Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2022BOULDER PARKS AND RECREATION Master Plan Update
Restore | Connect | Sustain
2022
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This page:
Paddlers enjoying Summer Kidz Kamp
at East Boulder Community Center.
Facing page:
A young reveler at the Chautauqua
Park playground renovation celebration.
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Letter from the Director
Dear Boulder Community Members,
Thank you for the time, thoughts, and passion you shared to develop the 2022 Parks
and Recreation Master Plan. Boulder’s parks and recreation system is a reflection of our
community’s long-held values and support for parkland, great public spaces and well-
being.
For over 100 years, we have developed and cared for an incredible system of urban
parks, recreation facilities and programs that is a major contributor to Boulder’s
nationally-acclaimed high quality of life and the result of community support and
investment. We also acknowledge that prior to the city’s establishment, the Boulder
Valley was home to indigenous peoples who held deep and long-standing connections
with these lands. As we work to honor the past, it is critical moving forward that
this system is managed in a way that reflects the diverse voices and needs of our
community.
This plan is based upon input from across Boulder and will help us prioritize our time
and dollars for the next five years. Our “master plan promise” to you is that we will use
this plan to guide our work: the values and priorities expressed in this plan will shape
each decision we make to ensure that Boulder’s Parks and Recreation system continues
to take care of the community’s hearts, bodies and souls.
Together, we dreamed of a parks and recreation system that is more welcoming and
inclusive for all and that is more sustainable in the face of growing demand and climate
change. As we implement this master plan, that dream will become closer to reality.
We look forward to working with the community to accomplish the ambitious but
necessary steps to ensure that we can truly promote the health and well-being of our
entire community through an unparalleled system of parks, facilities and programs.
Sincerely,
Ali Rhodes
Director of Parks & Recreation
d |
This page:
An aerial view of downtown Boulder. Boulder parks are an
integral part of the community’s outdoor recreation and sports
opportunities.
Cover:
East Boulder Community Park Dog Park; Kidz Summer
Camp nature play; Fitness class at East Boulder Community Center
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Acknowledgments
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Indigenous Peoples who have traversed, lived in and
stewarded lands in the Boulder Valley since time
immemorial. Those Indigenous Nations include the:
Di De’i (Apache), Hinono’eiteen (Arapaho), Tsistsistas
(Cheyenne), Numunuu (Comanche), Kiowa*, Čariks i
Čariks (Pawnee), Sosonih (Shoshone), Oc’eti S’akowin
(Sioux) and Núuchiu (Ute).*
We honor and respect the people of these Nations
and their ancestors. We also recognize that Indigenous
knowledge, oral histories, and languages handed down
through generations have shaped profound cultural
and spiritual connections with Boulder-area lands and
ecosystems — connections that are sustained and
celebrated to this day.
The City of Boulder recognizes that those now living
on these ancestral lands have a responsibility to
acknowledge and address the past, and must work
to build a more just future. Read the City of Boulder’s
staff land acknowledgement- which is based on the
city’s Indigenous Peoples Day Resolution, community
input and guidance from American Indian Tribal
Nations – at: //BoulderColorado.gov/projects/staff-
land-acknowledgement. Staff recognize that this
acknowledgement will continue to evolve as we work
to understand and address the legacy of the violent
colonization of Indigenous lands.
* Names are based on guidance from American Indian Tribal Nation
Representatives. Please note: The appropriate Kiowa Indigenous name
has not yet been obtained from Tribal Representatives.
PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
Charles Brock, Vice-Chair
Elliott Hood
Mary Scott
Anita Speirs
Jason Unger
Sunny van der Star
Pamela Yugar, Chair
Past PRAB Members
Raj Seymour, Chair
BOULDER COMMUNITY
A special thanks to community members, partners and
stakeholders who participated in the engagement for
this master plan.
BPR STAFF CONTRIBUTORS
Gabriel Aksamit
Kathleen Alexander
Bryan Beary
Cassy Bohnet
Tom Buzbee
Chelsea Cerny
Stacy Cole
Tim Duda
John Falkenburg
Alma Garcia
Doug Godfrey
Lori Goldman
Justin Greenstein
Ashley Hansen
Nick Haupt
Stacie Hoffmann
Megann Lohman
Heidi Mallon
Joy Master
Keely Miller
Christy Munoz
Stephanie Munro
Charlotte O’Donnell
Chris Passarelli
Ellen Pesek
Matt Pilger
Mike Rossi
Christy Spielman
Tim Stabbe
Jonathan Thornton
Dennis Warrington
BOULDER CITY COUNCIL
Matt Benjamin
Aaron Brockett, Mayor
Lauren Folkerts
Rachel Friend, Mayor Pro Tem
Junie Joseph
Nicole Speer
Mark Wallach
Tara Winer
Bob Yates
Past City Council Members
Mirabai Nagle
Adam Swetlik
Sam Weaver
Mary Young
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, City Manager
Chris Meschuk, Deputy City Manager
CORE PROJECT TEAM
Alison Rhodes, Parks & Recreation Director
Regina Elsner, Planning & Ecological Services Manager
Jackson Hite, Business Services Manager
Tina Briggs, City Senior Planner
CONSULTANT TEAM
Design Workshop, Planning & Design
Polco, National Research Center, Stastically Valid Survey
Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture, Indoor Facilities Assessment
Ballard King, System Assessment
ALIGNED CITY DEPARTMENTS & PROGRAMS
Climate Initiatives
Community Connectors
Facilities
Finance
Growing Up Boulder (501c3 city partner)
Housing & Human Services
Open Space & Mountain Parks
Racial Equity
Transportation
Youth Opportunities Advisory Board
Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i
WHO WE ARE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .01
BPR System Overview 03
Master Plan Purpose 07
Master Plan Process 11
WHERE WE ARE TODAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Community Context 21
Boulder Parks & Recreation System 27
Financial Overview 46
Key Issues & Observations 53
WHERE WE ARE GOING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Strategic Direction & Decision Making 63
Strategic Plan 73
Plan Alternatives 88
HOW WE WILL GET THERE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Implementation 95
WORKS CITED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
ACRONYMS LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
GLOSSARY OF TERMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
i | Executive Summary
section 1: who we are
The first section provides a brief overview
of the BPR system and its services, along
with a discussion of the 2022 Master Plan
purpose, the planning process and the
schedule and phases.
section 2: where we are today
Section 2 highlights community
demographic and recreation trends that will
impact BPR services, outlines the current
state of Boulder’s parks and recreation
system, and provides an overview of the
department’s current financial situation.
This data informs the master plan
recommendations that BPR staff will work
to accomplish in the next five years.
section 3: where we are going
The third section lays out a roadmap to
guide the department through the next
five years, offering a strategic direction,
which includes policies, goals and initiatives.
The roadmap is based on the research,
community engagement and policy
direction highlighed in Section 2.
section 4: how we will get there
The last section discusses how to make
the future vision for Boulder’s parks and
recreation system a reality. It details how
BPR will work to accomplish the master
plan’s goals and initiatives through the
annual action planning process. It also lists
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will
be used to measure progress over time in
order to best meet BPR’s commitment to
serve the Boulder community with a world
class parks and recreation system.
Executive Summary
boulder’s parks &
recreation system
is a community
treasure
Throughout this master
planning process, BPR
has heard from the
public, stakeholders
and staff that the
Boulder parks and
recreation system is a
well-managed, essential
community treasure.
The 2022 BPR Master Plan documents the work of community members, city leaders,
Boulder Parks & Recreation Department (BPR) staff and our consultant team. The process
began in the fall of 2020 and was completed in the summer of 2022.
The Boulder Parks and Recreation Master Plan will guide investments and strategies over
the next five years, shaping the delivery of services in a manner that is consistent with city
sustainability, resilience and equity goals and that meets the community’s level of service
standards.
The master plan will help BPR respond to three key questions:
1 . What do we do?
2 . For whom do we do it?
3 . How do we excel?
Short-term strategies, those that can be completed over the next 5 years, are the primary
focus of the master plan. These strategies will help build continued success over the long-
term. The plan also focuses on high level initiatives, rather than more specific and detailed
actions. These will be identified and assigned in BPRs annual Action Plan.
MASTER PLAN STRUCTURE
This plan includes four sections that together tell the story of BPR and its relationship to
the Boulder community today and in the future.
MASTER PLANNING PROCESS
a blended approach
The 2022 Master Plan outlines recommendations in the following
ways:
»Polices
»Goals
»Initiatives
»Plan Alternatives
These recommendations are the result of a two-year strategic
planning process, which utilized an integrated input model, weaving
public engagement and research througout the process.
The recommendations are also a result of a blended approach that
included policy direction, research and community engagement.
This approach was established in the 2014 Master Plan. It uses
quantitative and qualitative data to determine recommendations.
The approach was updated for the 2022 Master Plan to ensure
the overarching lenses of equity and resilience were considered
throughout the planning process.
37%37%
30%30%
15%15% 13%13%
2% 2%
Recreation Activity Fund (RAF)
0 .25 Cent Sales Tax Fund
General Fund
Permanent Parks & Recreation Fund
Lottery Fund
2021 operating budget
& primary funding sources
$29,936,362
research public
engagement
FUNDING
All of the recommendations included in the Master Plan were
considered in relation to BPR budgets and funding.
BPR’s funding from 2016 through 2021 has remained mostly
flat, though expenditures have risen on an almost annual basis.
Revenues have decreased, on average 0.4% since 2016 while
expenditures, including capital, have increased on average 7.3%.
Not including capital, expenditure growth averages approximately
1% per year for a total increase of 2.5% between 2016 and 2021.
While most BPR funds carry a cash balance enabling yearly
expenditures to exceed yearly revenue, the significant imbalance
between the annual growth of revenues and annual growth of
expenditures is not sustainable. In addition to expenditure increases
due to inflation, BPR is faced with the increasingly difficult challenge
of managing rapidly rising personnel, maintenance, energy,
materials, operational costs, aging infrastructure and facilities, and
a growing demand for parks and recreational amenities.
Revenues from BPR’s funding sources are projected to remain
mostly flat over the next 5-year period, increasing on average
2.8% annually through 2026. Behavioral changes brought on by
the COVID-19 pandemic have altered retail spending, work habits,
integrated input model
Executive Summary | ii
iii | Executive Summary
recreational habits, and other fee and tax
generating activities, negatively affecting
funding streams for BPR. Both the city and
the department have taken conservative
approaches to budgeting and fund
forecasting, prioritizing equitable service
delivery of existing programs, maintenance
of staffing levels to support needed levels
of service and programming, and critical
capital infrastructure projects.
capital & operations &
maintenance (o&m) budgets
BPR manages a $29.9M yearly operating
budget. The department is funded through
a diverse set of city funds contributed on an
annual basis.
The city’s Capital Improvement Program
(CIP) guidelines prioritize the maintenance
of current assets over the development
of new facilities. Through the planning
process, the community has indicated
strong support for this prioritization. Based
on current economic conditions, revenue
and expenditure projections, funding is not
sufficient to maintain all existing system
assets and build new park and recreation
facilities unless comparable trade-offs occur.
BPR is currently not meeting the goal set
by the 2016 Capital Investment Strategic
Plan of spending between 2-3% of Current
Replacement Value (CRV) annually on
capital repairs and replacement.
BPR has experienced a similar shortfall of
funds spent on annual O&M expenditures.
Based on the 2021 CRV of $298.4 million
and the industry standard of allocating
approximately 4% of CRV to O&M or
ongoing preventative maintenance, BPR
should be spending approximately $11.9
million on O&M. Between 2016 and 2020
BPR spent on average $8.6 million, or 2.9%
of CRV on O&M, resulting in a $3.3 million
gap between current and recommended
O&M expenditures.
To meet recommended spending goals for
capital projects and O&M, BPR would have
required, on average, an additional $5.2
million annually between 2016 and 2020.
The figure on the next page illustrates
the average of 2016 though 2019 funding
levels for current practices and the
recommended spending based upon the
department’s portfolio of assets and best
practices in asset management, as well as
providing ongoing and increased funding
for community benefit programming.
The total funding gap identified through
data gathering and research is $6.7 million
annually, but with approximately $2 million
in currently unallocated funding, the
unrealized funding gap is approximately $4.7
million.
To quantify gaps in funding for targeted
capital repair and replacement, an analysis
was performed that looked at current
projected capital expenditures from 2022
through 2027. For nearly every year through
2027, BPR requires additional funds to
meets its capital repair and replacement
goals. As BPR’s asset portfolio continues to
appreciate, and as assets continue to age,
increasingly more funds will be required to
maintain assets.
programming budget
BPR has made significant strides since
the 2014 Master Plan in improving the
department’s approach to cost recovery,
capital planning, program prioritization
and asset management. While BPR has
consistently met the public expectations
around programs and facilities, increased
financial pressure from aging assets,
deferred capital projects, increasing
personnel and operating costs and unfunded
capital projects will require increasing cost
recovery and revenue generation wherever
possible.
Executive Summary | iv
$0 .5M $35M
$30M
$25M
$20M
$15M
$10M
$5M
$0 $3 .5M
$9 .9M
$11 .9M
4% of CRV
$7 .5M
2.5% of CRV
TOTAL: $33.3M
$3 .5M
$8 .9M
$8 .6M
2.9% of CRV
$5 .6M
1.9% of CRV
$2M
TOTAL: $28.6M
Capital Gap
$1 .9M
O&M Gap
$3 .3M
Programming Gap
$1M
CURRENT
FUNDING
RECOMMENDED
FUNDING
current funding versus recommended funding
Unallocated
Forestry Unfunded
Combined CIP and R&R
Operations & Maintenance
Rec Programs & Services
Administration
A funding gap of approximately $1 million
for recreation programming was also
identified, which is needed to maintain and
sustain the current levels of community
benefit programming while addressing
affordability issues for lower income
residents. Within this $1 million gap, there
are three specific priority areas. Based on
community input about how programming
and access should be funded for specific
age groups (youth and older adults), there
is a need for $590,000 to fund these types
of age-based discounts for these two
groups. Providing financial aid to support
affordability for individuals and families
with low incomes requires an additional
investment of $250,000. Two extremely
popular and important programs provided
by BPR, EXPAND for individuals living with
disabilities and the Youth Services Initiative
(YSI) serving youth from low-income
families, require $212,000 to continue to
support these community members.
BPR must continue to pursue cost recovery
within its programs and creative means of
revenue generation and/or strategies to
supplement current funding sources to close
funding gaps, remain financially sustainable,
and provide services to the community.
v | Executive Summary
STRATEGIC PLAN
The strategic plan (this master plan and
implementation plan) is organized by six Key
Themes. Each includes policies, goals and
initiatives that provide the framework for
BPR’s future work.
policies
Policies are driven by decision makers
representing the Boulder community,
including the Boulder City Council and
PRAB. They provide direction and help set
the framework within which BPR operates
by supporting consistent operations and
transparent decision making. They also lay
the groundwork for the development of BPR
goals and initiatives.
goals
Goals, which are influenced by the master
planning process, are the long-term
results BPR would like to achieve to fulfill
its mission, vision, and policy. Feedback
was gathering during public engagement
efforts to guide BPR in how goals should be
prioritized. Goals are listed in the priority
order in which the community felt they
should be pursued.
initiatives
Initiatives are activities and/or projects BPR
staff work on to meet the goals. They are
specific and measurable.
KEY THEMES
Six key themes, identified through
community input, provided the framework
for the 2014 Master Plan. These themes
remain important to the community and
are integral to the 2022 Master Plan. They
provide a framework to help organize the
Master Plan policies, goals and initiatives
and help shape the strategies that are the
focus for future action and decision-making,
outlined in Sections 3 and 4 of this plan.
The six key themes are:
POLICIES
Provide clear
direction for
what BPR will
achieve within
the intention of
the key themes.
GOALS
Results that
require time and
planning.
INITIATIVES
Actions taken
to accomplish
goals.
