April 28, 2025 — Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Regular Meeting

Transcript

Captions from City of Boulder YouTube recording.

[0:05] Welcome everybody. I guess we have, I guess. Welcome to the meeting. We have couple of orders of business that I'm going to attend to 1st on the agenda is the induction of our 4 new members. Approval of the agendas. First, st of course. has everyone had a chance to review the agenda. Okay? I will accept this time motion to approve the agenda. I have a motion to approve the agenda. Is there anyone who would like to second in the motion. Does anyone have any questions about the agenda or anything? They'd like to move or adjust? Okay, then. I will move that we accept the agenda as written. And is there a second? All in favor? Okay, all in favor of the agenda?

[1:06] Oh, everyone in favor of approving the agenda. Okay, okay, so let us move forward to the induction of our new members. And I think, Marissa, do you have this? The production certificates, and so I discussed having them all state the oath at the same time. So if the new members want to rise and you can state the oath of office. We're gonna do like a group presentation. Yeah. countdown. I'll give you a countdown 3, 2, 1, and faithfully perform the duties of the office of a member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, which I am.

[2:11] and I know that we've already we. This group's already convened just a couple of weeks ago, so we're not seeing someone for the 1st time. But I'll just say welcome. Thank you for volunteering and for your service to the city. We're excited to have you. And we look forward to this work and and have you with us, Jenny, do you want to add anything? No, I agree. Yeah, thank you. And the next on the agenda is the assignment of of mentors. But I think we can probably just move past that. That's funny, because these procedures reflect the normal 1st meeting of the Board and the orientation you all had 2 weeks ago is a new. And this just doesn't reflect that. So I know you all agree that Jenny and Bernie, as the senior members are, just gonna support the new 4. And then 5 later this summer. Yeah, and I'll just say that I've had the pleasure of meeting with Michael Yvonne and Rob, and look forward to meeting with you next week, and it's been very nice to chat with each of you and just have a little bit of a less formal discussion about parts. I'm available at any time.

[3:13] And I think many people also spoke with Jenny. So so we're yes, we're both glad to be your mentors. So then let's move the officer agendas. Excuse me, officer, election Do you want that? Sure, we've received 2 nominations, one for and from for Jenny Robbins as chair, and for Andrew Bernan Bernstein as your vice chair. And so I think, somewhere around here there's a script for facilitating the elections. I have it here. So let's see. I guess the price chair goes first.st

[4:00] Don't know what. Also elections. So we now know who's nominated. it's not Chuck Brock. It's not Chuck Brock. It's Jenny Brock. Would anyone else like to put their name forward to be nominated as chair of this body at this time. Okay. Seeing done, we will proceed. Jenny. Would you like to say a few words? I am interested in being chair of the Preb. I've been on this board for a year. I've enjoyed myself immensely. I staff is amazing. I've gotten to know the Parks department way more than I thought I would, and I love every single bit of it. So it's been a really great. a really great year, and I'm really excited to be cheerful thanks, Jenny. If if so elected. do you have any questions for Jenny? Any questions about the role of the chair? Any questions on this process that we're going through in a somewhat rushed manner.

[5:04] I have 1. 0, any. What has been the most important thing you've learned in the last year budget. I would say, absolutely, Budget, that is something that you know. We start looking at tonight. And as a group in last year, when it began. I definitely felt my in experience in that particular department, and have tried over the last month to familiarize myself a lot more with how the budgets are managed, since that is kind of the driver, in looking at all the projects throughout the year. To me, figuring out the right way to manage the budget is is the best way to determine the path forward with Parks. So for me, that has been the most I believe, is one of the most important things I've learned so far, and I think I'm excited to being on the long term financial Strategy Committee. Also, I'm really excited to to delve deeper even into what we've got coming up. Great. And what do you think is going to be the most pressing issue that we, as a group discussed this year this year. Civic Center, I think, will probably be one of the most important things is that's budgeted and coming up

[6:13] and especially with some of the events that we've got coming into town. I think that'll be a really important discussion. And then, obviously, we have our Rec centers South boulder Rec being one of them. I know that's not currently in the plan, but it is part of the future of Rec plan. So I know that's something that the community is most passionate about. So I think it'll be It'll be something that we'll need to continually address as we move forward. Great. Well, thank you for altering Any other anyone else? Think of any questions while I was talking. Okay, then, Clarissa, would you facilitate a roll call vote. and I guess the secretary is supposed to ask for a motion, and second, to elect Jenny to be chair. So I'll move that Jenny be elected to be chair, and I'll second the motion.

[7:04] and then just just ask us how we each vote. Oh, okay, yeah. You start with me. I vote, yes, okay, Bernie. Yes, Michael. Kira. Jenny. Yes, okay. Great. Thank you. And Clarissa all also has your names down. Pat very impressed congratulations. Jenny. Okay, I am nominated to be the vice chair. But anyone else like to be the vice chair. Okay. I'll just say that it's this will be my 3rd year on the crowd. It's been a wonderful experience. I really enjoy getting to know a lot more about the parks system and the Parks department and the recreation programming that we offer here in Boulder. like Jenny, the budget has been the most interesting and frustrating thing I've learned about and I anticipate that we'll have a lot more frustration to come this year, and in years to come.

[8:07] Last year, when I ran to be the vice chair. I acknowledge that I was stepping into a bit of a leadership vacuum, because after only one year on the board, I was already one of the senior most people. And here we are a year later, finding ourselves in a rather similar position. So I just want to acknowledge that although I have been around here the longest. I asked Jenny to run to be the chair, because I'm starting master's program next week, and I am anticipating that's going to take some of my time. So I'm glad to be staying on in leadership as the vice chair, while letting Jenny, who has not elected to go back to grad school at this moment. Be our chair. and let's see. I'm anticipating that we will have a lot of enlightening, frustrating. entertaining fun conversations about a lot of projects this year, and I'm looking forward to helping Jenny. And the whole craft

[9:02] built into those matters have any questions for me. I motion that Andrew Bernstein is our vice chair. Second Bernie. Yes, Kira. Yes, thank you. Okay, thanks everybody. Jenny's in charge now. you were just waiting on all right. So we've gotten through the officer election. Thanks. Everyone for electing the officers today. So so we've gotten through our approval of agenda matters from the board. Future item, board items and tours. Thank you, Madam Chair, I'm Ali Rhodes, director of Parks and Recreation, and on page 3 of your packet are just some upcoming items of interest for the department that we want to make sure you're aware of, most probably of note for us is coming in. May you start to see a lot of our seasonal operations come online. So the swim beach and boulder reservoir, Scott, carpenter, pool, spruce pool all open before day weekend

[10:17] in the weeks following we will start with our camps, and we are at the point where we are making. Job offers every minute, almost and for the 1st time in a very long time we're nearly fully staffed for summer, which it's not even May. Yet this is a huge accomplishment. We're really excited about it to have a lot of. We always say we want to have as much fun as we can as safely as we can, and it takes a whole lot of people to do that. So our team has done an incredible job. Other item of note. Just it is budget, season and council you heard a couple of weeks ago about their long term financial strategy. They have their next conversation on that matter on May 8.th So every year in May they get a financial update. I'm hoping that Bernie's comments about the budget being

[11:02] frustrating, or because there's not enough money to do all the cool things we want to do. Good. So in in May we partnered with Economic Research office at the Leeds Business School. They help us with our economic forecast. That Council will get an overview on that which is critical as we go into budget season, and then they'll also have another conversation on that long term. Financial strategy. Those are are great to listen to live, but they're also recorded. If you want to listen to them later at, you know, 1.2 1.5 as we talk about budget, it's really helpful to know what they're thinking. and I think everything else is self explanatory. I will call out that I'm working with Mark and the planning team. Your June agenda had too many. too many items that are not 15 min items. And so what we're actually going to do is couple of up pair a couple of those with your proposed capital tour in August. So, coming up in August, we'll have a field trip. We'll get a van together and go around to look at sites for some of our our most important projects that are coming up. So your June agenda is going to get a little lighter.

[12:10] That's all that, all right. Thank you so much, Allie. Our next section of the agenda is our public participation. Thank you all for coming. I'm Jenny. I'm the newly appointed chair. So for this part, I've got a couple of things just to call out, and then we'll get started on public participation. This portion of the meeting is for members of the public to communicate ideas or concerns to the Board regarding parks and recreation issues for which a public hearing is not scheduled. Later in the meeting tonight. There are no public hearings scheduled. so all public participation will happen at this time. During this public participation time the public is encouraged to comment on the need for parks and recreation programs and facilities as they perceive them. All speakers are limited to 3 min, depending on the nature of your matter. You may or may not receive a response from the Board after you deliver your comments. The Board is always listening and appreciative of community feedback.

[13:11] Clarissa, will you please present any additional guidelines and the speakers for tonight? Yes. 3 min, and the 1st speaker is Lynn Siegel. We have a total of 7 speakers that signed up today. She's on. She's on no problem. There's there's so many seagulls out there. Yeah, I think the 1st thing you have to deal with is, of course, the 380 million dollars deficit the city has. Yeah, that's a big one, and you know what the 1st thing I can tell you is that you should all resign and strike, because the prab has no, no ability to do what they are, what they need to do.

[14:05] So you need to just quit because you're not part of the planning board, and I see them approving every you know, and getting subsidized on every project they put in height regulations, every every possible subsidy that the city can give. They get handed. And then we have a homeless problem. We're spending 6 million dollars a year for. So what are you going to do? Fight over funds from the homeless, you know, like it's it's ruining our city entirely overbearing, you know, with the amount of people that can't afford to live here, and people that are working that can't afford to live here. And the South Boulder Rec center. Oh, well, that's just something we'll have to deal with. No, every single project that comes on board on this town. You should be there, saying it has to be funded out into the future. It has to be planned for before it's ever approved.

[15:07] It has to be all Pre-approved for funding. Then the South Boulder Rec Center would not be a big issue now, and we need now we need an east boulder. Rec center. Got it because the East Boulder Rec center isn't the east Boulder, Rec Center. It's the southeast boulder, Rec center and the south boulder. Rec center is a south, and then we need a northeast boulder Rec center. Because that's how much we're growing. Have you looked around? Do you know I follow the planning board. I know Papelio's is going in. I know Hyundai is going in. You've already seen the diagonal, you know. The one weather vane out on Arapahoe, and 58 everywhere you look. There are skyscrapers going up, you know, at at 777 Broadway, which was supposed to be the homeless center. It's now going up 5 stories

[16:02] or 4 stories, I believe, and there's up to 5 bedrooms in there, and they're rent by the bedroom, like they are at the millennium. These are high-end students with cars, with garages, you know. Where are your funds going to come from? To support this quantity of humanity where you tell me, I want to know where's a workshop that says what's going on here? What's wrong with this picture? Because it's not. And you're going to talk tonight about all the ways that you can't fund all the things that you want to do. So go ahead, but you know, bring your public in to really engage. Thank you, Lynn. 3 min has passed our next speaker. Or is there a response that anybody wants to make? Okay, the next speaker will be Bruce Schoenfeld.

[17:06] We're gonna we have 6 of us 5 live and one there. So we're gonna all. Can we order ourselves? What do we have to go. Is it? Okay? If we just all do that? Thanks. Y'all, please. I've been playing senior basketball since 1997, before I even turned 50 since our current senior basketball we visit north since our current group came together about 15 years ago. It's been a delight camaraderie spirit of good competition, the best basketball I've ever played. Best group the lights on basketball that I've ever been. Senior basketball also fulfills a core goal of the Board of Recreation which is facilitating the greater good of the community. We're a demographic, serious basketball players, 50 and older, that's not being served elsewhere. Of the dozen or more regular games across the city. Rec. Centers the Y outdoor courts. We're the only one we play in, the only one that caters to seniors. This is the lunchtime Tuesdays and Thursdays at north.

[18:13] Over the years we've had our players participate into their eighties. and you'll hear from one tonight on on the Zoom, who's just almost there, and they're still really good. It's a great thing that 50 year olds can play with 80 year olds, and the game works the game works, because the goal of each game is just to get to the next game. We don't argue over fouls. We do everything we can not to injure each other. In the Nba, for example, the hand is part of the ball. If you have your hand on the ball and someone slaps it, it's not a foul, but seniors, thumbs break easily, sprains are hard to recover from, so in our game the hand is not part of the ball. There's no slapping. We just want to get from this game to the next one. Lately, though, our game has been losing players, and we now run the risk of losing the game entirely.

[19:00] The reason is a single individual, Petker Schanberg, whose approach is wholly unsuitable for senior basketball Petker, is aggressive, reckless, unthinking, and destructive. The result of his participation has been a disturbing state of injuries, and increasingly an unwillingness of many longtime players to continue to play because they fear injury. I'm 1 of those longtime players. A month ago Petker smashed into my shoulder from behind at full force, tearing my subscapularis muscle. Another player who you'll hear about in a minute was elbowed in the face by Petro by such force that his shirt was drenched in blood. And you'll meet Sonam Dorothy, who has a torn retina from another elbow, from Pecker. For more than a year we've been trying to solve this issue. We've asked Pecker again and again to modify his style of play. Dave Kimball will talk to you about that. but absurdly he refuses to acknowledge his culpability in any of this. He thinks it's just a grand coincidence that this keeps happening. Several of us are here tonight, have petitioned both administrator, both of the administrators at the Nbrc. To take action against Petker, not to ban him from playing at the facility, though that would not be unwarranted, but to allow us to exclude him from the senior game, which doesn't fit his style of play.

[20:13] What they gave us was an impossible solution, asking us to ban him ourselves, and saying they would back him back us up if we did, and then, when we did ban him, and that ban was communicated to him, and Petty refused to abide by it, the Rec. Center said, sorry there's nothing really we can do. We just advise you to walk off the court when he comes, and you'll hear from Mackie that that's that's a little bit untenable to ask of us to do that. One of the administrators, I just note without comment, is friends with Petker, and actually hired his daughter, which may or may not have something to do with this. I'm gonna we're gonna go next to Dave Kimball, who's gonna provide more evidence that we're just a small, the tip of the iceberg here, many other emailed comments from players who feel the same way.

