HomeMy WebLinkAbout02.24.25 PRAB PacketAGENDA
All agenda times are approximate
I.APPROVAL OF AGENDA (2 minutes)
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 January 27, 2025, Page 4
B.Updates from the Director of Parks and Recreation, Page 7
C.Parks and Recreation Operations Updates, Page 8
D.Parks and Recreation Planning, Design and Construction Updates,
Page 8
V.ACTION ITEMS
A.None
VI.MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION/INFORMATION
A.None
VII.MATTERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT, Page 15
A.Forestry State of the Urban Forest Report (15 min)
B.2024 BPR Progress Report and 2025 Workplan (15 min)
VIII.MATTERS FROM THE BOARD
A.April Study Session draft agenda, Page 17
IX.NEXT BOARD MEETING:
A.March 31, 2025
X.ADJOURN
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
Fully Hybrid Meeting
6:00 p.m., February 24, 2025
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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PRAB Future Board Items Agenda
February March April
Fully hybrid for members, staff,
and community.
Fully hybrid for members, staff, and
community.
Fully hybrid for members, staff,
and community.
Regular Mtg
(c)
•Board Recruitment Process
Update
•Future of Recreation Centers:
Planning Analysis and
Engagement Window 3
Summary
•Summer Squad Campaign •East Boulder Community
Park Update
•Recreation Management
Software procurement
Regular Mtg
(a)
Regular Mtg
(d/i)
Regular Mtg
(md) •Forestry State of the Urban
Forest Report (15 min)
•2024 BPR Progress Report
and 2025 Workplan (15 min)
•2024 Year End Financial Review
(20 mins)
•Civic Area Plan: Engagement
Window 2 and Preliminary
Programming (45 mins)
•North Boulder Park Plan:
Schematic Design (45 min)
•Future of Rec Centers: Prelim
recommendations & EBCC
Concepts (30 mins)
•2026 Budget Development -
Sources & Uses, Operating,
1st Touch CIP (60 mins)
Regular Mtg
(mb)
•April Study Session draft
agenda
•PRAB Recruitment, Orientation
and Departing Board members
(20 min)
•Chair & Vice Chair selection
process (5 min)
•Swear in new members
•Selection of Chair and Vice
Chair
•New Board Member
onboarding and PRAB
mentor
Other Mtgs
or Topics
Dept Events
& Items of
Interest
•Feb 3 - Feb 7:
Board Recruitment: Process
qualified applications that
have not already been
processed and prepare
application packet. Send
applicants interview dates for
signup.
•Feb 7:
Board Recruitment:
Applications sent to council
members. Application packet
published to external website.
Forwarded to board
secretaries to distribute to
board members and staff
liaisons.
•Feb 19: PRAB Interviews, 2-
4pm
Feb 25: PRAB Interviews, 9-
12pm
Feb 28: PRAB Interviews, 1-
3pm
•March 20:
City Council makes B&C
appointments
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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
Jackson Hite, Senior Manager, Business Services
Megann Lohman, Senior Manager, Recreation
Scott Schuttenberg, Deputy Director
Erynn Simone, Senior Manager, Regional Facilities
SUBJECT: Consent Agenda
DATE: February 24, 2025
A.Approval of January 27, 2025, 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
Date of Meeting: January 27, 2025
Contact Information Preparing Summary: Rosa Kougl; 303-413-7223
Board Members Present: Bernie Bernstein, Elliott Hood, Eric Raffini, Jennifer Robins, Sarah van der
Star, Anna Segur
Board Members Absent:
Staff Present: Ali Rhodes, Scott Schuttenberg, Jackson Hite, Stacie Hoffmann, Clarisa Collins,
Regina Elsner, Megann Lohman, Bryan Beary, Jonathan Thornton, Rosa Kougl
Guests Present: Charlotte Huskey, Kristin 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 van der Star, second by Raffini. The motion passed 5-0.
Agenda Item 2: Future Board Items:
Rhodes, Director of Parks and Recreation, reviewed upcoming agenda items and events.
PRAB had the following questions or comments.
•Will PRAB Interviews be available to the public.
Agenda Item 3: Public participation:
•Pam Unrau shared her thoughts on the importance of the South Boulder Recreation Center for
youth well-being and community connections.