Community Health
and Wellness
Taking Care of What
We Have
Financial Sustainability
Building Community
& Relationships
Youth Engagement
& Activity
Organizational Readiness
Keep Boulder emotionally and physically healthy
through its parks, facilities and programs.
Prioritize investments in existing parks
and facilities.
Balance the many demands with existing
resources. Recognize the need to focus on core
services and community priorities.
Build a connected community through outreach
programs and initiatives. Create social and cultural
equity for healthy relationships across Boulder.
Engage youth with parks, facilities and programs
that provide direct experience with nature,
experiential learning and opportunities to
close the educational achievement gap.
Respond to changes over time by using new
technologies and data-driven and collaborative
decision making tools.
Executive Summary | vi
PLAN ALTERNATIVES
The master plan includes three scenarios,
following the city’s business and budgeting
planning approach that requires departments
to prepare for a future without increased
revenue. This approach acknowledges the
need for an effective organization to rebalance
priorities—and their associated expenditures—
using three tiers of fiscal alternatives. Each
alternative makes different assumptions about
available resources (see Section 3: Where We
are Going).
»Fiscally Constrained Alternative
BPR’s commitment to the community
over the next five years. This alternative
plans for prioritized spending within
existing budget targets.
»Action Alternative
Aspirational projects and programs
that may be accomplished if additional
funding becomes available . This
alternative describes the extra services
or capital improvements that could be
undertaken when additional funding is
available.
»Vision Alternative
An unfunded wishlist of projects and
programs . This alternative represents
the complete set of services and facilities
desired by the community.
Through the master planning process, BPR
has gathered feedback on desired facility
and programming improvements from
both individual members of the community
and specific user groups. Balancing the
community’s desires with BPR’s financial
reality requires that the department prioritize
what can be accomplished.
The Fiscally Constrained scenario reflects
BPR’s commitment to the community ,
focusing on core services and those that
benefit the greater community. The tables to
the right describe the projects BPR will work to
complete over the next five years.
FISCALLY CONSTRAINED PLAN ALTERNATIVE
PROJECTS
Park Maintenance -BPR Asset
Management Program Maintain Well at FCI .07, Develop Violet Park
Playgrounds 1-2 Parks/Playgrounds per year refurbished
(25-30 year)
Restrooms - Pending LOS
evaluation
Maintain current LOS, transitioning to
universal restrooms as facilities are built or
replaced
Valmont Park - 2015 Concept
Plan
Phase 1 development of adventure and nature
play elements
Urban Canopy - Urban Forest
Strategic Plan
Focus on health of current canopy through
IPM, Tree Safety, EAB response, and public
tree protection— Some canopy growth
through tax investment, philanthropy and
partnership
Civic Area Activation w/ Operations Focus
Area III
Complete Baseline Urban Service Plan
and develop concept plan, but nothing is
developed
PARKS
FISCALLY CONSTRAINED PLAN ALTERNATIVE
PROJECTS
Athletic Fields - 2015 Athletic
Field Study
Optimize usage through partnerships,
maintenance and conversion to artificial turf
Recreation Centers - 2022
Facility Needs Assessment
EBCC & NBRC - Maintain Well
SBRC - Retire past useful life facility but not
replace; citywide facility feasibility study for
SOBO area facilities
Courts - Study pending
Maintain Well. Court study to identify LOS—
Seek opportunities to maximize community
benefit through Joint Use Agreements/
partnerships
Aquatics -2015 Aquatics
Feasibility Study Maintain current service levels and pools
Reservoir -2018 South Shore
Capital Strategy
Improve existing site connections and
ciruclation
FACILITIES
FISCALLY CONSTRAINED PLAN ALTERNATIVE
PROJECTS
Facility Access Fees
Continued increases to base fees to keep up
with cost escalation, maintaining discounts
for youth and seniors
Financial Aid Maintaining Financial Aid LOS reliant upon
grants and philanthropy
EXPAND Core Services for Target Population funded by
GF subsidy and grants
Youth / Teens
Additional programming only possible
through discontinuation of other services or
market based programs
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
vii | Executive Summary
bpr annual action planning
5-step process
1 . Review current state of
system and action plan progress
2 . Review Master Plan goals
and initiatives to identify
areas of focus & report out plan
progress to community
3 . Select Projects
to Implement
4. Develop Operating and
Capital Budgets
5 . Implement
Action Plan
BPR’S FUTURE
With the acceptance of this master plan, BPR commits to fulfilling
its mission and to implementing the initiatives and the Fiscally
Constrained Plan. Through an annual action planning process, BPR
will ensure that the 2022 Master Plan is a living document used to
improve the overall system and achieve the goals of the community
well into the future. BPR will utilize equity mapping, Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs),and the city’s Sustainability, Equity and Resilience
framework to plan its work and measure success over time.
The department will collaborate with PRAB, City Council and aligned
city departments to:
»Ensure the goals and initiatives of each key theme are considered
»Maximize resources and efficiency
»Make sure BPR continues to deliver best-in-class parks, facilities
and programs for the Boulder community
annual action planning process
The Annual Action Plan process is how BPR will ensure the
community’s goals as outlined in the 2022 Master Plan happen.
The Action Plan will include each year’s committed goals to achieve
Master Plan initiatives and Fiscally Constrained Plan Alternatives. BPR
follows five steps to complete the annual Action Planning Process.
The first involves reviewing the current state of the system and plan
progress. BPR will then review the master plan goals and initiatives
to identify areas of focus for next year. This step includes reporting
out plan progress to the community. Third, staff will select projects
to implement based upon resources, the current state of the system,
and focus areas. The Action Plan will inform the development of the
operating and capital budgets, which is the fourth step. Finally and
most importantly, staff will implement the Action Plan.
planning framework
The Annual Action Plan is also informed by City Council’s workplan
and priorities, and citywide goals and priorities as outlined in the
Boulder Valley Comprhensive Plan (BVCP) and various master
plans. BPR has a well-defined set of tools used to plan, measure,
and evaluate proposed projects and programs. Through this master
planning process, staff realized they can simplify these tools to ensure
work is intentionally designed and delivered and that investments
are data-driven. New methods will support BPR’s ability to address
impacts relating to changing social, economic and environmental
conditions. As the city finalizes climate and equity related targets, BPR
will utilize recommended assessment tools to inform how BPR’s work
will contribute to achieving those targets and community-wide goals.
Executive Summary | viii
BPR Director Alison Rhodes and PRAB Chair Raj Seymour
jump into the Scott Carpenter Pool opening celebration.
WHO WE ARE
»Boulder Parks & Recreation (BPR) provides parks and recreation
services to the entire Boulder community. We are extremely proud
of the work we do, managing and operating parks, facilities and
programming for a world-class city. The 2022 Master Plan will help
guide decision making and our work for the next five years. This
section describes our system and the master planning process.
BPR DIVISIONS
BPR includes seven main divisions with staff members who
provide core services to community members to ensure a
high quality of life and a healthy environment.
Urban Parks
Performs day-to-day management of facilities and
public spaces, including maintenance, programming
and youth outreach
Planning
Manages capital project planning, design and
construction, geographic information systems (GIS),
historic and cultural resources, park renovation
projects and community engagement related to
planning
Natural Resources
Manages urban forestry and natural lands and
provides urban park ranger services
Community Building
Supports accessibility and equity efforts, and
manages camps, EXPAND, YSI and other recreation
programming and volunteer efforts
Business Services
Functions include finance, information technology,
staff training and development, business planning
and process improvement analysis
Regional Facilities
Manages Boulder Reservoir, Flatirons Golf Course,
Valmont Bike Park
Recreation
Manages North Boulder Recreation Center, South
Boulder Recreation Center and East Boulder
Community Center, along with sports, health
and wellness, aquatic and general recreation
programming
Getting some air at the Valmont Bike Park.
2 | Who We Are
Who We Are | 3
OUR SYSTEM
Boulder is known as a worldwide hub for
supporting active lifestyles. An average
of 300 days of sunshine per year give
residents, workers, students and visitors
many opportunities to participate in the
wide variety of outdoor recreation options
available in the local parks, which include
natural areas, in and around Boulder.
Year-round, the city’s three recreation
centers and other facilities provide
indoor and outdoor spaces for recreation
activities, while a wide range of fee-based
and subsidized programming provides
education and recreational instruction for
the community. BPR also manages several
important historic and cultural resources.
Visit our website at:
boulderparks-rec.org
BPR System Overview
mission: who are we?
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.
The iconic Flatirons, recognized throughout the world provide a stunning natural backdrop to the city and its parks and recreation system.
vision: where are we going and why?
BPR envisions a community where every member’s
health and well-being is founded on unparalleled parks,
facilities and programs.
4 | Who We Are
Boulder Creek Boulder Creek
Path Path only trail outside of only trail outside of City of Boulder parks City of Boulder parks managed by BPRmanaged by BPR
Map 1: BPR Inventory
Tennis Courts and other Sports
Courts not shown on map.
Source: BPR GIS Analysis
Who We Are | 5
boulder’s parks & recreation
system includes parks, facilities
& programs
BPR oversees a parks and recreation system
that includes parks, facilities and programs.
Department staff manage over 1,800 acres
of urban parkland. They also oversee three
recreation centers, five pools, the Boulder
Reservoir, Flatirons Golf Course and the Pearl
Street Mall. A sampling of programming
includes aquatics, arts, sports, therapeutic
recreation, wellness, camps and youth
outreach.
OUR SERVICES
BPR works to make opportunities for recreation available to
everyone, providing crucial services to help ensure a healthy and
active community. The department operates and maintains many
parks, natural areas, public trees, and three recreation facilities,
and provides recreation programming for Boulder community
members. BPR also owns and manages nine historic and cultural
sites in Boulder, as well as three rolling railroad stock, leased to the
Colorado Railroad Museum.
Daily, staff play crucial roles in providing community benefits,
connecting people to physically active lifestyles and opportunities
to improve mental health, and reconnecting people during recovery
from events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and 2021 Marshall
Fire.
The BPR Inventory Map on the facing page and the key below
highlight the locations and numbers of parks, facilities and
amenities that BPR staff operate and maintain.
COMMUNITY HUBS
BPR parks, facilities, programs, and historic
and cultural resources provide places where
community members can:
»improve their physical and
mental health;
»access core services;
»and gather together.
55 Parks
6 Natural Areas
(includes Boulder Reservoir)
4 Gardens
40 Playgrounds
4 Dog Parks
46 Athletic Fields
1 Golf Course
3 Recreation Centers
5 Indoor & Outdoor Pools
3 Skate Parks
1 Bike Park
28 Tennis Courts
44 Other Sports Courts
6 Undeveloped Properties
1 Cemetery
6 Civic Spaces
9 Historic & Cultural
Resources in Boulder
BPR INVENTORY LIST
BPR Inventory includes
approximately 50,000 trees
located throughout the
Boulder community.
6 | Who We Are
parks
BPR maintains parks, natural areas and trees throughout the city
where community members can gather, exercise, rest, build social
relationships and enjoy the outdoors close to home. Staff manage,
operate and maintain more than 1,800 acres of urban parkland
(including 55 developed parks) and natural areas. This includes
pocket parks, neighborhood parks, community parks and city parks,
with just under 300 additional acres of undeveloped parkland.
BPR manages approximately 25% of the overall tree canopy in
Boulder (approximately 50,000 trees). This includes trees in parks,
as well as trees in public street rights of way. BPR also manages the
Boulder Creek Path, Central Park & Civic Area, Andrews Arboretum,
Columbia Cemetery and the Pearl Street Mall.
recreation facilities
BPR recreation facilities offer community members opportunities
to exercise and recreate in all four seasons. Staff manage 138,000
square feet of recreation center space, offering services across
three recreation centers, two outdoor aquatic facilities, several
sports complexes, a bike park, two outdoor skate parks, and other
specialized and regional facilities including the Boulder Reservoir,
Valmont Bike Park and the Flatirons Golf Course.
programs
BPR partners with local organizations and groups to offer over 2,500
diverse types of recreation programs that promote physically and
mentally active lifestyles for people of all backgrounds, ages and
abilities. Some programs include a fee, while others are subsidized
to ensure all members of the community have access to recreation.
»EXPAND programs provide opportunities for people with
disabilities to improve and gain new recreation and leisure skills.
»Youth Service Initiative (YSI) programs and activities give young
people, whose circumstance would otherwise prevent them
from experiencing many of the recreational and educational
activities and options their peers enjoy, a chance to explore these
opportunities.
»SilverSneakers®, Silver & Fit®, Renew Active™ and other third-
party programs give older adults opportunities to participate in
subsidized programming.
»Aquatics, dance, fitness, nutrition, biking, tennis, golf and
pottery programs, in addition a variety of camps and sports
programs round out BPR’s suite of services.
Pumping iron at North Boulder Recreation Center.
Gymnastics program participants hanging out.
Families enjoying the playground at Creekside Park.
Master Plan Purpose
21%
increase in financial aid
enrollments
52%
increase in EXPAND participation between 2015-2020 (enrollment doubled during this
5-year timeframe)
26,300+
hours of volunteer time annually
Asset Management
software was implemented
2014 master plan key
accomplishments
BPR has achieved most of the goals
identified in the 2014 Master Plan,
including decreasing backlog repairs
by 41%, completing the new
Scott Carpenter Pool, the Boulder
Reservoir Visitors Center and
restructuring the recreation pass.
Other notable accomplishments since
2014 include:
STRATEGIC ROADMAP
The 2022 Master Plan serves as a guidebook to help BPR staff
provide parks and recreation services that meet the needs of the
Boulder community. It also acts as a roadmap for the management
of the parks and recreation system, informing capital investment,
programming, operations and maintenance priorities for the next
five years.
Building on the success of initiatives from the 2014 Master Plan and
recalibrating to ensure BPR services are tailored to meet changing
needs, staff are strategically focusing on the aspects of BPR services
that provide desired community benefits and meet citywide
sustainability, resilience and equity goals.
The 2022 Master Plan helps BPR answer three important questions:
• What do we do?
• Whom do we serve?
• How do we excel?
Staff will use the content of this plan to respond to current
needs, anticipate future challenges and identify policies, goals
and initiatives to help meet the Department’s mission and meet
community needs today and in the future.
The mission, vision, goals and initiatives will be integrated into
BPR’s work so every employee plays a role in building success.
The goals and initiatives should guide BPR’s work over the next
five years, at which point an update effort should be initiated.
Department goals, initiatives and projects should be reviewed
regularly to assess successful outcomes related to the mission and
vision, and revised as needed to address roadblocks to success.
GUIDING FRAMEWORK
BPR used several citywide initiatives and plans as a framework
to guide the 2022 Master Plan process. The principles of equity,
resilience and sustainability are woven throughout each element of
the plan to support community values and citywide goals.
boulder valley comprehensive plan
The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) guides long-range
planning and other activities that shape the built and natural
environments in the Boulder Valley. The plan provides policy
guidance to ensure protection of the natural environment and
support a livable, vibrant and sustainable community. The BVCP
Who We Are | 7
8 | Who We Are
The Tree Giveaway is an important community event,
encouraging community members to help add shade
and decrease CO2 in the atmosphere.
boulder valley
comprehensive plan vision
The Boulder Valley community honors its
history and legacy of planning for a livable
community surrounded by open space
and rural lands while striving together to
create and preserve a truly special place
that is sustainable, resilient, equitable and
inclusive—now and for future generations.
sustainability & resilience
framework vision
A future with equitable access to health,
prosperity and fulfillment; where our
community adapts and thrives in response
to emerging, and sometimes urgent, social,
economic and environmental challenges.
acknowledges the role that parks and recreation plays in building
community and improving the quality of life for Boulder Valley
community members. The BVCP recommends that parks and
recreation programs and facilities continue to provide for a well-
balanced and healthy community by offering a range of activities
that support mental and physical health through high-quality
programs and services.
sustainability, equity & resilience framework
The City of Boulder’s Sustainability, Equity & Resilience Framework
provides a vision for an inspired future and aligns efforts across the
city by establishing a common language for goals and priorities. This
framework guides budgeting and planning processes by providing
consistent goals necessary to achieve Boulder’s vision of a great
community and the actions required to achieve identified goals.
