.00
Senior $29.00 $47.00
Youth $24.00 $34.00
c.Annual Pass:
Ages Per Year
Adult $1,650.00
Senior $1,320.00
Junior (11 to 17) $425.00
Children (10 and under free w/ paying adult)
43
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
43
d.Value Plan Card
Ages Per Pass 9 Hole w/ Value Plan 18 Hole w/ Value Plan
Adult $699.00 $9 per round $12 per round Senior $599.00
e. Tournament Fees
Weekday Tournament* $78.00
Weekend Tournament* $83.00
Add-On’s based on market rate+ Customized with Golf Staff
*Includes 1 round per person; 1 cart for every 2 players
f.Other Fees:
Practice Range Balls Per Item
Small – 40 balls $8.00
Medium – 75 balls $11.00
Large – 100 balls $14.00
Carts (per person) 9 Hole 18 Hole
Riding Cart with GPS $15.00 $20.00
Push Carts $5.00 $7.00
Rental Clubs 9 Hole 18 Hole
Standard Clubs $10.00 $20.00
Performance Clubs $35.00 $50.00
IX.Rentals
Space, facility, equipment, park reservations for a use by an individual, group or
organization.
a.Reservoir-Specific User Groups, Events and Picnics
Exclusive Use Youth Per Hour Adult Per Hour
Hourly Rate Based on 2024 Expenses:
for before and after hours use only.
$284.00
2025 Rates $185.00 $284.00
Add Ons Per Day
44
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
44
Fire Extinguisher $10.00
Large Ice tub $20.00
Charcoal Grill $40.00
Picnic Tables $20.00
20’ x 20’ canopy $350.00
20’ x 30’ canopy $400.00
Equipment Use Per Hour
Loader / Tractor $85.00
Personal Water Craft $30.00
Motor Boat $50.00
b.Boating
Decontaminations Per Craft
Small craft $20
Large craft $50-$250 (depends on severity)
Annual Boat Storage: Mooring Per Boat Fee
Rack $380.00
Gravel $830.00
Paved $945.00
Wet $1,110.00
Season – 7 days per week: Per Boat Fee
Powered 50-499 HP $735.00
Powered 1-49 HP and Sail boats $315.00
Weekday – Mon – Fri (excludes
holidays)
Per Boat Fee
Powered 50-499 HP $400.00
Small watercraft
Small Watercraft Non-Resident Rate Resident/Worker Rate
Weekday (Mon – Fri & excludes
holidays)
$45.00 $40.00
7 days per week $70.00 $60.00
c.Outdoor Sport Fields & Tournaments
45
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
45
Rental Space Yo uth Group Per Hour Adult Group Per Hour
Inline Hockey Rink $16.00 $19.00
Horseshoe Pits $27.00 $32.00
½ Multi-purpose /
Satellite /Recreation Field
$18.00 $25.00
Multi-purpose / Satellite / Recreation
Field
$28.00 $35.00
Baseball & Softball Diamond / Soccer
Fields
$35.00 $44.00
Premier Field $67.00 $88.00
Add On’s
Lights $45.00 $45.00
Painting & Striping $38-110
Garbage At Cost At Cost
Portalet Rentals At Cost At Cost
Added Prep Costs See staff rates See staff rates
Cost Multipliers:
Daily rate is equivalent to 7.5 hours booked
Multi Day/Tournament rate is equivalent to 6 hours booked over multiple days
Multi-Purpose / Satellite / Recreation Field: Aurora 7 Park, Arapahoe Ridge Park, Columbine
Park, Foothills Community Park, East Boulder Community Park, Harlow Platts Community
Park, Keewaydin Meadows Park, Martin Park, North Boulder Park, Tant ra Park, Summitt Middle
School, Tom Watson Park, Valmont Regional Park
Baseball & Softball Diamond / Soccer Field: East Mapleton Ballfields, Gerald Stazio Softball
Fields, Pleasant View (Fields 2-12)
Premier Fields: East Boulder Community Park (artificial turf only), Pleasant View (Field 1),
Scott Carpenter Park
d.Outdoor Space Rentals
Resident / day Non-Resident / day
Park Shelters $110.00 $135.00
Alcohol Permit $25.00 $25.00
Parking Lots $100.00 $100.00
Chautauqua Lawn Free – permit & deposit required
Valmont Park Resident Non-Resident / day
Shelter - 3 hours $150.00 $150.00
Park Shelters: Foothills Community Park, Harlow Platts Park, Martin Park, North Boulder Park
46
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
46
Parking Lots: full closure of a parking lot is per day
e.Outdoor Court Rentals:
Court Type Fee Per Hour
Sand Volleyball Court $30.00
Pickleball Court $6.00
Handball Court $8.00
Tennis Court $6.00
Tennis Court with Lights $10.00
Platform Tennis Court $5.00
Basketball Court $33.00
f.Indoor Space Rentals
Resident / Hour Non-Resident / Hour
Small Room Rental $40.00 $50.00
Large Room $65.00 $80.00
Specialty Recreation Facility $80.00 $100.00
Basketball ½ Gym $50.00 $62.50
Basketball Full Gym $110.00 $135.00
EBCC Ballroom $250.00 $250.00
EBCC Kitchen Surcharge Surcharge
Valmont Farmhouse $125.00 $125.00
NBRC Gymnastics Room $2,575.00 / day
Small rooms: SBRC Lobby and Stretching Room; Indoor Racquetball Court
Large rooms:
All Centers: meeting or classroom space
EBCC: 1/3 of ballroom
NBRC: 2/3 of multipurpose room
SBRC: Ninja Studio; Community Lounge
Specialty Recreation Space: not normally rented except for special occasions:
Full multipurpose room, dance rooms, aerobics room, yoga room, childcare room
g.Aquatics
Rental Space Youth Per Hour Adult Per Hour
Pool Patio $35.00 $42.00
47
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
47
Indoor Lap Lane – 25yd $14.00 $16.00
Outdoor Lap Lane – 25yd $16.00 $20.00
Scott Carpenter Lap Lane – 50m $27.50 $33.00$40.00
Leisure Pool Space $64.00 $80.00
Cabana Rental Resident Non-Resident
Rental + admission fee per person
4 hour rental
$65.00 $75.00
X.Commercial Use
User groups and other entities rent space from the department and provide
programming outside the scope of BPR services. This is currently guided by a 2012
pilot program with minimal charges applied based upon participation; to be reviewed
in 2024.
a.Rentable Properties
For all 1+ year leases such as Boulder Reservoir Main Building Restaurant Space,
Flatirons Golf Course Food and Beverage Space, Harbeck House, etc., staff issue a
formal Request for Proposal with lease terms agreed upon by the Department and
confirmed by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (leases up to 3 years) and
City Council (leases over 3 years).