[21:00] Also been playing that game about 20 years, and I want to say this is the 1st time a situation like this has come up that a single player has disrupted the game like this and over the years I've become the nominal organizer of the group. I have the email list. If the you know the the annual cleanings taking place. I let people know it's closed things like that. And after Bruce's injury there were several. He! He's nowhere near the 1st there were several players that came to me and said. this pattern of injury associated with this one player is concerning is there anything we can do to rein in the aggressive nature of this play. So I sent an email out to the whole group and said, You know, let's have some feedback. What do you guys think? I got 16 very thoughtful responses back. 3 said, I think it's good. He plays hard, but that's fine. 7 said he's reckless. He should be banned from our group again. We're not saying, not play just from the senior group, and 6 said

[22:07] might be a problem. But let's give him another chance. And I I also sent. So I I collated that and sent them to Petgar and sent them to the North Boulder management, too. and I had several conversations with them for saying, Okay, do you see what's going on here? This, you know, this is an issue with the knowledge. although, he said, one of the main takeaways is that only a minority of the group want him to be banned from playing? That was sort of the takeaway. And this this lack of self awareness is is one of the ongoing issues. I think so. I I will give you some of the responses here. Petra plays hard. I like playing hard. I like the way he plays. Edgar plays in an out of control manner, and I've been injured as a result of his play in the past. He's 1 of the reasons I don't come.

[23:03] I've never been involved in seeing him make a dirty play. So again. We're not saying he's cheating, or he's actually breaking this strict rules of basketball. This is this is specific to a senior game. Petker plays recklessly with a high risk of injury when there's a major collision, he is by far the player most frequently involved. I want to have both Petker and Bruce continue playing. Petker just needs to take it a bit easier on us. I like Petker, so I wonder if there's anything that can be suggested to him to change his style of play to reduce these collisions. So. after all these conversations, less than a month later. my friend Sonavir got the elbow to the eye as yet no acknowledgement of responsibility to it. And yeah. So it suggests to me that my efforts to try to resolve this amongst ourselves were in vain.

[24:01] Good job, yeah, Joe Bichowski should be on zoom. We have 11 min left for all of us as opposed to 3 weeks. Joe Machowski went above. Thank you. Okay, Joe. Okay. Can you hear me now? Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. Well, I'm a senior among seniors. I'm 77, and there are at least 3 others and more, maybe a few more. who would like to continue playing. I expect that basketball's physical, and I'm willing to take the chances if the play is normal which it has been the last 2 weeks. Pet care hasn't been there. in my judgment, more than half of the minor injuries that stop play momentarily are caused by Petgar. Most of the major injuries where people have lost time on the court.

[25:13] or pet your cost. Caused again, in my judgment. my decision to play each day now involves arriving late to see whether Petker's in the gym. and if he is, I go home. Several others that I know have stopped playing altogether because they don't want to take a chance that he's here, and perhaps suffer an injury. I'd like to continue a few more years as would my colleagues of my age. but I'm not willing to do it if there's a chance of major injuries. Thank you. Okay, here's Sonam and his wife, Rachel. Oh, Hi! I guess I'll start. I'm Dr. Rachel Yates. I'm a hospital doctor. I think I appreciate more than many people the importance of staying active as a senior, because, I admit people every night up to the hospital with injuries related to deconditioning and weakness, and I put them in skilled nursing facilities. So I understand the importance of keeping these kinds of

[26:20] programs intact. And this particular program, of course, because my husband plays there. My husband came home routinely throughout the last 2 years talking about this particularly aggressive player, and how he was injuring people, and I asked him many times, where are you continuing to play, you know, on this team, he said. There's really no other team like this in the boulder area that I can play on, that's you know, at my level of play. He came home the other day. And he said that he had eye injury, because this Petker was upset at him because he was guarding him, and he elbowed him purposefully in the eye. And then I, of course, as a physician. I started questioning him about his vision, and he had vision changes. I was very alarmed. I urgently made an appointment with a retinal specialist. We went to the retinal specialist. He had a retinal hemorrhage and a retinal tear. He required urgent retinal surgery to prevent a retinal detachment which can lead to blindness.

[27:19] and he said, the best case scenario is that he would have these kind of floaters and some vision issues, you know, for 6 months, and then, in the worst case scenario. Some of these may be persistent throughout his life, and maybe his brain would rewire so he wouldn't notice some of these things. So this is, this is a severe disability that we're going to have to live with, and that he's going to have to live with because of one particular player who they have routinely tried to actively exclude from this group and the North Bowl Rec center wasn't willing to do that, and I even contacted the North Center myself, and I tried to speak with the manager, and he would not even talk to me personally. He, a few days later wrote me an email and but didn't really offer any

[28:05] good solutions. And Sadam, do you want to talk us through exactly how the nature of injury. So actually, I don't know why this thing is happening, you know. I mean, it's such a peaceful senior basketball, and you know I also enjoy because I don't want to be like Michael Jordan anymore, you know, because I'm past 50, and I want to play an easy game and lose my belly and all this. But thing is Betka. He played the soccer before, and that's why he he's he's new to the game, and he's bringing, and he's a really fit guy. We all know that he's 60 plus, but he's a really fit guy and a little bit like too athletic. But problem is, I think he's new to the basketball, and he's bringing all the soccer moves to the basketball thing, and he's very competitive. And most of the time since I'm also one of the younger guys, you know, in the group like 50 plus.

[29:01] I have to guard him, you know, and here he has to guard me. So what happened was I in the beginning. I never want to be competitive, you know. I don't want to guard, but when I'm on his team he chastises me, for you know, not guarding and playing defense. He's like, Oh, this guy! He's cooler than you. What he shouldn't be scoring on you like just asks me constantly, and then I also took that to heart, and when I was guiding him I also guarded him a little bit to, you know, like seriously, and he was not able to score a lot on me. And sounds really, Betty, right? But you know, what happened. Is he really upset with me on Thursday night, and she even like I scored on him once, and he he said, you know, like I just left there. And he said someone possible, and he's so angry, and my friend was. I have a friend who watched, and he said, Why is he so upset with me, anyway? That's fine. So, but I'm just building up a story, you know. And next day what happened was I

[30:05] Tuesday I came, and he won't even speak to me. Usually what he does is Hi, salon! And he picks phones. And all this. But that day he didn't even speak, and then, unfortunately, we were guarding each other, and he helped me really hard, and I was like almost out once. And then I went to bathroom and took some time, and then came back and played a little bit. And one thing is. I thought it was intentional, because he never apologized, and I confronted him, and he said, It's not my fault, you know, and all this stuff I can go on and on. But you know I don't take all the time so sorry. Here's an email from another. One of our players. he said, this is Marsh. I took a hard elbow to the nose in early February by Petker. When I was trying to block his fast break layup. My nose was not broken, but it knocked the hell out of me, probably the hardest I've ever been hit in the face. Having played thousands of games, like many of you at various levels, I have never been struck by like that ever. I am certain my front teeth would have been knocked out had his elbow hit me 6 inches lower.

[31:07] I like Petker as a person. He's a lifelong, competitive soccer player, and my suspicion is that he has brought many evasive soccer movements, buns, elbows, and nearby opponents to his way of playing basketball. I do not believe he intended to hurt me, but it's somewhat unorthodox. Style of play, and his energy are problematic combo. He needs to be told to play elsewhere. I don't think he can or will agree to play differently. I'm happy to be part of a discussion group to convey the message to him. Picture of Marsh with his eye. So Maki will tell you. Marsh then went to Petker and said, Listen, based on all of this input. We've all decided. This isn't a good game for you. Thanks, Bruce. My name is Mikey Treatise. I've played for 33 years the Rec centers basketball. I'm 62 now, so I get to be eligible for the senior game, and I go between the Open Age group and senior sometimes.

[32:04] and I've never seen this issue that we're here talking with you about in my 33 years. When, after David did his survey of the group. he collected the comments sent them by email to Hector so he could sit down and look at them. and the word back from marsh to Petker the report back was Petgar deleted them without reading them. The typical thing when someone complains to you like, hey, you can't push this way, or you gotta set your feet. Whatever is you talk? You go. What do you mean? Whatever you figure it out, you know you have a little dialogue. People adjust, and you go on. I've never seen anybody who just wants to stick his head in the sand. despite the many complaints. So the idea that he's had an opportunity and he just won't change.

[33:08] So Marsh sent an email back to some of us saying, This is the guy with the nose that you just heard Bruce describe. Quote, spoke to Petker. He refuses to accept that he can be banned, and said that he will show up when and if he wants. I told him that in fact, the Management and North Pole Direct Center has confirmed the right of this group to determine when someone is not playing in accordance with the norms of this group. which Staff told us which is part of why David went around to to get a consensus. Continuing Marshall's email, he got more upset at that notion, and said, if the group refuses to play with him. When he shows up they can spend the next hour watching him. Practice shooting. I mean, that approach is contrary to everything of experience of the Rec. Centers.

[34:05] it boggles my mind, and this is why I'm here for 5, 6 of us to be here, I can tell you. There are many in this silent majority. We just don't want confrontation. So I took this email from Marsh, and I went down and spoke with Keith and Northfall Direct center. I think he's 1 of the system manager. I don't know the the title. I shared it with him, and I said, Hey, you told us to go build a consensus. We got the critical mass. Here's the feedback. He has the emails. And the response was, Well, we are scared of a lawsuit from Petgar. If we tell him formally that you cannot use the facility. I said, are you scared of the next lawsuit from an injured person, which is probably going to be more risky to the city. Well, hadn't thought about that. I encourage the Advisory Board to think about that, and our request. My request to you is to advise the staff to come up with another solution that they told us so, Keith continued. The solution you have is, if he shows up. You just walk into 2 courts we play on. Just walk off the one he's on and go play at the other one.

[35:20] That's not viable. People don't want to confront people like Joe and others. They're just not gonna come. And the game is gonna die. The priority, I think, Ali said in the beginning. What is it? Fun and safety that sums up? Why, we are all there, although the senior games probably in reverse. So Petker is very athletic. He has all these other games in Boulder to play. Many of the seniors don't. It's the one and only option. It's not equitable that one person hold up this group

[36:03] that has said, you don't fit. Sorry. So sticking your head in the sand. can I just say one more quick thing, please go ahead. So the Recreation Center has rules for reckless conduct, and that is a player can be suspended. So the tools are in place. We ask that you advise the staff to exercise them. Thank you. Are there any more speakers, speakers on speakers? Does anybody have any comments back for any of the speakers tonight? Comment on that situation. Sure, I know Scott's prepared to. He's gotten some information from the team he's eager to help. Yeah. Scott, deputy director of Parks and recreation. And this is the 1st time hearing of this. And so I appreciate you all coming out and sharing this story as a former basketball player. I certainly understand and empathize with what you're you're going through. In this situation

[37:09] I am concerned that the other individual, the other party, is not here to represent himself. What I can say is, I will certainly look into this I will speak with the staff and correct me if I'm wrong. But Tuesday, Thursday, at the North Boulder Rec Center, at noon. would be a time for me to walk across the parking lot for my office and come, have a good conversation, so I will do that here later this week and make sure to touch base and then I'll also talk with our staff and into the situation. Further. I heard Scott also was gonna do it in basketball shorts and hop on the court as long as I don't get hurt my 14 ers this summer. But no, I I understand. I've torn both my acls hyperextended and elbow and and tore rotator guff all playing pickup basketball. It's it's rough, it's no fun. And you get to the point where you want to just do it for fun. I I certainly understand that and so I I will definitely look into this and and

[38:05] be in touch. Can I respond to you, please, do we? Oh, sorry we can't in fairness out of all other public comment, what? What can happen next? So I'm Ali Rhodes. I don't remember. I'm the director. I just want to double click on what Scott says. The next step meeting with you all and having a conversation with you is very appropriate. This Forum, unfortunately, is not one for back and forth comment. It's it's lovely that you all showed up on a Monday evening. We're glad to know you care. Bruce, I have your email. Is it best that if if Scott has that also from those, would he would you be the one he connect with if he wanted to follow or not? If. as he wants to follow up on this, sure. Okay, I will definitely do that. Okay, great. That's just the limitation of the Advisory Board function is wonderful. Thank you all very much for your time. Did any members of the Fab have any questions on that? Sorry I do? Can you just talk to us generally about like, how do

[39:02] conflicts between patrons get handled? Typically. yeah. Sorry we missed that step before you all stepped away. But you're welcome to hear the proud members. The proud members get to ask questions now. So maybe this is one of the things we're always working on. Better to make sure our environment is welcoming, which is hard with this setup. This room is great except when there's public. So after public comment that your opportunity is engaged. Now the board members do get the opportunity to ask staff questions. Yeah, us, yeah. Your your role is ended. And now they'll ask questions. Scott will follow up with you and the Board members get the opportunity to ask questions, and I had just asked Scott, as you were walking out, what? How situations like this are typically handled when there's conflict between patrons. Yeah, absolutely. And again, Scott Shutenberg, deputy director. Certainly. I think it. It's a case by case scenario that we look at the situations when they arise. We certainly look at our policies, our rules, and any kind of violations. If there is physical violence or violation of some some kind, we do oftentimes suspend people from our facilities.

[40:14] Certainly, as we look into this type of situation, we'll investigate, and certainly hear from both parties, understand both sides of the story. Before we make any kind of decision or recommendation when needed. We also consult our attorney's office as well. Has this happened in the past? Have there been any instances of suspending a member that was too aggressive in different sports? Things occasionally happen. As Mackey said. I believe 33 years he's been playing here and never seen anything like this. So this is a very unique situation that I'll have to look into. Certainly things like this don't come to our board. Very odd, or ever so thank you all for bringing to our attention. If that we are ultimately relying on staff to address it.

[41:00] Any other questions from the board? any of the public comment tonight? No, okay, thank you. All for? All right. Thank you very much. Step for for answering them takes a village. It does take a moment. Okay. Our next item on the agenda is our consent. Agenda as a reminder, the consent agenda approves the the consent. Agenda includes the approval of the minutes from the 3 31 meeting, the 4 18 meeting. The parks and Rec operations updates and the parks and Rec planning and design updates which were all in the packet. So we'll take. We'll have a motion and a second, and then we'll open for discussion, and then we'll call for. So do I have a motion

[42:03] to approve the consent. Agenda. Second great any discussion on anything that was listed in the consent agenda. I have something in the consent agenda materials. There was information about the annexation of the task force and from the annexation proposal, and that is that going from area 2 to area one, and the application for the annexation is that? Who reviews that? Yeah, I'm going to let our senior manager for planning mark, Dave. I also was curious about the timeline of that project. Yes, we have the yes, everything, everyone. It basically goes through public review process. And then the annexation ultimately ends up being approved. and the timeline at the moment is, hopefully on track to have this completed by the end of the year.