The 2022 Master Plan polices, goals and initiatives have been
developed to align with the following seven elements of the
framework:
»Safe: A welcoming and inclusive community that fosters
personal and community safety and ensures that all residents are
secure and cared for during emergencies and natural disasters.
»Healthy and Socially Thriving: All Boulder residents enjoy
high levels of physical and mental well-being and abundant
recreational, cultural, and educational opportunities in an
environment where human rights are respected.
»Livable: High-performing, safe, well-maintained attractive
buildings and infrastructure that accommodate a diverse set of
community needs for working, playing and living.
»Accessible and Connected: A safe, accessible and sustainable
multi-modal transportation system that connects people with
each other and where they want to go. Innovation, inclusivity and
open access to information fosters connectivity and promotes
community engagement.
»Environmentally Sustainable: A sustainable, thriving, and
equitable community that benefits from and supports clean
energy; preserves and responsibly uses the earth’s resources;
and cares for ecosystems.
»Responsibly Governed: A local government that provides an
excellent customer experience, responsibly manages the city’s
assets, and makes data-driven decisions informed by community
engagement.
Who We Are | 9
»Economically Vital: All residents and businesses can access
and benefit from a healthy and sustainable economy that is
innovative, diverse and collaborative.
principles
The principles of equity, resilience and sustainability were used
throughout the master planning process to influence and guide the
collection and analysis of data, community engagement efforts and
policies, goals and initiatives to guide BPR’s work.
Equity
The City of Boulder is leading its equity work with racial equity. BPR
is committed to this work and ensuring equity for all community
members by focusing on equity as it relates to socioeconomic
conditions, varying abilities, and ages of parks and recreation
system users.
Resilience & Sustainability
Ensuring an environmentally, economically, socially sustainable and
resilient future is an overarching priority for the Boulder community.
BPR is committed to delivering reliable health and wellness services
in a sustainable manner, and proactively planning and operating
parks, facilities and programs to ensure resilience of the parks and
recreation system.
engagement strategic framework
In 2017, the City of Boulder adopted an engagement strategic
framework, designed by community members, that cultivates a
two-way dialogue between city representatives and the community
to encourage more meaningful public engagement. This framework
is inclusive, consistent and transparent. In order to make better
decisions and develop more responsive programs and services, the
city has developed six strategies to guide community engagement
efforts citywide. BPR is committed to using these strategies in all
public engagement efforts.
»Learn Together
»Help People Know What to Expect
»Cultivate Relationships
»Be Transparent
»Use the Right Tools
»Evaluate and Evolve
Resilience
Equity
Sustainability
Providing everyone the
specific resources and
opportunities they need to be
successful and to ensure equal
outcomes. This differs from
equality, which is treating
everyone the same.
The capacity to prepare and
plan for disruptions, to recover
from shocks and stresses, and
to adapt and grow from these
experiences.
The ability to meet the needs
of today in a way that does
not inhibit future generations
from meeting the needs of
tomorrow.
engagement strategic framework:
9 steps to good engagement
SAFEHEALTHY &
SOCIAL
LIVABLE ACCESSIBLE &
CONNECTED
ENVIRONMENTALLY
SUSTAINABLE
RESPONSIBLY
GOVERNED
ECONOMICALLY
VITAL
EQUITYSUSTAINABILITYRESILIENCESAFEHEALTHY &
SOCIAL
LIVABLE ACCESSIBLE &
CONNECTED
ENVIRONMENTALLY
SUSTAINABLE
RESPONSIBLY
GOVERNED
ECONOMICALLY
VITAL
EQUITYSUSTAINABILITYRESILIENCESAFEHEALTHY &
SOCIAL
LIVABLE ACCESSIBLE &
CONNECTED
ENVIRONMENTALLY
SUSTAINABLE
RESPONSIBLY
GOVERNED
ECONOMICALLY
VITAL
EQUITYSUSTAINABILITYRESILIENCE
Source: City of Boulder Engagement
Strategic Framework
10 | Who We Are
racial equity plan
The City of Boulder’s Racial Equity Plan focuses on eliminating
systemic and institutional racism in policies and practices. It states
that:
“Race is often the greatest predictor of access to success in our current
system. The creation and perpetuation of racial inequities is embedded
into government at all levels. Initially focusing on racial equity provides
the opportunity to introduce a framework, tools and resources that can
also be applied to other marginalized groups based on gender, sexual
orientation, ability, class and age, among others.”
BPR is committed to taking the steps necessary to continue to
address historic inequities and ensure equity is integral to all of
the department’s policies and practices, aligning with community
priorities.
All plans referenced in this section can be found on the City of Boulder
website.
Kidz Summer Camp attendees having fun in one of Boulder’s many parks.
racial equity plan internal
infrastructure steps
The plan outlines steps city departments
need to take to adapt internal infrastructure
and communication to meet the plan’s five
goals:
»Everybody Gets It
»Justly Do It
»Community Commitment
»Power to All People
»Representation Matters
Who We Are | 11
Master Plan Process
A BLENDED APPROACH
The 2022 Master Plan outlines recommendations in the following
ways:
»Polices
»Goals
»Initiatives
»Plan Alternatives
These recommendations are the result of a two-year strategic
planning process, which utilized a blended approach that
included policy direction, research and community engagement.
This approach was established in the 2014 Master Plan. It uses
quantitative and qualitative data to determine recommendations.
The approach was updated for the 2022 Master Plan to ensure
the overarching lenses of sustainability, equity and resilience were
considered throughout the planning process.
community engagement
Engaging community members in a variety of ways throughout
the planning process ensured that their voices were heard and
considered in formulating BPR’s strategic direction.
research
Research was a key component of this master planning effort. BPR
knows the Boulder community expects data-driven decision making
and works to ensure this is a foundation of the department’s work.
For this project, research included reviewing relevant plans and
reports, conducting a statistically valid survey, reviewing national
and regional trends, conducting a facilities assessment, completing
a financial analysis, and engaging BPR and other city department
staff.
policy guidance
The City Council and the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB)
provided input at major milestones throughout the planning
process. PRAB feedback was critical to successfully combining
public feedback and research into meaningful recommendations
that are in line with city policies. As the council’s appointed
community representatives for parks and recreation matters, the
PRAB’s guidance was critical for ensuring the 2022 Master Plan
reflects community needs. Already approved city plans, BPR’s
service delivery model, asset management program and other
pertinent guiding documents also helped guide the planning
process. CommunityEngagementPolicy Re
s
e
a
r
c
hSUSTAINABILITY, E QUITY & RESILIE
N
C
EMaster Plan
Recommendations
12 | Who We Are
Project Schedule & Phases
The 2022 Master Plan project schedule was broken into five phases, detailed in the timeline
below. Each phase included extensive research, community engagement and direction from
other planning documents and policy makers, including the Parks and Recreation Advisory
Board (PRAB) and City Council.
Who We Are | 13
Source: BPR
14 | Who We Are
ENGAGEMENT
A critical and ongoing component of the planning process is
community engagement. An equitable, open and collaborative
engagement process builds trust throughout the community in
both the 2022 Master Plan document and how it was created. The
engagement process provided opportunities for the community to
be active in the planning process and influence the plan’s findings
and recommendations. BPR collected feedback through four
engagement windows.
This feedback influenced all aspects of the 2022 Master Plan,
including what types of community-oriented services BPR delivers,
how these services are prioritized, and how to best deliver them
with diverse needs and limited funding.
methods
BPR shared and followed the citywide engagement plan,
which included efforts to reach less represented groups. Staff
used a variety of engagement methods to provide meaningful
opportunities for community input.
stakeholder workshops & public open houses
All engagement windows of the planning process included staff
and community stakeholder workshops and public open houses.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, workshops and open houses
shifted between in person and virtual based formats depending on
public health orders. Open houses allowed community members to
provide input regarding what was important to them and allowed
for directed feedback on a variety of 2022 Master Plan process
topics.
Interactive
BeHeardBoulder map exercise giving community members a chance to share memories about BPR parks or
facilities
142
open participation survey responses
Bilingual
flyers, signage and door hangers advertising ways to participate
284
statistically valid survey responses
Social Media
campaigns on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
Community members enjoying the large variety of services BPR offers throughout Boulder.
engagement highlights
Who We Are | 15
citywide coordination
Interviews were conducted with seven departments or workgroups
throughout the city including Climate Initiatives, Open Space
and Mountain Parks, Facilities, Equity, Transportation, Housing
and Human Services and Finance. The interviews identified
common policy and capital goals, shared community goals, and
opportunities for collaboration and mutual benefit.
statistically valid survey
Polco’s National Research Center conducted a statistically valid
survey of Boulder community members. A total of 4,000 paper
surveys were sent to randomly selected addresses and 284
recipients completed the survey. The survey data was statistically
weighted to adjust for certain demographic groups not responding.
An open online community survey was available to all community
members during the same time period. A comparison of results for
both surveys indicated alignment between the statistically valid
survey group and the general community.
beheardboulder
To gather input from the community throughout the planning
process, BPR used the city’s online engagement platform,
BeHeardBoulder. Community members could provide feedback
on specific questions during each engagement window through
various activities including quick polls, questionnaires, map
activities and general comments. These opportunities were
advertised through multiple print and digital communications
channels.
Community members enjoying the large variety of services BPR offers throughout Boulder.
16 | Who We Are
30,000
E-blast subscribers
Staff Charrette
full-day discussion of goals and
initiatives
Spanish & English
community workshops were held to prioritize goals and initiatives
Micro Engagements
with youth, older adults and people
with disabilities
micro engagements
Micro engagements are small, targeted opportunities for the
project team to interact with specific groups from the community.
This includes meeting these groups where they already are, rather
than having them come to the project team.
These engagement opportunities were utilized throughout
the planning process to obtain targeted feedback from specific
community groups including, but not limited to, low-income
populations, people experiencing homelessness and Spanish-
speaking community members.
youth engagement
BPR coordinated with Growing Up Boulder (GUB) and the Youth
Opportunities Advisory Board (YOAB) to administer surveys and
collect feedback on the planning process from youth and teens
throughout Boulder. Feedback from youth and teens was collected
and incorporated into both the Needs Assessment Report and the
Implementation Memorandum.
technical advisory groups (tags)
Comprised of staff from BPR, TAG members served as subject
matter experts to verify information and research and provide
input on specific projects and programs that should be prioritized.
The TAGs include both the Management Technical Advisory Group
(MTAG) and Working Technical Advisory Group (WTAG).
BPR staff and stakeholders offered invaluable information that informed the plan recommendations.
engagement highlights
“
“Less prescriptive
programming when designing
facilities would allow for more
flexible uses in the future.”
parks and recreation advisory board (prab)
The PRAB played a critical role in the development of the 2022
Master Plan by reviewing research and findings, providing input
on content at critical junctures, offering policy direction and
recommending the final plan to City Council. During the planning
process PRAB held multiple study sessions dedicated to the
Master Plan. The PRAB’s guidance was instrumental in shaping the
recommendations, polices, goals and initiatives of the plan.
city council
As the governing body that accepts the final 2022 Master Plan, City
Council engaged in the project and provided feedback and policy
direction at key junctures. In December 2020, the council reviewed
and approved the project approach and community engagement
plan. In July 2021, project staff presented the findings of the Needs
Assessment to City Council. In April 2021, a study session allowed
City Council to review and discuss the draft plan and provide
feedback that was incorporated into the final 2022 Master Plan.
beheardboulder
community feedback
“Ensure that ‘public’
includes everyone in the
community and think
about long term benefits,
especially for facilities/
programs that are adaptable
as much as short term gains
to be more resilient.”
“Focus
on the community
experience, including
improving the registration
system, marketing, public
engagement, etc.”
“Making parks the
centerpiece of the
community will ensure
that the community
recognizes it is in their best
interest to take care of
parks in return.”
Who We Are | 17
WHERE WE ARE
TODAY
»Understanding changes in the Boulder community that have
occurred since the completion of the 2014 Master Plan provides BPR
with a foundation for decision making and planning for the future. In
this section, community demographics and trends, the current state
of Boulder’s parks and recreation system, and an overview of today’s
financial situation provide useful data. This data informs the 2022
Master Plan recommendations that BPR staff will work to accomplish
in the next five years.
20 | Where We Are Today
The natural features in and around Boulder make
it one of the most beautiful cities in Colorado.
Where We Are Today | 21
Community Context
IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE
Communities throughout the country understand
that urban parks, natural areas, recreation facilities,
historic and cultural resources and recreation programs
are community amenities that improve quality of life.
Boulder has one of the premier parks and recreation
systems in the country. BPR’s services offer spaces
where community members can recreate, connect with
nature, spend time with family and friends, meet new
people, and participate in programming year-round,
both indoors and outdoors.
While BPR has been doing an excellent job of meeting
the needs of the community, it will become increasingly
challenging in the future, due in part to growing use of
outdoor amenities by people who live in Boulder and
in adjacent Front Range communities. The population
BPR serves is changing as community members age and
become increasingly more diverse.
Spring at the Pearl Street Mall brighten the day for all who visit.
22 | Where We Are Today
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS
BPR currently provides recreation to a city population of
108,091 (including the CU Boulder student population).
While Boulder’s population growth is limited and less
than statewide averages, the city population is expected
to grow to approximately 123,000 by 2040. Not only is
the population within city limits expected to increase,
but about 1 million additional people are expected
to move to the Denver region, with another 1 million
moving to the northern Front Range, which includes
Fort Collins, Longmont and other municipalities, by
2040. As an employment center drawing from the
Front Range, Boulder is anticipating an increase of
14,000 employees in the community by 2040, which will
increase usage and in turn create additional stress on
Boulder’s parks and recreation system.
According to the U.S. Census American Community
Survey, the majority of Boulder’s population is white
(87.7%). The city has a higher percentage of Asian
community members (7% total) than Boulder County
and the state of Colorado. Black or African American
community members make up 1.3% of the population,
0.2% are American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1.6%
are other races. In terms of ethnicity, approximately
10% of community members are of Hispanic or Latinx
origin (of any race).
Projections for changes to the composition of the
population by race are not calculated for counties
or municipalities; however, the Colorado State
Demography Office developed a statewide forecast
in October 2011 through 2030. Populations of Black,
Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian remain
relatively stable in proportion to all other races.
Additionally, based on state-wide projections, there
will be a significant increase in the Latinx community
population – growing from 10% of the total population
in 2019 to potentially just over 30% by 2040. The
state forecast may not be realized in Boulder, but the
nationwide trend of an increasing Hispanic population
will very likely influence the city and BPR amenities,
facilities and programs. Boulder County’s population is
aging. By 2040, the current percentage of community
members aged 60 and older will nearly double to make
up 28% of the county’s total population.
Doing the “twist” at South Boulder Recreation Center.
Where We Are Today | 23
These trends will result in an increased demand for
parks and recreation services. Population growth, as
well as an increasingly diverse and aging population, will
require a greater capacity for services and additional
funding to meet community needs.
CITY OF BOULDER POPULATION ESTIMATE PROJECTION
GROWING POPULATION PRESSURE
The growing population of Boulder and surrounding
communities will result in an increasing demand for BPR
services. This will require greater capacity, and specific
services focused on older adults, the Latinx community
and community members who require equitable access to
services.
It will also result in increased environmental, social and
economic strain on the parks and recreation system and will
likely require additional funding to meet community needs.
BOULDER COUNTY AGING POPULATION
CITY OF BOULDER HOUSING COSTS & INCOME
By 2040, the current percentage of
community members aged 60 and older
will nearly double to make up 28% of the
county’s total population.
The growing population of
Boulder and surrounding
communities will more than
likely result in increased need
for services, parkland and
programming. This in turn will
result in increased strain on the
parks and recreation system.
