COLORADO FALL 2013
PARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATION
Byline
Hershey Track Visits
Grand Junction Valmont Bike Park
Innovation in Outdoor Recreation
Excellence & Award Winning
Castle Rock
COLORADO Byline PARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATION
2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT: Catherine Metz Durango Parks & Recreation Department (970) 375-7329 metzcl@ci.durango.co.us
CTRS: Mark Snow City of Lakewood Department of Community Resources (303) 987-4869 marsno@lakewood.org
PRESIDENT ELECT: Rod Tarullo City of Golden (303) 384-8120 rtarullo@cityofgolden.net
DIRECTORS: Rodewald Brett Columbine Knolls Recreation District (303) 979-5120 bnrodewald@covad.net
VICE PRESIDENT: Carolyn Peters Highlands Ranch Metro District (720) 240-5931 cpeters@highlandsranch.org TREASURER: Timothy Anderson City of Aspen Recreation (970) 544-4104 tim.anderson@cityofaspen.com SECRETARY: Sexton, Mike City of Pueblo Parks & Recreation (719) 553-2804 msexton@pueblo.us AQUATICS: Kristi Marosy City of Golden (303) 384-8123 kmarosy@cityofgolden.net CARA: Jayna Lang City of Lakewood Department of Community Resources (303) 987-5419 jaylan@lakewood.org
FACILITY MANAGERS: To be Determined FITNESS: Susan M. Anderson City of Wheat Ridge Parks & Recreation (303) 231-1313 sanderson@ci.wheatridge.co.us PARKS: Dean Johnson City of Louisville (303) 335-4774 deanj@louisvilleco.gov SMALL COMMUNITIES: Clint Dudley Thompson Rivers Parks & Recreation District (970) 587-6070 cdudley@trpr.org WESTERN SLOPE: Rob Cook City of Fruita (970) 858-0360 rcook@fruita.org
CASC: Maripat Gallas Consortium for Older Adult Wellness 303-984-1845 maripat@coaw.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS Member Spotlight............................................................................... 4 President’s Letter................................................................................ 5 Excellence and Award Winning Castle Rock, CO........................... 6 Community Playground Builds........................................................ 10 Excellence in Parks & Recreation: Therapeutic Recreation Style...........................................................14 Excellence in Collaboration: Get Outdoors Colorado..................16 GOCO-Funded Parks are Outstanding Additions to Colorado Communities.................................................................... 18 Hershey Track Visits Grand Junction...............................................19 Innovation in Outdoor Recreation: Valmont Bike Park................. 20
ADVERTISER INDEX Churchich Recreation........................................................Back Cover Ewing...................................................................... Inside Front Cover GR Marolt & Associates.....................................................................17 Musco Lighting.................................................................................... 7 R.J. Thomas......................................................................................... 9 Southwest Soils/PlaySoft................................................................... 5 Thank you to our advertisers for your help in supporting COLORADO BYLINE magazine. We kindly ask members to please support our advertisers. Interested in advertising? Contact Todd Pernsteiner at 877-694-1999 or info@pernsteiner.com.
Note from the Editor Our Fall issue has a NEW look. We hope you enjoy the fresh visuals and eye-catching layouts! This issue we are highlighting “Excellence in Parks & Recreation” through articles about award winning Castle Rock and outstanding venues and programs Thanks for helping us make our CPRA Vision come alive! Enjoy, Jo Burns
CPRA VISION The Colorado Parks and Recreation Association is a dynamic, proactive organization that creates healthy residents and livable communities by promoting excellence in parks and recreation.
CPRA FOUNDATION MISSION P.O. Box 1037 • Wheat Ridge, CO 80034 (p) 303-231-0943 (f) 303-237-9750 www.cpra-web.org, cpra@cpra-web.org
The CPRA Foundation works cooperatively with CPRA to fund activities and programs that promote excellence in parks and recreation in the State of Colorado.
Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 3
Member Spotlight Fitness Section Spotlight
CARA Member Spotlight
Tehra Portrfield
Kristen Larington
Tehra Porterfield has been involved in fitness for 19 years with the past 14 years specifically in recreation. She started her fitness career as a group exercise instructor for a small club before becoming certified as a personal trainer. Continuing her education and fitness background, she graduated from Metro State with a degree in Adult Fitness and Exercise Science and a minor in Nutrition. In her current position, Tehra is the Recreation Coordinator for Fitness, CancerFit, Special Interest and Youth Programming. She has held this title for close to 5 years and has plenty to keep her busy. From planning, coordinating and supervising all youth trips, maintaining the fitness schedule and personal training, staff supervision, and compiling content for the Rec guide, Tehra does it all! She also jumps in and subs classes and training for her staff when needed. Tehra has been a member of CPRA for five years and feels being a part of the Fitness Section offers many benefits. First, it provides a great place to meet with others in the ‘rec world’ and bounce ideas and issues off each other. Tehra also really appreciates all the trainings offered by CPRA. When she took over Youth Programs, the PLAY conference was a tremendous help to her in providing new information and ideas to successfully run those programs at her facility. She feels the Fitness Section’s Fitness in the Rockies event will do the same to help those who are new to fitness. Tehra has been instrumental in helping make the Fitness in the Rockies event a success each year! With her busy schedule, Tehra finds time to coach High School Competitive Cheerleading at Monarch High in Louisville (GO COYOTES!). Family is also very important to Tehra and she enjoys time with her new fiancé Joe and his daughter Lexa. (Congratulations!) She can’t leave out her walks with her ‘furry 4-legged child’ Guinness the Dog. Somewhere in there she will also have to squeeze in time for planning a wedding! Tehra is dedicated to the field of fitness and recreation. Her hard work there as well as with the “Fitness in the Rockies” event is truly valued.
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Kristen Larington has many passions in her life, but Gymnastics has taken her to where she is today! The sport of gymnastics has led her to many great opportunities to meet amazing people and grow as a professional. She started working at the City and County of Broomfield in 2001, assisting with the design of the gymnastics facility. Since then, she has implemented innovative ways to improve the rapidly growing program at Paul Derda recreation center. She has been the Head Gymnastics Coach at Standley Lake High School since 2002. Enjoying every minute of coaching she has also served on the CHSAA (Colorado High School Activities Association) committee and is currently the CHSAA chair. Along with her job at the City of Broomfield, Kristen continues to work very closely with CPRA and the CARA league, to improve the growing sport of gymnastics. While she was the chair of the gymnastics committee, she started several new projects to keep the CARA league moving forward. With the help of CPRA, the Gymnastics Association has made leaps and bounds! (no pun intended) Kristen is always looking to the future to expand the sport of gymnastics to its best potential. Kristen truly has a passion for teaching today’s growing generations a sport that she loves.
CASC Member Highlight Donna Singer Donna Singer, Program Coordinator at the Eagle View Adult Center in Brighton, has committed over 30 years of service to older adults in Adams County and is still going strong! Even today, you can observe her consistent warm and friendly style as she easily and confidently reaches out to serve the needs of her Brighton participants. She has not grown tired of this personal calling to serve. She began in the profession during the 1980’s as the City of Northglenn Senior Center Supervisor and was already committed to serving the CPRA professional association through committees, conferences, volunteer work and networking. If you work closely with her you will soon find she is very organized, thorough and creative in her programming style. Her creativity also spills over to her professional peers as seen at the icebreakers of the 2012 CASC Conference! Don’t let that warm friendly manner fool you- she is very adept at writing grants, budgets, personnel management and has had her hand at professional consulting over the years. She is a terrific example of one of our best!
PRESIDENT’S LETTER By CPRA Board President, Cathy Metz and President Elect, Rod Tarullo
Excellence in Parks and Recreation This past year the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association under the leadership of the Board of Directors and CPRA staff made significant strides to ensure a sustainable future. The Vision Plan was adopted by the Board and implementation of the key elements began, including the following: • The Board voting structure was streamlined to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Executive Board comprised of the President, President Elect, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. • Outreach to Parks and Recreation agencies in the state was expanded by multiple Board tours with five teams involving an Executive Board Member, Section Representatives and CPRA staff.