The department’s preference is a base rent plus a percentage of revenue, with
tenant responsible for all utilities.
b.Park Commercial Use Program (2012 Pilot)
Minimum Visitors* Maximum Visitors Quarterly Fee
50 250 $50.00
251 500 $250.00
501 1000 $500.00
1,001 2,000+ $750.00
*Total projected visitations over a quarter
48
Attachment C:
2025 BPR Fee Schedule
48
BPR Market Study
Comparison for
Rentals/Fees
1
Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
6449
2
Access Fees
Drop -Ins &
Passes
Internal
Spaces at
Recreation
Facilities
Athletic
Fields, Courts
& Park
Shelters
Boulder
Reservoir
Permits,
Picnics &
Storage
Flatirons Golf
Course
Rounds of
Golf & Passes BPR 2024 Market Study: Rentals/Fees Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
50
3
Market Study
•2024 Rates-For 2025 several municipalities have planned fee increases on daily entry
•BPR access includes all 3 recreation facilities, Scott Carpenter & Spruce Pools, and the
Boulder Reservoir
•BPR above municipal market rates but have different funding mechanism
•BPR is lower than for profit/non-profit organizations
Resident Non-Resident
Adult/General Youth Senior Household Adult/General Youth Senior Household
BPR Example Age 19-59 Age 3-18 Age 60+Daily 4- Pack Age 19-59 Age 3-18 Age 60+Daily 4- Pack
BPR Current Rate $10 $6 $7.5 $27 $12 $7.25 $9 $32
BPR Proposed Rate $12 $7 $9 $32 $12 $7 $9 $32
CO Athletic Club 40 40 40 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
RallySport
YMCA of Northern Colorado:
Mapleton/Arapahoe 15 10 15 N/A 15 10 15 N/A
Louisville, CO 8 6 6 17 12 9.5 9.5 39
Westminster, CO 6 5 5 N/A 8 7 7 N/A
South Suburban PRD, CO 6.75 5.5 5.5 15 9.25 7.25 7.25 20
Foothills PRD, CO 5.75 4.25 5 15 7.75 5.75 6.75 25
Broomfield, CO 5 3.5 4 N/A 7.75 6.25 6.25 N/A
Erie, CO 5 3 3 14 6 4 4 18
Fort Collins, CO 7 6 6 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A BPR 2024 Market Study: Rentals/Fees Permanently Closed
Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
51
4
Market Study
•2024 Rates-For 2025 several municipalities have planned fee increases on passes
•BPR access includes all 3 recreation facilities, Scott Carpenter & Spruce Pools, and the
Boulder Reservoir
•BPR above municipal market rates but have different funding mechanism
•Municipalities based on resident rate*
•BPR is lower than for profit/non-profit organizations
BPR 2024 Market Study: Rentals/Fees Monthly Annual
BPR Example
Resident Rate
Unlimited Vists
Resident Rate
Unlimited Visits
BPR Current Rate $69 $720
BPR Proposed Rate $72 $756
CO Athletic Club 105 1260
RallySport
YMCA of Northern Colorado:
Mapleton/Arapahoe 75 825
BPR Current 69 720
Louisville, CO 46.5 486
Erie, CO 50 455
South Suburban PRD, CO 40 440
Fort Collins, CO 39 350
Broomfield, CO 33 396
Foothills PRD, CO 36.33 199
Westminster, CO 28.25 339
Crunch 9.99 - 29.99 119.88 - 359.88
Planet Fitness 15 180
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
Monthly Pass Price (Adult)
Private BPR Public
N/A indicate no offering, comparable or published data. Rates based on current published data.
Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
52
5
Description
Small
Space/Medium Large Space
Extra Large
Space
Studio/Multi-
purpose Space
Racquetball
Courts Gymnasium
Half Gymnasium
Rental
BPR Example
Multi-purpose Classroom
Stretching Room 1/3 EBCC Ballroom EBCC Ballroom
Dance or Aerobics
Studio/Community
Lounge Racquetball Courts Basketball Gym 1/2 Gymnasium
Square Feet Up to 2,000 2,000-5,000 4,500+1,000+800 5,000-8,500 2,500-4,250
Rental Capacity PPL 1-100 100-150 150+Varies N/A Varies Varies
Function
Small conference
classroom/multi-purpose
room
Large conference/
party space
Large conference/
party space Multi-purpose space Racquetball Courts Gymnasium 1/2 Gym Rental
BPR Current Resident
Rate $40 $65 $250 $80 No Charge $110 $50
BPR Proposed
Resident Rate 40 65 250 80 No Charge 110 50
Public Average
Resident Rate 42 100 235 44 No Charge 97 52
Boulder JCC 25-75 N/A Variable 50-75 N/A 85-150 N/A
BVSD Rate: Adult
(Elem/MS/HS)30 See multi-purpose 45/69 40/42/78 N/A 53/66/86 N/A
CU Boulder 36-60 70 Variable 60-70 N/A 60 N/A BPR 2024 Market Study: Rentals/Fees Market Study
•Resident, adult or a flat rate utilized for comparison. Rental rates are hourly.
•Description categorization based upon square footage, capacity, or function
•BPR rates for medium & studio space are at market
•Boulder JCC, BVSD, and CU Boulder
•Provide the best market comparison for proximity and room types/purpose
•BVSD charges a staggered large group surcharge on top of base rate for 50+ people
N/A indicate no offering, comparable or published data. Rates based on current published data.
Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
53
6
Market Study
•Resident/adult rates utilized for comparison. Field & basketball court rental rates are hourly.
•BPR tennis rates are inline with Broomfield- Resident, Erie & South Suburban
•BPR field rental rates are in-line or lower than surrounding municipalities
•Some municipalities charge a flat set-up fee on top of hourly rental
•BPR rates are lower than BVSD and CU Boulder for tennis court and field rentals
•Provide the best market comparison for proximity, rental types & condition
•BVSD does charge a higher youth/adult commercial rate (e.g., fields $110, turf $179)
•Shelter Day Rate-BPR is in-line surrounding communities. OSMP R $50/NR $100/hr.BPR 2024 Market Study: Rentals/Fees Description
Tennis Court
Recreation
Small
Field
Multi-Purpose/
Satellite/
Recreation
Field Premier Field
Baseball
Diamond/
Soccer Field
Basketball
Court
Park
Shelter per
Day
Field
Rental
Add-On
Field Rental
Add-On
Field
Rental
Add-On
BPR Example Tennis Court
Pleasant
View 1a
North Boulder
Park
Pleasant View
Field/
Scott Carpenter
Gerald Stazio
East Mapleton
Pleasant View
EBCC
Basketball
Court Outside
Outdoor
Shelter-
Varying
Sizes
Field
"Touch Up"
Lining/
Painting
Field
Porto/Trash Lights
BPR Current
Rate $6 per 1.5 hr.$35 $44 $88 $44 $33 $100 $38-110 At Cost $45
BPR Proposed
Rate $6 per 1.5 hr.$35 $44 $88 $44 $33 $150 $38-110 At Cost $45
Public Average
Rate 10 per 1-2 hr.25 32 98 56 40 110-286 35-125 150-275 40
BVSD Adult
Rate 9 per hr.N/A 70 158 70 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
CU Boulder 20 per hr.N/A 50-60 100-150 50-75 20 N/A N/A N/A
Yes - No
Posted
Fee
N/A indicate no offering, comparable or published data. Rates based on current published data.
Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
54
7
Body of Water State or Municipal Fee Season Annual Pass option Powerboats Allowed Non-Vehicle Entry Fee Vehicle Fee Add'l Boat Fee Per person fee Wake Information Additional Information
Boulder Reservoir
(no change from 2024)Municipal
April 1 - October 31 High
Season Memorial Day to
Labor Day Yes- BPR Access Fees Yes Per Person Fee
April 1-May 25 &
Sept. 5-Oct. 31
$10 carload Yes N/A
Designated wake and
wakeless hours
Aurora Reservoir Municipal Year-round R $75/ NR $85 No gas powered No
$10/day weekdays,
$15/day
weekends/holidays,
$10/day off-season
$15 for trailered boats,
no fee for SWC N/A Wakeless boating only
Bear Creek Lake Park Municipal Year-round $80/$50 Senior <10HP No $10 No N/A
Designated no wake
zones but no other
days/times specified
Durango/Nighthorse Municipal mid April-early Nov
$80 Household, $60 Senior,
$25 Walk/Bike Yes $5 $10 No N/A
Mon/Wed/Fri & Before
10am No Wake $25/day busses
Standley Lake Municipal Year-round $65 No N/A $7 $10 N/A
No trailered watercraft
allowed
Boating season is only
May 1-Sept 30 though
fees remain in place year
round.
Union Reservoir Municipal Year-round $85 R/$200 NR Yes but wakeless $2
$10 Weekdays/$15
Weekends
$5 smallcraft/$10
trailered N/A All wakeless
Walk in only Nov 1-Feb
28, but fees still apply.
Carter Lake County Year-round
$100/Vehicle R, $130/Vehicle
NR, $200/Car+Boat R,
$260/Car +Boat NR Yes not listed $10 $10/trailered watercraft N/A
Designated no wake
zones but no other
days/times specified
Managed by Larimer
County, no fee listed for
SWC daily entrance.
Similar fees to Horsetooth
Reservoir. ANS decon
fees not listed
Horsetooth Reservoir County Year-round
$100/Vehicle R, $130/Vehicle
NR, $200/Car+Boat R,
$260/Car +Boat NR Yes not listed $10/vehicle $10/trailered watercraft N/A
Designated no wake
zones but no other
days/times specified
Managed by Larimer
County, no fee listed for
SWC daily entrance.
Similar fees to Carter
Lake. ANS decon fees not
listed
Barr Lake State Year-round
$80 permanent, $120
transferable, $70 Senior <10HP not listed $10 No $4 Wakeless boating only
Only low powered fishing
vessels, sailboats, and
SWC allowed
Boyd Lake State Year-round
$80 permanent, $120
transferable, $70 Senior Yes not listed $10 No N/A
Designated areas of the
lake for wakeless and
for skiing (e.g. south end
for skiing), No specific
wakeless days/times
Chatfield Reservoir State Year-round
$80 permanent, $120
transferable, $70 Senior Yes, only on main reservoir not listed $10 No N/A
Divided into zones for
each type of activity. No
other days/times
specified.
SWC allowed on any
water inside of park,
powerboats only allowed
on main reservoir. Full
service Marina
Cherry Creek Reservoir State Year-round
$83 permanent, $123
transferable, $73 Senior Yes not listed $11 No N/A
Designated no wake
zones but no other
days/times specified
N/A indicate no offering, comparable or published data. Rates based on current published data.
Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
55
8
Location
Powered Watercraft
Season Permit
Unpowered Watercraft
Season Permit
Small Watercraft
Season Permit ANS Fee
BPR Example
Powered Watercraft 50-499
HP Sailboat
Kayak
Canoe
Stand Up Paddleboard Decontamination
Boulder Reservoir Current Rate
7 days R $600/NR $735 NR
Weekday R $340/NR $400
7 days R $265/$315 NR
Weekday N/A
7 days $60 R/$70 NR,
Weekday $40/$45 NR
Inspection
Fees range between $20-$250
based on watercraft size
Boulder Reservoir Proposed Rate
(one rate R/NR)
7 days $735
Weekday $400
7 days $315
Weekday N/A
7 days $60 R/$70 NR,
Weekday $40/$45 NR
Inspection
Fees range between $20-$250
based on watercraft size
Aurora Reservoir Not Allowed $15 No Fee Inspection- No Listed Fee
Union Reservoir Not Allowed R $70/NR $132 R $35/NR $70 Inspection- No Listed Fee
Standley Lake Not Allowed $200 $200
Inspection w/ season pass or
$10 daily entrance fee
Horsetooth Reservoir/Carter Lake
Inspection- Annual Fee
$25 in-state/$50 out of state
Chatfield Reservoir
Inspection- Annual Fee
$25 in-state/$50 out of state
Cherry Creek Reservoir
Inspection- Annual Fee
$25 in-state/$50 out of state BPR 2024 Market Study: Rentals/Fees Market Study:
•Boulder Reservoir is unique in being one of the few municipalities
to allow powerboats over 10HP
•BPR has Lake Patrol services at all times the facility is open
•Comprehensive ANS program with boat inspectors available for
entrance/exit inspections when facility is open
•Colorado Parks & Wildlife state funding & fees are not comparable
State Annual Boat Registration: $35.25-$75.25
Combination Vehicle and Boat R$200/NR $260
State Annual Boat Registration: $35.25-$75.25
State Annual Boat Registration: $35.25-$75.25
N/A indicate no offering, comparable or published data. Rates based on current published data.
Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
56
9
Description
Shelter Rentals/Picnic
Per Day
BPR Example
Rental package fees vary based on
attendance and amenities & included tables,
grill, canopy(s) & waste containers
Boulder Reservoir
(no change from 2024)
$400-Silver up to 100 ppl
$625-Gold from 100-200 ppl
$800-Platinum from 150-300 ppl
Aurora Reservoir
$100-Small
135-Medium
245-Large
Barr Lake, Brighton $160 (100 ppl max)
Boyd Lake, Loveland
$90-weekdays
180-weekends (200 ppl max)
Waneka Lake, Lafayette
$95-Small
126-Medium
258-Large
Union Reservoir, Longmont $115- weekday only
Market Study: Picnics/Shelters
•Fees are based on high season rental rates
•Comparisons provide only a covered shelter near body of water
•Fees/structure compares to a ‘typical’ park shelter
•BPR above market rates but provide different set-up
Market Study: Boat Storage
•Boulder Reservoir is annual fee & falls in line with market rates outside Boulder
•Annual fee is below Boulder facilities
•Boulder Reservoir requires season permit to access storage
Location Covered Uncovered Wet Mooring
Boulder Reservoir Current N/A
R $300/NR $380-rack
R $665/NR $830-gravel
R $755/NR $945-paved
R$890/NR $1100
season
Boulder Reservoir Proposed N/A
$380-rack
$830-gravel
$945-paved $1110 Per Season
Tommy's N/A $100/mo.N/A
Union Reservoir N/A R $635/NR 1256 season N/A
Carter/Horsetooth N/A N/A $1161-1562 season
Boulder RV & Boat Self
Storage N/A
$100/mo.: back-in
$115/mo.: pull thru N/A
Arapahoe Self Storage-Boulder $160/mo.$130/mo.N/A
StorQuest Self Storage-
Boulder $275/mo.N/A N/A
Boyd Lake N/A
$75/mo.; $400/season
(w/ season pass only)$230-265/mo.
Boyd Lake Boat RV & Storage $230/mo.
$90/mo.: back-in
$110/mo.: drive-thru N/A
Louisville Boat & RV Storage N/A $43-70/mo.N/A
Chatfield Marina N/A
$450-792/6 mo. season
based on size $4,493/ per season
N/A indicate no offering, comparable or published data. Rates based on current published data.
Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
57
10
Course Location
9 Hole Weekday
Rate
9 Hole Weekend
Rate
18 Hole Weekday
Rate
18 Hole Weekend
Rate Annual Pass Value Plan Notes/Cart Fees
Flatirons Golf Course Current
Rate Boulder $27 $29 $43 $48
$1,500 Adult
$1,200 Senior
$414 Youth
20 -9 hole rounds
$699 Adult
$599 Senior
$18 per rider for 18/$13 for 9
Surcharge for value plan passes
Flatirons Golf Course Proposed
Rate $30 $33 $48 $53
$1,650 Adult
$1,320 Senior
$425 Youth
20 -9 hole rounds
$699 Adult
$599 Senior
$20 per rider for 18/$15 for 9
Surcharge for value plan passes.
Indian Peaks Golf Course Lafayette 33385373N/A $22 cart fee per rider
Coal Creek Golf Course Louisville 29315364
$2730 – Adult
$2566- Senior
N/A 2 free guest rounds with pass
$21 per rider for 18; $12 for 9
South Suburban GC Centennial 27295355
Resident Only: $1000 M-F
plus $3 per round surcharge $520 –20 nines
Has Resident and Non-Resident Fees
$22 per rider for 18/$12 for 9
Ute Creek Golf Course Longmont 28304853
$1905
$2615 w/cart
$675 – 20 rounds
weekday only
Must take cart on weekends
$20 per rider for 18/$15 for 9
Twin Peaks Golf Course Longmont 24253842
$1430
$2140 w/cart
$555 –20 rounds
weekday only
Walnut Creek Golf Preserve Westminster 29355265$3500 – 50 cap
N/A Walnut and Legacy pass
$20 per rider for 18/$11 for 9
Legacy Ridge GC Westminster 29355265$3500 – 50 cap N/A
Walnut and Legacy pass
$20 per rider for 18/$11 for 9
Broadlands Golf Course Broomfield 35406073By request N/A $20 per rider for 18/$10 for 9
Westwoods GC Arvada 28335263$3500 (Monday-Thursday)$663 – 15 - 18”s $22 per rider for 18/$13 for 9
Thorncreek GC Thornton 25284352$2850 N/A $575 annual cart fee with pass
Collindale /Southridge GC Ft Collins 28285151
$675 plus $11 per 18/$5.5 per 9
round surcharge
N/A
$19 per rider for 18/$12 for 9
Foothills GC Denver 26304757N/A N/A $22 cart fee per rider
Fossil Trace Golden 4045105115N/A N/A Rates include cart
Riverdale Dunes Brighton 29294454N/A $320 for 20 rounds $18 per rider for 18/$10 for 9
Market Average 29 33 54 63
Market Study
•Rounds of Golf
•BPR rates for 9 holes are comparable to market average
•BPR rates for 18 holes are below market average
•Passes are below market rates
N/A indicate no offering, comparable or published data. Rates based on current published data.
Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
58
Thank you.
11
Attachment D: Market Study Comparison
59
Balancing Community Needs with the Financial Realities
As the update to the City of Boulder’s Parks & Recreation Master Plan is nearing completion, it
is clear that balancing the needs of the community with the financial realities of the city will be
of paramount importance if the goals of the master plan are to be successfully implemented.
Master Plan Themes
The following are the identified themes for the update to the master plan that impact community
needs and finances.
1.Community Health & Wellness
2. Taking Care of What We Have
3.Financial Sustainability
4. Building Community Relationships
5.Youth Engagement & Activity
6.Organizational Readiness
7.Equity & Resilience
Of these goals, Community Health & Wellness, Building Community Relationships, Youth
Engagement & Activity, and Equity & Resilience are front facing initiatives that require an
ongoing commitment of time and resources to accomplish.
On the other side, Taking Care of What We Have, Financial Sustainability and Organizational
Readiness are the City’s back of the house commitment to ensuring that parks and recreation
facilities and services can continue to be provided.
These themes strike at the heart of the balance question between needs and resources.
Existing Issues
BPR is currently dealing with a significant number of issues that impact the delivery of parks and
recreation facilities and programs in the future. The pandemic has exacerbated many of these
issues. The material for this section was derived from information included in the draft master
plan update document and additional back-up data provided by BPR.
Continuing to Serve a Growing Market
•Boulder’s population in 2020 was 108,091 (including CU students). The population is
projected to grow to 123,000 by 2040.
•Boulder County’s senior population (age 60+) is expected to nearly double to 28% of
the total population by 2040.
•There will be a significant increase in the Latinx community in the city from 10% in
2019 to potentially just over 30% by 2040 (based on state wide projections).
•The population of the northern Front Range is also projected to grow at a fast pace
during this time period.
Attachment E: Ballard King Analysis
4960
•While the primary focus of BPR is to serve the residents of Boulder, non-residents make
up approximately 25% of program and facility users.
•The growing market will result in an increasing demand for recreation facilities,
programs and services. The overall population increase in Boulder will require a greater
capacity for services as well as additional specific services focused on seniors and the
Latinx community. This will likely require additional funding to meet these needs.
Note: The demographic information was derived from the 2021 Needs Assessment
Report as part of the Boulder Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update.
Providing a Full complement of Recreation Amenities
•BPR manages a wide range and quantity of facilities.
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
61
Offering a Full Complement of Recreation Programs
•BPR offers a wide range of recreation programs with strong enrollment numbers, even
with an overall decline in participation since 2017.
•BPR contracts out youth sports, tennis, dance, and some summer camp programs.
Dealing with Increasing Operations Costs
•Staffing costs continue to increase with a commitment to pay a living wage for full-time
as well as part-time positions. The impact of minimum wage increases and the need to
attract and retain good employees has also affected costs. The average annual growth
rate in staffing costs for the next 5 years is projected to be 5%. Staffing is the greatest
operational cost for BPR as well as most all parks and recreation agencies.
•Utility costs have also continued to increase especially in the last two to three years.
This has a significant impact on BPR’s operations budget. The average annual growth
rate in overall operating costs (minus staffing) for the next 5 years is projected to be 4%.
•Goods and service costs have seen a dramatic impact in the last few years due in part to
the pandemic and this is projected to continue for the next couple of years at a minimum
of 4% per year if not higher.
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
62
•BPR is also assessed interdepartmental charges for services that saw large increases
from 2016 through 2019. However, charges have dropped sharply in 20202 and 2021
due to the pandemic and lower budget numbers. It is projected that these charges will
grow by 3% per year for the next 5 years.
•It is recognized that the pandemic had an impact on certain operating costs in 2020 and
2021. While costs were showing a steady increase until 2020, with the pandemic
overall costs have declined due to reduced programs and services as well as the limited
operation of facilities. However, post pandemic BPR will need to be prepared for
significant increases in operating costs again. This will need to be matched with the
realization that revenues are only projected to increase by 2% to 3% for the next five
years.