Agenda Item 4: Consent Agenda
A.Approval of Minutes from November 18, 2024
Motion to approve the minutes from the November 18, 2024, Regular PRAB meeting. First
motion Robins, second by Bernstein. The motion passed 5-0.
B, C, D. Updates from the Director, Project Updates, Operations & Development
PRAB follow up questions or comments.
•PRAB asked for an update on city warming shelter operations at the East Boulder Community
Center.
•PRAB also shared excitement for the Bill Bower project.
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Agenda Item 5: Items for Action
•None
Agenda Item 6: Matters for Discussion/Information
•None
Agenda Item 7: Matters from the Department
A.2025 Courts System Plan Implementation Projects
Rhodes and Schuttenberg presented this item
The Board responded to the staff’s presentation and shared enthusiasm
on the fast implementation of the 2024 Court System Plan.
B.Long-Term Financial Strategy Process and Timing
Huskey presented this item
The Board responded to staff’s presentation and shared questions on
impacts of federal policy changes on city funding, ballot measures,
funding for Parks and Recreation and planning for the South Boulder
Recreation Center.
Agenda Item 8: Matters from the Board Members
A.Liaison to Council Budget Process
Jenny Robins expressed interest and was supported to serve
in this role
B.Meeting dates; March, May, next study session
March meeting moved to avoid BVSD Spring Break to March 31
May meeting moved to avoid Memorial Day holiday to May 19
April 14 selected for PRAB Onboarding Retreat.
C.PRAB Matters
Robins shared information on PLAY’s fundraising campaign for PLAY and the
date for the Annual golf event is September 12.
Hood grateful for sledding options in Boulder.
Bernstein visited St. Louis parks and learned that the zoo is funded by outside
donors. Envisions similar donations for Boulder Parks and Recreation.
van der Star updated that the coffee cart in South Boulder remains popular and
enjoyed seeing the Fairview area being used for sledding and cross-country
skiing during the most recent snowstorm.
Agenda Item 9: Next Board Meeting
Next Board meeting:
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•Monday, February 24, 2025, Hybrid
Agenda Item 10: Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 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
Board Recruitment Process Update
The 2025 recruitment proved to be a success with a higher-than-normal turnout in
applications. Between February 3 and 7, the city clerk’s office processed qualified
applications. Applications were sent to Council Members for review and are uploaded for
public viewing.
Parks and Recreation Director Ali Rhodes, together with a member of City Council, will
interview 14 candidates for the five Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB)
vacancies. Interviews will take place between February 18-28. Recruitment for all board
and commissions vacancies are handled via a virtual, recorded platform and the
recordings will be available to the public on the Boards and Commissions page.
City Council is scheduled to make appointments at the March 20, 2025 meeting. The
vacancies to be filled for the upcoming 2025-2026 year are:
Seat Number Current Status Term
1 Elliott Hood
Appointed 03-2021
Resigned effective 3-31-25
To Fill: 1-year term ending in
2026
2 Waylon Lewis
Appointed 03-2024
Resigned effective 09-24-24
To Fill: 2-year term ending in
2027
3 Andrew Bernstein
Appointed 03-2023
2023-2028
4 Anna Segur
Appointed 03-2023
Resigning effective 03-2025
To Fill: 3-year term ending in
2028
5 Jennifer Robins
Appointed 03-2024
2024-2029
6 Sarah “Sunny” van der Star
Appointed: 03-2022
2022-2025
7 Eric Raffini
Appointed: 03-2024
2024-2025
Bernstein, in Seat #3 with official term year ending 2028 and Robins, in Seat #5, with
official term date ending in 2029 remain on the board.
Orientations for all new PRAB members will be on Saturday April 5, 9am-12pm, in a
virtual capacity or in person on Wednesday, April 16, 6:00-9:00pm. An Onboarding
PRAB Retreat is scheduled for April 14 to assist with onboarding the new board
members.
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C.Parks and Recreation Operations Updates
PLAY Boulder Foundation Community Courts Campaign Update
The PLAY Boulder Foundation launched a fundraising campaign on February 5 to
coincide with a department press release announcing the implementation of the Court
System Plan through projects at East Boulder Community Park and Tom Watson Park.
The campaign focuses on opportunities where financial support from the community can
help fund features and amenities that will enhance the base design of tennis and
pickleball investments being made by the department.