[43:03] But we are in the process of just reviewing a few things. And so, Tina Dalton, I'll be coming back here. I believe I'm not sure if we update to June agenda. We had 4 items that we mentioned in June, and one of them was these folder community box. So that's when we come in with a full update for you, especially in terms of the timeline. Jenny specifically to your question, to who reviews it? It would go to planning board and then city council. Both bodies review those some people ask because a change in annexation sometimes involves the county. That is true when it's area 3. So the city of Boulder has 3 types of property area. One is those areas within the formal boundaries of the city. They get the full set of city services as outlined in the Boulder Valley comprehensive plan area. 2 are areas adjacent to the existing city boundaries that the city and county have agreed are appropriate for annexation. Should certain conditions be met. Area 3 are the areas, the city and county have agreed, are not for annexation, are for rural preservation and and agricultural uses. So the property we're talking about is adjacent to East Boulder community park and in area 2,

[44:09] and then mark, just clarify on the timeline the the annexation packet. Well, it says you'll give an update in June that'll walk through the full, and that'll include an update on the codes as well. Thank you. I also wanted to mention that you had mentioned in the packet that there was more applications for lifeguards for the 1st time in many years than than positions available. Why do you think it's a covid related phenomenon, or I would assume that the dip we had over the last few years was was probably pandemic related. I know a lot of folks wanted to keep their kids safe. As a parent myself. I think at this point, we're really, we're getting a lot of people that want to volunteer that want jobs. Yeah, I'll just share. I mean, I've had oversight for aquatics.

[45:04] directly or indirectly, since, you know, 2,005 in some fashion. I have never seen us in May saying, we're in really good shape, like, we're gonna have a lot of disappointed 14 and 15 year olds because. there's a factor that is huge. And then so this time last year we were recruiting a hundred or so Lifeguard. No, I don't know the number for Lifeguards, but over a hundred. We are retaining people throughout the year, people who are enjoying their work for us, or just working on their breaks, and so we only needed to add 50 lifeguards going into this peak season. So something that is different is the retention. I'm curious about economic headwinds and what that means for kids wanting to work and what it means for families. In my experience in here in Boulder, this is unprecedented. Okay, that's exciting. Yes. Question not sure if I might use the right word here. Okay? Good. I noticed that they have the model aquatic health code because they're handling chemicals. Are they still using chlorine pools? We do use chlorine. Yes. Okay, do they have tanks on site? We do.

[46:15] Okay? And how are those managed? So I I will say that we get deliveries for our chemicals on a regular basis throughout the summer. And so there's a certain limit or quantity that's on hand. And those are We hire a company that comes in and and brings those, and and they are trained and and whatnot, and then our staff are trained on utilizing the chemicals as well. It is. in our opinion, a very safe environment. We've reviewed everything with the staff. They're they're well trained on how to handle the chemicals. And it's not in gas form. Correct? Correct? Okay? Yeah.

[47:01] Any other comments or discussion? I just have one question I noticed on page 16 that looks like the Bill Bauer interpret display product is now on hold. How? Come? Yeah, no. We've been working with the partners on this project, and it's been a great partnership. They were able to raise funding to get us through the design stage construction drawings. and at this point they need to raise more funds for construction, including some materials that are hoping to get donated, and once that funding is in place, we'll be able to advance the project. The only issue now, though, is we had them penciled in this window, so we'd have to figure out where they fit back in with plans just out of curiosity. I don't know. Off the top of my head I could definitely get back to you. It's not urgent, all right, thank you. Thanks, Mark. Alright. If there's no more discussion on the consent agenda, we have a motion in a second, no adjustments or amendments.

[48:06] So all those in favor of approving the consent. Agenda. All right. Next, we move on to action items. and we have no action items for tonight to matters for discussion. None again. That is, from the department. Here we have some. Here we have some discussion to be had. Okay, so, members from the department, I'll pass it over to the team. So Jackson Height, our senior manager business services, who you all met 2 weeks ago. He and Stacey, who's their senior budget analyst will be presenting with with Mark on a highlight on the Capitol. Thanks, Ali. Jackson, my business services manager. I. We have a lot of numbers and text for you. So we're starting off with some fun photos, as far as so you won't see these spread out throughout the presentation. Stacy is going to cover the 1st part, I'll cover the second part, and then Mark will be here for subject matter, expertise on all of our planning stuff, so I will turn it over to Stacey. Yeah, I mean, we can stay on this slide because this is the best ever.

[49:23] But I'm Stacy Hoffman, Senior Budget analyst with the department. Really happy to be here with tonight to talk about budget. We will be going over your role in budget development. Looking at a timeline in the engagement that we will have with the Fab over the upcoming months. We will be looking at our 2026 budget strategy goals and development, giving you a very high level introduction to our fee policy and then wrapping up with the capital investment program or the Cip our 2026 budget strategy goals with you. All is requesting your input into our 2026 budget development. We're looking for your guidance to ensure our transparency and community alignment with our budget. We're looking for the prab to provide feedback

[50:15] on a proposed membership structure and fees which we will be bringing to you in June, and then you will be involved in reviewing the 2026 through 31 capital improvement program. The insert on this slide also is just a reminder of your role in budget development. We did go over this during the onboarding study session with you, which I was just 2 weeks ago. Now time is flying, but just wanted to read this really quickly, so everyone is aware that the Prep. Shall make recommendations to the Council concerning the disposal of Parklands. Any appropriation or expenditure from the permanent Parks and Recreation Fund, and the protection and maintenance of Parklands, and then the shall make recommendation to Council concerning our proposed. Bpr. Annual budget.

[51:05] Advance to the next slide in July. We will be coming to you with our action item, and this is just to introduce you to some suggested motion language. So this will not be fresh when you do see this in July, I'm going to take the time to read it. But in the July meeting. We will go over this and then ask you to basically approve recommend our department budget and then approve the permit parks and recreation fund, and then a motion to move forward. Okay. looking at this timeline, your involvement is outlined at the top part of the timeline with staff responsibility is really falling along the bottom. We are going to have multiple touches with the prab over the upcoming months. We did have the onboarding study session with you 2 weeks ago. Tonight we are touching upon the 2026 Budget Development strategy, and you will have your 1st touch with the cip

[52:07] in may, we will be coming back to you with a preliminary review of our 2026 budget. In going over the cip on a second touch. In June, we will bring back the budget to you as a discussion item that will be the operating and capital that has been developed. And then that is really, when we are going to bring back the policy with the membership structure and proposed fees for you to take a look at in July is when you will have your action item on the budget. Looking for recommendation on the 2026 operating budget, and and then also that approval for the permanent parks and recreation fund and approval for our cip from there we do submit the budget in June, and it does go through a further approval process it will be reviewed by the Executive Budget team within the city. It will go in front of the planning board and then city council. There is a planned City Council study session on September 11.th

[53:06] The 1st reading of the budget will be in front of council on October 9, th and if the second reading is needed. It will go in front of council on October 23rd for adoption. We had basically reviewed our budget principles with you during the onboarding study session in no particular order. But we are budgeting for resilience and racial equity or bre. We do have an outcome based budget that we will be putting forward. That has become the standard practice for the city. We had a 3 year implementation process on this from 2023 to 2025, where we've really shifted our budgeting process to be focused on outcomes and measures. The city's direction is to be very heavy and using data driven decisions and really achieving our equity outcomes. So that is the focus as we do start to develop the budget and move this forward for 2026,

[54:07] we'll be rolling in the objectives of the long term financial strategy to help us focus more holistically and comprehensible comprehensively to support our core service levels and community needs. And then, as a prep should be aware, our 2022 Bpr. Plan is our guidance for making our decisions so just a quick refresher of things that we did introduce to you. but diving in a little bit deeper on what does developing a budget look like? So we have several steps till we get to the end product and just wanted to take some time to walk you through those and really, we do start with a base budget. Every year we have a base budget that is basically our springboard. And that is what we're going to build off of the 1st steps with that base budget is to put in base cost increases or cost drivers, such as inflation, contractual agreements we may have if there's government changes, and then we also have city guidelines that would have increases. This would be energy costs right? Our gas and our electric. Our fleet costs may be changing all of our computer equipment, right? Those prices go up

[55:19] year over year. Unfortunately. So we do build those into our base cost budget because we are very fiscally constrained. Going into 2026. We will then move into what is called in a realignment phase and realignment is basically just taking a look at our budgets holistically at the fund level. And then with all of our work groups and seeing, what can we move within the budget? Right? What can we move from? Maybe a line item to another line item or put it out to move somewhere else within the fund to another area that may have another greater need. Our realignments have a net 0 change to them. We do take realignment seriously. They really are for a longer term change right? If someone just needs something next year, we're not going to realign an entire budget for a 1 time. Cost

[56:08] and, as I explained, we can do this at a program level. So moving something from aquatics, maybe into sports where we could say within the Recreation activity Fund, you know, we really do need to move money around within the fund level. From there we do take a look at our enhancements which just more in simple terms, our budget proposals. Right? These are not. These cost increases. They're not realignments. But this is really where we're going to increase or decrease in our service levels. So maybe we are requesting new Fte. Maybe we want to build a new dance program with the department, or if we've identified alternative revenue structures or any new revenue from any changes with our fees. This is where we would put that forward into the enhancement proposal. That really does, you know, polish up the operating budget. And then we do have the capital investment program, or the Cip

[57:07] cip which Jackson and Mark are going to go over in a moment is a little different where that is a 6 year work plan for us. And this really focuses on the department's projects that do exceed $50,000 in nature, although we do plan the cip for the out years. So we'll be looking at 26 through 31 the next year. So 2026 is the only thing that will get approved in a appropriated into our budget. Okay, the rest of it is just a roadmap, or our work plan from 27 through 31 after that is completed. We then have a department budget, big celebration that has our revenue and our expenses. It encompasses our operating and our capital. And you know again, just really grateful to have here for your input, which at that point we'll be coming back to you in the July for that action item, for recommendation of the budget, and then the approval of the permanent Parks and Recreation fund.

[58:08] That was a lot of information. Very quickly. So I'll just pause and ask if there's any questions on any of the steps that go into our budget development. You mentioned that planning board reviews our budget. Is that right? The cip portion. Okay, why do they do that by statute charter? It's it's part of their charter responsibility. And it's because so much of the capital development impacts land use, which is their key function. So yeah, I'll double check. I believe it's 1 of our chartered responsibilities. They review collectively the cities. So one night in August the entire capital program from all departments is reviewed by the planning board. They make recommendations.

[59:00] Other questions. Okay. On the onboarding study session. We also had presented out to all of our Dpr. Funds on that nice piece of paper. It's hanging on your refrigerator at home, but just a very quick reminder. These are the funds that we will be looking at our general fund. The Recreation activity fund, the 0 point 2 5 cents sales tax fund, permanent Parks and Recreation Fund. and then the Lottery Fund capital development funds are more capital in nature. For the department. Boulder Junction does serve a specific purpose as an improvement fund. And then we do have the community culture and resilience and safety tax, which is again used for capital funding. So you did receive this slide in your study packet last time. But just I think there's a lot of funds and you know, the more you can see it hopefully the better it's committed to memory. Is that the the list is that by amount of funds

[60:02] it's not listed by amount. No, it's just what's the largest and the smallest. the largest, and the smallest like. Where does most the money most money comes from the general fund? You know. So our recreation activity, usually about 14 million, that does have a recreation operations, services and programs in it. Really, you know, funds will fluctuate, fluctuate if they do, our capital in nature, depending on what capital projects we have. but from an operating standpoint that would be the largest. Thank you. Boulder Junction or Lottery Fund would be the smallest lottery. We do get about a million dollars a year, and then Boulder junctions got about 3 million dollars in it. Most of it's dedicated for Boulder Junction, Pocket Park and East Mapleton. Ball field community resilience. It would just depend on the year. Right? So if you're doing civic area and there's a lot in the budget that could be for that one year be the largest

[61:02] consistently for operating. It is the Recreation activity fund till the wrap. which is why we do spend a lot of time there. I did. This is, I don't know if this is a question that would be appropriate now but the possible creation of a downtown district. Would that how would that be? A separate source of funds that would then come into the parks and recreation where it would go is Tvd, right? But it's a completely separate source of funds managed by a Development Board that would have some council representation. But it would be funds for and depending on the charter language and the scope of the authority. It could be capital investments. It can be some operations and maintenance. It could be activation. the district would decide. Thank you. That is sort of related question. If, say, we were to do a. The voters were to approve a bond issue for large capital project, which line item or which

[62:00] part of the budget would that funding go into? It depends on how it's presented to voters, and then which fund it is typically when you issue a bond, it has to be tied back to a certain fund, and the revenues from that fund are going to go towards paying down the bond issuance community culture of resilience and safety tax currently has the ability to bond against it. The city has not done so currently, but it's planning to do so in the next 6 months previously, both both the Recreation Activity fund and the point 2 5 cents sales tax fund have had bonding against it. And then that is a line item that you pay down over the subsequent years from revenues that are received. Thank you. Great questions. All right. So Stacy covered the what I'm going to call the ingredients that go into the budget. I'm going to talk through more of the things that we're observing as staff. As we go through the budget development process. As a previous slide noted, we do receive a lot of guidance from the city's finance department, the city manager's office.

[63:02] They're working with cus economists. So we do have a lot of things that are feeding into this that it's not just the 2 of us working on a budget development. And we do have about 40 other staff across the department who support our budget development. With this, our major forecasting considerations, we do have limited growth. I think you're all aware that we're seeing a flattening or declining in sales and use tax, and then property tax has 2 headwinds against it. One was legislative measures introduced to the State last year, and then the other is the city had looked at appreciation on properties and the assessment rate over the last 10 years that had been double digit growth year over year. And now that is single digit growth. So that just means we will have less revenue from both the sales tax and the property tax which impacts the general funds, the permanent park and recreation fund, as well as the point 2 5 cent sales tax fund. We do have a great amount of flexibility and diversity in there. I'm not going to touch on it too much, but just so much Federal uncertainty. I think this changes by the week.