Funding Increased Capital Replacement Costs
•BPR utilizes an Asset Management Plan to track parks and recreation assets and
estimate capital replacement value (CRV).
o In 2021 BPR had a CRV value of $298,476,655.
o Based on spending 2-3% of CRV annually on capital repairs and replacement,
BPR has as an estimated total maintenance backlog of $20,579,515. BPR
currently expends $5.6 million annually for this purpose leaving it $1.9 million
short.
o There are also approximately $177,935,000 in unfunded capital projects.
o Operations and maintenance or preventative maintenance funding should be 4%
of the CRV annually or $11.9 million and is only being funded at $8.6 million
annually resulting in a shortfall of $3.3 million.
o The city’s Urban Forestry Strategic Plan indicates the urban tree canopy is also
an asset but since it has an appreciating value, it was not included in the backlog
of operations and maintenance calculations above. The required funding for
maintaining the urban tree canopy is not in place.
Stagnant Earned Revenues
•BPR has strong service delivery and fee policies in place.
o Service Costing Methodology is detailed out.
o Service Delivery Framework modeling is in place to determine what programs
should be offered and how they are best provided.
o Program Prioritization, Subsidization, and Cost Recovery (RPI) guides
programming efforts and the calculation of the rate of cost recovery.
o The cost recovery level for recreation programs increased from an average of
82% from 2007-2011 to 92% from 2017-2019.
•There have been issues with pricing some services beyond what the market will bear.
•Despite these policies there is still a negative gap between yearly program revenues and
expenditures. As a result, BPR will need to consider some or all of these options:
o Increased program fees
o Increased program subsidy
o Adjusting service levels
•Grants have helped with funding for a number of services including:
o Facility Access
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
63
o EXPAND/Inclusion
o Sports
o Youth Sports Initiative
•Financial aid is available through general fund subsidy and partially supported through
an annual competitive grant from the Health Equity Fund, as the Recquity program.
These sources fund facility access (up to 100% of fee) and 50% of program fees.
Additionally, BPR accepts the PLAY Boulder Foundation’s PLAYpass, which provides
low-income youth with $250 program credit annually towards reduced fees."
•In 2019, $96,392 in financial aid for parks and recreation programs was delivered in the
following manner:
o Age groups were rather evenly split on receiving aid with the exception of Older
Adults (seniors) who received aid primarily through third-party payers.
Age Group Percentage of Aid
Adults 30.5%
Children 35.6%
Older Adults 3.0%
Teenagers 30.9%
o Financial aid was distributed to programs in the following areas. The EXPAND
program (recreation for people with disabilities) was the greatest recipient of aid
followed by Youth Services Initiative and Gymnastics.
Program Division Percentage of Aid
Aquatics 7.6%
EXPAND 50.1%
Gymnastics 17.8%
Health & Wellness 1.5%
Mind & Body 1.8%
Sports 2.0%
Youth Services Initiative 18.1%
o 82% of the financial aid was given to residents of Boulder and the balance went
primarily to people living in communities in close proximity to the city.
•In addition to recreation program aid, in 2019 a total of $430,496 in subsidy was
provided for entry to BPR facilities and for courses provided at those locations ($50,561
of the total). Membership age categories by percentage were primarily families.
Age Group Percentage of Aid
Adults 11.2%
Senior 14.6%
Family 71.3%
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
64
•It is estimated that up to 90% of older adult (senior) programming is paid through a
third-party payer. This includes Silver Sneakers, Silver & Fit and New Active.
Insurance reimburses BPR at a standard rate per visit, but this is a discounted rate over
the stated user fees. However, a major portion of this market would likely not be
participating in BPR programs or facilities without these services.
•The city offers a Wellness Pass to employees to utilize BPR facilities and programs at a
reduced rate. There is reimbursement to BPR for the value of the pass built into the
General Fund subsidy to the RAF but at a reduced rate from the established fees.
Funding Sources
•BPR utilizes a number of sources for funding operations and capital projects. In 2021
the total BPR budget was $29,936,362. Funding sources include:
Source Funding % Description
General Fund 15% A blend of taxes that supports overall
city operations
Recreation Activity Fund
(RAF)
37% A special revenue fund from user fees,
grants, donations, and general fund
transfers
.25 Cent Sales Tax Fund 30% A voter approved sales tax that
supports operations, maintenance, and
capital improvements
Permanent Parks & Rec.
Fund
13% A permanent earmark of property tax
revenues for capital projects
Lottery Fund 2% A portion of the city’s allocation of
state lottery funds for capital and
maintenance of recreation amenities
Note: The Capital Development Fund makes up the balance of the funding percentage.
•BPR is currently utilizing these available resources to their full capability. Over the last
5 years funding levels have remained mostly flat.
•Future funding from these sources is projected to increase only slightly for the next five
years with annual growth projected to be 2.8%.
•BPR utilizes an extensive number of partnerships for programs and services.
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
65
Community Input
Community members were given the opportunity to respond to a survey to guide the master plan
process. The following are some of the key findings from the survey instrument.
Population Groups and the Importance of Providing Programming for Each
This response indicates the importance of providing programs for population groups that
traditionally have lower fees and consequently contribute to a lower rate of cost recovery.
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
66
Given the Opportunity to Allocate $100 Tax Dollars, the Following Were the Priorities
Clearly the priority is on maintaining and renovating existing facilities and removing financial
barriers to participation in existing programs and services, over adding park land or constructing
new facilities.
Impact of Spending Tax Dollars for Various Groups in the Community
Respondents believe that their tax dollars would be best spent on youth/teens and seniors with
the lowest impact being on adults.
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
67
Support for BPR Funding Options
For funding, the preferred options are clearly continuing to rely on existing sources with minimal
support for a new sales tax.
Benchmark Comparisons
Boulder information and data on operations was provided by BPR and compared with the
National Recreation and Park Association through their annual Agency Performance Review
data.
Comparisons with 2019 NRPA Agency Performance Review Data
Measure National National
Population
65,000-
175,000
Colorado
Population
65,000-
175,000
Boulder
FTEs per 10,000 Residents 8.5 10.2 22.1 22.2
Operating Expenditures per
Capita
$87 $101 $216 $216
Revenue per Capita $26 $36 $93 $104
Revenue/Expenditure
(cost recovery)
28.7% 29.1% 42.2% 48.4%
Tax Expenditures per
Capita
$59 $62 $92 $111
Operating Expenditures per
FTE
$97,508 $102,050 $95,647 $97,394
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
68
How Boulder Compares
•BPR has performance data that is very similar to other agencies in Colorado with
comparable sized populations with the following exceptions:
o Revenue per capita is 12% higher. This is due in part to the strong emphasis on
revenue production.
o The cost recovery level is 15% higher. This is the result of more aggressive cost
recovery standards that were instituted after the 2008-2009 Great Recession.
o The rate of tax expenditures per capita is approximately 20% higher. This is due
to increased staffing costs (livable wage), greater levels of maintenance, a
commitment to environmentally sustainable practices, and the higher cost for
goods and services.
It is important to realize that Colorado’s performance data metrics are much higher than
the national numbers.