With increasing numbers of
aging adults, BPR will likely
see an increased demand for
senior programs and facilities
that have observed appeal from
review of national and regional
trends (e.g., Medicare health and
wellness programs and facilities
such as warm-water aquatics
pools and pickleball courts).
With housing costs rising faster
than income, and a higher than
average renter population
compared to the county
and state, BPR will likely see
continued or increased demand
for low-cost to no-cost recreation
options in Boulder.
Median Detached Home Sales Price Median Attached Home Sales Price
Median Household Income
$1M
$800K
$600K
$400K
$200K
$0
2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
$242,500
$405,250 $435,000
$685,000
$940,000
$432,000
$103,600$89,500
$84,500 $85,600
2010 2020 2040
98K98K 108K108K 123K123K
2040 2040
28%28%
24 | Where We Are Today
CLIMATE TRENDS
According to the City of Boulder’s Climate Initiatives website
“the undeniable reality is that climate change is not just
happening — but also accelerating and intensifying. All ten of
the hottest years on record have occurred since 2005, and one
does not have to look far to see these catastrophic impacts play
out in Boulder in real time — whether it was the 2013 floods
or the 2020 Calwood Fire.” When considering the “urgency
of the threat at hand, the City of Boulder declared a climate
emergency in July 2019, triggering the development of several
targets to guide city action.”
BPR is proactive as a department in the face of climate
change and unexpected events, like the COVID-19 pandemic.
The department can adjust and restructure quickly when
needed. This approach helps staff deal with windstorms,
destructive invasive species, like the emerald ash borer,
droughts, wildfire and other climate emergencies. BPR has
also begun updating irrigation systems, following organic
turf management practices, and implementing a zero-waste
program in parks.
Boulder’s Climate Commitment helps align departmental
goals around greenhouse gas emissions, non-electric vehicles
and natural gas use. BPR participates in this commitment
and has begun to reduce fuel use and exhaust emissions by
phasing in electric vehicles and equipment.
bpr’s commitment to sustainability, equity
& resilience
While BPR is a leader in sustainability, climate work and
ecosystem services, the department needs to look even more
holistically at programming, facilities, internal operations
and transportation options to continue to lower the collective
impact of these services on climate change.
To meet the city’s climate goals, all aspects of BPR’s
day to day operations need to be monitored to measure
and mitigate for the carbon footprint associated with
parking, transportation, irrigation, turf versus natural grass
treatments and energy use of facilities. Recreation centers,
next to water utilities, are some of the largest users of energy
in the city system. Staff are committed to continue to find
ways to transition to more energy saving operations.
BPR staff have been, and will continue to be trained in the
science of climate change so everyday decisions across the
department can be informed by a consistent foundation of
BOULDER COUNTY CLIMATE TRENDS
CITY CLIMATE INITIATIVES TARGETS
Major Wildfires
Wildfires have become more common,
especially in the American West. In
Boulder County specifically, since
2003, there have been 7 major
wildfires.
• 2003 Overland Fire
• 2009 Olde Stage Fires
• 2010 Fourmile Canyon Fire
• 2016 Cold Springs Fire
• 2020 Cal-Wood & Lefthand
Canyon Fires
• 2021 Marshall Fire
Hotter Temperatures
All ten of the hottest years on record
have occurred since 2005. Extreme
drought and decreased snowpack
have resulted from these hotter
temparatures.
Extreme Weather
The City of Boulder is at the highest
risk of flash flooding in the state of
Colorado and the recent 2013 floods
caused billions of dollars of damage.
These targets guide the city’s actions
to address the climate crisis.
• 70% reduction of city emissions by
2030
• Become a Net Zero city by 2035
• Become a Carbon-Positive city by
2040
• 85% waste diversion from landfills
by 2025
• 100% renewable electricity by 2030
Where We Are Today | 25
BPR INITIATIVES
2018 URBAN FOREST STRATEGIC
PLAN (USFP)
The 2018 Urban Forest Strategic Plan is a
comprehensive assessment of, and 20-year
plan for, the Boulder urban tree canopy. In
2013, Boulder had approximately 16% urban
canopy, but due to invasive pests and climate
stressors, this is expected to decrease. The
UFSP plan provides a framework to reach
Boulder’s goal of restoring and maintaining
the urban tree canopy. It includes long-term
adaptive management goals to improve
and preserve the health, value, and climate
benefits of the urban tree canopy.
knowledge and understanding through the city’s Climate
Leaders Program. In 2014, BPR’s Youth Services Initiative
(YSI) program participants were involved as a pilot group in
the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities Initiative -
an initiative supporting cities that have experienced natural
disasters.
BPR is also taking action by continuing to reconnect
community members with nature, which is a critically
powerful way to address climate issues. Focusing on values,
along with quantitative data, like emissions reductions, can
get people excited about making a difference.
Parks and open spaces are places to enjoy the outdoors,
clean air, seasonal changes and “unplugging”. Reducing
emissions can be a byproduct of the other important services
BPR offers and the choices community members make.
Getting out of cars, utilizing parks and programming to
live healthier lifestyles contribute to reductions in negative
impacts on climate change, and have positive benefits to the
environment, mind, body and spirit. BPR has an important
role to play in helping improve environmental, social and
health equity through a resilient and healthy parks and
recreation system.
climate initiatives collaboration
As part of the master planning process, other city
departments were consulted to understand how BPR can
support citywide and interdepartmental initiatives. In
terms of meeting citywide climate targets, focusing on the
opportunities to work with staff from other departments to
meet the city’s targets can have big impact citywide.
Collaborating with all departments is important. Specifically,
BPR will focus on working with Climate Initiatives, Open
Space & Mountain Parks, Facilities, Transportation, Health
& Human Services, Racial Equity and Finance to ensure the
department’s efforts are aligned with the work of other
departments and integrated into the daily operations of the
entire city to meet Boulder’s climate intiative targets.
Vehicle Fleet
Entire fleet of vehicles are
either bio-diesel or E85
compatible
Smart Irrigation
59 of 72 BPR irrigation
systems have smart
controls which
continuously monitor
systems for water savings
or breaks that could create
significant water losses.
EV Charging Stations
Free Electric Vehicle charging
stations are provided at all
major recreation facilities,
including all three recreation
centers, Scott Carpenter Pool
and Boulder Reservoir.
Urban Tree Canopy
BPR has committed to a
goal of maintaining 16%
tree canopy through 2037.
Sources:
bouldercolorado.gov/guide/boulder-guide-flooding
bouldercolorado.gov/future-climate-action
bouldercolorado.gov/government/departments/climate-initiatives
A Kidz Summer Camp participant “hangs” on at East Boulder Community Center.
26 | Where We Are Today
Where We Are Today | 27
THE BPR SYSTEM TODAY
Since 2014, BPR has experienced several situations that require
increased adaptability and resilience. Current departmental
challenges include annual fluctuations in revenues, limited funding
resources and decreasing staff capacity. Climate change events
have become more common, including increasing temperature
fluctuations, recent wildfires, floods, droughts, emerald ash borer
damage and invasive species proliferation.
The community has also seen increasing rates of anxiety and
depression, specifically among youth and teens. During 2020 and
2021, BPR saw firsthand the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on parks, facilities, programs and budget, forcing staff to
make more on-the-fly operational decisions.
Amidst strained resources, the demand for park space and outdoor
recreation was unparalleled during this time, as community
members sought outdoor experiences that were socially distant
but allowed them to continue to enhance their quality of life
by recreating outdoors and remaining active. As public health
restrictions lifted and communities adjust to post-pandemic life,
demand on BPR’s programs, parks, and facilities remains high.
To ensure BPR’s system is able to best respond to increased user
demand, a thorough baseline assessment was performed to assess
the gap between where the parks and recreation system is today,
and where it needs to go in the future to continue to deliver high
quality parks, facilities, and programs to the community.
Boulder Parks & Recreation System
Community Priorities
When asked about priorities via the
statistically valid survey, community
members consistently preferred focusing
limited resources on existing parks
and facilities, rather than building new
facilities.
community hubs
The City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department’s (BPR) parks, facilities, programs,
and historic and cultural resources provide places where community members can:
»gather
»improve their physical and mental health
»access core services
“Focus on
existing parks and
facilities and remove
financial barriers to
participation in existing
programs rather than
building new facilities.”
LOCAL TRENDS: PARKS
1 Parks and Natural Areas “Loved to Death”
BPR amenities are aging, and parks and natural
areas are being “loved to death” due to the
increasing popularity of outdoor areas. While
higher use is positive in many ways, it is also has
significant ecological and sustainability impacts,
such as increased trash, erosion, people creating
their own pathways through parks and natural
areas, and the need to add additional fencing
and signage. This use can also lead to decreases
in biodiversity, loss of habitat and increases in
invasive species.
2 Urban Tree Canopy Threats
The emerald ash borer continues to threaten the
tree canopy in Boulder. Dying ash trees can pose
a public safety risk because they are more likely to
fall, as emerald ash borer disease dries the trees
out quickly, making them very brittle. Along with
the loss of ash trees, extreme weather events,
drought, other invasive insects and tree diseases
are also threats to the health of the urban forest
and parkland.
3 Encampments & Illegal Use of Parkland
Like communities across the country, Boulder has
seen an increase of encampments and illegal use
of parkland, which strains limited resources and
impacts uses of space.
Current staff are finding it
difficult to keep up with recent
user impacts. Boulder Reservoir
North Shore visitation grew
approximately 20% from 2019 to
2020.
It is estimated that ash trees
comprise 25% of the total urban
tree canopy, with a value of $18
million. BPR has successfully
slowed down the progression of
emerald ash borer disease with
biocontrols and pesticides.
BPR is working closely with
partners across the city to
support community members
experiencing homelessness and
ensure public spaces are safe for
everyone.
28 | Where We Are Today
Where We Are Today | 29
parks
Parks are the land base that provides areas for active and passive
recreation as well as the location of park and recreation assets.
BPR’s system has a distinctive balance of developed urban park
amenities and natural areas, as well as natural features throughout
Boulder, including the urban tree canopy, which includes trees in city
parks as well as those along public street rights-of-way.
parkland inventory
Per the 2018 Boulder Parks & Recreation Design Standards Manual,
the Boulder Parks system is classified into eight distinct park
typologies based on a variety of factors including: size, use, assets/
amenities, location, density of users, facilities and vegetation. These
typologies help BPR determine how to prioritize management of
existing parks, facility programming and the development of new
parks. Staff strive to operate and maintain each of these areas in
ways that are most beneficial to the community – offering a variety
of opportunities for active and passive recreation.
Table 1: BPR Parkland Inventory
Park Type
# of
Parks
Average
Size
Current
Acreage
Undeveloped
Acreage
Total
Acreage Examples
Neighborhood Parks 46 7 acres 182 39 221 Bear Creek Park
Community Parks 10 45 acres 263 188 451 Foothills Community Park
City & Regional Parks 3 130 acres 316 57 373 Valmont City Park
Civic Spaces 6 4 acres 26 0 26 Pearl Street Mall
Recreational Facilities 6 15 acres 114 0 114 Gerald Stazio Ballfields
Specialized Facilities 2 5 acres 11 0 11 Columbia Cemetery
Natural Areas 6 100 acres 622 0 622 Coot Lake
Community Use Areas 10 10 acres 41 0 41 Boulder Creek Path
TOTALS 1575 284 1859
Notes:
Recreational facilities in this context do not include the three recreation centers. Specialized facilities include Columbia Cemetery and the
Pottery Lab.
PARKS & RECREATION ARE ESSENTIAL
PUBLIC SERVICES
“Just as water, sewer and public safety are
considered essential public services, parks
are vitally important to establishing and
maintaining the quality of life in a community,
ensuring the health of families and youth,
and contributing to the economic and
environmental well-being of a community and
a region.”
According to the National Recreation & Park
Assocation (NRPA), the three values that make
parks and recreation essential public services
include:
- Economic Value
- Health & Environmental Benefits
- Social Importance
www.nrpa.org
30 | Where We Are Today
level of service
Level of service (LOS) establishes the standard by which parks and
recreation facilities are provided, operated and maintained over
time to best meet community needs. LOS standards also enable
evaluation of progress over time. Numeric LOS metrics are used
when analyzing parkland and recreation facilities to express acreage
or availability in per capita terms. BPR currently uses the NRPA
accepted standard of park acreage per 1,000 residents to measure
parks LOS in Boulder.
When compared to national benchmark communities, NRPA
Agency Performance Review data, and the Trust for Public Land
(TPL) overall ParkScore® median, Boulder is keeping pace in
parkland per capita, and in some cases provides above average
amounts of urban parkland. If BPR develops all of its existing
parkland (specifically undeveloped acreage), and 2040 population
projections are on target, the city will maintain current LOS by
2040, providing the same amount of parkland per 1,000 community
members.
Table 2: Park Level of Service (LOS) Comparison Table
Park Type
(BPR DSM
Classification)1
2014 LOS
Benchmark
Standard
2021
Current
LOS2
2040
LOS
Projection3
2040 Projection
Acres Needed
to Maintain
2021 Standard4
Neighborhood
Parks 3 1.7 1.8 If BPR develops
all existing
acreage,
the city will
maintain
2021 LOS for
parkland.
Community
Parks 1.5 2.4 3.7
City/Regional
Parks 1 - 3 2.9 3.0
Other
Parkland5 n/a 7.5 6.6
TOTAL 5.50 - 7.50 14.6 15.1
Notes:
1. BPR Design Standards Manual
2. The 2021 Current LOS column does not include currently undeveloped acreage.
Population: 108,000
3. The 2040 LOS Projection column does include currently undeveloped acreage
(assuming it will be developed by this time). Population: 123,000
4. Developed and undeveloped acres are included in the 2040 projection for acres
needed to maintain 2021 LOS standard.
5. Other Parkland: the additional five DSM Park Types are grouped here because the
classifications for each have changed since 2014.
NRPA Standard LOS Metric
The NRPA standard metric for measuring LOS is
acres of parkland per 1,000 residents.
The median LOS for agencies serving a population
of 100,000 – 250,000 is 8.9 acres per 1,000
residents. Boulder well exceeds this average at
14.6 acres/1,000 residents.
Arts in the Park is a popular event held at Central Park
& Civic Area.
Where We Are Today | 31
Playing a round of golf at Flatirons Golf Course offers opportunities for exercise, relaxation and taking in stunning views of the Rocky Mountains.
With the high price of land in Boulder and the city’s growth boundary
limiting development, and limited funding sources, adding new
parkland is currently not feasible. Given the projected population
growth, and limitations around adding parkland, each developed
park will need to handle an increased number of users, requiring more
amenities and higher levels of maintenance.
Moving forward, BPR will use additional metrics in tandem with acres
per 1,000 residents to measure LOS. These additional indicators will
be tailored to the Boulder community, and will consider, among other
things, proximity and ease of access to parks and recreation services,
proximity to Open Space & Mountain Parks (OSMP) land, the size and
types of amenities serving various populations, equity, and tree canopy
coverage.
These metrics will help BPR more accurately assess and monitor
performance over time in more meaningful ways. Section 3: Where
We Are Going, includes a discussion of how BPR will begin to measure
LOS with layered equity mapping to ensure that parks and recreation
services are distributed equitably across the community.
boulder open space &
mountain parks (OSMP)
The City of Boulder provides a significant
amount of public lands for community
members to experience nature. The Open
Space and Mountain Parks Department
manages over 45,000 acres of natural lands
and 155 miles of trails, complementing the
close-to-home experiences provided by
BPR.