The campaign fundraising goal is $500,000 per project and includes a variety of donor
recognition opportunities, according to the level of contribution, including an on-site
Donor Wall and the potential for the naming rights to individual courts.
Community members ready to make a difference in the expansion and enhancement of
Boulder’s racket sport facilities can donate online or contact PLAY’s Executive Director
Angie Jeffords at angie@playboulder.org to learn more about the exciting opportunities
to build something extraordinary together.
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:
Projects Status
System Planning
Future of Recreation Centers Needs Assessment Planning
Future of Parks System Plan Start 2026
Universal Design Accessibly Plan Start 2026
Park & Facility Renovation Plans
Boulder Junction Park: Opening a New Park Design
Civic Area Renovation Design
East Boulder Community Center Renovation Design
North Boulder Park Renovation Design
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Pearl Street Renovation Start 2025
Primos Park: Opening a New Park Design
Park Refresh Plans
Barker Park Refresh Planning
Ebin G Fine Park Refresh Start 2026
Park Asset Management
Bill Bower Park: New Interpretive Display Garden Design
Burke Park: Picnic Shelter Replacement Construct
Boulder Reservoir: ADA Dock Replacement Construct
Boulder Reservoir: Road and Parking Lot Repaving Design
Chautauqua: Courts Replacement Design
East Boulder Community Park: Courts Enhancement Design
Pleasantview: Parking Area & Multi-Modal transport Start 2026
Holiday Park and Washington School Park Signage
The Parks and Recreation construction team recently completed the installation
of the park name signs at Holiday Park and Washington School Park. These
signs help identify and welcome community members to parklands. BPR
properties have a park name sign that is standard across the system. Both parks
have been missing this sign for several years and were requested by community
members.
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Holiday Park park sign Washington School park sign
Future of Recreation Centers: Planning Analysis and Engagement Window 3
Summary
This summary provides an update to the board on the Future of Recreation Centers
project. Currently in an analysis phase, the project team has analyzed two major inputs –
including building conditions at all three centers and the most recent engagement
window (December 2024 through January 2025).
Technical Analysis
The city’s consultant team on the project – Perkins & Will – includes professionals from
across several disciplines such as architects, mechanical engineering, structural
engineering, electrical engineering and aquatics. This team has reviewed all past
assessments of city recreation facilities and completed an updated building condition
assessment in late 2024. In addition, consultants are completing a benchmarking study
to understand how Boulder’s recreation centers compare to peer agencies.
Upcoming Repairs at SBRC
To extend the life of the SBRC facility, city staff are prioritizing critical needs confirmed
or identified in the building conditions report. This involves assembling an approach,
schedule and funding for immediate improvements over the next 12-18 months. These
short-term investments would support the city's ability to promote health and well-being
while long-term conversations about a potential replacement facility are in process.
In addition, the city’s Long-term Financial Strategy project will produce a coordinated
and comprehensive strategy for funding underfunded core services and unmet needs
across the city, such as parks and recreation, transportation maintenance, public safety,
and facility operations. Over the next year, both project teams will continue to engage in
a coordinated effort with the community to develop a vision for the future of SBRC and to
determine how those opportunities may be funded. This time will help the city consider
and prioritize city needs holistically, engage the community at a level appropriate for
significant investment of public resources, and explore partnership opportunities for a
potential replacement facility.
Engagement Window 3 Overview
As described in the October 2024 PRAB memo and November 2024 PRAB memo
(starts on page 75), planning analysis and guiding policy, in tandem with community
input, will inform recommendations for each center. Four engagement windows have
been designed to inspire and focus the community’s vision and values for recreation
centers long into the future.
The most recent Engagement Window 3 was an opportunity for community members to:
• Confirm findings from past engagement windows.
• Express the type of improvements to recreation center amenities and
services they would most like to see at each of the locations.
• Inform initial priorities for renovations at EBCC.