•Other 2019 NRPA national benchmark information includes:
o For a typical agency staffing costs make up 54% of an operating budget but for
BPR it is 64%. BPR has higher staffing expenditures due to the number and
diversity of parks and recreation facilities that are operated and maintained and
the higher market rates of compensation of employees.
o For a typical agency 44% of the operations budget is for parks and 43% is for
recreation, while 13% is for other. For BPR, 38% is for parks and 44% is for
recreation and 18% is for other. The “other” category is higher for BPR due to
administrative costs, community outreach, volunteers, partnerships, planning and
interdepartmental charges.
o Typical agencies derive 60% of their operating expenditures from general fund
tax support while BPR is only 19%. Earned income is 24% of most agencies
funding but for BPR it is 45%. Dedicated levies are 11% of most agencies’
budgets but for BPR it is 30%. With BPR’s commitment to generating higher
levels of earned income and the ability to pull funding from dedicated levies, the
reliance on the general fund is much lower.
Moving Forward
Operations Philosophy
•Balancing need with funding is a common issue for most communities as they determine
the future direction for parks and recreation facilities and services. The impacts of the
pandemic have only made this more difficult.
•BPR has an outstanding operational foundation and history of providing parks and
recreation services to the community. This includes a strong staff, a variety of facilities,
and great programs, which is backed up with very strong financial policies and
performance data to help make decisions. This is a step ahead of most departments
nationally and allows for well thought out decisions to be made.
•It is likely that BPR will need to further prioritize its allocation of resources for parks,
facilities, as well as programs and services, with a recognition that it is probably not
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
69
financially viable to do all the traditional as well as new services that are being requested
by the public. Many larger parks and recreation agencies are working through this
difficult process that requires extensive planning, public input, and staff time to
accomplish. The implementation process often requires 5 years or more.
•BPR is currently a regional provider of parks and recreation services with a significant
percentage of users being non-Boulder residents. The future role of BPR in offering
services to non-residents will need to be determined along with the effect on fees
(increasing non-resident fees, demand pricing, etc.) and operating budgets. For
communities that have more of a regional focus, there has been a re-evaluation of the need
and financial impact of taking on this responsibility. There has been a movement toward
having counties start to pay cities for use by their residents when they are in unincorporated
areas.
•Community partnerships are an important area of emphasis for BPR and allows for a
broader range of services to be delivered to the community. In the future there will need
to be an increased focus on partnerships if facilities and services are going to grow.
Partnerships have a much larger role in parks and recreation agencies across the country
but doing this well requires a willing and competent partner, a positive cost/benefit
analysis, clear policies, and a detailed partnership agreement to be in place. This all takes
time, staff, and money to accomplish.
•Any significant change to the method, types, or quantity of parks and recreation services
that will be provided in the future will require continued public input and discussion if
these efforts are going to be successful.
Funding
•BPR has a very diversified funding plan that has a low reliance on the city’s general fund
compared to most communities. The Department has a high rate of earned income, and
several sources of dedicated funding for certain aspects of operations as well as capital
improvements.
•It should not be expected that BPR will be able to lower is reliance on the general fund
below its current level and the need to increase services for certain groups of the
population (youth, teens, seniors, lower income, and people with disabilities) could likely
require an increase from this funding source and/or outside funding from other
organizations.
•Despite the low reliance on general fund tax dollars, the ability to generate additional
dollars from earned income will be difficult with fees and charges for many services that
are perceived as being high for the market and contributing to reduced participation from
some segments of the community (hence the need for an increase in financial aid
administered through a sliding scale). BPR has a very high cost recovery rate compared
to most agencies as many have not focused on this aspect of funding or maximized the
potential for earned income. However, it is unrealistic to expect much of any increase in
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the current cost recovery rate in the future due primarily to higher staffing and operations
costs.
•Even though BPR has a number of dedicated tax funding sources, there are limitations on
how these funds can be used that can result in less flexibility in how dollars are utilized
for parks and recreation in general. With the level of funding from these sources this
directs a sizeable portion of the operating budget to certain uses. Having dedicated tax
funding sources in place is still not common for most parks and recreation agencies but is
an area that is receiving increased emphasis by agencies as a way to guarantee funding
sources and levels.
•BPR has actively pursued grant opportunities for a variety of parks and recreation
services and this needs to continue. Increasingly, larger departments are employing a
fulltime staff person(s) who’s primary job is to pursue grant opportunities.
Operations Budgets
•BPR has strong management and budgeting practices in place that allows for the effective
utilization of financial resources as well as tracking of expenditures and revenues.
Industry best practices have reinforced the importance of having comprehensive
budgeting policies and practices in place.
•BPR has a well detailed service delivery and fee policy in place. However, simplifying
these policies and methodologies would be helpful. Many agencies do have similar
policies, but they are generally much more streamlined.
•Integrating additional cost center accounting into the budgeting process will help BPR
define the actual cost of operation and management of not only programs but also
individual facilities and parks. There is a strong movement in public agencies to adopt
this form of budgeting to better define the true cost of service for individual programs
and facilities.
•Contracting for more and more programming, operations and maintenance services has
become a definite trend with public parks and recreation agencies. However, this has not
always been the most cost-effective approach, has at times resulted in inconsistent
services, and requires on-going monitoring with strong contracts. BPR should continue
to complete a cost/benefit analysis for possible additional contract opportunities in the
future.
•BPR should continue to provide opportunities for financial aid for those that have limited
ability to pay, however this is currently being done at a high rate which may be more
difficult to sustain in the future. The aid should continue to be for both facility
admissions as well as programs and services. It should include internal department-based
aid (Recquity) as well as external aid through PLAY Boulder Foundation and the Health
Equity Fund. Establishing consistent policies and benefits from all sources will be
important. The cost of providing internal aid should be budgeted and tracked on an
Attachment E: Market Study Comparison
71
annual basis. There should also be some level of payment for services required from the
recipient (sliding scale based on income) as well as a maximum level of benefit per
person per year. BPR does have a maximum level of benefit for its program, but external
providers do not. The question of providing financial aid to non-residents should also be
examined. Most agencies have some form of financial aid or scholarship, but programs
vary widely as do the requirements. There has been a strong effort to have these
programs funded by outside organizations rather than through the department’s budget.
BPR’s commitment to financial aid is at a very high rate compared to other communities
and managing this process from administration to actual funding will be important for the
future. This will require consistent funding sources that support financial aid on a multi-
year basis.
•Reducing budgets in any significant manner will require that staffing levels be lowered,
and operational costs related to utilities minimized. This is a major challenge as the
potential loss of staff directly impacts the level of service and lowering utility costs
usually requires capital investment for more efficient systems. During the Great
Recession of 2007-2008, and the pandemic, agencies were forced to reduce staff, this
often occurred with administrative staff or was associated with a reduction in
programming or facilities.
•With a greater emphasis on controlling staffing costs, parks and recreation agencies have
become much more reliant on the use of volunteers for select programs and facility
operations. This has resulted in some challenges maintaining a consistent level of
available volunteers, defining appropriate roles, completing background checks, and
training. Having an effective volunteer program requires one or more fulltime staff to
manage and coordinate the program. BPR has made great use of volunteers up this point
(2,424 volunteers contributing 19,130 hours in the last five years) and this will need to
continue to grow in the future.
•The BPR budget has a line item for interdepartmental charges which grew substantially
from 2016 through 2019 and then saw a significant reduction in 2020 and 2021 due to the
pandemic. More and more cities (especially those in larger communities) are saddling
parks and recreation budgets with these charges which are calculated by others with no
ability for a department to manage. Some agencies do not include these charges in their
cost of service or cost recovery calculations.