32 | Where We Are Today
Boulder Boulder
ReservoirReservoir
City LimitsCity LimitsCity LimitsCity Limits
Acres / 1000 People 6.4Acres / 1000 People 6.4
Pop in Proximity 81.8%Pop in Proximity 81.8%
Tree Canopy 19.2%Tree Canopy 19.2%
SOUTH BOULDER
Acres / 1000 People 4.4Acres / 1000 People 4.4
Pop in Proximity 79.4%Pop in Proximity 79.4%
Tree Canopy 26.8%Tree Canopy 26.8%
CENTRAL BOULDER
Acres / 1000 People *Acres / 1000 People *
Pop in Proximity 1.6%Pop in Proximity 1.6%
Tree Canopy 7.5%Tree Canopy 7.5%
EAST BOULDER
Acres / 1000 People 7.0Acres / 1000 People 7.0
Pop in Proximity 69.3%Pop in Proximity 69.3%
Tree Canopy 14.9%Tree Canopy 14.9%
PALO PARK
Acres / 1000 People 1.5Acres / 1000 People 1.5
Pop in Proximity 42.5%Pop in Proximity 42.5%
Tree Canopy 15.7%Tree Canopy 15.7%
COLORADO
UNIVERSITY
Acres / 1000 People 7.3Acres / 1000 People 7.3
Pop in Proximity 64.8%Pop in Proximity 64.8%
Tree Canopy 8.2%Tree Canopy 8.2%
CROSSROADS
Acres / 1000 People 11.2Acres / 1000 People 11.2
Pop in Proximity 85.1%Pop in Proximity 85.1%
Tree Canopy 19.3%Tree Canopy 19.3%
NORTH BOULDER
Acres / 1000 People 13.1Acres / 1000 People 13.1
Pop in Proximity 55.7%Pop in Proximity 55.7%
Tree Canopy 16.5%Tree Canopy 16.5%
SOUTHEAST
BOULDERAcres / 1000 People 2.6Acres / 1000 People 2.6
Pop in Proximity 54.1%Pop in Proximity 54.1%
Tree Canopy 30.5%Tree Canopy 30.5%
UNIVERSITY HILL
GUNBARREL
Acres / 1000 People 2.7Acres / 1000 People 2.7
Pop in Proximity 0%Pop in Proximity 0%
Tree Canopy 5.5%Tree Canopy 5.5%
Map 2: Subcommunity Level of Service
Source: BPR GIS Analysis
Where We Are Today | 33
MAP NOTES
East Boulder Acres / 1000 People is invalid due to very
low population. 2020 Population Estimates based on
Dwelling Units.
Proximity based on being within one-half mile of a
Neighborhood Park or quarter-mile of a Playground.
Tree Canopy from 2013, inside city limits only, some
areas have incomplete data.
BOULDER SUBCOMMUNITIES
The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan
defines a subcommunity as: “an area within
the service area of the city (Area I and II)
that is defined by physical boundaries such
as roads, waterways and topography. Each
subcommunity is composed of a variety of
neighborhoods and has distinct physical and
natural characteristics.”
There are 10 subcommunities in Boulder:
Central Boulder
Central Boulder - University Hill
Crossroads
Colorado University
East Boulder
Southeast Boulder
South Boulder
North Boulder
Palo Park
Gunbarrel
level of service mapping
This 2022 Master Plan introduces an innovative gap analysis to
identify differences in the level of service within specific geographic
areas, or subcommunities, throughout the city. The purpose of this
analysis is to discover physical gaps in proximity of neighborhood
parks and playgrounds which are key recreation amenities. BPR can
further evaluate gap areas to understand if it is feasible to close the
barrier to access neighborhood parks and playgrounds, or if further
study is warranted. The National Recreation and Park Association
(NRPA) recommends these types of maps for evaluating locations
of access inequity within a community’s parks and recreation
offerings.
Using an inventory of all currently developed parkland, BPR added
an overlay of subcommunity boundaries to understand variations in
the distribution of parks and amenities throughout the city. Areas
within city limits, but not included within a subcommunity, are
areas without developed housing units, either existing or planned.
To determine LOS for each subcommunity and compare them with
each other, staff used three metrics:
»Acres of developed parkland per 1000 people
(NRPA standard metric)
»Percent of population in each subcommunity that live within
one-half mile of a neighborhood park or quarter-mile of a
playground
(Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan metric)
»The amount of tree canopy in the area
(Urban Forest Strategic Plan metric)
The subcommunity Level of Service (LOS) map is the first step
in identifying spatial inequity in terms of parkland, proximity to
parks and/or playgrounds, and tree canopy. Looking at LOS by
subcommunity provides a more detailed understanding of the
distribution of parks and amenities in different parts of the city.
The maps include areas outside current city limits which may have
limited or incomplete data. BPR should gather data for entire
subcommunity areas to correct this issue in the future.
“Provide neighborhood parks of a
minimum of five acres in size within
one-half mile of the population to
be served and playground facilities
within one-quarter to one-half mile
of residents .”
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan Neighborhood
Parks service metric
34 | Where We Are Today
subcommunity level mapping
BPR manages 45 neighborhood parks
that average approximately seven acres
in size. From an initial analysis, staff made
the following preliminary findings when
comparing the neighborhood parkland LOS
between subcommunities:
»East Boulder, Colorado University and
Central Boulder – University Hill have
the lowest neighborhood parkland LOS.
Other factors influence this analysis,
including the lower population of East
Boulder, the university, and industrial
centers within these subcommunities,
and other types of park classifications.
»When considering just parkland managed
by the City of Boulder, the parkland
LOS for Gunbarrel is low and the only
neighborhood park in the subcommunity,
Tom Watson Park, is separated from the
residential areas of the subcommunity by
a major barrier: the Diagonal Highway.
The LOS for Gunbarrel would increase
if lands that are managed by other
entities such as HOAs are included as
there is significant privately managed
greenspace.
Table 3: Subcommunity Neighborhood Parkland* LOS Comparison
Subcommunity Neighborhood
Parkland Acres Population Neighborhood
Parkland LOS
East Boulder 0 466 0
Colorado
University
10.21 17,820 0.57
Central Boulder/
University Hill
16.53 10,550 1.57
Southeast
Boulder
24.80 15,330 1.62
Central Boulder 35.49 19,200 1.85
Palo Park 21.39 11,450 1.87
South Boulder 47.16 15,440 3.05
Gunbarrel 60.78 11,750 5.17
Crossroads 18.48 3,550 5.21
North Boulder 76.82 12,590 6.10
* Neighborhood Parkland refers to type of park classification—Neighborhood Park
Table 4: Subcommunity All Parkland LOS Comparison
Subcommunity All Parkland
Acres Population All Parkland
LOS
Colorado
University
25.77 17,820 1.45
Central Boulder/
University Hill
27.22 10,550 2.58
Central Boulder 83.63 19,200 4.36
Gunbarrel 60.78 11,750 5.17
South Boulder 104.05 15,440 6.74
Palo Park 79.74 11,450 6.96
Crossroads 34.04 3,550 9.59
North Boulder 144.89 12,590 11.51
Southeast
Boulder
202.76 15,330 13.23
East Boulder 182.33 466 391
Notes: For both Table 3 and Table 4, the populations for the entire subcommunities were
used - including areas that are currently outside city limits. In the future, the LOS for subcommunities with a large population outside city limits must be examined
with other factors, such as access to other greenspace.
Where We Are Today | 35
All Parkland Level of Service by Subcommunity
BPR also calculated a comprehensive LOS for all classes of
developed parkland including community parks, city parks, and
neighborhood parks owned by the BPR.
In this analysis:
»Colorado University and Central Boulder have the lowest
parkland LOS.
»North Boulder continues to have a high LOS and Southeast
Boulder and East Boulder improve from mid-low to high LOS for
all types of parkland.
»East Boulder’s LOS is low when looking only at Neighborhood
Parks, but when considering total parkland, it has the highest
LOS due to the inclusion of Valmont City Park and Gerald Stazio
Ball Fields which are not classified as ‘neighborhood’ parks.
Proximity to Neighborhood Parks & Playgrounds Level of Service
by Subcommunity
There are two subcommunities where less than 50% of residents
are within a half-mile or quarter-mile of a neighborhood park or
playground, respectively – Colorado University and Gunbarrel (not
including East Boulder which is discussed in more detail later in this
document). Ensuring residents of these subcommunities have the
proximity recommended by the BVCP in the future is important to
ensure equitable distribution of parks and playgrounds.
Tree Canopy Level of Service by Subcommunity
Today, the tree canopy in the Gunbarrel, Palo Park, East Boulder,
Crossroads, and Colorado University subcommunities is below the
citywide goal of 16%. While it is important to focus on increasing
the canopy in these areas, the discrepancies in canopy coverage are
partly due to the subcommunities’ characteristics.
For example, East Boulder is lacking tree canopy cover due to the
industrial and commercial land uses of the subcommunity. With the
current and proposed future land uses for East Boulder, it will be
important to invest in tree planting on city-owned property in the
subcommunity, such as Valmont City Park. BPR should also work
with private landowners as parcels are developed and redeveloped
to increase the overall urban tree canopy.
Kickball is one of the many sports programs BPR
offers for community members to enjoy.
A healthy tree canopy can help mitigate the negative
impacts of climate change.
LOCAL TRENDS: FACILITIES
1 Rising Court Sports Popularity
Tennis has risen in popularity for the first time in
many years. At the same time Pickleball is also
increasing in popularity, leading to additional
demand for court access, and longer waits for court
time for both types of court users.
2 Increasing Demand for Aquatic Facilities
There has been an increased demand for more
access to family time in pools, and warm water
pools are very popular with Boulder’s older adult
population.
3 Growing Dog Park Use
Dog park use has continued to increase throughout
the community. Additional dog parks are a
continually requested facility, especially in more
urban areas and for those living in multifamily
housing.
4 Increasing Use by Regional Visitors
An unexpected demand from a regional user
population has placed additional strain on Boulder’s
parks and recreation amenities. Users who would
not otherwise come to Boulder have been visiting
BPR system more frequently recently, in part due
to the COVID-19 pandemic and use restrictions in
surrounding communities.
36 | Where We Are Today
Top to Bottom: Gonzo Indoor Tennis; Kidz Summer
Camp EBCC; East Boulder Community Dog Park;
Gerald Stazio Softball Fields
Where We Are Today | 37
facilities
Recreation Facilities are major park assets that provide both active
and passive recreation opportunities, from aquatics facilities to
recreation centers.
facilities and amenities inventory & level of service
The Boulder community enjoys multiple recreation facilities and
amenities. Since the 2014 Master Plan, BPR has added two facility
types to this inventory – Valmont Bike Park and non-dedicated
pickleball courts.
In most cases, the 2021 level of service related to facilities are
slightly lower than 2014 numbers due to an increase in Boulder’s
population. Despite this, users often indicated satisfaction with
those facilities and amenities that rate lower than benchmark levels
of service. This reinforces the fact that each community is unique
and strictly quantitative measures do not provide the full picture of
a particular system’s success. For example, even though the LOS
for tennis courts has decreased since 2014, it is still above state,
national and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) LOS medians. At the
same time, BPR recognizes the community’s desire for additional
courts.
BPR facilities and amenities are extremely valuable to the
community and are well-used and well-maintained given the
system’s age and condition. Due to Boulder’s growing population,
flat levels of funding, and increased stress on resources needed
to address extreme weather events and pandemic recovery, LOS
across the system is at risk of decreasing over time.
BPR can continue to use LOS to help identify gaps in provided
amenities and make decisions about investments. The department
should prioritize investments in areas where it is not meeting LOS
benchmarks for amenities desired by the community.
Table 5: BPR Facilities Inventory
Recreation Facilities
& Amenities
2020
Inventory
Recreation Centers 3
Programmable Studios 2
Historic Districts 3
Historic Sites*6
Premier Diamond Fields 11
Standard Diamond Fields 10
Premier Rectangular Fields 12
Rectangular/Multi-Use Fields 13
Tennis Courts 28
Pickleball Courts (non-dedicated)7
Basketball Courts - Outdoor 14
Sand Volleyball 21
Disc Golf 2
Roller Sports 2
Slacklining, # of allowed sites 9
Aquatic - Indoor Facilities 3
Aquatic - Outdoor Facilities 2
Skate Parks 3
Bike Parks 1
Dog Parks 4
Playgrounds 40
Exercise Courses 2
Picnic Shelters 58
Community Gardens 4
Total Miles of Paths, Sidewalks
& Trails Maintained by BPR**
53
Number of BPR Managed
Properties
105
City Trees*** 50,000+
* Historic Sites does not include rolling stock ** 40%, or 21 miles of these are multi-use paths
*** Trees in parkland and public street rights-of-way
38 | Where We Are Today
Table 6: Facility LOS Comparison
Facility Type
LOS
per Quantity
BPR
2021 LOS
BPR
2014 LOS
Colorado
2014 LOS
Median
National
2014 LOS
Median
TPL
2014 LOS
Median
Diamond Ball Field 10,000 21 1.94 2.46 2.89 2.45 1.6
Picnic Shelters 10,000 58 5.37 3.49 4.73 2.71 n/a
Playground 10,000 40 3.70 4.11 3.96 3.96 2.2
Rectangular Field 10,000 25 2.31 2.05 5.22 1.32 n/a
Tennis Court 10,000 28 2.59 4.11 2.44 2.44 1.8
Pickleball Court (Outdoor)20,000 7 1.30 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Aquatic Facility (Indoor)100,000 3 2.78 3.08 2.08 1.94 n/a
Aquatic Facility (Outdoor)100,000 2 1.85 2.05 1.79 2.49 n/a
Community Garden 100,000 4 3.7 4.11 n/a 1.22 n/a
Dog Park 100,000 4 3.7 5.13 1.56 1.54 0.6
Golf Course 100,000 1 0.93 1.03 2.08 1.4 0.7
Recreation Center 100,000 3 2.78 3.08 n/a n/a 3.5
Skate Park 100,000 3 2.78 1.03 1.33 1.24 0.4
Bike Park 100,000 1 0.93 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Notes:
In most cases, the 2021 BPR LOS numbers are slightly lower than 2014 numbers due to an increase in Boulder population. 2021 numbers that are higher than 2014 are noted in green. The only facility LOS that is lower than any of the comparison medians is Recreation Center LOS.
Two additional facilities have been included in 2021 that were not included in 2014: the Valmont Bike Park and pickleball courts (on existing tennis courts). Trust for Public Land (TPL) data typically represents cities slightly larger in population to Boulder.
A disc golfer enjoying a toss at Valmont City Park.
Where We Are Today | 39
indoor recreation facility evaluations
As part of the 2022 Master Plan process, Barker Rinker
Seacat (BRS) Architects provided an Indoor Recreational
Facility Assessment Report which included a conceptual
overview of BPR’s primary indoor recreation facilities.
The text below is pulled directly from this report.
east boulder community center (ebcc)
Overview
EBCC, which was built in 1992, consists of recreation
and aquatics facilities. This includes a gymnasium,
weight room, fitness rooms for dance, yoga, spin and
other activities. It also includes administrative offices
and the East Age Well Center, run by Housing and
Human Services. The facility generally appears to be in
good condition, clean and well maintained. The 2016
Facility Strategic Plan identified building deficiences. A
significant number of these have been addressed and
those that remain will be addressed with the upcoming
projected funding from the Community, Culture,
Resilience and Safety Tax. This tax was approved in 2017
by voters and reapproved in 2021 for 15 years.
Equity & Inclusion
EBCC’s location, amount of program spaces and layout
meet the spirit of equity overall. Changing demands in
community wellness may involve reimagining spaces
and program priorities to allow for greater flexibility and
access. Anecdotal reports indicate opportunities to more
broadly meet patron needs. The most important first
step to achieving equitable program space is community
engagement.
Program Evaluation
The pool is popular with the community and heavily
used, but priority is given to swim teams. Because of
site constraints expansion is not an option. Satisfying
the wider needs of the community for access to aquatics
facilities may need to be addressed system-wide if a
change in scheduling cannot improve access. Renovation
plans include improving the warm water exercise pool.
The gym is heavily used by pickleball and group fitness
participants. Incorporating a trend like My Wellness
Cloud, in which wearable technology syncs with in-class
technology would elevate the fitness experience and
provide a customer relationship management tool for
staff with little impact on facility space.