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To elevate voices from historically marginalized communities, staff met directly with
individuals from priority groups such as youth, older adults, people experiencing
disabilities, and low-income residents. Their ideas were then brought to a larger group
event on January 15 called “Game Night”. This innovative, fun event was designed to
facilitate meaningful dialogue and relationship-building across a diverse cross-section of
older adults, people experiencing disabilities, and community representatives from
Reimagine SBRC, Boulder Community Aquatics Coalition, the Boulder Valley School
District, youth-serving organizations and other recreation interests. Ideas and priorities
that emerged that night were captured graphically and displayed in all three centers for
the weeks following to gain additional feedback from a broader audience. The full
schedule of opportunities during this window is outlined in Table 1:
Table 1: Engagement Window 3 activities and participation levels
Date(s) Activities Participation
November –
December 2024
Focused Engagements –
including youth, older
adults, people with
disabilities and
community connectors
100 participants
January 15, 2025 Game Night 50 attendees
January 21 –
February 3, 2025
Community Wide
Feedback at Centers
and Online
300 responses
Total Number of Community Touchpoints ~450
Separately, community members also conducted their own outreach and provided
results to the city project team. For example, Reimagine SBRC gathered nearly 700
responses to an online survey they designed to understand their constituents’ priorities.
In addition, BOCO Pickleball Club gathered 50 responses to an online survey. These
results have been reviewed and incorporated into the findings below.
Overarching Themes for All Recreation Centers
Input from all methods confirmed findings from past windows and advanced
understanding about the community’s top priorities for all three recreation centers,
illustrated in Figure 1 below.
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Figure 1: Graphic conveying top priorities for all facilities.
East Boulder Community Center
In addition to the overarching themes above, the following priorities emerged for EBCC.
Together, these will guide the development of design concepts for the funded and
upcoming renovation.
Potential Improvements
Community
Prioritization
Enhance accessible, warm water wellness opportunities Top priority
Explore indoor track Very high
Connect with nature Very high
Improve East AgeWell Very high
Enhance community gathering and learning spaces Very high
Improve or expand fitness classrooms High
South Boulder Recreation Center
A preliminary vision for the future of indoor recreation in South Boulder is emerging
based on systemwide priorities described above, as well as specific feedback for this
location. These early ideas convey a strong community desire to maintain the following
core amenities in a future facility if it were to be funded:
• Lap pool
• Strength and cardio areas
• Fitness classrooms
• Gymnasium
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In addition, the priorities in the table below emerged for consideration in a new facility.
Potential Improvements Community Prioritization
Consider indoor field sports Top priority
Expand fitness classes Very high
Improve community gathering and learning spaces High
Connect with nature High
Along with technical analysis and an evaluation of levels of service across other
communities, these desires will inform preliminary graphics to convey potential space
allocations for each recreation activity in the future facility. Rough order of magnitude
costs will also be estimated to inform the city’s Long-term Financial Strategy project.
North Boulder Recreation Center (NBRC)
Feedback regarding the future of NBRC was largely focused on relatively small
improvements to improve experience. For example, community connectors from low-
income communities shared that they love NBRC, while also describing lack of parking
and crowded areas inside. Overall, community members are hoping to see minor
modifications that relieve these pressures, as well as improved spaces for teens, minor
improvements to the gymnastics area, and consideration for older adult services. Along
with technical analysis on building conditions and deep energy retrofit needs, these
ideas will inform the development of a preliminary vision for future improvements to
NBRC, if funded.
Next Steps
This analysis will inform next steps, which include:
• Preparing for short-term repairs at the South Boulder Recreation Center
(SBRC).
• Developing preliminary design concepts for renovations at East Boulder
Community Center (EBCC).
• Drafting a preliminary vision for recreation center improvements in South and
North Boulder.
• Preparing the next public engagement window, expected to open in mid- to late
April.
Staff will present findings from the following months of planning analysis and
engagement window 4 as well as the resulting preliminary recommendations to PRAB in
April and May 2025.
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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
Jackson Hite, Senior Manager, Business Services
Megann Lohman, Senior Manager, Recreation
Scott Schuttenberg, Deputy Director
Erynn Simone, Senior Manager, Regional Facilities
SUBJECT: Matters from the Department
DATE: February 24, 2025
A.Forestry State of the Urban Forest Report
The 2018 Urban Forest Strategic Plan (UFSP), directs the city to publish a biannual “State
of the Urban Forest report” to inform the community about changes in the urban canopy and
what Boulder Forestry is doing annually to accomplish the goals of the UFSP. The urban
canopy is the layer of leaves and branches of trees that provide shade and cover to the
community. The city prioritizes care of the urban canopy for the myriads of environmental
benefits it provides, such as reducing air pollution, absorbing carbon dioxide, providing
cooling benefits, and improving overall urban air quality. In addition, trees are proven to
promote health and well-being by reducing stress, encouraging outdoor activity, and
enhancing quality of life.