[64:04] But there's a lot of Federal funding that we receive as a city organization. This department as a whole receive a whole lot. But what we are seeing is any tariffs having a potential impact on our purchasing everything from fleet to the equipment that we're using at recreation centers to our capital projects. And then you're all aware of the long term, financial strategy, potential ballot measures in both 2025, and 2026 that there's a lot of opportunity here. The key messaging that we continue to hear from the city is that we need to put our dollars towards the highest and best use, and that is somewhat difficult with how we have dedicated funds currently. But that is why we are playing around with all of the different funding sources and looking at all of the programs and focusing on those realignments. If we have certain budget programs that have been underspent year over year, we're wanting to ship those funds to an area where they will have a greater impact. something like please, like we know

[65:01] vehicles is going up already like, is there any room to keep vehicles operating longer? That replacement? Yes, and no for all of our vehicles. When we purchase it we identify what we expect. The lifespan will be for most of our light duty trucks is 7 to 10 years. What we find is as soon as we hit the 10 year mark. If we are trying to do that, we're spending more on maintenance than it would cost to replace the vehicle. What the city does as a whole is. We take that replacement schedule, and we amortize the cost of the vehicle expected to be at the end of its useful life. But we are prepaying for the replacement cost. What we have seen is, we had projected 3 and a half to 5% growth in vehicle costs. Ever since the start of Covid we have seen much larger increases that we are playing somewhat of a catch up on fleet costs. We have updated our projections as far as what we're expecting. Vehicle costs to be at the end of their useful life. But that is an area of concern for the department and across the city. So it's just not relevant to our department. But the city is playing catch up and imagine the same answer would apply to things like

[66:07] lot equipment correct. I think our specialized equipment that we have for fields. We have seen 30 to 40% increases in the last 3 years, whereas we aren't seeing that on. And we do have a lot of specialized equipment. I think we have almost 400 pieces of equipment, and fleet across the department. All right. So challenges this chart is from the 22 department plan. This really shows at that point. In time we didn't have enough funding, and what the funding gaps were that has continued to escalate. We see that our expenses are increasing faster than our revenues, and there's an incredible cost for taking care of what we have not. Just on the fleet conversation, Bernie, but also on our capital assets, understanding what the replacement lifecycle is, the cost escalation to maintain our

[67:00] playgrounds to industry, recommended standards, and then we are seeing some of those life cycles are changing over time. Mark can tell you that, like playgrounds used to last 20 to 30 years, we're seeing 10 to 15 years is more realistic. With current operations we do have concerns, as far as how much are we investing in operating during the day to day, that the community observes versus how much spending on capital which is taking care of our capital assets. And once again it goes back to that lifecycle cost. When do you invest? And once the inflection point, which is what we're seeing, with a lot of our facilities across the system. I'll say it out loud without additional funding. We do have service limitations. We will need to look at reducing our services. This was called out directly in the 22 department plan. It was called out in your memo, but just wanted to highlight this again. Not all doom and gloom. We do have a lot of opportunities this chart is also from the 22 to plan where we rely on community engagement, research and policy. The biggest area is focusing on our core services. Identified on the 22 department plan and putting our budget towards the highest and best uses

[68:13] we do want to appreciate, perhaps involvement in this budget development process and take any of the input that you have questions along the way. It makes our work better. And ultimately we'll be coming to you asking for recommendations with that. Our recommendation is taking care of our current resources. I do want to highlight this chart on the right first.st that is our growth and financial aid program from 2014 till last year. You'll see that we serve all over 4,000 individuals and their usage now accounts for over 15% of the visitation to our 3 recreation centers. But this is just a phenomenal program. The department plan really called out our focus on equity, serving youth seniors, people with disabilities and low income families that this is a highlight of it. As we go through the budget development process, we will be realigning that Stacy's already talked about. We'll be inventorying what our current service levels are. This will feed into the long term financial strategy. We'll be updating our revenue projections and then continuing to pursue non traditional funding sources, grants, philanthropy donations is how you might categorize it

[69:21] so I would assume that it would take a while to pursue nontraditional funding sources and to see if it's viable and see what that impact would be so, how do you? How will we then account for any additional revenue? If the budget has already been approved at that point. when we adopt the budget. We do not assume any additional revenues coming in. You can't account before you receive it. That being said, what we're looking at is for our capital projects. We're looking 2 years out. What will be shovel ready in 2027. And are there Federal grants that we can go after we do have a partnership with the play Boulder Foundation. Jenny, I know that you're on the board, but they help us with philanthropic fundraising there, and provide several $100,000 a year towards

[70:08] current initiatives. But it's really we have a process called the adjustments of Ace Atb, where we can adjust our revenues and expenses twice a year, once in May and once in November, December timeframe. And that's when we would account for those donations. The city also does have a Grants office that is helping us find and pursue grants, keeping track of which grants the city is applying for, and then making sure that there's coordination across departments. It doesn't make sense for open space and parks and recreation to be competing for the same dollars. So which project is more meaningful and has less dedicated funding going towards it that we can leverage the funding elsewhere. Have we identified the the assets that need the highest amount of maintenance per cost basis? I'm smiling at. Mark. Mark has a whole presentation on that program a few years back. We have some staff changes thankfully. Now we got leadership support for asset management program manager as well as a Gis specialist. Previous person was doing both jobs.

[71:19] And so they've been in place for 18 months now. And with that we're building out completely updated dashboard on condition condition of all assets. Current replacement value of the deferred maintenance is. And, as Jackson pointed, out, updating lifecycle costs, because the replacement is probably more than the deferre maintenance. Often. So, as we get into that, we're really hoping to be utilizing that later this year, and we'll be happy to bring a presentation on stage as we go through that program. But simple thing at the moment I could give a couple of examples is, our play areas are currently funded at 500,000 a year. And if we were to do full replacement, causing the full standard we would be needing about 5 million a year over the next decade. And that's 1 extreme example of how much costs have escalated life. Cycles shortened.

[72:12] But frankly, all our assets across the board. Various points need replacement, all those good, fair condition. and so we'll have. We have them to prioritize. not one particular asset for funding. But how do we get better at prioritizing all the assets? And maybe we might have to accept somewhere in fair condition instead of good coverage, but obviously ensure safety at the same time. And then, is it also looking at different technologies to lower maintenance? Oh, man, I'll let Jackson do this one now, because I've said it so many times, and all concrete clay. and it was we kept resurfacing the cost to keep them in good condition. But our maintenance was 280,000 a year for investing in post tension. It takes a life cycle from 25 years to 50 years, and when you calculate that out that takes our asset management per year down $70,000. So that's where we're really starting to see how we can invest a bit of money, but frankly save the department money for the time.

[73:10] I want to give examples of that on the operations, because our team is so good about trying things. And so we now have out at Pleasant View the turf tank robot that paints the lines which, when you mow the grass, you have to repaint the lines. It used to take a day or 2 because you have to lay out the string and make sure it's straight. And because the turf tank uses Gis mapping it can just go out and do it straight, and it doesn't. A couple of hours what used to take people a couple of days. And so we have such a backlog that that skilled labor can do while the turf tanks doing its thing. Those folks are doing skilled labor. We also have a couple of robotic mowers in place at the ball fields where they're fenced in. They're contained. There's an employee there supervising, but they're also doing some skilled labor. So we are trying to work smarter, not harder. Well, our team also works really hard. I think another example is as we replace mowers? 12 foot deck mowers? Can we upgrade those to a 16 foot deck mower? Obviously there's a higher initial cost. But the labor hours that we're spending mowing grass reduces significantly.

[74:13] Did we go to electric? Only did that happen? I don't remember State Bill 25 past last year? It takes effect. July first, st it's for hand powered equipment, less than 10 horsepowers. So for us, that's most of our smaller mowers string trimmers, backpack blowers. We were 80 85% there. And we'll be a hundred percent by that July 1st deadline 100%. But your big ones can be gas. Anything over 10 horsepowers can. Okay. the technology is not there yet. So for our for a 16 deck Decmo or the technology is not there yet. The electric equipment we work with Toro. They know we're ready to try it whenever they have it. Some of those companies are having a harder time investing in developing the large electrical equipment because the market's not there yet, but they know that we're ready to be their customer when it's ready. Okay, thank you.

[75:11] All right. We're going to shift over to the revenue side. Back in 2023 prep. Approved a fee policy. Basically, we used to have 16 different prep memos that you had to go through and find any mention of revenues. This identified some guidance from the 22 department plan, as well as our capital accreditation process to create one systemized approach for developing our fees on an annual basis really took guidance from all of that. But the intention was to make sure that this aligned with the community input where taxes pay for benefit programs, where the community benefits and then individuals are paying for areas where they benefit. So that's in the form of user fees. I love this graphic on the left side. I think it just highlights, really, who pays based on who benefits.

[76:03] And with that I'm not going to bore you with too many details. But we did categorize all of the services we offer into 10 different program types. Created. What? That program benefit level was from the previous chart and then created a cost recovery target for each of those program types. Ultimately, we have programs that have a 0% cost recovery. So we are never going to charge a fee to areas that do have a 100% plus cost recovery, meaning that those are expected to cover their full cost. Example of that would be rentals or the golf course, and this may not be everything that occurs within that program type. But as a whole, any of that categorization should be cost recovery plus and the intention behind, that is, taking, paying for the services, first, st that those individuals are benefiting from, and then using any of the what some people would call profit, and reinvesting that into the community benefit programs where there is a higher and greater community need.

[77:06] This is the 1st time you're seeing this. It won't be the last time. We will give you more examples. But I just want to call out, this is the fee policy that guides how we set our fees. And then we do create a fee schedule that goes through a process that's called the city manager rule. So you will hear more about that. But basically, we provide public notice. But the fees are increasing, and then there's ample time to provide feedback on it, and then that gets implemented on a set timeframe, and that's part of the information we'll be sharing with you in June. I'll just mention as the tenure in 2023 we had lengthy discussion about this policy. What should be 90% cost recovery? What should be 50? What should be a hundred? 3 years later? I still feel pretty good about what we decided. I guess we'll see what y'all think. But this was

[78:00] this is the product that's the press work. Thank you, Bernie? Yeah, I did not hate to say that, so I appreciate it alright. So that really wraps up the operating budget. I will pause. This was a lot of information. You aren't seeing any numbers tonight. We are still working with everything to develop those numbers, and we'll have numbers for you next month. But are there any questions on the operating side? I sort of have a question, and I don't know if it's within this conversation is so the maintenance of the rec centers. That's all part of the operations budget right? It is both operating and capital. Oh, okay. the operating aspect of it is more the electric, the janitorial the cost of just the general upkeep. And then we do have a capital budget that goes in towards our facilities department, going in new paint on the walls. New carpet go ahead under 50,000. So things, yeah, 50,000. Right? So things that are going to be more by the operating which is

[79:08] built into the recreation centers budget, and then also facilities budget to maintain some of that. Thank you. And I was just going to double click on the why. So we talk a lot about who benefits pays right parks, the entire community benefits. They're proven on the myriad of benefits parks provide to the entire community. So taxes pay for them, and they are free and open access for everyone. Recreation centers the entire community benefits from the existence of them. If you you know, we know that communities and quality of life and economic vitality and well-being are all improved by the existence of the facility. So those existence costs. Those capital costs are not passed on to the users. The users benefit from the operation of the facility, and they pay for the operations. So capital is embedded in the sales. Tax fees, general fund special measures. Operations are funded by user fees with subsidies directed as appropriate.

[80:07] All right, we're going to shift to the Cip capital investment program you saw this last month. This is really focused on where the Cip projects are occurring over the next 2 years. An estimated completion. Timeline as you can see, it is spread out throughout the city. We have noticed just with how Boulder was built. We are kind of rotating through in a clockwise direction. So there are different improvements, more so on the north and east side currently and then South had some recent investments about 5 years ago. Like, is there a difference between yellow, purple, purple refers to rec centers? More physical buildings and orange is more park assets. Okay. did I get that? Right? Mark? Yeah, just the Rex standard work. Everything in green is our properties.

[81:01] I believe you also got this last month, or I'm sorry. 2 weeks ago. Asset management is really taking care of what we have. This aligns with one of the 22 Department Plan recommendations, parks and Rec facilities is really the 6 year outlook of our facilities and parks, and how we're taking care of them. And then system planning is more of that future. Look ahead. How are we planning for the recreation system that we want to have as a city mark touched on asset management the different categories as far as where we're putting funding. Currently, this is the 2026 funding that was already written in as the placeholder. Last year, as we developed the budget, you can see courts, refers to everything from tennis to pickleball. Primarily, irrigation is taking care of our irrigation systems underground, but keeps our grass looking great aquatic facilities. Is really taking care of the pools planning ahead for the pool life cycle

[82:00] parking lots refers to access and mobility for not just the parking lots, but bike parking. And then sidewalks and pathways that provide entrance into our amazing parks. We have historic properties, sports fields, play areas, shelters, and bathrooms. All of these different asset management categories came from the 22 department plan as well as best practice. So I'm not going to go into all of them. But this is the current funding that's set aside for each of them. To Mark's point. We are probably underfunded in all of these, and that's the work that we're hoping to bring back to you in a month or 2. That shows what level of underfunding we have for each of our asset categories. Park projects. These really focus on the renovation projects over the next 5 years. We have the Boulder Junction Pocket Park. Over by 30th and Pearl. We have the North Boulder Park that you'll hear more about later tonight. Pleasant view will be starting very late this year early next year. You already asked questions on the Bill Bauer Park, and then boulder reservoir. We've had repaving the road and parking lots on the work plan for 2 or 3 years and

[83:12] are very excited to get to that this year. This is only highlighting the 25 and 26 projects. Mainly because the 25 funds are what's appropriated currently and we will be talking more through the out your cip at the next 2 meetings. Sure. Other renovation projects include the Boulder Reservoir Dock. This is making it Ada accessible. New signage at Belmont Bike Park. Their park was completed in 2011, 2012, and just needs updating of signs and assets. At this point Barker Park refresh serves downtown and is directly adjacent to a preschool, and then you'll be hearing more about the Evange fine Park refresh plan for 2026.

[84:02] As Stacey mentioned earlier, we do receive citywide funding for the community culture, resilience and safety tax, previously called Ccs. The 3 projects funded in parks and immigration are the civic area phase 2. This was at City Council last Thursday. The Pearl Street Mall refresh includes both Ccrs as well as money from the Cajun, the downtown district, and then East Boulder Community Center, you'll be hearing more about what is Kj central area, general Improvement district? It's the business district that covers most of downtown. And so they get special funding. It's a lot of what downtown boulder, partnership and community vitality administer. separate from the proposed new correct. It would the part of the whole. And, in fact, that's an update we can give you, maybe with next month's consent, agenda. Last last week at City Council they talked about a proposed, but I see she homies actually here. They talked about a downtown development authority. Part of that district's analysis is looking at

[85:02] does what is the overlay with the existing business improvement districts to those shift and change. If there's a development Authority, she, Homi, do you want to add anything to that? Yeah, I think, as we look at what those districts really can become or do for these different areas, civic area will be included in some of that study as well as Pearl Street, is overseen by Cajun and another special district. But it's how do we sort of collaborate on these districts and gain funding for either cip improvements or operating dollars, and I'm sorry I should have introduced you more appropriately for your 1st touch with this board. This is Shihomi Kuryagawa. She's a senior landscape architect on our team. She's the project manager for the civic area meetings or the civic area reinvestment. And so, if you haven't yet seen that council meeting. I encourage you to listen or watch she homey, and the represented the civic area incredibly well. We had a great conversation with city council, followed by last week's conversation on Dda's business improvement districts, and just the funding mechanisms for all the the downtown work.

[86:04] Thanks, Shirley. Cool. And then this is why planning really is looking at the future of things. It's planning for the plans that will guide future capital investments. Here are a few different plans that are in the works or planned over the existing 6 year. Cip. I'm not going to go into too much detail as we mentioned earlier 2020 5 funding is all that's appropriated right now. Everything in the out years is kind of written on a whiteboard and pencil, and may shuffle and rearrange. But these numbers look much more accurate than they have few months ago. Alright! That wraps up the presentation. I do appreciate all the questions that you asked throughout. We do have questions for you. As Stacy showed in the timeline. We are going to be back with you for the next 3 months talking about budget, the operating and capital. This was the High Level 1st touch. We are curious. What other information are you after we have about 78,000 line items for our department budget that we aren't going to give you 70,000 line items to sift through. That we try to have a very high level rolled up budget when we bring it to you. But any questions that you have, or information that makes our presentations better, and gives us the time to get you the information that you need.