East Boulder Community Center
EAST AGE
WELL CENTER
40 | Where We Are Today
north boulder recreation center (nbrc)
Overview
The most centrally located facility, NBRC was
originally constructed in 1974. An addition
completed in 2001 doubled the size of the facility
to roughly 62,000 square feet. The addition
includes an 8-lane lap pool and 3,300-gallon spa
which were built adjacent to a large family-friendly
leisure pool with waterslides, interactive features
and zero-depth access. At that time, the center’s
popular gymnastics area was expanded, and yoga
and multipurpose rooms were added. A family
locker room was created, and existing showers and
locker areas refurbished and expanded. Additional
staff offices were built, and the center’s entrance
and drop-off area were redesigned to improve
pedestrian and traffic flow. Notably, NBRC was the
first community recreation center in the country
to receive LEED Silver certification from the U.S.
Green Building Council.
Equity & Inclusion
NBRC’s location and layout meet the spirit of
equity overall. It is easily accessible by alternate
transportation modes, is on major buslines, and
served by a major north-south multi-use path
connection. It was anecdotally noted 65% of fitness
participants utilize NBRC for classes. Managing
growing demand can unintentionally impact
equitable participation by favoring tech savvy
users familiar with the registration system and with
online access.
Program Evaluation
Demand is extremely high for programs at NBRC
and in particular participation in group fitness
classes and recreational drop-in sports like
pickleball and volleyball. Gymnastics program
participation also continues to soar. A weight room
expansion was occurring during BRS’ site visit, but
staff indicate additional space is needed to meet
demand. Patrons desire spaces to accommodate
high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes.
The site footprint and inability to expand parking
remains a limiting factor, and center staff must
balance popular program offerings with parking
availability.
North Boulder Recreation Center
Where We Are Today | 41
south boulder recreation center (sbrc)
Overview
The split-level SBRC, constructed in the early 1970s
and partly renovated in the 1990s, is situated
in Harlow Platts Community Park. The facility
includes aquatics, a gymnasium, weight rooms,
a multi-purpose room for dance, yoga, and other
activities, a racquetball court, Pilates studio, and
office and administrative areas. The center is clean
and staff report that customers view it as the
heart of their surrounding community. The center
is very old and while clean and well maintained,
has numerous accessibility and structural issues.
Amenities and spaces within the facility have
limited ability to meet community need. BPR
needs to plan for its replacement in the next five
years.
Equity & Inclusion
The community wants BPR to prioritize people
with disabilities and youth – the SBRC cannot
fully support achieving these goals. The social
and physical needs of youth who want to access
drop-in amenities at SBRC, specifically the lap
pool, may be considered in addition to use by
historically programmed user groups. The facility
layout presents accessibility issues. Valid operating
policies regarding security of elevator access
further exacerbates these inequities. The confined
spaces within the center would present a challenge
even if someone has experience using a wheelchair.
Program Evaluation
Aquatics staff indicates a systemwide lack of
therapy pools and deep, warm water pools limit
programming. SBRC’s lap pool is heavily utilized
so warmer temperatures would not necessarily
mean expanded programs. The gymnasium
is heavily utilized by pickleball. SBRC’s dance
room and multi-purpose room meet some of the
growing needs for fitness classes. Staff desire to
convert the racquetball court into a flexible fitness
space. Modern cardio equipment is getting larger,
requiring higher ceilings and more expansive areas,
which the court area could support, although the
room aesthetic and acoustics may be
a limiting factor.
South Boulder Recreation Center
LOCAL TRENDS: PROGRAMS
1 Youth and Family Programs are Popular
Youth and family programs are continually
requested and special events, including the
Halloween Drive-In Movie, Arts in the Park and
Snow Much Fun have been more popular than
expected. Parents in Boulder and surrounding
communities are yearning to get their kids outside
or in recreation programs/camps to interact with
others.
2 Increasing Demand for Older
Adult Programming
Demand is increasing, and older adults are coming
back at unexpectedly higher rates because BPR
provides opportunities for recreation activities and
social engagement in a controlled environment.
3 Increasing Demand for
Wellness Programs
Health and wellness programming interest (mind,
body and spirit integration) is expected to trend
upward, due to modern day stressors and anxiety
about the post-COVID-19 pandemic landscape.
4 Increasing Volunteerism
Volunteer hours are up as the city and BPR invest
in staff capacity to design and deliver quality
volunteer programs. Volunteers are leaders within
the community, providing valuable stewardship for
public spaces while building community.
42 | Where We Are Today
Top to Bottom: EXPAND Goat Therapeutic Recreation;
Older Adult Cardio Class; Restorative Yoga; Valmont
City Park
programs
Recreation Programs are the planned activities in the BPR system
that provide instruction, socialization, competition and learning
to a wide range of community members and visitors to Boulder. In
2019, BPR welcomed 512,420 visitors to three recreation centers.
Registration and usage fluctuated dramatically in 2020 due to
public health orders and facility closures. Enrollment in all BPR
program areas decreased and organized team sports were paused
for most of 2020. With the first rollout of vaccines and as public
health limitations eased in 2021, BPR has experienced a steady
increase in program use at outdoor facilities, including pools and
tennis courts, and indoor facilities.
recreation programs inventory & enrollment
BPR offers many programs and classes. While popular, from
2017-2019, there was a decline in program enrollment overall. Two
areas in particular, Gymnastics and Special Events programming
saw steady decline over these three years. For gymnastics in
particular, the decrease in registrations is primarily due to a shift
in how competitive-level gymnastics are provided and supported
through a partnership with Go Flyers, a booster organization.
EXPAND and YSI are unique programs offered by BPR. EXPAND
provides recreation programming for people with disabilities. YSI
provides recreation programming for youth from families with low
incomes. Even with decreasing enrollment, BPR’s Gymnastics and
Aquatics programs have the highest enrollment numbers, closely
followed by EXPAND, YSI and Sports programs. Gymnastics and
sports programs and services can be considered recreational
and exclusive activities that should produce more revenue than
programs like EXPAND and YSI, which are considered community
benefit services.
desired community
programming
BPR staff and stakeholders are hearing
from community members that the
following programming is desired:
• Outdoor progamming,
especially youth team
sports and camps
• Childcare
• Pottery lab and arts
programs
• Everyday activities within
walking distance of where
people live
• Warm water pool activities
for older adults
• Tennis and pickleball
87%
Themed special events
87%
Team sports
87%
Social recreation events
82%
Fitness improvement classes
81%
Health and wellness education
nrpa 2021 agency
performance review
According to the NRPA’s 2021 Agency
Performance Review, the top five
programming activities most frequently
offered by municipal parks & recreation
departments include:
Where We Are Today | 43
PROGRAM BENEFIT & FEE BALANCE
Programming is funded through a combination
of taxes and user fees. Taxes are relied on more
when the community benefits and user fees pay
more when the individual benefits.
program prioritization & community benefit
Assessing programming relies heavily on qualitative data like
trends and community input. It is important to look at what
happened to programs during 2020, even though the data
is skewed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This data helps
BPR understand how and if BPR should bring back previous
programming.
Community members are generally satisfied with BPR
programming, but many feel BPR should provide programs
residents desire, regardless of whether they are provided
by other entities. This has implications for how BPR selects,
prioritizes and offers contracted programming and in-house
programming moving forward.
Community members confirmed that BPR should continue
to prioritize programming that serves low-income residents,
people with disabilities, older adults, and youth. Approximately
50% of survey respondents consider older adults, teenagers,
and children as essential groups to serve, while only one third
of respondents felt it was essential or very important to provide
programs for visitors and tourists. When asked where they
thought spending their tax dollars made the most impact,
community members indicated that youth and older adults
continue to be priorities. Spending tax dollars to support teens,
people living with disabilities and income-based financial aid
were also supported by community members.
Financial Aid Sources
Financial aid for BPR programming and services is available
through General Fund subsidy and partially supported through
an annual competitive grant from the city’s Health Equity Fund.
Additionally, BPR accepts the PLAY Boulder Foundation’s
PLAYpass. These sources help BPR provide core community
benefit services.
»Financial Aid Program: This program is funded through
a BPR general fund subsidy to community members who
qualify based on income, and covers up to 100% of fees for
recreation facility access and 50% of program fees. The fees
for recreation facility entry are partially funded through
general fund subsidy (50%) and combined with a ‘Recquity
Program’ grant from the Health Equity Fund (50%) to
fully subsidize recreation facility access for low income
community members.
44 | Where We Are Today
WHO PAYS?
WHO BENEFITS?
People with Low
Incomes, People
with Disabilities
& Older Adults
Youth Sports
& Beginners
Advanced
Sports & Adult
Programs
COMMUNITY INDIVIDUAL
TAXES USER FEES
IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING
RECREATION PROGRAMS FOR VARIOUS
POPULATION GROUPS
The top five groups statistically valid survey
respondents think programming is either
essential or very important for include:
»PLAYpass Program: The PLAY Boulder Foundation’s
PLAYpass program aims to reduce barriers to fee-based
participation in recreation and sport programs. It provides
low-income youth with $250 program credit annually
towards reduced fees. To be eligible, individuals must be a
City of Boulder resident, between the ages of 0-17 years,
and must be able to provide proof of participation in an
assistance program.
BPR Community Liaison staff help provide enrollment services,
programming, and interpretation for Spanish speaking
community members who qualify for aid. Both the PLAYpass
and community liaison programs are funded through the
Health Equity Fund (HEF).
While these programs are relatively successful, and financial
assistance helps to reduce certain barriers, aid should strive to
be coupled with methods to help reduce other types of barriers
to access, including cultural and transportation obstacles.
Financial Aid Program and Process Improvements
Finanical aid programs and processes can often be
complicated. BPR has worked for several years now to
streamline the process for community members who qualify.
With room to continue improving, enhancements since 2014
include:
»Automatic qualification for residents of Boulder Housing
Partner low-income sites
»Automatic qualification for participants of the PLAY Boulder
Foundation’s PLAYPass program
»The ability to apply and renew for the program via online
formstack (provided in both English and Spanish)
»Inclusion of the financial aid program in the citywide
Boulder for Me/Boulder Para Mí services eligibility tool
developed in partnership with Google.org
»The creation of a process for partner agencies to assist in
the verification of residency of clients in temporary or short-
term residential programs.
Where We Are Today | 45
92%
89%
88%
87%
86%
People with Disabilities
People with Low Incomes
Older Adults (60+ years)
Teenagers (ages 13-19)
Children (up to age 12)
46 | Where We Are Today
Financial Overview
2021 BPR FUNDING SOURCES
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY FUND (RAF): $10,126,789 FUND OUTLOOK
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. The fund is supported through user and participation fees, grants
and donations, and an annual subsidy transfer from the General Fund. In 2022, the
General Fund provided a $2.1 million subsidy.
Funding from the RAF is predicted to remain mostly flat over the
next five-year-period. Because the RAF is funded primarily through
fee revenues, the continued reduction of programs and services
are likely to have a significant impact on the health of the fund
moving forward, while the reintroduction of services will have
positive impact of the health of the fund. Additionally, because the
fund is supported in part through an annual transfer from the city’s
General Fund, changes in the city’s economic position may result in
decreased financial support.
0.25 CENT SALES TAX FUND: $8,119,584 FUND OUTLOOK
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.
Funding from the 0.25 Sales Tax Fund is predicted to grow based on
sales and use tax projections at a slightly higher rate than inflation.
However, increases to sales tax revenue and growth of the fund
account associated with population growth are minimal and remain
mostly even with increases due to inflation.
GENERAL FUND: $4,057,219 FUND OUTLOOK
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 pressures from other city 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.
BPR’s General Fund allocation is projected to increase minimally over
the next five-years. While funding is anticipated to grow, there exists
much uncertainty around the city’s economic position and revenue
streams. Because the General Fund is the primary funding source for
most city services, the fund’s ability to support BPR’s budget may
shift drastically on a year-by-year basis due to change in the city’s
economic position, pressures from other city departments, and City
Council priorities.
PERMANENT PARKS & RECREATION FUND: $3,625,061 FUND OUTLOOK
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 tax revenues, 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.
Funding from the Permanent Parks & Recreation Fund is projected
to gradually grow over the next five-year-period. While the fund’s
reliance on property tax revenues makes it susceptible to regional
and national economic shifts, property taxes in the city are projected
to grow at an annual average rate of 3% from 2022-2026. Because
this fund is a primary source of revenues for Capital Improvement
Projects, any change in revenues may adversely impact the
department’s ability to address the safety, maintenace and
accessibility needs of its assets.
LOTTERY FUND: $428,000 FUND OUTLOOK
A special revenue fund that accounts for State Conservation Trust Fund 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.
Lottery fund funding is projected to remain constant through 2026.
Because funding allowances are calculated on a per capita basis,
as the population of Boulder continues to shift, funding allocated
through the lottery fund will continue to align with the population of
Boulder.
The city tree canopy
includes many large
ash trees.
Where We Are Today | 47
2021 BPR FUNDING SOURCES
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY FUND (RAF): $10,126,789 FUND OUTLOOK
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. The fund is supported through user and participation fees, grants
and donations, and an annual subsidy transfer from the General Fund. In 2022, the
General Fund provided a $2.1 million subsidy.
Funding from the RAF is predicted to remain mostly flat over the
next five-year-period. Because the RAF is funded primarily through
fee revenues, the continued reduction of programs and services
are likely to have a significant impact on the health of the fund
moving forward, while the reintroduction of services will have
positive impact of the health of the fund. Additionally, because the
fund is supported in part through an annual transfer from the city’s
General Fund, changes in the city’s economic position may result in
decreased financial support.
0.25 CENT SALES TAX FUND: $8,119,584 FUND OUTLOOK
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.
Funding from the 0.25 Sales Tax Fund is predicted to grow based on
sales and use tax projections at a slightly higher rate than inflation.
However, increases to sales tax revenue and growth of the fund
account associated with population growth are minimal and remain
mostly even with increases due to inflation.
GENERAL FUND: $4,057,219 FUND OUTLOOK
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 pressures from other city 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.
BPR’s General Fund allocation is projected to increase minimally over
the next five-years. While funding is anticipated to grow, there exists
much uncertainty around the city’s economic position and revenue
streams. Because the General Fund is the primary funding source for
most city services, the fund’s ability to support BPR’s budget may
shift drastically on a year-by-year basis due to change in the city’s
economic position, pressures from other city departments, and City
Council priorities.
PERMANENT PARKS & RECREATION FUND: $3,625,061 FUND OUTLOOK
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 tax revenues, 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.
Funding from the Permanent Parks & Recreation Fund is projected
to gradually grow over the next five-year-period. While the fund’s
reliance on property tax revenues makes it susceptible to regional
and national economic shifts, property taxes in the city are projected
to grow at an annual average rate of 3% from 2022-2026. Because
this fund is a primary source of revenues for Capital Improvement
Projects, any change in revenues may adversely impact the
department’s ability to address the safety, maintenace and
accessibility needs of its assets.
LOTTERY FUND: $428,000 FUND OUTLOOK
A special revenue fund that accounts for State Conservation Trust Fund 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.
Lottery fund funding is projected to remain constant through 2026.
Because funding allowances are calculated on a per capita basis,
as the population of Boulder continues to shift, funding allocated
through the lottery fund will continue to align with the population of
Boulder.
37%37%
30%30%
15%15% 13%13%
2% 2%
Recreation Activity Fund (RAF)
0.25 Cent Sales Tax Fund
General Fund
Permanent Parks & Recreation Fund
Lottery Fund
DIVERSE FUNDING
BPR is funded through a diverse set
of city funds that include capital
project funds, special revenue funds,
enterprise funds, and government
funds. BPR maintains a balance of
monies within each fund, meaning that
expenditures from each fund may be
higher or lower than the fund’s annual
revenues. Revenues from each fund
are contributed on an annual basis to
support BPR’s operating budget.