skills and talent is astounding throughout the state and the CPRA Board and Staff will continue to embrace opportunities to harness the synergy created by your involvement. Please feel free to contact us if we can provide additional information. Cathy Metz, President 970-375-7329 Cathy.Metz@durangogov.org Rod Tarullo, President Elect 303-384-8120 RTarullo@cityofgolden.net
• Statewide branding with supporting messages for Parks and Recreation services was established to illustrate that “Life is Better with Parks and Recreation.” Documentation of the supporting messages can be found on the CPRA website for Parks and Recreation: (1) Creates Healthy Lifestyles; (2) Fosters Economic Vitality; (3) Preserves and Conserves Environmental Resources; and (4) Builds Community and Enhances Quality of Life. • E xploration of the relationship of the Foundation to CPRA and opportunities to combine the administration of the agencies to enhance the long term viability of the organization. • Development and implementation of meaningful educational sessions including the ASPiRE Leadership Program for both Front Range and Western Slope professionals. The future is bright for Colorado Parks and Recreation Association and it has been a privilege and honor to serve on the Executive Board. Strong leadership of the Association that excels at providing the statewide foundation for excellence in the provision of Parks and Recreation has been inspiring. The strength of CPRA enables Colorado professionals to be leaders locally, statewide and nationally. Implementation of the Vision Plan will remain a priority for the Board in 2014. The success of this effort would be enhanced through broad participation and engagement of fellow Parks and Recreation professionals. Collectively we can make a difference in the quality of life in Colorado. The diversity of Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 5
Excellence and Award Winning
Castle Rock
COLORADO
P
By Kristen Trbovich
Partnerships, community support and doing more with less while providing high levels of service to all residents brought the national spotlight to Castle Rock Parks and Recreation last year. In the fall of 2012, The Castle Rock Parks and Recreation Department accepted the National Recreation and Parks Association’s Gold Medal Award. Castle Rock is a unique community and the parks and recreation department has learned
to provide opportunities in distinctive ways, often breaking the mold of a traditional parks and recreation department. Over the years, Castle Rock has reached out to citizens for more than just feedback and input on new facilities. Communities should be involved hands-on with parks, trails and programming so that residents have sense of ownership of the places they visit and use. The greatest success of this outreach
6 SOUTH Colorado Parks and Recreation www.cpra-web.org CAROLINA Recreation and•Parks • www.scrpa.org
in Castle Rock has been the POST (Parks, Open Space and Trails) Partners Program. What started in 2006 as a collaborative effort among an adopt-a-park group, Parks and Recreation and the Municipal Court system has grown into and out-of-the-box program, the department’s largest advocacy group and an entirely new division complete with a mascot, Chucky – the North American Beaver. This program leads the commu-
nity in environmental stewardship and volunteer leadership. P.O.S.T. has logged over 23,000 volunteer hours since 2007 and saved over $450,000 in labor costs. The program boasts 32 annual service groups; over 25 completed Eagle Scout projects; 7 years of participation with the Colorado Bluebird Project; a service-learning program that interacts with local schools, youth groups and scout troops; and a partnership with the Town’s teen court. Beyond simple trash pick-up, P.O.S.T. groups restore trails, tear down and rebuild parks, enhance and protect habitats for local wildlife, host educational special events and provide best practice information to the community for one of Colorado’s favorite undertakings – outdoor activities. The feedback from this program has been overwhelming and extremely positive.
Castle Rock has built successful partnerships with various groups over the years and with these alliances, the department has completed numerous projects and forged ongoing relationships. While it’s nothing new for a parks and recreation agency to enter into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with its local school district, Castle Rock is especially excited about what they’ve been able to achieve with Douglas County School District (DCSD). When budgets are tight, space is limited and the population continues to grow, it makes the most sense to combine efforts to efficiently provide the best facilities to meet the needs of the community. With three new schools being built over the last five years and a major renovation taking place at one of the high schools, Castle Rock and DCSD joined forces to make the most of these opportunities.
Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 7
This IGA has included funding from both groups, grant awards, creative land use and an ongoing partnership for shared use of facilities. The partnership yielded: • Bison Park & Clear Sky Elementary School, a waterconscious school/park project aimed at educational opportunities for the school and maximum use of space with two synthetic athletic fields and parking to be shared by the school and the Town. • Wrangler Park & Sage Canyon Elementary, another school/park project that, with creative land sharing, allowed for a neighborhood park in an underserved area.