[87:24] I I have a feeling it's just me because I'm new, but I I would like to have a better grasp of the South Bull Direct Center. Like, where are we in terms? And like again, this probably because I'm new. But where are we? In terms of concept design? I I know I spoke, speaking with Ali, that there is, I think, some meetings coming up soon that we're gonna kind of know better about the budget might be at least at this conceptual phase. But is there a reason that that the South Boulder Rec center isn't on these slides, is it? Because it's just still being evolving, or because I didn't even see like even a marker. It's within the future of rec centers I'm assuming. But it's within that. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm happy to speak to that, that the it's in the future of rec centers. And Erin Wagner is the project manager for that senior landscape architect, and she'll be coming back to prep.

[88:21] And she's working furiously this week, long hours to get the needs assessment ready, and the information package for that for internal review, and then probably be able to see where that lands and that'll sort of provide information on what next steps we might want to take in regards to the Rec. Centers. So we'll know about that in the next meeting we'll get materials. I want to connect dots to the timeline thing we talked about last week, just you and i 1 on one. The the critical status update now is that there is no funding for design or investment in the New South Recreation Center that's going to be a key topic. That city council wrestles with over the next 2 months as they talk about the long term financial strategy. That conversation partnered with the needs assessment mark is talking about will inform what happens next specifically with South. So currently based on the conversations we've had, the thinking is is that

[89:17] it would be included with a tool for consideration, right? Because it will depend on polling and a whole bunch of process between now and really, exactly this time next year, with the community through a project called Fund, our Future, which now has a website and the engagement plan, where the community will prioritize what goes on the ballot. And then the community will determine how they vote at the ballot. And so our work until then is to make sure there's enough information to have informed decisions, and through that through the future of Rec Project fund. Our future is the citywide engagement plan for the long term financial strategy. So if I look at 25, the ballot strategy, the work of

[90:02] City Council and the Financial Strategy Committee is about taking care of what we have at a poor service level 26 would be about enhancements or major building replacement, because it's such a significant dollar amount. There's a lot of reasons to align it with an even year election. And to make sure we've 1st taken care of those base core needs. So fund our future is what they're calling that next year of work with the community. There's going to be community forums. There's so that, and maybe at May or June depending on. Maybe June May 8th is the next Council conversation at the May meeting. We'll give you a status update on that and the timeline for the fund. Our future project and the long term financial strategy and fund. Our future is so that will direct the ballot measure. But the 26 ballot measure correct, great. But the Council. So the role of the council in that you said in the next couple of months they're sort of grappling with what? What is it? What kind of questions are they trying to answer at this point.

[91:09] I think it's a little bit of everything. How much does it cost to replace building? What is the appetite for willingness to pay from the voters. And what are the long term implications of operating that facility? Not just the initial capital investment, but the ongoing operations and maintenance of the building of assets. and the Funder future is taking care of what we have. But potentially southbound direct would happen through a bond measure against the Ccrs tax. Is that right, did you say against the Ccrs. Or a bond measure funded by the Ccrs? It'd be a new, a new additional tax. a new test. So so, not a bond. Well, that's different. But the conversation for 26 is. And again, we're a year ahead of it. Right? Yeah. The conversation is, what are the items? The community is interested in putting on the ballot. This is. And it's not just parks and recreation. It's new Public Safety Buildings. It's maintenance facilities of which, you know we we have our own also

[92:16] that all is going to get sorted out between now and next May ballot language gets developed over the summer, and then there'd be a November election. I just thought I thought it was 2 separate things I thought South boulder Rec and taking care of what we have were 2 separate 25 is taking care of what we have. That's the 25 core service level focus. It does not include major building replacement, because that's tens of millions of dollars that is considered an enhancement and part being bundled with 26 conversation. So are we working with the Council? As all the you know, all the questions you said they're kind of on the table. Are we working somehow, collaborating with the Council on, you know, answering those questions, or kind of what I'm just trying to figure out what our role is in this early stage leading. Well, parks. I don't know. Well, Jackson can talk about what Staff are doing, and then we can talk about how we're consulting with you also. So, Staff, we are updating. What is our lifecycle cost, what are unfunded needs? And that's for the 25 measure. The 26 measure is looking more under future. What are the fiscally constrained action and vision level items that we won't get to from the 22 department plan.

[93:29] What is the cost for providing those? And those basically get rolled up to an unfunded or underfunded needs list that this the private review and then that ultimately goes along to the executive budget team and city council for awareness, and what they would like to do with that. So we will have a voice in. I guess, making a recommendation to council about that correct? Let me give you some guidance like what is the best way for. So you know. Obviously, I think

[94:02] probably most of us here are going to be advocates for the needs of this department. And we want to show up in the political space and advocate. So I think we will need guidance from staff on like. When are good times to do that? In addition to showing up at engagement forums? Whatever else like? When when would it be good for one of us or all of us to show up at a city council meeting and say, we need to perhaps say, X, yeah. And I'm not a, you know. I don't even answer right now. But like, we want to keep that in focus, we take your action from the July meeting and provide that to the Executive Budget team and city Council. and that's included in their packet as a guidance from the Board as a tool that my recommendation is, if you feel strongly about this, that is something that we should make sure is included and reflected in whatever you're approving in July, and that way that is communicated up. We will also have someone from the city's finance department come and give another update on the long term financial strategy. But the 25 and 26 ballot measure as part of the budget process that we're going through. So she will be able to hear the concerns of this board as well. Thank you. That would have to go as a board.

[95:12] Exactly so. I love Jackson's suggestion that, as you recommend the budget to council. You can say the prab recommends the budget, you know, as proposed. So our goal is going to be that you know. We get what we call a clean. Read that through these next couple of months of conversation. You're providing input, we bring you a draft budget in July, June, June, July, July is Cip. Thank you. So you'll see the draft budget in June. You give feedback thoughts, concerns. We do what we can with it, and then in July we can pass along your recommendation to council at that point. You could also say, these 3 bullets we want reflected in our comments to council, which is what would make sure shows up in the memo a logistic item on that is for you all to agree on words. Sometimes the prab has.

[96:00] after that June meeting appointed 2 members to work together on those bullets that you all could review and approve at that July meeting, because you can't do it as a body in between the meeting right because of open records. So, and that language would look something like we support a ballot measure because Parks is 500 million dollars underfunded. That's up to you. All right, like that's that would be based on your engagement in the budget. What we've shared is the recommended budget what we've talked about with the gaps, the updates you've heard on the long term financial strategy. Jenny. Maybe let's count when we have our agenda setting meeting on Thursday. Let's maybe find a place on the calendar for that great. I'm just food for thought as we think about what kind of bullet points we'd want to put in there. how we would make it not sounds specific, but specific enough, and to follow up again on Bernie's question. That's as a body as individuals. You're welcome to do whatever you like, and certainly you just. You just would not be speaking on behalf of the board.

[97:09] Any other questions, comments. Okay. thank you all. You'll see us for the next 3 months. I'm sorry if you get sick of us, but thank you so much. All right. Thank you so much. Jackson and Stacey, coming up to the table, is a landscape architect on our team, crystal Fisher. Mark is, gonna say a little bit more about why you see it. Yeah. Okay. right down the door. This is Christophe, as Ali mentioned, landscape architect and the plan design construction team. Christoph's been with us for years, probably is. And he came from private practice. So he's brought some really excellent skills in design and construction. And, frankly, is looking physically constrained environment. He's doing great work on how we think about cost estimating and really good background.

[98:11] We, you know, I think the present Board members who've been around a few years know we've. Frankly our team was down 2 people when I arrived about 2 and a half years ago, and we're nearly fully staffed at 15. So we're super excited to get this project back on track. And it's been working really hard for the community to try and get this on the ground in 2026, and I feel grateful that we've got it in. Well, thanks for the introduction mark. And yeah. Glad to be here. I am, as Mark said, Crystal fisher landscape architect in the Parks planning team, working directly with. She has spoken just before. And then also mark. And yeah, intimate involvement with everyone here in the room.

[99:08] Yeah, I'm gonna dive right in. It is one of my favorite parks, not just because I happen to live in the area north fold. The park is also highly frequented. It is well as a neighborhood park and we have community members of all ages really enjoying the space they are recreating. And they're enjoying a wide variety of activities which I think is also one of the things that makes this park so great is like just a range of of things we see people do and and enjoy quick overview of what we would like to cover in the quick presentation upfront, and then we'll open it up, obviously to questions to you all. At the end. So a little bit about project background time into what Mark just hinted at

[100:01] our timeline going forward, but also what we've been up to in the past community engagement. Some has already happened more to come. Updates the values of the park. Nature play or natural play sort of a big focus. I'm not sure how much you have brought to problem. This is not much. Internally, we've had lots of conversations, updated concept design, which is probably one of the more exciting parts to really get sort of a a 1st look at how we're thinking that part could be shaped in the future. A little bit of existing activities that are currently occurring in the park, and that the community is looking forward to and then the shade shelter, which is sort of one of the other things where we think there's a lot of opportunity. In order to spruce it up and and make it even more more usable. I'll wrap it up with next steps and then turn it over to you. For the project background. The scope has sort of expanded a little bit, but we always set out with a sort of a core frame of what was needed, and luckily we've already gone through a couple of those. The restrooms have been updated.

[101:17] And that was 1st and foremost. They were 3 seasons, and we had to winterize them, which is obviously a a maintenance requirement to make sure you time the 1st freeze right? But then they're also a commission, while we sometimes have a beautiful October. So, getting heat installed, and then making them universal, was one of those things. We did so. Luckily those were open 365 days, barring any any vandalism. And then we have removed the old and the partially broken fitness equipment, which was somewhat unfortunate, located pretty close to the playground that little kids not infrequently went over there and got their fingers pinched. So the new fitness equipment is located in a spot a little further west which, where it has natural shade, as one of the things being really awesome when working out in the summer.

[102:05] but it is also sort of ensuring a little bit of separation between user groups, because we do have people bringing a little Bluetooth speaker wanting to work out, and probably a different intensity than a taller being at a playground. So I think we've achieved that and then just sort of a glimpse at our existing picnic shelter. And yeah. I'm sure you guys know the the park, but unfortunately, our roof is coming down so low that we can't even see the flat iron. So that's 1 of the things we're trying to change by also allowing more light into the space, changing up the colors a little bit, making it more inviting and friendly, because this is a sunny day and we're we're getting shade. But that's about it. Another focus. And this is something that has emerged as we were really diving into the project is, I want to just highlight on. This is a picture from pretty much exactly a month ago, and we are standing. My cursor is not showing up, but we're standing, or the picture is taken towards that confluence of the 3 pipes. That are meeting right at 9th Street and dealt with so beyond

[103:11] the flood flooding is the new Alpine balsam, Western City campus. And one of the things that is under construction now is that flood channel which will convey a lot of that water which is sitting in the area downstream. So as we are getting ready downstream, we want to also make sure that North Boulder Park conveys that water that's coming from the neighborhood efficiently and also in channels that we can control more. And where it's designed to go as opposed to just flooding large parts of the grass. The water does go down pretty quickly, but, as we all know, it stays soggy for a long time. So one of the things we're looking at is. how can we bolster the resilience of the park and our amenities? For for the long term. Here our maintenance team spends, unfortunately, too much time a few times a year cleaning up the playground after a flood where all the gravel and all the smaller materials just wash and wash down

[104:09] towards that area, and so painstakingly having to put this back together, and our goal is to really make sure the water can go where it's designed to go. And we want to protect critical infrastructure like that little flooding map is a model that we had a consultant do for us where a hundred year flood scenario is being modeled, and you can clearly see where our shade shelter is, and how the water will flow around it. Can I ask a question? Was the one in your flood scenario? What was the what was the reason for just 100 instead of 500. Here, for example. I mean, was your expert telling you that that's all you needed. 100 year. Yeah, I think the thing is, we have to sort of balance the dollar spent versus sort of what we're trying to future proof us. So we work with public works utilities, and they have it on their work plan, or had it on their work plan for 2920, 2920,

[105:10] 2030 to upgrade these pipes from 18 inches what they currently are to the numbers you see there, 36 inches so, and with circular pipes. This is not doubling the volume that can flow through that it's almost quadruple. So it is actually a significant undertaking to get drainage infrastructure underneath existing assets that we have so more on that a little later. But the the point being is, public works, utilities works to a 5 year standard. And that's what we're gonna get to later is like our goal is to design at least to a 10 or a 25 year. Flood event, knowing that those will come. But it's again. It's a 3 season shelter. We don't have full mechanical systems in there. So again. a recreation center that cost us 40 million dollars needs to be differently future approved, as opposed to a call it half 1 million dollars

[106:13] whole dive into the project schedule. So the lower part sort of like a graphic summary of what the top summarizes. But we've done a planning analysis where a lot of our sort of flood modeling has and influence previous engagement efforts were being put into the concept design, which we completed in late 2024 and sort of polished up in early 2025 went out to the public in March for an engagement window. And then our. We're also gonna present parts of it here tonight. And then, right now, we're already working in the early stages of schematic design, getting all our individual sub consultants back together and then going forward the rest of 2025 design development. We're budgeting around 5 months for that. And then right at the turn of the the next year, we're gonna do construction documentation.

[107:08] dive into technical document review with planning and development services. Which is followed by an Rfb. Request for bids for contractors interested to build this negotiation phase and then permitting with pnds. and then, hopefully, in late 2026 at the very beginning of 2027 we can start construction, and we expect around 6 months, 7 months of construction and shoot our shooting currently for a grand opening around the mid of the year. So 4th of July celebration, plus or minus community engagement, always an important part. This was window to. I just hinted at it. We had lovely weather in mid-march, out in the park. We had Jeff and Paige perform a concert for you, but we had from I don't know how many groups of volleyball players who are just there every Sunday to also just people who were visiting from not even the neighborhood, but really

[108:09] all ages, showed up and provided feedback on on the things we presented, but also just concerns that they had. And then we also allowed for a 2 week online period for any people who couldn't make it that Sunday into the park to email us feedback, and we had all the posters up there as well. I believe they are still up. It's just that the common period has closed. It was largely very positive feedback for what we thought was a pretty, not aggressive move, but it was definitely something that the community didn't expect. It was definitely more than a playground replacement. A lot of the questions that we're getting is like, why is it not done? And I think I hinted at it before public Works utilities had it on their work plan for 29 to get the pipe replaced. But to us it didn't really make sense to put a new playground on top, only to tear it back out to then redo it

[109:10] and I want to thank Mark for that, because not only did he? Work with public works utilities to get with us onto a table and move their timeline up, we actually got them to contribute to the tune of a million and a half, so that we could take on putting this infrastructure in place, but obviously bringing a more design, heavy, a more play friendly. A more park amenity side to something that's a needed infrastructure improvement. And we also heard a lot of excitement around nature play, and that sort of goes to playing with natural materials. We want to move away from post and platform, those painted metal structures to get that get terribly hot, the plastic it is holding up somewhat here in this harsh weather that we have in Colorado and and all the free salt cycles. So we do want to transition more to timbers and boulders, which also get hot, but not as hot as metal.