2021 operating budget
& primary funding sources
$29,936,362
48 | Where We Are Today
operations & maintenance (o&m) budget
current state
As of 2021, BPR manages over 100 facilities and parks on
1,861-acres of land. As part of the 2022 Master Plan process, BPR
assets were re-evaluated to determine their present-day Current
Replacement Value (CRV). In addition to updating the CRV, each
facilities’ backlog of maintenance was calculated to determine the
Facility Condition Index (FCI). This assessment and analysis was
completed with the data and assumptions that are available now,
but is not a detailed assessment of every asset. As BPR continues to
implement the Asset Management Program (AMP) and complete
more detailed condition assessments, the CRV and backlog values
will be updated.
BPR’s CRV has increased from $226 million in 2016 to a 2021 value
of $298.4 million. Increases to CRV are due to the construction of
new facilities, the inflation of costs within the construction industry,
increases to materials costs, and a better understanding of assets
since the 2016 CRV numbers were developed. As of 2021, there is
an estimated total maintenance backlog of $20.5 million. Using the
updated 2021 CRV and backlog maintenance numbers, an FCI of
0.07 was calculated. This FCI places BPR in the Good to Excellent
range of the industry standard for asset condition values.
outlook
The city’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) guidelines prioritize
the maintenance of current assets over the development of new
facilities. Through the planning process, the community has
indicated strong support for this prioritization. Based on current
economic conditions, revenue and expenditure projections, funding
is not sufficient to maintain all existing system assets and build new
park and recreation facilities unless comparable trade-offs occur.
BPR is currently not meeting the goal set by the 2016 Capital
Investment Strategic Plan of spending between 2-3% of CRV
annually on capital repairs and replacement. The target (between
2-3% ) is a best practice recommendation by the National
Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, and also is the
target established in the city’s Facilities Master Plan. For analysis
related to this Master Plan, a target of 2.5% of CRV was established
as it is a midpoint between low and high recommended O&M
expenditures.
This shortfall in capital is experienced only when BPR funds are
considered, and does not include other one-time infusions of
cash, such as the specific voter-approved tax initiatives, which are
unpredictable and vary year-to-year. When updated to account
FINANCIAL GLOSSARY
Asset Management Program (AMP): A proactive
and systematic approach to managing the BPR’s
inventory of assets. Assets tracked under the AMP
include only assets maintained, and purchased by
BPR, and a large inventory of building and facility-
related assets for properties like recreation centers
and aquatic facilities.
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP): An internal BPR
plan that identifies capital projects to be completed
on a rolling five-year basis.
Current Replacement Value (CRV): The total value
of an asset in present day dollars.
Operations & Maintenance (O&M): The functions,
duties and labor associated with daily operations.
R&R (Restoration & Refurbishment): Expenses
associated with the operation and maintenance
of the city’s parks and recreation facilities. These
costs are incurred daily and include: staff; materials
and supplies; financial, utilities and water fees;
custodial services.
Capital Investment Strategic Plan: A strategic
plan developed in 2015 that quantifies what
assets BPR owns, the value of assets within
BPR’s portfolio, the condition of assets and their
remaining service life, and any infrastructure
funding gaps that may exist.
System Assets: The physical assets with the parks
and recreation system.
Facilty Condition Index (FCI): A scoring
methodology used to assess an asset’s overall
condition and prioritize limited funds for critical
capital repairs and/or replacement.
Asset Condition Value: Scoring criteria related to
an asset’s FCI. Values range from 0.00 (excellent) to
1.0 (terrible). The goal of BPR is to reach a desired
FCI for built assets between 0.06 and 0.08..00 EXCELLENT .05 .07 GOOD .10 .1 5 FAIR .18 .25 P
O
OR .35 .50 SERIOUS 1.0 BPR Facility Condition Index (FCI) Score of 0.07
is in the Good to Excellent range of the industry
standard for asset condition values.
Where We Are Today | 49
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES
Three additional sources contribute to BPR’s
annual funding. All three funds have been
used for capital improvement projects for
BPR facilities as well as land acquisitions for
additional parks space throughout the city.
»Capital Development Fund:
Accounts for development fee proceeds to
be utilized for the acquisition, construction,
and improvement of facilities necessary
to maintain the current level of public
amenities such as police, fire, library, human
services, municipal offices, streets, and
parks and recreation.
»Community, Culture, Resilience and
Safety Tax:
Ballot initiative approved in 2017 that
extended 0.3% sales and use tax to raise
funds for a specific list of city facility and
infrastructure projects, including the
Scott Carpenter Pool and Visitor Services
Center at the Boulder Reservoir. This tax
was reapproved by voters in 2021 for an
additional 15 years.
»Boulder Junction Improvement Fund:
Created in 2012 to fund land acquisition and
facility development in the Boulder Junction
area. The fund was supported through
excise tax and construction-use tax. This
funding will be used to build the Boulder
Junction Pocket Park in the near future.
for the total 2021 CRV of $298.4 million, BPR should be spending
between $6 and $9 million annually on capital renovation and
refurbishment projects. Between 2016 and 2020, BPR spent on
average $5.6 million, or 1.9% of CRV, on capital improvements
through renovation and refurbishment of facilities. To meet the
recommended level of spending, BPR would require an additional
$1.9 million to reach its targeted expenditure level of $7.5 million,
or 2.5% of CRV. When one-time infusions of cash are included in
analysis, BPR does reach its targeted capital expenditure level
of $7.5 million, however, these one-time infusions support only
action level capital improvements and not basic capital repairs and
renovations. Simply, funds are dedicated toward enhancements
before addressing backlog.
The urban canopy is not included in BPR’s CRV because the city’s
public trees are an asset that appreciates over time – as trees
mature and grow, they become more valuable whereas the rest of
the built environment depreciates as it ages. Boulder’s 2018 Urban
Forestry Strategic Plan identified that for Boulder to invest in the
urban canopy at per capita and per tree levels as recommended, an
additional $500,000 is required annually.
BPR has experienced a similar shortfall of funds spent on annual
O&M expenditures. Based on the 2021 CRV of $298.4 million
and the industry standard of allocating approximately 4% of CRV
to O&M or ongoing preventative maintenance, BPR should be
spending approximately $11.9 million on O&M. Between 2016 and
2020 BPR spent on average $8.6 million, or 2.9% of CRV on O&M,
resulting in a $3.3 million gap between current and recommended
O&M expenditures.
A funding gap of approximately $1 million for recreation
programming was also identified. This amount is needed to
maintain and sustain the current levels of community benefit
programming while addressing affordability issues for lower income
residents. Within this $1 million gap, there are three specific priority
areas. Based on community input about how programming and
access should be funded for specific age groups (youth and older
adults), there is a need for $590,000 to fund these types of age-
based discounts for these two groups. Providing financial aid to
support affordability for individuals and families with low incomes
requires an additional investment of $250,000. Two extremely
popular and important programs provided by BPR, EXPAND for
individuals living with disabilities and the Youth Services Initiative
(YSI) serving youth from low-income families, require $212,000 to
continue to support these community members.
To meet recommended spending goals for capital projects and
O&M, BPR would have required, on average, an additional $5.2
million annually between 2016 and 2020.
50 | Where We Are Today
$0.5M $35M
$30M
$25M
$20M
$15M
$10M
$5M
$0 $3.5M
$9.9M
$11.9M
4% of CRV
$7.5M
2.5% of CRV
TOTAL: $33.3M
$3.5M
$8.9M
$8.6M
2.9% of CRV
$5.6M
1.9% of CRV
$2M
TOTAL: $28.6M
Capital Gap
$1.9M
O&M Gap
$3.3M
Programming Gap
$1M
CURRENT
FUNDING
RECOMMENDED
FUNDING
CURRENT FUNDING VERSUS RECOMMENDED FUNDING
The figure above illustrates the average of 2016 though 2019 funding levels
for current practices and the recommended spending based upon the
department’s portfolio of assets and best practices in asset management,
as well as providing ongoing and increased funding for community benefit
programming. The total funding gap identified through data gathering
and research is $6.7 million annually, but with approximately $2 million in
currently unallocated funding, the unrealized funding gap is approximately
$4.7 million.
To quantify gaps in funding for targeted capital repair and replacement, an
analysis was performed that looked at current projected capital expenditures
from 2022 through 2027. These expenditures were compared with updated
targets for repair and replacement based off updated 2021 CRV estimates.
The results of the analysis, illustrated in Table 10: Additional Funds Required
to Meet Capital Repair and Replacement Targets, show that for nearly
every year through 2027, BPR requires additional funds to meets its capital
repair and replacement goals. Due to the method by which BPR tracks CRV,
appreciation is based on the current replacement value for the same asset
in present day costs, and as a result BPR’s assets appreciate over time. As
BPR’s asset portfolio continues to appreciate, and as assets continue to age,
increasingly more funds will be required to maintain its assets.
programming & capital budget
current state
BPR has made significant strides since the 2014 Master Plan in improving
the department’s approach to cost recovery, capital planning, program
Unallocated
Forestry Unfunded
Combined CIP and R&R
Operations & Maintenance
Rec Programs & Services
Administration
Source: BPR Budgets
Where We Are Today | 51
Table 7: Additional Funds Required to Meet
Capital Repair and Replacement Targets
Recommended 2% of CRV: $6M
Expenditures 3% of CRV: $9M
2022 Projected Expenditures $4.2M
to meet 2% goal +$1.8M
to meet 3% goal +$4.8M
2023 Projected Expenditures $4.1M
to meet 2% goal + $1.8M
to meet 3% goal +$4.8M
2024 Projected Expenditures $5.2M
to meet 2% goal +$793K
to meet 3% goal +$3.8M
2025 Projected Expenditures $2.4M
to meet 2% goal +$3.5M
to meet 3% goal +$6.5M
2026 Projected Expenditures $6.1M
to meet 2% goal $-
to meet 3% goal +$2.9M
2027 Projected Expenditures $3.6M
to meet 2% goal +$2.3M
to meet 3% goal +$5.3M
Source: BPR CIP Worksheet
prioritization and asset management. While BPR has consistently
met the public expectations around programs and facilities,
increased financial pressure from aging assets, deferred capital
projects, increasing personnel and operating costs and unfunded
capital projects will require increasing cost recovery and revenue
generation wherever possible. BPR must continue to pursue
cost recovery within its programs and creative means of revenue
generation to close funding gaps, remain financially sustainable,
and provide services to the community.
Revenues from BPR’s funding sources have remained mostly
constant between 2016 through 2021. The lack of revenue
increases creates a challenging operating environment for BPR as
departmental overhead and expenditures rise on a near annual
basis due to inflation. As BPR’s operating costs, list of backlogged
maintenance, and unfunded capital projects continue to grow,
BPR’s need for additional revenue from stable funding sources will
continue to grow.
While BPR’s funding from 2016 through 2021 has remained mostly
flat, expenditures have risen on an almost annual basis. Revenues
have decreased, on average 0.4% since 2016 while expenditures,
including capital, have increased on average, 7.3%. Not including
capital, expenditure growth averages approximately 1% per year
for a total increase of 2.5% between 2016 and 2021. While most
BPR funds carry a cash balance enabling yearly expenditures to
exceed yearly revenue, the significant imbalance between the
annual growth of revenues and annual growth of expenditures
is not sustainable. In addition to expenditure increases due to
inflation, BPR is faced with the increasingly difficult challenge of
managing rapidly rising personnel, maintenance, energy, materials,
operational costs, aging infrastructure and facilities, and a growing
demand for parks and recreational amenities.
outlook
Revenues from BPR’s funding sources are projected to remain
mostly flat over the next 5-year period, increasing on average
2.8% annually through 2026. Behavioral changes recently brought
on by the COVID-19 pandemic have altered retail spending, work
habits, recreational habits, and other fee and tax generating
activities, negatively affecting funding streams used for operations,
maintenance, and capital improvements. Both the city and the
department have taken conservative approaches to budgeting and
fund forecasting, prioritizing equitable service delivery of existing
programs, maintenance of staffing levels to support needed levels
of service and programming, and critical capital infrastructure
projects.
52 | Where We Are Today
Table 11: BPR Projected Funding & Expenditures, 2022-2026
illustrates BPR’s projected funding and expenses through 2026.
Based on these projections, BPR is anticipated to have a minor
budget surplus through 2025 and a minor budget shortfall in 2026.
It is important to note that while BPR is anticipated to have a minor
surplus, projected expenditures do not account for the additional
funds required to meet asset management targets for Operations
and Maintenance (O&M) and Repair and Refurbishment (R&R) or to
achieve goals established with the 2022 Master Plan.
As indicated by the imbalance of BPR’s projected average annual
expense growth rate (5.8%) and projected funding growth rate
(2.8%), funds required to meet 2021 CRV repair and replacement
goals and annual O&M spend goals, $20.6 million in backlogged
maintenance, and approximately $177.9 million in unfunded capital
projects, BPR is faced with the challenging task of continuing to serve
the community and operate its facilities with an increasingly strained
budget. BPR must be prepared to identify and implement other
revenue generating activities and/or strategies in the coming years to
supplement its current funding sources.
Table 8: BPR Projected Funding & Expenditures, 2022-2026
PROJECTED
SOURCE
OF FUNDS 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
AVERAGE
ANNUAL
GROWTH RATE:
2022-2026
General Fund $6,022,134 $6,160,678 $6,302,410 $6,447,403 $6,447,403 1.7%
Permanent Parks
and Recreation Fund $3,768,701 $3,814,229 $3,999,724 $4,037,548 $4,246,162 3.0%
Recreation Activity
Fund (RAF) $10,363,792 $10,592,911 $10,917,767 $11,163,416 $11,539,680 2.7%
0.25 Cent Sales Tax
Fund $8,540,881 $8,916,426 $9,315,081 $9,638,130 $9,893,899 3.7%
Lottery Fund $428,000 $428,000 $428,000 $428,000 $428,000 0.0%
TOTAL $29,123,508 $29,912,244 $30,962,982 $31,714,497 $32,555,144 2.8%
PROJECTED
USE
OF FUNDS 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
AVERAGE
ANNUAL
GROWTH RATE:
2022-2026
Personnel $13,939,444 $14,636,416 $15,368,237 $16,136,649 $16,943,481 5%
Operating $7,245,813 $7,535,646 $7,837,071 $8,150,554 $8,476,577 4%
Interdepartmental
Charges $865,000 $890,950 $917,679 $945,209 $973,565 3%
Capital $4,178,000 $4,180,000 $5,177,000 $2,436,000 $6,092,000 N/A*
TOTAL $26,228,257 $27,243,012 $29,299,987 $27,668,412 $32,485,623 5.8%
PROJECTED
AVAILABLE FUNDING $2,895,251 $2,669,232 $1,662,995 $4,046,085 ($69,521 )
Source: City of Boulder Budget, 2021
NOTES: *Capital budget information extracted from the 2022 BPR Capital Improvement Plan. Due to significant fluctuations in year over year
in capital expenditures, average annual growth rate for capital is not a reliable metric.
Where We Are Today | 53
Six Key Themes were developed for the 2014 Master Plan, based on
community input. These themes are still important to community
members, and BPR will continue to use them as a way to organize
goals and initiatives for the future. The department will have to
make difficult decisions around how to prioritize limited funding to
be most impactful in each of these areas. The following key issues
and observations helped guide the 2022 master planning process.
Key Issues & Observations
A summary of comments related to each Key Theme shared by
community members on BeHeardBoulder during Engagement
Window 1 is below.
COMMUNITY HEALTH & WELLNESS
Benefits of parks and recreation include increased physical and
mental health, which in turn helps decrease pressure on the
healthcare system.
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
At the most fundamental level, financial sustainability is necessary
for the parks and recreation system to function well and is
extremely important to future planning efforts.