•BPR should track the annual costs of providing any services for other city departments
when these do not directly relate to the department’s mission.
Capital Budgets
•The public has clearly indicated that they want to see BPR take care of what they have
with less emphasis on new parks and facilities. This is a very common refrain from most
communities these days and has become the focus of most capital funding efforts.
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•BPR has a very strong Asset Management Plan that is based on a capital replacement
value for all the assets. This identifies the yearly spending that is required (2% to 3% of
the CRV) to handle capital replacement and repairs. While most agencies have a list of
deferred maintenance items as well as a robust CIP budget, relatively few have a
comprehensive asset management system on the level of BPR. At times this results in
facilities that are not well maintained or simply can no longer meet the needs of the
community.
•Based on the Asset Management Plan the amount of money being spent of O&M as well
as capital repair and replacement needs to be increased to the industry standards noted
above. While the goal is notable, most agencies simply do not have the ability to even
cover their deferred maintenance issues with on-going funding sources. They either
prioritize needs or have a bond issue to fund the bulk of the concerns.
Recreation Programs and Services
•BPR should continue to utilize the Service Delivery model to determine how best to
provide recreation programs and services to the community. This needs to emphasize:
o Programs that are best provided by in-house staff.
o Programs that are more appropriate for contract providers but still utilize city
facilities.
o Programs that are the sole responsibility of other providers or organizations.
These could be taking place at city facilities or at locations that are owned by
other organizations.
Although not yet common, this approach to providing programs is gaining more support
by other agencies with the realization that public parks and recreation departments cannot
be the sole provider of all activities.
•BPR should continue to explore additional partnerships with other communities in the
area to provide a regional approach to providing certain specialized services such as
special needs and some youth services. This will require clear funding and operations
agreements as well as staff time to put in place and monitor. There has to be a
recognition that partnerships are often difficult to establish and manage and are not
always successful. Establishing partnerships for recreation programming is now a
standard method for expanding services, especially with limited budgets.
•BPR needs to continue to emphasize the tracking of program metrics while adding a
metric that indicates programming provided by age and population categories. Having
more robust program metrics is a definite trend among parks and recreation agencies.
Parks and Recreation Facilities
•With the public indicating a lower priority for developing new amenities and a greater
emphasis on maintaining existing facilities, the need to maximize the use of current
facilities becomes paramount. BPR’s Asset Management Plan deals with many of the
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physical plant issues. However, functional obsolescence is also a concern and
increasingly agencies are conducting an assessment of existing parks and recreation
facilities ability to meet department and community recreation uses and needs. From this
facility updates and renovation priorities are developed.
•To ensure facilities are being utilized to their full potential the following tasks are often
completed:
o A capacity analysis is completed to determine not only the carrying capacity of an
amenity (this is especially true for athletic fields) but also the current rate of
utilization measured against the capacity.
o Establishing clear priorities of use for facilities in general as well as specific
spaces or amenities. This helps with potential over use issues as well as
underutilization.
•With operational budget concerns, agencies have begun to look at either having contract
management of existing facilities or the outright lease (usually at below market rates) of
facilities to other organizations. However, the city or district is still the owner, has
certain maintenance responsibilities as well as capital replacement, and has limited input
into the specific services that are offered.
•Since the focus for BPR will be on maintaining existing facilities, the priority for
developing new facilities will be low. If there are to be any new facilities the approach is
likely to include:
o Reliance on other providers to be the owners and operators with possible low-cost
ground leases on city property.
o Equity partnerships with non-profit and public sector organizations to assist with
the development of facilities.
This approach has been utilized by other public agencies with varying levels of success.
The strength of the agreement, the level of financial contribution, and the goals of the
partnering entity can impact the outcome.
•If there is an interest in adding new facilities, the focus should be on those that have the
ability to generate levels of income above the direct cost of operation (high cost
recovery). As an example, these could include event centers and outdoor adventure park
or ropes courses. There are opportunities to have equity partners build and operate these
facilities with low ground leases while still paying a significant annual rate of revenue to
the city based on a percentage of gross proceeds. These P3 arrangements are starting to
be more prevalent with parks and recreation agencies across the country.
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TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
FROM: Alison Rhodes, Director of Parks and Recreation
Bryan Beary, Senior Manager, Community Building and Partnerships
Mark Davison, Senior Manager, Planning
Denise Dawson, Senior Manager, Urban Parks
Regina Elsner, Senior Manager, Natural Resources
Jackson Hite, Senior Manager, Business Services
Megann Lohman, Senior Manager, Recreation
Scott Schuttenberg, Deputy Director
Deryn Wagner, Senior Landscape Architect
Charlotte O'Donnell, City Planner
SUBJECT: Matters from the Department
DATE: November 18, 2024
A.Future of Recreation Centers: Planning Analysis and Engagement Window 2
Summary
This memo provides the PRAB with an executive summary of public input to date
regarding the Future of Recreation Centers project. This memo focuses on planning
analysis for the most recent engagement window in September 2024, during which staff
connected with the community through over 4,000 touchpoints. It also explains how this
input will inform next steps, including upcoming engagement opportunities.
Project Overview
As described in the October 2024 PRAB memo, the Future of Recreation Centers
project is meant to facilitate citywide conversations about how well all three recreation
centers are serving the Boulder community and to envision the future of Recreation
Centers in Boulder. This project is designed as a citywide planning assessment to:
•Update levels of service or goals for how city recreation centers can best support
indoor recreation activities that are most important to the community,
•Recommend how to address gaps in service across the system of city recreation
centers,
•Inform the design of funded improvements at East Boulder Community Center
(EBCC), and
•Provide planning evaluations to inform future community conversations for a citywide
financial strategy to fund outstanding recreation center needs with a focus on North
and South Boulder.
In addition, the Boulder Valley School District recognizes the role recreation centers play
in supporting high school athletics and is supporting the effort. This planning assessment
will include estimating current and future demand for school-sponsored aquatics in city
recreation centers.
Public engagement is vital to this process. Boulders recreation centers are vital
community health and wellness hubs – places for all community members to gather and
connect, exercise and play, rest and recover. Imagining the future of these community
assets requires input from community members across the city, neighbors, schools, 75
children, teens, older adults, people with disabilities, people with lower incomes, and
other voices that historically have been marginalized. As depicted in Figure 1 below,
using planning analysis and guiding policy in tandem with community input informs
recommendations that will emerge for each center –reflecting community needs and
wishes.
Figure 1: Community engagement’s role in developing recommendations.
How We’re Listening
Community engagement methods have been designed to align with and implement the
city’s Engagement Strategic Framework and Racial Equity Plan. This approach aims to
elevate voices from priority populations – or communities that have been traditionally
marginalized, including children and youth, older adults, people with disabilities, and
community members with lower incomes.
As described in the October 2024 PRAB memo, four engagement windows have been
designed to inspire and capture the community’s vision and values for recreation centers
long into the future. This approach provides clarity to community members about how
and when they can best share their voices, as well as time for staff and consultants to
analyze feedback and incorporate it into next steps. For example, broad-based feedback
from the first window in Spring 2023 (summarized here) helped staff understand and
articulate a draft set of values to describe why community members love and value city
recreation centers. In September 2024, Engagement Window 2 built off this foundation
and invited community members to affirm these community values, which will, in turn,
guide design and planning for future recreation center improvements. This iterative
process, depicted in Figure 2, will build on itself and build community consensus on a
focused set of recommendations to consider and fund in the future.