[110:09] and then loose materials, was something that really came up, and sticks little rocks, branches, just something that yeah, kids can can get their hands on, and something that may not be there in the same shape tomorrow. And sort of that excitement. Can come every day. One of the more sort of critical voices. That we heard a few times was maintenance needs and sort of like. Well, if you go to timber, wouldn't that take more maintenance as opposed to a metal structure? And yes, while that does take more maintenance on that side. It is also a lot cheaper, though, to replace our forestry team has to take down trees anyway, and while they might not be safe anymore where a car is parked underneath. If they're laying down on the ground, we can use those and have they have play value. But again, the input cost isn't as high as if we were sourcing a piece of or a spare part of a play equipment piece that has to come from overseas.

[111:11] We also get a lot of support for lower water. Use plantings where we want to transition some of the turf areas into a more naturalized meadow configuration, open turf will remain. A lot of people enjoy the park as is. That was one of the things we heard. Give us the space to have picnics give us the space to run the little soccer camps in the summer, and we want to play. Pick up ultimate Frisbee. And there is a lot of volleyball. So we wanna make sure we balance this. But, on the other hand, we we know that with with a native meadow that we only mow every second or 3rd time, as opposed to the the turf grass, we do cut down on on maintenance hours, and provide some habitat for for pollinators. feedback of a summary of sort of play activities. Lots of kids. And also the parents seconded that sort of like playing loose materials, but also the traditional ones. Climbing, sliding, swinging, being on top of of features is something that that kids really want to do. And for the picnic shelter. It ranged from renting it out for birthday parties to movie nights, concerts.

[112:24] gatherings of of all sorts. I think we had more than 20 unique activities that people brought to the table. And then, obviously, once that got like 30 or 40 votes. So the community is passionate about it and wants it to be a space that that can be enjoyed project updates so as we have taken the initial feedback from the community and then transitioned into what we internally called the framework plan, which is sort of a concept design, but framework sort of a more holistic approach. What is emerged as the 4 W's well, fitness and wellness being a big, a big part of North Boulder Park. I'm thinking about cross country skiing. We just mentioned the Fitness Court.

[113:15] but also water North Boulder Park. It was a glacial lake. It isn't really a surprise to us that it floods. So while we have issues, we also know water is a very precious resource here in the West. So we want to make sure we're bringing a focus to it. And not only do we want to use it sparingly for irrigation purposes. We also want to manage the storm water well and whimsy is something that we want to bring some more playfulness back, and some encourage play, exploration, reimagination, and not only to kids, but to everyone who who uses the park. And last, but not least, wild. And this is sort of rewilding a little bit of our park. I just mentioned it, taking a little bit of the turf grass away, and allowing for for more diverse play opportunities throughout the park. I'll hint at that a little more

[114:09] as we get into the framework plan. Nature play at the play typology. So there's 4 types of play. One is gross motor skills which everyone is familiar with, and a lot of our playgrounds and play equipment are dominated by it. But it takes a certain alpha type personality kid to really take or will take over that space. And it does not leave many opportunities for a lot of other kids which probably prefer fine motor skills or creative and collaborative, or what we say here, imaginative play. And then we have quiet and contemplative play. So those are all very different types. And what we're trying to do is we're trying to have a main play area with your traditional sort of, you know, play structures constructed of more natural materials. But then we want to bring play throughout the park so that there is play nodes, and there's little reading nooks. And there's outdoor classrooms, or there are sort of exploratory areas sort of dotted throughout, as it meanders

[115:16] through the park, just also inviting people to really use more of the park as opposed to frequenting 1 1 spot. And all this ties into our desire to really create universal, accessible play. So we wanna have kids and people of all ages and abilities be able to use our playgrounds and not just the one accessible feature that's right. Next to the parking lot. We wanna really bring everyone into the park and invite them to have a have a wonderful time and just be be part of it as opposed to be on the edge of it.

[116:00] Updated concept plan. So large parts of this are funded, and yes. large parts of the park are funded. Only the area that's grayed out is something that we currently don't have funding for, and again, huge kudos to mark for constantly trying to fill that bucket as we are facing higher expenses and costs, and then the public works utilities. Help obviously does does its part as well. And then the little blue piece at the top right of the page is the Alpine Balsam project, which was also mentioned before. That one is already under construction, and that'll set us up to really tie in with our drainage infrastructure. Into what then follows the the Goose Creek or the Upper Goose Creek, there along the Western city campus, and then the small areas a. I just want to acknowledge them. The Fitness court and the restroom upgrades. They already have been completed.

[117:06] But sort of as the the bigger moves on. This, on this concept plan is the sort of more yellow. Towards 9.th The page top that would be turf grass converted into more native or naturalized plant material, still keeping large parts of the of the turf grass, creating that event. Lawn, which is 9, just south or page, right of the shade shelter, and then we want to move one of the baseball fields or the softball fields to the South to in order to give us that event, lawn space and help us also out with some grading that needs to happen anyway, to solve mentioned flooding issues. But I think the the big, utter takeaway from this is the trees will stay in place. We're actually going to plant more trees. We want to increase the canopy. We want to introduce the concept of recreation trees where you are allowed to

[118:02] hammock, to slack line, to climb. to bring that sort of fun back and while that make might take a toll on on a tree or 2. If if we just plant a robust set of more trees. I think we can afford to have that luxury and that fun for our kids or us to play on. And then, lastly, the dry creek is sort of this thing that really excites us on the planning team so tremendously, and the community was very receptive to that rather than sinking a bunch of money in an underground pipe that can convey the water. Can we tell the story? Can we daylight it? Can we have a dry creek for most of the year. It will be dry. So if we have a rain event that it can convey the water. But it is sort of this huge opportunity to do something educational about water. but also allow for these little pockets where we invite kids to play in and I think one of the the

[119:00] the more fun things about it is, it really will change part of North Boulder Park, and that sort of meandering is obviously still concept very idealistic and engineering might might straighten out a few of those things. But we just really are so excited all these number threes and fours that you see dotted along. Which are these little nature play nooks where we really wanna make sure that everyone finds a spot that they're comfortable in. But again, it is visible from the larger turf area. You are visible from the road. We're not trying to create some hedged off things where where we have things occur that we don't want in our parks, like all still being very accessible, and and we have consultants who are luckily very skilled in that where it's like, well, if you limb up the bottom 30 inches well, you can always see underneath, but the head is is hidden. So your kids have the feeling that they're playing away from you. But as a parent, you can actually observe where they're at. Or if there's some someone in that space

[120:01] existing activities, a very important topic. As I mentioned, lots of user groups from baseball to soccer camps to renting out the shade shelter. We have the boulder Nordic club grooming out there, and to the left you'll see a heat map from the past year. It's pretty funny how it already shows how we had the construction fence up for the Alpine balsam. You can see how it sort of segwayed already in. as opposed to the the loop that it traditionally has done and on the right. We're just trying to demonstrate that even though with the park improvements we can make that loop work, and it will have roughly the same distance, we will again be able to allow for an inner loop. And all the other activities that are currently occurring. We we want to preserve. We actually want to add to them the shade shelter is one of these prime examples, where we align very intimately with one of the principles of taking care of what we have rather than what was initial opinions. I'll just tear it down and start over.

[121:06] We have a consultant on board. Who is very skilled and can see the grander vision, and we're very quick to really say no. You got good bones. That roof is sound. Those walls are sound, your foundation is good. We can really work with this. And we're all very excited to continue that that relationship. But one of the moves I hinted at before, and you can see it on the south side the roof starts tilting up, and I think this is one of the the small things, because we can keep 75% of the existing roof, but by tilting it up we allow more sun in, especially during the wintertime. but when the sun angle is higher, we still get a decent amount of shade in there, which is also what's needed. and then bringing in the bringing in. The sorry not bringing in. We wanna next slide. This opens it better. We're looking towards the east on the top right picture, and we want to take out the storage core right now. We have a few chairs stored in there. We have some electrical stuff in there. We have an irrigation clock. All of this can be relocated.

[122:16] But if we take out that storage core, not only are we getting a bigger flexible space, we're also allowing a direct line of sight to the new playground or the main play area. But we have sort of a distance where the kids feel like they're playing and have their space versus parents. Have have a a shady spot to to to sit in and converse. and then by making it a 3 season shelter one of the things that we've been looking at with Jackson's team and with our asset. Senior asset manager is currently the shelter brings in around $8,000 in revenue. but it will be very easily for us if we convert this to a 3 season shelter, to double and triple this just because we have a longer rental season. Right now. The shelter can be rented from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and by making it 3 season we can easily go from September through November, and we can allow for other uses.

[123:13] Does that mean it's gonna have heat? Is that what you said? No, since it's 3 season. It will not have a full Hvac system, but we will have sort of a little prep, sink, or kitchenette in there to wash out art supplies or clean up after a call it wine and cheese event, or whatever that may be. But no, we would then shut it down for the winter, the cost to do a true 4 season facility is unfortunately a little too high for what we 1st of all consider a shelter, and then, and then, secondly, what the budget allows for last thing I'll hint on is and then the extension of the roof to the east, where it's it's a little hard to see in the top left picture, but sort of the roof starts to erode away. It plays nicely with on that existing tree that is actually in that location, but it'll also allow for for play with a partial shade, which is one of the things we really hear from parents is like we need areas of of natural shade.

[124:15] We're more than just a shade sail or an umbrella where our kids can play in for next steps. We will use the year to the advance. The design schematic design is happening right now. We'll transition into design development. And at the same time we're teaming up with growing up older. And we're gonna do a what we call a team focus this year. This is one of the user groups that is underrepresented in that neighborhood, and one of the goals is to get them into the park to invite them in, and then also to sort of find out what it is that they want to do, and what we need to do to facilitate that we want teams in the park.

[125:00] Can you translate for us where you're doing schematic design. Now and then you said, you're moving into design development. Can you help us understand what that means? Yes, so concept design is, as we see right here. It's very colorful. It's very diagrammatic, although this is I we could almost call this a schematic design level. And then so in schematic design. Really, we start to look into that all these relationships work and that the drainage will work. The engineers are starting to get more involved. We're really tying the pieces together. And then for design development. This is then sort of the more we're getting into a black and white plan environment that most of us know from typical house and landscape construction, and it is then looking at charts looking at flow numbers, making sure our walkways meet meet Ada standards, and that all the grades line up. And then in construction documentation, which is the last step. We didn't have all the classic details, cross sections.

[126:02] everything that's sort of needed to hand set of plans off, or to send them out to bid, and then contractors really putting putting a firm number to it. Thank you. We are planning another engagement window for the late fall where we're gonna take, said design development and bring it to the community, invite them one more time, for around the feedback, which will then directly influence our final design phase just mentioned the the construction documentation. and we would like to come back in front of the prab again in spring of 2026, where we will have the finished design development plans and the results from the late 2025, community feedback, and then again invite another round of dialogue and feedback, which will then influence our final set of drawings.

[127:02] What percentage of the open lawn is going to be reduced in that concept plan? Do you have an idea of that in this concept? I think we are looking at about 30%. If we're sort of taking away the grayed out areas which will stay and things like that, we did hear feedback that that was maybe a little bit of an aggressive move, and there is a certain appetite for just keeping a lot of of turf grass in North Boulder Park was that if you had to rank the priorities was keeping the lawn open, was that one of the higher priorities for the, I think an easy way to answer it was, Christopher showed. We promised the community that we'll keep all the existing activities and the square footage, and what we're looking at is really the underutilized spaces for the conversion turf grass. And obviously you can't do it under the trees because of the amount of shade you'll end up with green islands you have to irrigate. So we'll be balancing it really in those areas where there is less trees. And then the community engagement that's contemplated.

[128:09] How? How do you conduct that? Who do you reach out to, and how do you reach out? Is it the users of the park, or is it when you have an event, you invite people? Or how does that go? Yeah, yeah. I'll just speak to the most recent window that we just had in March, and sort of how we went about it. We sent out a a newsletter that is, going out to everyone who signed up for the parks and rec newsletter. And then we also have a subgroup which is the North Boulder Park Renovation project, which I think is a list of 250 people. On top of that we did send out a mailing via regular Us. Postal in the neighborhood, and I think it spanned 3 blocks on either side of the park. So we were going. Basically, I think we stopped at Broadway and then went all the way actually to 3rd Street, and then captured. A number of blocks on on either side. We have a a radius. I think it was 1,400 households that we captured.

[129:05] We put it out on our social media channels, and then we had Jeff and Paige, who obviously are not, and they work their channels as well to draw people in, and I think the turnout turnout of around 400, or even 450 people, I think, spoke well, for for it being mid march, can I just add, that's and we're shifting a little bit from just purely doing events because you only get like one stop shop into what we're calling like engagement programming. And that's the example Christoph mentioned growing up boulder, where we will work with teams over the course of a year and then build a relationship with those teams. And some of those teams even might talk take on leadership positions within, because we've got an internship program for play activators. So there's ways for us to build the engagement to. Not just be about a 1 off. Give us some feedback. Thanks. We'll head off. We'll actually, hopefully, in this case, allow youth to build a better relationship with the park and see this

[130:02] like, you also asked about the user groups, and I know the team has directly been in contact with North Florida Little League and with Boulder North, who has the grooming agreement for the cross track. So there is also, while there's the open community engagement, there's targeted conversations with key community organizations, with like the ultimate Frisbee group or the volleyball players, and we try to reach out to as many as we can. and wherever we sort of have a a contact for, and if if we have not gotten to a group yet. Bring them forward my email address and my phone number on the project page. We're always happy to talk to them. Ali just mentioned the Boulder Nordic Club. They asked for a meeting. We're going to meet this Friday. We have our in-house Bpr. Volleyball League there. Obviously we're getting them into the room like, There's there's that that stuff is happening. But yes, I want to make sure we we capture everyone. So where would the volleyball players play in this area they set up. I wish I had brought that graph. It's so funny because I was thinking about the graphic Mike to your question in tiers. One of the graphics they have shows the amount of soccer fields, little league fields, volleyball nets.