TAKING CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE
Boulder has a good thing going. BPR should continue to focus on
keeping existing parks and facilities clean and safe, and upgrading
only as necessary. “Quality over quantity” should be BPR’s focus
BUILDING COMMUNITY & RELATIONSHIPS
A focus on building community and relationships helps to
strengthen and promote a diversity of users through inclusion and
accessibility.
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT & ACTIVITY
Participating in parks and recreation activites teach youth to be
proud stewards of our environment and allow for the discovery of
new passions and hobbies.
ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS
Change is inevitable and organizational readiness is important to
face this change successfully and continue to thrive.
54 | Where We Are Today
COMMUNITY HEALTH & WELLNESS
Mind Body fitness programming is important for overall health.
KEY ISSUES & OBSERVATIONS
»BPR is exceeding both national and Colorado
median LOS for most parks and recreation
asset types, and provides the community
with accessible, flexible and safe services,
engaging community members, encouraging
physical activity and positively impacting social
determinants of health.
»Boulder is growing. With this growth comes
continuously dropping LOS as they relate to an
acres or facilities per capita analysis. Because
growth boundaries limit the ability to add
parkland, Boulder must decide how to continue
to best serve current and future community
members.
»There is agreement in the community that
subsidies should be provided for older adults,
youth, low-income community members,
people with disabilities and underrepresented
communities.
»BPR has recently seen high levels of increased
use, as well as increased use from surrounding
communities. O&M resources and capacity are
strained due to high usage and certain behaviors
including illegal activities and use of parkland for
camping. At times parks facilities must be closed
due to misuse and vandalism. These stressors
impact BPR’s ability to provide core services.
»The cost of living in Boulder is high. While equity
is critical to the BPR’s mission, if affordability
and accessibility are not meaningfully addressed
at a higher level, many community members
who are not currently being served adequately,
will continue to be underserved, especially
lower- and middle-income families. The cost of
living also impacts BPR’s ability to retain staff
who actually live in the community they serve.
»Reassessing the metrics used to determine LOS
and how it is measured are issues parks and
recreation departments are facing throughout
the country. Using a clear methodology that
weaves sustainability, equity and resilience
into each metric is key to success and a more
nuanced approach could serve the diverse needs
of the community in a more meaningful way.
»Expanding partnerships and looking at
innovative ways to address trends and
challenges can help BPR support equity of
access to parks and facilities, and ensure
Boulder remains a physically and mentally
healthy community with a high quality of life.
»Community members and staff have expressed
interest in more flexibility in terms of scheduling
classes, utilizing certain portions of recreation
center facilities as flex spaces, and creating
more targeted programming in real time as user
interests change.
Where We Are Today | 55
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
KEY ISSUES & OBSERVATIONS
»While cost recovery has been improved,
revenues from funding have remained relatively
flat. The lack of revenue increases creates
a challenging operating environment as
departmental overhead and expenditures rise
on a near annual basis due to inflation. The trend
of fund expenditures outpacing revenues is
projected to continue, with BPR’s fund revenues
projected to grow on average 2.8% through
2026, while expenditures are projected to grow
5.8% during the same period.
»Ninety-five percent of survey respondents
support maintaining current funding sources,
while only 45% support implementing a new
sales tax. As is the case throughout the country,
BPR will need to continue to try to find ways
to creatively achieve financial sustainability.
Closing the gaps in recommended funding
levels for operations & maintenance and capital
improvements is key to long-term financial
sustainability and BPR’s ability to fulfill its
mission. Parks are having to work harder to
serve a growing, diverse population, as well
as users from surrounding communities. This
means that amenities are being used more often
and by more people than their planned for life
cycles.
»The implementation of BPR’s methodologies to
prioritize the relative importance of programs
and include data that help set fee structures
and cost recovery rates, allows the department
to set clear goals for cost recovery that have
boosted the recovery ratio overall. BPR has been
able to increase cost recovery significantly, from
an average cost recovery of 83% between 2007
and 2011, to an average of 90% between 2017
and 2019.
Creekside Concerts & Movies in the Park are great opportunities
for people to get outside and get together.
56 | Where We Are Today
TAKING CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE
KEY ISSUES & OBSERVATIONS
»Overall, community members feel BPR parks
and facilities are in good condition and staff are
doing a great job given constrained resources
and that “taking care of what we have” is a high
priority. Community members are generally
happy with facilities, but current O&M levels of
service are not keeping up with needs in parks
and public spaces. BPR relies on volunteerism
to bridge this gap, through programs like Parks
Champs—especially when it comes to general
park maintenance and cleanup projects. Even
with this help, many parks have unmaintained
areas due to lack of capacity and resources.
»While BPR is currently meeting the goal set
by the 2016 Capital Investment Strategic Plan
of spending between 2-3 %, or $4-6 million
annually, on capital repairs and replacement,
BPR is falling behind targeted capital spending
when accounting for the total 2021 CRV of
$298,476,655. Based on the updated 2021 total
asset CRV, BPR should be spending between $6
million and $9 million annually on capital repairs
and replacement.
»Operations and capital costs continue to rise,
creating an ever-larger gap in BPR’s budget and
ability to take care of assets for their complete
life cycles.
»Taking Care of What We Have includes
stewarding the natural systems in the city and
making strides to continually better manage
native ecosystems, including riparian and
wetland areas, and the urban tree canopy. It also
means making facility upgrades that help meet
citywide climate goals that are critical for future
resiliency.
»BPR is a leader in sustainability, climate
initiatives and ecosystem services. Staff work
to help mitigate against certain aspects of
climate change through a variety of practices,
including water wise irrigation practices,
carbon sequestration and cooling through plant
selection and maintenance and enhancement
of the urban tree canopy. Staff still need to
look even more holistically at programming,
facilities, internal operations and clean energy
transportation options in collaboration with
other city departments to continue to lower the
collective impact of these factors on climate
change.
The public urban tree canopy is a critical component of the
BPR system.
Where We Are Today | 57
BUILDING COMMUNITY
& RELATIONSHIPS
KEY ISSUES & OBSERVATIONS
»Partnership opportunities with community
organizations are becoming increasingly
important, especially when considering BPR’s
increased focus on sustainability, equity and
resiliency. Partnering with municipalities,
school districts and nonprofits to develop
joint use facilities or programs is seen as a way
to fill current gaps in services and facilities.
Community input reveals that people are
highly supportive of partnering with private
organizations to develop recreational facilities or
programs.
»Maintaining a resilient parks and recreation
system is more difficult today with decreasing or
flat budgets, less staff doing more work, climate
change impacts and population growth. BPR
cannot do it alone. Community relationships
and partnerships are critical to creating a truly
resilient and equitable system.
»BPR has great relationships with community
volunteers who are excited about helping
maintain and improve the parks and recreation
system. In the last five years, 2,424 volunteers
contributed 19,130 hours to parks and recreation
efforts (which equates to over $500,000
according to the current estimated national
value of each volunteer hour).
»Comparable parks and recreation organizations
interviewed as part of this planning process
indicated the need for a full-time staff member
to manage ongoing grant cycles and cultivate
related partnerships.
»Finding a more transparent avenue for
community members and organizations to offer
larger donations may help fill future funding
gaps.
Volunteers, here at Valmont Park, are key BPR partners.
58 | Where We Are Today
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT & ACTIVITY
KEY ISSUES & OBSERVATIONS
»Youth and teens are important, but teens
identify as a separate group with unique needs
that BPR’s parks, facilities and programs should
strive to serve. There is a gap in service for teens
(14-18 years of age) who desire more volunteer
and leadership opportunities through BPR
services with their peers.
»The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,
increasing anxiety and depression among
Boulder teens and youth is a trend that is being
seen across the country. Good mental and
physical health are necessary for a high quality
of life. BPR can help improve both through its
services.
»Access to nature is an important aspect
of Boulder’s parks and recreation system,
especially for youth and teens. Since 2014, BPR
staff have developed programming that better
connects children to nature. Even so, while
Boulder is known for its outdoor lifestyle and
amazing natural landscape, there continues
to be a gap in connecting to nature “close to
home” due to limited access, safety and other
factors.
»Despite Boulder’s and Colorado’s leadership
in appreciating nature and active lifestyles,
no community is exempt from the concerns
regarding childhood inactivity and limited
access to the outdoors. According to recent
studies, Colorado has the fastest growing rates
of inactivity and obesity in the nation.
Summer AVID4 Adventure mountain biking camp puts smiles
on the faces of these young bikers.
Where We Are Today | 59
ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS
KEY ISSUES & OBSERVATIONS
»BPR has implemented a variety of initiatives
to ensure staff are ready as an organization
to meet operations, maintenance and
programming needs. New software, service
delivery models, asset management tools and
training have helped ensure staff are ready
to meet current needs and are proactively
looking to the future. BPR has also been using
capital investment strategies that are proving
successful in managing assets more efficiently
and effectively and investing in capital projects
more strategically.
»The department needs to build in the ability to
adapt models and facility operations based not
only on data collected over time, but holistically,
based on data, user preferences, revenue
generation, and programming options to better
integrate flexibility into day-to-day operations
of programming and facilities.
»The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact
on staff, including reductions in staffing levels,
capacity and funding. With the pandemic
impacts, keeping an engaged and motivated
workforce is more challenging but remains a top
priority.
»BPR does a great job of delivering high quality
parks, facilities and services to the Boulder
community. Internally, there are many disparate
resources that staff rely on, which at times are
hard to find or provide conflicting information.
This is in part due to recent staff reductions and
retirements, creating an institutional knowledge
gap that should be addressed.
»Staff have expressed interest in creating
standard operating procedures, cross-training,
continuing education and more alignment
across divisions. Team building exercises,
continued learning opportunities and skill
development are important to keeping staff
engaged in and excited about their work.
BPR staff members regularly check in on BPR’s outdoor spaces.
WHERE WE ARE
GOING
»Using data collected from research, community engagement and
policy direction from decision makers, including PRAB and City
Council, and guiding planning documents, BPR has developed a
roadmap to guide the department through the next five years. This
section details BPR’s strategic direction, including the policies, goals
and initiatives that will be pursued over the next five years.
Restore | Connect | Sustain
local trends: facilities
1 Increased Indoor and Outdoor
Recreation Demand
Once people discover the outdoors and recreation,
they are unlikely to return to the couch. While
demand has fluctuated recently, local and national
trends point strongly to increased, sustained
demand for indoor and outdoor recreation over
the long term with outdoor programs at or near
capacity, especially at pools and tennis courts.
2 Change in Daily Habits
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way
people work, recreate and exercise. Working
remotely has become a standard practice for
many. This impacts demand for and usage of BPR
services. People may be hesitant to come back to
indoor locations and may continue their increased
use of outdoor parks and natural areas. At the
same time, others may crave the social aspects of
in-person indoor classes and fitness programs they
have not had access to for months.
3 Balancing Equity with
Financial Sustainability
With budget and space limitations, BPR needs to
focus on prioritizing limited resources and capacity
on services with the highest community benefit.
Financial Aid provides access to BPR services
to low-income residents, but middle-income
community members wishing to access BPR
services often face financial barriers – particularly
for programs with high cost recovery goals.
62 | Where We Are Going
Top to Bottom: Boot Camp at East Boulder Community
Park; Summer Drama Camp; 2022 Master Plan
Stakeholder Meeting
Where We Are Going | 63
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
As mentioned in the first chapter, this planning process was a true
collaborative effort that has enabled BPR to formulate a strategic
direction for the next five years. Recommendations in this plan
are a product of extensive community engagement, research and
guidance from policy makers.
DECISION MAKING TOOLS
BPR utilizes a wide range of decision making tools for parks,
facilites, and program planning. These tools ensure that decisions
are data-driven and grounded in the needs of the community.
The following section details the decision making tools utilized
to provide guidance on how the department should prioritize its
limited funds and staff capacity.
recreation priority index (rpi)
The Recreation Priority Index (RPI) is a PRAB approved, master plan
directed tool that allows program managers and decision makers to
compare the relative importance of BPR programs in relation to one
another. In addition to prioritizing programs, the RPI methodology
allows BPR to set targets around cost recovery and pricing.
Strategic Direction & Decision Making
Young explorers discovering new adventures at the Crestview Park playground.CommunityEngagementPolicy Re
s
e
a
r
chSUSTAINABILITY, E QUITY & RESILIE
N
C
E
Master Plan
Recommendations
Since implementing the RPI program and
complementary Service Delivery Model,
BPR has been able to increase cost recovery
significantly, from an average cost recovery
of 83% between 2007 and 2011, to an
average of 90% between 2017 and 2019.
This only considers direct costs and does
not consider BPR’s allocation of indirect
expenses by a percent of total budget.
When broken down by program, BPR is
achieving revenues in excess of direct costs
for both general and adult programming
such as Pilates, the Reservoir, and
gymnastics. Revenues from these programs
offset revenues lost by community and
recreational programs that are not intended
to achieve higher levels of cost recovery,
such as EXPAND/Inclusion, Fitness, Mind
and Body, and YSI.
Despite offset revenues from high-cost
recovery programs, BPR is still experiencing
a negative gap between yearly program
revenues and expenses. This shortfall is
due in part to targeted low-cost recovery,
community benefit programming such
as EXPAND/Inclusion and YSI programs
that are subsidized through the General
Fund. These programs are not intended
to be profitable and achieve intentionally
low levels of cost recovery. BPR’s program
revenue shortfall of $846,115 is primarily
due to program expenses outpacing
revenues, requiring BPR to consider one or
more of three options: increase program
fees, increase program subsidy, or adjust
service levels.
In addition to funds received through
programs achieving high-cost recovery, BPR
has successfully leveraged grants and other
forms of financial support to deliver certain
programs. Since 2017, BPR has successfully
increased grant funding, allowing for facility
access, EXPAND/Inclusion and YSI programs
to continue to benefit the community.
BPR Cost Recovery: 2008-2019
Community
Services that enhance the health,
safety and livability of the
community and therefore require
minimal obstacles to participation.
Recreational
Services that benefit a broad range
of users and are targeted to promote
physical and mental well-being.
Exclusive
Services targeted to specific
individuals or user groups with
limited community benefit.
Community
Individual
High Subsidy
Low Subsidy
64 | Where We Are Going
Renew, Replace
Remove, Replace Watch, Maintain
Maintain Rigorously
100%
95%
90%
85%
80%
75%
70%
65%
60%2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
85%84%84%
77%78%
93%
90%
94%Consequence of FailureCritically or PriorityHigh
Low
GoodBad
Condition
Likelihood of Failure
adjustable thresholds
BPR Service Categories
asset management program (amp)
BPR utilizes its Asset Management Program
(AMP) to promote effective use of financial
and physical resources needed to manage
the department’s inventory of assets while
coordinating with other city departments
on shared assets. Assets tracked under the
AMP include only assets maintained, and
purchased by BPR, such as park-related
infrastructure (i.e., courts, playgrounds, and
picnic/shade structures), secondary assets
(i.e., park furniture, lighting, trails, and trees)
and a large inventory of building and facility-
related assets for properties like recreation
centers and aquatic facilities.
The AMP uses a condition assessment that
is performed every one-to-three years
that catalogs the physical condition of an
asset to determine its maintenance needs
and remaining useful life. This condition
assessment is used in tandem with an Asset
Criticality Scoring System to establish a
numeric score representative of an asset or
facility’s criticality, or importance, to the
community and to the overall parks and
recreation system.
The combination of the Asset Criticality
score and Asset Condition assessment score
are used to identify funding priorities that
focus on critical assets in less-than-ideal
condition to bring the department’s overall
asset inventory to a desired level of service.
AMP: Asset Criticality Scoring
Where We Are Going | 65
AMP: 5 Step Asset Management Process
Plan/Design
Acquire/
Construct
Recapitalize
Operate/
Maintain
Dispose
1
3
5
2
4
Remove, Replace Watch, Maintain
Maintain Rigorously
Consequence of FailureCritically or PriorityHigh
Low
GoodBad
Conditio n
Likelihood of Failure
adjustable thresholds
Renew, Replace