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Figure 2: Timeline of Engagement Windows for Future of Recreation
Engagement Window 2 was also an opportunity for community members to:
• Express the type of improvements to recreation center amenities and services they
would like to see in the future, and
• Elevate the types of recreation activities that are most important for city recreation
centers to provide in the future.
Opportunities to engage with the project team and participation levels during this
second window are outlined in Table 1:
Table 1: Engagement Window 2 activities and participation levels
Date(s) Activity Participation
September 7
What’s Up Boulder:
Community-wide event at
EBCC
approx. 500 attendees
September 7–30 Interactive posters at all 3
recreation centers 386 comments
September 7–30 Online questionnaire 3,208 responses
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September 26 Meeting with organizational
representatives 17 attendees
September 30
Pop-up meeting with
neighbors of South Boulder
Recreation Center (SBRC)
approx. 35 attendees
Total Number of Community Touchpoints 4,146
In addition, city staff have partnered with Growing Up Boulder over many years to
understand and elevate young people’s hopes and dreams for indoor recreation in
Boulder. Themes from decades of youth engagement have been incorporated into the
findings below.
Who We Heard From
The online questionnaire included voluntary demographic questions to help staff
understand who responded, who did not, and to what extent priority populations
participated. The following highlights demonstrate that a broad cross-section of
community members responded to the questionnaire:
• 71% of respondents visit City of Boulder recreation centers at least once a week.
• 394 respondents were 65 or older.
• 32 respondents were under 18-years-old.
• 117 self-identified as experiencing disability.
• 174 reported being a caregiver for an older adult or someone experiencing disability.
• 108 self-identified as within the LGBTQ+ community.
• 204 respondents self-identified as non-white.
• 9 responses were submitted in Spanish.
• 21% reported annual household income of less than $100,000, which is roughly the
area median income.
What We Heard
Community Values
Across the board, community members affirmed the values that had been shared in
previous engagements. In doing so, questionnaire respondents were also asked to
identify which values are most important for the future of recreation centers. Results are
shown in Figure 3 below.
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Figure 3: Community values results
Desired Improvements to Recreation Center Amenities and Services
When asked which 3 improvements community members would like to see at recreation
centers, respondents prioritized:
1. More opportunities for in-demand activities (e.g., gymnastics, lap swimming) - 57.2%
(1,071 Responses)
2. Indoor options to support year-round opportunities for outdoor sports and other
activities (e.g., walking, running, soccer, racket sports) - 51.2% (960 Responses)
3. Activities and facilities that better reflect my interests - 35.0% (655 Responses)
More than a third of respondents also expressed desires to integrate recreation center
facilities with nature and outdoor spaces (e.g., natural light, operable windows/doors,
indoor/outdoor programming). Roughly 20% emphasized the need to reduce energy and
water use.
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Priority Indoor Recreation Activities
Combined with results from the online questionnaire, comments shared at What’s Up
Boulder and on the interactive posters at each center demonstrate strong consensus
regarding which recreation activities are most important for city recreation centers to
provide. Table 2 below summarizes feedback from all methods about the top 3 most
important categories, as well as the relative importance of specific activities within each.
Table 2: Top 3 Priority Recreation Categories and Activity Details
Category Most Important
Activity
Second-most
Important Activity
Third-most
Important Activity
Fitness
Strength-training &
stretching
Using cardio
equipment
Fitness classes
Aquatics Lap swimming Leisure swimming Competitive
swimming
Mindfulness &
Wellness
Mindfulness
classes (yoga, tai
chi, etc.)
Physical therapy
support services
Massage and other
bodywork
In addition, community members shared the following ideas about activities that city
recreation centers could provide in the future:
• Indoor walking and running emerged as a predominant theme among write-in
responses.
• Interest in indoor tennis and pickleball was also strong.
• Some community members also hope recreation centers of the future will
accommodate competitive swimming and diving, rock climbing, indoor playgrounds,
covered outdoor exercise equipment, and indoor batting cages.
• Creative ideas like adding a coffee shop to a recreation center were also shared.
Accommodating Activities Across the System of City Recreation Centers
The questionnaire included an opportunity for the city to understand which activities
should be available at each facility (distributed) and which might be centralized at one
location. Staff recognize that there were technical issues when displaying the question
about distributed or centralized services on the online questionnaire. While staff worked
to fix the issue, it unfortunately persisted for some respondents, which made it difficult
for those using the Safari browser to select “Distributed” instead of “Centralized”. Given
the technical difficulties with this question, the percentage of respondents who preferred
distributed services may be higher than indicated. Despite this difficulty, responses still
indicated that overall, residents prefer distributed services, except in the case of
specialized services and sports. Staff will be gathering more input on which services
community members want to see in each location as part of Engagement Window 3.
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Findings: Youth Engagement Over Time
In partnership with Growing Up Boulder, youth have provided feedback on parks and
recreation in the city over the past decade. Key themes from this work that are relevant
to the recreation center planning include interest in nature, aquatics, art, safety,
opportunities for play and the importance of food. Youth also asked for non-traditional
offerings to support health like social events, places to hang out with others and places
that accommodate different sensory needs. Independence and affordability were also
important to youth. They want to be able to access places and hang out on their own
without help from adults. In more recent plans, equity and environmental sustainability
emerged as important values to youth.
How Input Will Be Used
Community input to date will help the project team understand the demand for indoor
recreation activities and the amenities that support them. This demand will then be
compared with existing levels of service across all three centers to understand where
needs and opportunities exist for improving services and amenities to meet that demand.
This analysis will also include benchmarking with other parks and recreation agencies
locally and around the country.
Specifically, feedback during Engagement Window 2 about priorities for indoor
recreation activities will inform community conversations this winter. Engagement
Window 3 will invite community members to affirm or refine priority activities before
dreaming up ideas for how these activities can be accommodated at current or future
recreation center facilities.
Next Steps
Following the presentation to PRAB on these findings on November 18, the project team
will open the next engagement window in December, as outlined in Figure 4. That
month, staff will be out and about meeting community members where they are, whether
that be at Age Well centers, youth programs, or elsewhere. These “micro-engagements”
will gather input from a broad range of residents about their ideas for improving
recreation centers. Additional opportunities will be announced for January, including
ways visitors at all 3 centers can weigh in on ideas and priorities for each location.
Staff will present findings from the following months of planning analysis and
engagement window 3 as well as the resulting preliminary recommendations to PRAB at
the March 2025 meeting.
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Figure 4: Planning Process and Milestones for Future of Recreation Centers
Project
Key Questions
1. Does the PRAB have any questions about the planning analysis and findings from
Engagement Window 2?
2. Does the PRAB have questions about the upcoming schedule and milestones for the
planning process?
Related PRAB and Council Memos:
• PRAB October 2024 (starting on pg. 42)
• PRAB July 2023 (on pg. 13)
• PRAB June 2023 (starting on pg. 10)
• PRAB February 2023 (starting on pg. 24)
• City Council May 2022
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TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
SUBJECT: Matters from the Board
DATE: November 18, 2024
A.PRAB Recruitment
B. PRAB Matters (Verbal)
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