• An expanded gymnasium at Mesa Middle School which allowed for larger P.E. classes and an expanded youth basketball program for the recreation division. • A new athletic complex at Douglas County High School that included an expanded gym, new weight room, softball field, baseball field, athletic field and eight lighted tennis courts. From indoor facilities to outdoor, Castle Rock has continued to utilize local partners to accomplish great things. The acquisition and development of Rhyolite Regional Park is a prime example of identifying multiple community values and implementing a planned
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objective with a unique group of partners. The parks and recreation master plan identified the area that is now Rhyolite Regional Park as potential open space based on landform, historical significance and wildlife habitat. However, a developer submitted plans for commercial activity on top of a prominent mesa that was a historic rhyolite quarry within the property. After extensive negotiations with the developer, Castle Rock teamed with Douglas County Open Space and Great Outdoors Colorado to purchase the mesa from the developer at a discounted price. Rhyolite Regional Park now encompasses 174 acres including the historic rhyolite quarry for which the park is named. The park provides ed-
ucational opportunities with historically significant names, interpretive and historical signs, (the signs and names were developed in partnership with the Town’s museum). Another partnership that came from the development of this park was with the local 6202 Cycling Club. They worked with staff to design and build a mountain bike challenge course as part of the park, which was described as one of the best downhill courses along the front range. This mountain bike park continues to grow and expand, with a new sessions zone opening just last month. The Rhyolite Dirt Crew volunteer team maintains the bike park and works with staff on upgrades and expansions.
When talking about these exciting projects, programs and facilities, it’s easy to lose sight of how difficult things have been at times over the years. Castle Rock is unique in that it is part of a full-service community, and the Town’s mill levy rate for 2013 was 1.703 mills. This rate results in a $300,000 home being assessed $40.67 in property tax by the Town. This fixed revenue is used to support all services including fire, police, and public works; therefore, Parks and Recreation gets minimal general fund support and the Town as a whole relies heavily on sales tax revenue. In addition to limited property tax support, Castle Rock has experienced phenomenal growth since the first recreation center was built in 1988 when the facility served a population of 8,500. In 2005,
the same facility with only one minor expansion in 1996 was serving a population of 36,600. When a new recreation center proposal was too aggressive for the fiscally conservative community, the Parks and Recreation Department developed an expansion project that resulted in 34,000 square feet of renovated and reconditioned space including weight rooms, cardiovascular area, a new leisure pool, a fitness studio, spinning studio and a youth wing. Remarkably, the project did not involve a tax or fee increase. Due to the expansion, memberships and program participation have increased dramatically. Now, the Town is just over 52,000 residents and the recreation division continues to expand programming and opportunities for growing segments of the community. For example, the SilverSneakers program had over 32,000 visits last year and there is anywhere from 15 to 30% growth in that program year after year. Looking to the future, Castle Rock is still thinking in new directions. Currently under construction is Philip S. Miller Regional Park. This project has exciting possibilities for publicprivate partnerships and some amazing amenities that will be completely unique to the Front Range. Castle Rock is a charming community within a Colorado landscape that is striving for excellence day after day and defining itself with a distinctive parks and recreation system. Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 9
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O
n average it is estimated that playground installation costs account for 25-30% of the playground budget. When funding is available, a professional installer is the best bet to get that new playground up and ready for play. Unfortunately, the funding is not always so easy to come across. Rising fuel and material costs, as well as increased accessibility and safety regulations drive equipment costs up, while economic conditions and other factors have lead to reduced budgets. Budget reductions have been seen in many fields, not just in parks and recreation. If we continued to operate as we once did, the budget reductions would be directly reflected in reduced play and other services throughout our parks. As a park and recreation professional, I understood what was going on and the need to cut back. However, as a frequent park user, a father of three young children and a member of our community, I didn’t
Community Playground
Builds Strengthen your community and provide more play with fewer resources. BY SEAN KITNERS
Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 11
like that one bit. I needed to find a solution to maintain or increase the level of play and accessibility and enhance the experience of using our parks while working with fewer resources. In-house playground builds are one solution to accomplish this and in the past, we have installed many playgrounds with our own staff. This was an effective approach until staff was reduced. Which in turn, this lead to each staff member having increased levels of responsibility and no available time to do other side projects. Community playground builds were the next step in the evolution on our search for efficiencies. While professional installation is an intangible cost to users, play equipment will remain tangible throughout its lifetime. The new community based approach stemmed from attending a presentation sponsored by KaBOOM!, a national non-profit dedicated to saving play. They taught me that it is possible to reduce those intangible costs. I left the presentation feeling inspired and immediately began work on our first community build, and developing the process by which we would accomplish it. And accomplish it we have. To date Foothills Park & Recreation District has successfully completed nine community playground builds.