[131:12] and even though there's a reduction in irrigated turf. There's not a reduction in those activities to connect the dots to mark. So somewhere in that bigger green area in the middle there, that's where they would have be able to set up there. I think we've laid it out. We can easily fit about 14 volleyball setups in that configuration, and I can't speak at the top of my head what the soccer configurations are, because the field size obviously changes by age group. But there, we have accounted for the soccer camps that are currently happening in the summer will have that field space. And what we've also found is there isn't all that much overlap like little League baseball happens at a different time than this volleyball, which is predominantly happening on Sunday. Ultimate frisbee is usually a weeknight. So like we we have where groups use the space at different times and different days. So we we can allow for this flex space there. Well, I just want to say it looks beautiful, beautiful. I mean, it looks amazing. I love the Dry Creek area.

[132:12] I love the fact that it's serving another purpose for flooding. And you know, pushing the water to that sea area, I think that's amazing. And I just I love what you all are doing. Everything is just beautiful, and it's exciting. And the the only question I really had was just making sure that current users were, you know, satisfied and not feeling like they got pushed out. I did have a question about 2 things teens getting teen feedback and the roof the roof line on the shelter being that sort of the. What I'm thinking about is snow collection. And I'm assuming somebody's thinking about this. But like, I can imagine, that could potentially be a load issue, and somebody's gonna need to deal with that. I don't know. Has somebody been talking about how you get the snow out of there?

[133:02] Yes. So this is feasibility study early on. But yes, our consultants intimately aware of. But we've we're running sort of solar studies, and obviously on the bigger part of the roof. The taller part of the roof is south, facing, so we are going to see that snow melt pretty quickly, but it will have some sort of tilt to the west, where we are then going to collect the water in a rain garden and around the shelter, and then at some point, yes, and that's a play thing for the children, too. It's like you can do some rain barrels and rain chains. Turn that into thing, whatever it is. Yeah, I just point out that it's tress birds. Oh, trust birds. Yeah. And they are just fantastic. It's a recycled approach. Yeah. And they've been down to work in Boulder. So it's brilliant, wonderful! That's great. The whole consult team from this Anitas group is a civil engineer to stream as a landscape. Architects trust birds. Like, yeah, it's a good group. Everyone wants to work together. So it looks amazing. It looks really cool. Oh, yeah, one more question.

[134:07] I have teens at home. So I'm thinking, okay, what would my kids want in this park? How do you? I mean, you're talking about, you know, maintaining relationship. But is there any sense yet on what would make this even more teenage friendly? Well, what a little bit of a concern popped up for me because I'm across from Harlow Park, Harlow plaques and those areas that are kind of down a little bit and hidden. They can be areas where teens do things that they shouldn't be doing. And so I'm just curious to know, like what? Yeah, I hear you. What you're saying is, these guys know what they're doing to protect the little kids and bad things from happening in that area. But how do we? How are you all thinking about? just what? What would make teens happy in this space other than the sports contact. Even? Yeah. Yeah.

[135:01] So we've found. And that's obviously not scientific. But it's it seems to resonate. Well, teens love to be a little bit away from parents and younger kids, but rather than sort of also being tucked away. What also is very effective is if they are in vantage points, and if you, if they are above you or they have somewhere, we're sort of like they look down on on the rest of it, which is ironically a pretty prominent point where everyone else can see him. But still that seems to resonate. Well, so we're trying to figure out. How can we incorporate with topography, with also again opening up some of our trees for climbing? Can we get sort of a playful art structure in there. I think the conversations are starting new. Come up and we will really wanna work with growing up older? Who they haven't into some of those teens where we don't need to rely on on them to bring their friend group and and really start to to bring their ideas forward and sort of make them feel heard, and sort of

[136:03] give them a driver's seat in this, to to sort of identify with the Park. No really good summary that I would just add a little bit of the larger picture. We are coming back to you in June about nature everywhere, which is an initiative. We're going to be bringing to the city. That's a national program that does have a focus on youth and teens. In reality, no parks have designed spaces for teens, and the teens themselves are calling it. We need a 3rd space is the term they've been using at the civic area, for example, on the project Show home is working on. And, as I mentioned earlier, we've got our 1st sort of 1st play activators to interns working on the civic area where they they'll take on a leadership role. And this is sort of where Gov's expertise growing up expertise really comes in, spend a lot of time developing ways to work with teams in terms of like, I said earlier, not just getting input on the place making. But the activation of the space. And we know this is a a hard one, because no one solved how to let teens have fun

[137:01] in spaces where they feel in control. So there isn't like a design standard for that at the moment. So this is something we're hoping to innovate on and really support play activators. Yes. still honestly figuring out the term it could be play rangers for a teenager. And that's a teen focus. Exactly. Yeah. Intention. Curious about the evening, because this summer it seemed a lot of the neighbors around North Boulder Park. We're complaining about team gatherings in the evening and the noise and whatever else is going on, the partying and fighting things like that. Is there gonna be a difference in the parking area, the closing time, the way it's scaled? That question will probably start, maybe very quickly. One thing that we're trying to balance is yes, there is sort of a perceived sense of safety in our parks and obviously open lawn. Space does help. With that you can see you have long views, you see, quite a bit ahead of the trail, and then we do know it is currently not very well lit. But, on the other hand, we have a lot of community

[138:15] members and people around who live there who actually value that part of the park. So it's sort of like balancing dark sky with security is sometimes not the easiest, but we we know we need to make some upgrades, and luckily led. Lighting and fully shielding it down, we will be able to provide some upgrades to the current situation. But to fully remedy those concerns. there's a couple of things. One, I'll just double click on the points of in all of our parks. Sight lines are huge, right? So you want to create nooks and spaces where people can be removed. But you're not creating hiding spots that that facilitates any kind of illegal activity. And so I know that's that's something that we think about tree selection, and more what you're referencing I call summer shenanigans. So it's kind of a rite of passage that there's the last week of school, and the very next week we start

[139:07] working with Pd. And having presence in the Park. So I will double check. But I believe there's already conversations around. Do we know, on Thursday nights we're gonna have some some presence in the park to try and create? You know, the our police department is amazing on community oriented policing. And the best way to avoid a gathering of 500 kids is to be there when there's 0, right? Because once there's 500 kids, they're not gonna engage. They're not gonna use force. They're not gonna and so we have, you know, methods both formal and informal. We can control the sprinklers at all hours of the day, and just trying to prevent the gathering from beginning is is what they're working on. I will double check with what the plan is for this year. But after a couple of years of having to close the park on Thursday nights and the weekends I think they're a little bit ahead that we can report back at the May meeting. Amazing. Thank you. Yeah. Also want to echo that. And amazing designs. And also, I love the preservation of the current uses with. Also, there's going to be additional uses that people are going to find with this design? Yeah, absolutely love it. Only question is just around the construction. Is there going to be any disruption to people using the park during those 9 months

[140:21] we will for 2027. When we do construction we'll have to close either portions or large parts of the park during those few months, just knowing that once we sort of get into this infrastructure piece like a spring rain, doesn't wait for us to be done, so unfortunately, we didn't really need to go through this in a linear fashion, but, on the other hand, it also will allow us to be pretty efficient, and then really wrap construction up within a a good timeframe. But yes, unfortunately for 2027, the shelter rental and and large parts of the park will will be closed for a bit. And I would just add, it's this is something we've learned for experience. It's great to do tours during construction for the locals. So you can see progress against example, where there's volunteer opportunities for teens, for example, to also give back to the Park, and then it sort of belongs to them. So then there's less chance of vandalism. So we're trying to think of how we can keep that engagement going throughout the whole process.

[141:20] Yeah, if there's any way. Also, just I mean, I think it's the opening is going to be July. So I mean, I don't know right before you know those like summer months, May, June. If that's if enough stuff is wrapped up that that can still be accessible like during once the season starts. I think so. As we wrap up certain areas, we will open them to the public. It doesn't have to wait for the grain ribbon cutting, and then it's a little small in the bottom corner. But I do have a point in their public open house where we sort of like are thinking of a community planting day to really sort of put the finishing touches on it. And speaking to Mark's point, sort of like these. these construction open houses to sort of see how it's progressing, and then letting everyone who wants to be involved actually have an active hand, because that that we found is one of the the best things to to keep our our parks beautiful is, if if people really have a sense of ownership, and this is how you give it to them, not just through memorial benches, which are an amazing program. But also, if you let someone take care of of a few plants and just sort of really, every time they come back they have this memory

[142:27] I have a question about sorry Goose Creek is the thing that I like really tried to wrap for standard really just haven't been able to. So you're not alone. So is the entire group going to be above ground from wholesome to to the park, so I can speak to can speak to a lot of that lower part, and I'm not even sure if that has all been designed yet. So the city is sort of like taking an approach and segments as a funding allows, and sort of as the the need is. But obviously the downstream capacity will always be a limiting factor until we are are fully built out.

[143:12] But I know that from our plans for North Boulder Park are to convey the water over land, with the exception of a very small section of pipe which we can see that one that comes in from the alley and the west side there, just because the baseball field is currently or will will be there. And from a grading perspective. Right now, we have a French train that doesn't really work. And for people who use the park have have tripped over it once or twice. So within the park. almost everything above ground. And then the same thing goes for the entire city property along Alpine balsam up to Broadway, and I think, for now that is where it then goes underground and our utilities department has, and it's not on the tip of my tongue, the website. But I believe it's the Goose Creek up reach 6. Yes, okay, thank you. We didn't get there together.

[144:03] Thank you. Yeah. It looks yeah. Like everyone else said, that schematic looks amazing. We appreciate the feedback, and we'll make sure to communicate it with with the whole team. This is very, very kind and well received. Thank you. Just one last question. This is kind of an over umbrella question, but I just you know, it's just sitting here thinking. Since I've been here we've talked a lot about these like grand plans for parks like Primo's and civic center and the Zip lines and beautiful schematics. Are there any parks that we currently have? I know we're doing a lot of the renovations. But are there any parks? You are just that are amazing with things like this that you can point me to? Do. You mean generally or right? Yeah, generally across, you mean across the Us. In Boulder cause this all? Just I I just I feel like I haven't I? I'm all so amazing. I feel like I haven't seen it in Boulder.

[145:00] or am I missing it? No, we've got some really good parks like Scott does recent work done really good work. Elks Elks is a great example with some of the native edges, a great interactive playground. There's a small nature play example at Christensen Park, which we're fixing up next year. But no, it is we've got, I think. Part of it is, we do have a little bit of a you know. Jackson pointed to a little bit of an aging system in the parks and part of this work. If I could just point like Christoph, pretty modest, but there was nature players. We're looking to use recycled trees from our forestry team working with some really good sub consultants who've done this work. And I'll give an example. We're recently put in a discovery area. So the play area at Crestview very small project in house design build using trees. I've asked consultants for 3 prices, and I've got anywhere between a hundred 40,000 200,000 to build it, and minus labor costs because we did in house. It cost us $14,000. So these are ways we're really trying to innovate like in this case through play, to make better experiences and frankly save money and make it sustainable. And these are the. This is like a.

[146:16] it's a thing we've got to. We can't just talk it anymore. We've got to do it based upon budget sustainability and improving play for kids. So we're pretty. We're pretty excited about that. You can probably hear that I'm super excited about it. I just, I feel like I want to go look at some examples of what we're talking about. So and you know I'm in gun barrel. So there's literally right. So Mark's been our planning manager since 22. We lost a couple of years of advancements, 20 to to, you know, 20 and 21. And so what you are seeing is a newer approach. There's pockets of examples throughout the system. The projects you're hearing from the team are the 1st holistic renovations of parks to this modern way of what Parks need to look like in the West. Perfect. And we're definitely seeing like that. There's a the picture there in the middle. At the bottom is a brilliant accessible tunnel for kids all wheelchairs through, and I believe that's in

[147:12] Westminster and Lafayette. So a bunch of systems are all looking at this. Oh, we got a feel for it at Primo's. I feel like we were there for that, you know, Kickoff and everything. And so it looks it just it feels like it's gonna feel. Really, I'm really excited about it all. So, Ellie, you said Elks, is a good example, Columbine, and what else? Just of where so elks is pieces? Right? Elks is an example of a native edge, right? So that park was developed. 13 years ago it had been completely undeveloped, and as we went into design it, the neighbor said, You know we don't. We don't want edge to edge turf here. This has been a really natural area, and we were trying to move towards this area. So Elks is just a nice example of there is some manicured turf grass. There is a nice involved play area. There's a native edge all the way around it. Christensen Park is an example of a nature play area.

[148:08] Think what you get now using is we've kind of like our design manuals have various types of assets. Sustainability with turf play over here. This is one. This is a chance to sort of pull those different elements together in one single design park. And frankly, the, it's it's really just emerging in the last few years the skills to do that as well. Okay. thank you very much for the questions. 1st off, you had questions about the scope, the concept plan, the engagement findings. Do you get what you need from? I think so. Okay. thank you. Thank you. Yes, thank you so much. All right. Everybody. Then. after those wonderful presentations. We're moving on to matters from the board, madam Chair, can I add there was a procedural item that got missed earlier that I think it'd be appropriate to bring back here. And that's just the liaison opportunities, the liaison. And we have a slide. We can pop up if helpful

[149:12] for that list. Okay, thank you. Thanks, Jackson, so but I'll just say them out loud. So and again, just a real quick reminder. The role of the liaison is not. You don't get an extra decision making role. It's not It's really an opportunity to engage on a project that aligns with something you're very passionate about to give you, as a board member, a deeper level of knowledge on the project, to help address questions, to help them represent the project in the Board's conversation. And so just really as an advisor on the engagement and on the process. So for primos, that park is in design right now.

[150:16] and we'll be through q 1 of 26. And so as we get more significant costing, this person would just have some input, on the way we engage and talk to the community about that project. Civic area phase 2 that project is in the concept phase. So throughout the summer we're developing the concept plan, we'll be moving into design development and 26 Bernie is already on that project. I'll just note, as you discuss liaisons, a a project can ideally have one. And if we're quite, if if 2 of you are like, we don't wanna arm wrestle, we both care about this so deeply it needs to be 2 of us. That's that's fine. The community access framework and partnership. Scott described that. No, we didn't get there to the the action Plan item. So maybe you could briefly describe. Sure. So that's really about streamlining our, our permitting and process and policies for reservable spaces.

[151:12] So this is our sports fields, our different rooms in our buildings, our shelters, and our park spaces. And so we're really looking to align with our fee policy and and just kind of streamline that work to make it easier for people to rent spaces, to access like food trucks at locations and different things. And so we're we're working to establish some processes for how we handle partnerships in the community. And so I'm really excited about that work. And just to connect dots. Jenny, you asked a question last month around Budget. This is also, where? How do we help those groups align with city goals around youth, access and participation. And so through the rental structure, you can encourage behaviors that are good for the community. And so it's about streamlining the process and aligning it with the plan.