Parks and Recreation’s first State of the Urban Forest report in 2023 outlined how the urban
canopy was doing, the progress to achieve the goals of the UFSP, the work Boulder
Forestry has planned to continue to support and grow the urban canopy, and how the
community can help.
The 2025 State of the Urban Forest report provides updates on the urban canopy how it’s
either maintaining or trending downwards in different Boulder subcommunities and the city’s
progress to achieve the UFSP’s goals.
In 2018, the UFSP set a goal to have a 16% urban canopy citywide. Due to a shift in the
methodology for calculating the urban canopy we now know that coverage number from
2018 is closer to 22%. This doesn’t mean the actual tree canopy grew but rather where,
when and how we measure it has changed. As of now, the city’s urban canopy remains at
22%.
The report also includes:
•How Boulder Foresty is achieving the plan’s goals
•Where trees are planted in our public tree inventory map
•How action is needed from both the city and private landowners
•Images contributed by community members, graphs and interactive maps.
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The UFSP identified an annual $500,000 funding gap, based on average spending in
comparable cities on a per capita basis as well as funding per public tree. Each year, that
gap grows due to inflation and rising costs while the city is losing trees due to severe
weather, pests and construction. The city continues to look for opportunities to close that
funding gap.
Additional funding for Boulder Forestry would address several goals identified in the UFSP.
For example:
•Creating a second internal Forestry crew to address deferred and backlogged
maintenance to meet industry standard of pruning every 8 years
•Increasing contracted pruning work on right-of-way trees to meet industry standard of
pruning every 8 years
•Supporting proactive measures to ensure trees’ survival
•Creating capacity to focus on urban forestry issues, such as strengthening city
requirements for tree protection, planting and maintenance for public and private
projects
•Continuing education and outreach with the community
The city is eager to work with the community to ensure Boulder has a healthy, thriving,
urban forest now and into the future. As a part of that, the city is considering an update to
the UFSP to address emerging data and science related to wildfire and climate change and
to better apply an equity lens to urban canopy investments
B.2024 BPR Progress Report and 2025 Workplan
Boulder Parks and Recreation’s 2024 Annual Progress Report tells the story of BPR’s work,
ongoing projects and how they are focused on what the community said is most important in
developing the 2022 Department Plan.
This report highlights BPR’s first Court System Plan, the new clubhouse at Flatirons Golf
Course, officially naming Primos Park and the Future of Recreation Centers project –
exciting projects completed at the same time that we provided high-quality parks, facilities
and programs for our community.
The report also includes metric and stories that show how we did on the initiatives and
measures the community shared as most important. The report is available online. At the
meeting, staff will share a brief presentation sharing highlights from the 2024 Progress
Report and outlining 2025 workplan projects and priorities, including board engagement
milestones.
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3198 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 | www.boulderparks-rec.org | O: 303-413-7200
TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
SUBJECT: Matters from the Board
DATE: February 24, 2025
A.April Study Session draft agenda
a. Welcome and Introductions
i. Outcome: Create understanding and build trust
b.Staff Presentation: Role of Board and Responsibilities
i.Board Liaisons to BPR Project assignments
1.Outcome: To provide an opportunity to engage on project passions and
provide a deeper level of knowledge on a project in support of addressing
community questions to the board.
ii.Advisory Board Roles and Functions
1.Outcome: Provide a deep dive into PRAB’s role and clarify questions on
the Handbook
iii.Communication Protocols
1.Outcome: Familiarity with the protocol that ensures that public business is
conducted publicly and in compliance with the Colorado Open Records
Act.
iv.Meeting Management and Agenda Overview
1. Outcome: Create understanding of meeting etiquette to support timely
board conversations on topics at business meetings and study sessions.
c. Team Building / Physical Movement
d.Staff Presentation: BPR Overview
i.Leadership and organizational chart
1.Outcome: To provide a conceptual understanding of staff leadership and
staff assignments of department-wide projects.
ii.Budget 101
1.Outcome: To understand sources of funding and uses of funds.
iii.Overview of major BPR projects and plans
1.Outcome: Understanding of projects in flight with timeline overview;
understanding the BPR Plan, and the work plan.
e.Closing Thoughts and Reflections (15 minutes)
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