[152:03] The long term, financial strategy and budget. You heard a lot about that tonight. So hopefully, you understand what that is. The future of recreation centers takes us past the we're moving into design for renovations at East. It's around. How do we take care of? Make sure the other facilities can serve the community for the next 50 years and then regional facility business plans. These are not new policy. This is taking what we do with the the flatirons, golf course and the Boulder reservoir and saying, Okay, we have all this policy in the department plan. We have the fee policy. How do we make sure the golf course and reservoir operating to best facilitate that policy. Both can be profit centers that can help fund our our community goals, and we want to operate them that way. Does everyone understand what these liaison roles are? That would be helpful if you could describe a little bit. So these are opportunities for us to go a little bit deeper with

[153:02] these specific projects. And you know, get invested with the people, the stakeholders. You know the community members to whom they're very important. There's perhaps the opportunity to to work more closely with staff and understand what the department is doing and then the the goal really is to become like a subject matter expert on the project. So that when we, when you know the acidic area comes here to prab, I'm able to talk more deeply about it. Very educated on it like speak to the whole stakeholders. In my 1st year on prep. I found it very helpful to be the liaison to the court system plan this morning. And what that meant was that like, I learned a lot about tennis and pickleball and the needs of those communities in the city, as well as the work that Bally's team is doing to serve that part of the community. and it was

[154:02] and as a as a new, proud member is very rewarding to like, get in deep immediately on something that while I am disinterested in those 2 particular sports, I'm very interested in no judgment. It's not for me. But it was. It was great. It was I learned a lot about 2 sports I didn't know about. And I also learned a lot about how Alex Park works and about how the community feels about about their parks. Which is, you know. even after having volunteered. I I still have a lot to learn. so that's that's an overview presenting your findings, not in like a formal way. But you know, if there were questions that come up, I was sometimes able to answer that discussion anything to add to that? No, I mean similarly with play boulder as being the foundation arm of the Parks and Rec. Department, being on that has just showed me a little bit more about our placemaking opportunities through the community which I would not have known as much about for as well as our you know, forestry initiatives and and things like that. So it's just really an educational opportunity, really. And it's helpful to have somebody

[155:11] on each. Could you go back to that? Oh, all those openings? Yeah. It's just helpful to have somebody who is able to work with Staff just a little more closely on particular items. So I mean, it looks like there's 3 available. And there's 4 of you. Ernie. Do you want both of those? I'm happy to stay on both those. I would I would disagree with something, Ali said, though sorry. I think it's actually some sometimes beneficial to have 2 people on a project. Especially something, major, for instance, the civic area. Because there's only so many hours in the day. And I think we did previously have 2 people assigned both civic area and also to rec centers. so I think I think there's opportunity to double up. And I also say that this list is going to be somewhat fluid. We may find that we want to appoint liaison to other projects throughout the year.

[156:03] I could volunteer to be the second on both of those okay and just everyone else. What, Rob? What do you? I would love to do? Civic. Okay, how about what about you? I'd like to do? Regional facility business plans. Very good, Michael. well, I'd like to be on the the rec centers future of rec centers. But can't have 3 on there. So I could do the community access framework and partnership. Okay, let's see, would you? The civic center? So I mean, I think that that works so that leaves nobody on primos is that I can help us, that I can help whatever's needed. Really, I just definitely want to do future recreation centers. I feel like that's something I could

[157:06] meaningfully helpful on. And we don't want. And 3, we can't probably have 3. You cannot. Because then our coordination with you gets pretty impossible because of public records. Requirements. Yeah. okay. Why don't? Would you? Would you mind doing primo. No, no, okay. So, Yvonne, if you do primos and then and then community access framework, Michael, that you said, Okay. and Rob, which was, what were you interested in the epic area

[158:10] people? You're right. Regional facility, Jenny. Can I open our observation? And then deciding if I should say something, I think I and I just for the Board's discussion. I don't have an opinion on it one way or the other, but I will just share for your discussion. I think both Bernie and Yvonne are neighbors of the South Boulder Recreation Center, and think about what that means, or doesn't mean for representation as liaisons for the board. Oh, I see. So it would be fair to put somebody who is interested in Northwold. Iraq on. it might be might be good for optics, I guess is maybe where Ali saying I was just noticing it, because I I know that. Bernie we've talked about, and you've, you know, been a representative in those South Boulder conversations and Yvonne, I know we've talked. That's also clearly an interest. And so I I throw it out there for the board to discuss. It may not matter again. A liaison role doesn't mean you have additional decision making. It doesn't mean additional power. And so it could be easy to just say it doesn't matter.

[159:15] Think of their thirst. Are you saying if if I mean you're, it's well, let me just say I think that it's important that there's a connection to. For example, the reimagined South Boulder Group. There's there's a connection because you are there, so I I don't. I don't know. I'm not sure that I have a strong feeling on whether it's a negative optics or positive. I feel like it's more positive because there's but it's maybe a negative. If you live in North Boulder, you're like, Well, who's my representative who's standing up for North Boulder Rec Center? Well, if that's what we're doing, we're if we are presenting information in a sort of biased way. Sure. But, as you said.

[160:01] this is just an opportunity to understand the need. Understand the community wants. Understand budgetary issues. And you know. that's I. Just I don't know. I don't see that as a negative. but it may be a positive to have a different perspective. And you're you, you like that role and you're specifically interested in. If you were to be pushed, you'd be interested in North boulder back. That's yeah. That's where that's your. That's your location. But I mean, the the situation right now is south Boulder is not in the scheme of things is has not gotten the investment that the other centers have gotten with each folder stuff that's going on. And North Boulder, you know, there's activities going on. So I don't really see that if there's a concern that somehow South Boulder is too heavily, too much advocacy. Is that what you're saying? Too much advocacy potential.

[161:03] I don't think you can have too much accuracy. Okay, I, I think what staff is suggesting we consider is, do we want to make sure that all of the boulder community feels that their representative that they're sorry their recreation center, their nearest record center, has equal support from this body. No, I debated saying something, because one. This is all for you all to determine right. The liaison opportunities were created in 2015 with the aquatics feasibility plan, because it's a topic where you've got a lot of community interest, and the Board does get asked questions a lot, and you all are going to be in that place. And so, if you're going to have 2 liaisons to the project, I actually didn't come to an outcome myself. I was eager for your conversation around it on. I was just having that observation. As Yvonne was talking about South, it clicked for me. I was like, Oh, right you both you both have that place, and it clicked with Bernie describing, and he did an excellent job on the court system plan. I don't think I knew until he's described this that he didn't have an interest in either sport right? And so he was able to with both groups.

[162:15] And again. I hear what you all are saying about. Will the community, you know, have a perception that the liaison does not have additional input or decision making power. This entire board is going to be weighing in on all of the projects. It's around engagement and process. I wanted to share that observation so that you can all figure out. If. yeah, I think that if the decision makers were just South Boulder, then that would be potentially an optics issue. But the decision makers are all of us. or at least the you know, not the decision makers, but the entity that recommends the city Council. If you don't want, if you think it's not good for me to be on it. I'm fully okay with just liaisoning.

[163:01] I think we should come to consensus as a group, but I think it's if you want to try having 2 of us be those liaisons. And if it becomes problematic that we can reevaluate. Yeah. And let me just clarify the reason I think, that I would be a meaningful participant is not because of my interest in the center. It is because of my architecture background, my industry, experience, construction, experience, and you know. I work with architecture firms, engineering firms on a daily basis. So I I speak the language. I understand the challenges, especially in this economic landscape. So I feel like that that bridge of communication is can be very helpful and meaningful when we're dealing with something that's, you know, it's going to be a budgetary issue. We know that right? So anyway. So I think I could be helpful in that regard. Why don't we do this. So why don't we add Rob to civic area? That's good for you? Civic area. And then I think, why don't we? If it's okay with you. Why don't we leave Bernie on future recreation centers and add, Michael, for now.

[164:11] while we work through the funding, so there's really some folder needs advocacy. But we're not in a position to do anything about it for months, really, until city council decides. And you know. So maybe we decide to make a switch in a little while, so we give equal representation. And then, when there's when there's opportunity to put forth your specific skill set, which is going to be super important. I think when it comes to the budget, I mean, we're not at the budget. Right? Okay? Right? So I think Bernie will do a good job advocating for it, for now and then Michael can work with the North work with any issues we have going on at North Boulder, like basketball and stuff. And then, when it comes to budget, does that work out? Okay.

[165:05] alright. So we'll do that. So we'll put Michael on, for now and then we'll talk in about 6 months when we get a little bit firmer. Hold on South Holder. And then we can like talk about potentially making a switch, depending on how things are going on future. Rec. And that gives us an initial equal representation of North and South. And you know, while while Council gets our act together. Okay, are we all happy with the rob? Is there anything else you want to. or Kira's, or anything else you want to? Does anybody want to be on the play bowl. Report with me. Feel free to come to another meeting every month. Okay, good stuff. I'll let you know. I mean, we're actively recruiting. If you're interested, you can certainly join. So we can talk more about that. Yeah, no, I'm super excited about select area. Okay? Good.

[166:05] All right. Good. Yeah, I'll just double click, Kira. So, Jenny, you've already been contacted about long term financial strategy. Bernie and Mike, I'll have Darren reach out to you this month because we're updating the project, planning and timing to let you know what you should expect. When Mike, you'll hear from Scott or someone on his team on timing here regional facility stuff. We don't think there will be a touch until probably end of the summer, but there might be a scope overview before then, just to let you know what is happening with that. that's all. And on premise anything I should be aware of. I'll have Darren reach out to you. Okay, to me, it's like, it can be a really really cool project.

[167:00] And it's closer to like, actually, okay, closer. Yeah. I mean we've done some pretty cool stuff up there. So Crap so just named it, we got to do that. That was really exciting. Where did the name come from. It came from the community engagement partners decided they went and did a They had a lot of different community engagement. But there's what are the community connectors. It was a youth led project through a lot of the site based programming. We do at that site and working with community connectors, the kids brainstorm. A bunch of names brought them to an open house and famous one for its representation of what it means for family, and they said they said, like everybody's a cousin like that was the whole thing. It's like everybody's a everybody's family here that's awesome. So I love. It was really fun, and we had to go out there, and they did a really big presentation with some

[168:07] like dancing. And they had a big phone pit like a bubble pit, and then we got to do. When we did our field trip last year we got to go down and walk kind of it's Dry Creek, and where the connection will be to the North North Boulder Library, and there'll be a lot of natural play down there, which is, it's gonna be awesome. I have to check it out. Okay. So, moving on to matters from the board, matters from the board, this portion of the meeting is for members of the Board to report on prep's annual work plan goal of each member attending 2 or more parks and recreation related community activities per month, promoting parks and recreation through social media attending site tours and supporting the Department's partnership initiatives. So this is a time for the Board members to report on things that they've done over the last month. I will start on that we did through play boulder. I attended that meeting last month, and then we

[169:03] talked through. It was actually fascinating. They brought in all of their employees that they have out in the field doing their forestry work and their tree tending work and all their play pass work, and they reported on all the things they've been doing. And then I went to the tree sapling giveaway, where I took 2 tree saplings that my husband's planted in our yard, and we are hoping for the best last weekend at play boulder in the in the Parks department did a at the farmers market a really nice sapling giveaway. And then I did. Yeah, and that was really, really fun. We got to watch all the dancing, and we visited all the different community partners that were there. And they put up big art interactive art displays. And so it was pretty pretty cool in general. That's my matters. From the Board for this month.

[170:00] I went to the Belmont Bike Park yesterday. That was amazing. Had you been before I'd never been. Oh, did you want a bike? Yeah. Well, we just read our electric bikes down the path to get there. And it was so amazing. My son was with me this he's 17, and he was like, Oh, my God! I didn't know this existed. What brought you there? Where did that come from after being here for a couple of years. Well, I know I met with Bernie yesterday. Was it yesterday? Yeah, we were talking about? I don't know what we're talking about. And I was on the bike path right? That's right. And then I was like, you know, I really want to go out there and see it. I haven't seen it. And so, after talking to Bernie, my husband and I, my son, got on our bikes and went off there, and he was just like Whoa! His eyes were like size of quarters. So very good. very good work on that. That's that's amazing. Yeah. It's too bad. It's so far away from us. but you can get to it still, and like that. So it's nice. Anything else I went to

[171:00] my neighborhood Park, North Polar Park, with a much more critical eye. After seeing this plan and looking at it, and I got, and then seeing where the new city buildings are gonna be, and how that's all being tied in with that drainage. And I know the guys that groom it, I know, trace birds is doing the shelter, and I just got super stoked about that. And then I did the same thing downtown. At the civic area. I went down there, and I actually did a ride along with the hot team, and we spend most of our time in the park engaging with the unhoused and What is it? Forward. fast! Forward, feet forward, feet forward. I always say fee first, st or something. They were there, and they were doing the donation. And so it was really cool to see that. And then today I did a run, and I ran down there. and I ran up the 2. I don't know what you call them the beautiful bridges that see you built from the bike path up to the sports Medicine Center, and I just all of a sudden had these visions of the arboretum path being that. And you know, just it's yeah. Just looked at everything with a different eye.

[172:21] I went to the city, put on on the 8th at the East Boulder community, and it was It's great to see so many people thinking, engaging with your staff as well as with other departments. Oh, I'm sorry your April 8, th not the Comp. Plan. Open House. East Boulder projects, maybe even have the overview for direct centers and courts. Right? And also other departments. Yeah, it's great to see so many members of our community engaging with city staff and and and getting excited about these projects. And this is not a matter. This is not strictly not yet a parts matter, but I want to just tell you all that. If anyone would ask my opinion

[173:02] about the West Park Pearl ballot measure. I would. I would tell you that I would. I would I would not sign a petition to put on the ballot closing West Pearl to cars. I am not ever a person who votes in favor of vehicles at least the 4 wheel kind. But I don't love the way it's written. That it were to be adopted. It would definitely take money from the Parks budget that we need for other things. So I I would love to see language proposed language that closes that part of pearl for pedestrians, but or rather close it to cars. but funds it I can. I wasn't a board member yet, but I went to the East Boulder Rec thing, and it was. It was really interesting. The turnout was pretty fabulous. I thought people were really interested and engaged in it. But so

[174:08] this is my 1st event. I thought it was pretty spectacular. It's a good job. Yeah. all right. Anything else. We need to sign these in terms, you all would sign your oaths. Please get your blood samples. What a fun! 1st meeting y'all are we? Our next board meeting is May 19th at 6 Pm. Other than that we are adjourned. Thanks, madam. Chair. Yeah. I need a gavel. If anybody's looking to give me a gift. No gavel.