In addition to the fiscal benefits, we discovered an unintentional advantage of the community build process: it strengthened our community. To try to get a grasp of what the playground should be, I had local kids help design “My Dream Playground.” This was an opportunity to let the kids express what they wanted to play on. I had no idea what I was going to get back or if it would have any value. The only rule was that there are no rules for what they drew, as long as it was something they would want to do at a playground. I intentionally shut out adult input knowing many of their concerns would be addressed later. The results I received back were out of this world… literally. I had ideas like slides that go up to the moon and underwater battle arenas. With so many varying and uninhibited ideas, I was able to see common themes emerge over multiple drawings; slides, spinning, nature, castles, etc. These reoccurring elements became the design criteria for the final design. Because the final design was a collaborative effort, each designer claimed a portion, if not the entire design as theirs, thus giving them an already vested interest in the park. As they grow, the idea that it is “their” playground stays with them. The seed of taking pride in their parks is planted.
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With design in hand and the installation savings spent on more equipment, it’s time to get ready for the build and focus on finding two key players. You will need a well-motivated volunteer appointed to the position of Lead Community Organizer, as well as a paid playground installation professional. Your lead volunteer will need to determine a date, the number of people they can commit to bringing and the number of days they will commit to work. They also coordinate many other aspects such as: safety, childcare for volunteers, food (usually donated), sponsors, media, and they also delegate buildday(s) group leaders. It requires a lot of coordination and commitment and they work throughout the whole process. I have had success in finding my lead volunteers through church groups, scout programs, or home owner associations/ neighbors. The playground installation professional is there to instruct the volunteers on how to assemble the equipment. He/she is also vital in preparing the site for the build. The equipment vendor can recommend someone to fill this position or may fill it from their own staff. Once you and your two lead positions are ready, it’s time to get your playground built. The vendor will deliver beforehand and your professional
installer will have prepared your site. Through trial and error, I prefer to have the professional installer lay out the playground and pre-drill most of the holes prior to build-day. This allows the volunteers time to focus on the less technical aspects. A typical build will begin with a group meeting of everyone in attendance where safety is discussed and introductions are made. Volunteers are divided into the following groups: surfacing, equipment (can be multiple groups), greeting, comfort and safety, childcare, and side-work with each group having a pre-designated leader. The key to the volunteers is not to teach everyone everything, but to teach each group one thing and to let them become proficient at that. The amount of work ebbs and flows throughout the day and at times you will have too many people or people standing around. Without work, those volunteers get complacent and leave. To avoid anyone leaving, as everyone will become necessary later, have plenty of side-work predetermined. Side-work can be any park improvements outside of the playground (i.e. planting trees, cleanup projects, etc). Inside the playground area, the equipment will be assembled in
sections based on groups. The group leaders will direct their volunteers with specific tasks. Should any questions arise, the playground installer is present to assist. He/she will also supervise the installation to insure safety and quality standards are met. The most important thing I have learned is that each project is unique and flexibility is the key to success. On average, a community build will increase the amount of equipment by about twenty percent. But I have found that even more important than the added equipment, is the pride in which the community takes in their park and playground. With this pride comes increased use, decreased vandalism, and a deeper sense of community. Learn more at our session at the CPRA Conference in Vail. Sean Kitners, Park Planner seank@fhprd.org Foothills Park & Recreation District, www.ifoothills.org Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 13
Excellence in Parks & Recreation
BY MARK SNOW
Therapeutic
Recreation
Style
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EXCELLENT STAFF: Despite many staffing changes over the last few years, Mark Snow, CTRS, Megan Schoenbein, CTRS, and Joan Danks, CTRS, ATRIC, have come together to build a bond and a stronger program. Joan’s area of expertise is Special Olympics Unified Sports and in the time she has been there she has grown it tremendously. Megan is in charge of Camp Paha and Paha Adults in Transition (PAT). This camp takes a person who is dedicated to making it the best it can be, and that person is Megan. Mark, in addition to supervising the RISE program, sits on the Colorado Therapeutic Recreation Society board as the President-Elect (a three year position). He also reinstated the internship program this summer that allows RISE to host students looking to get their degree in Therapeutic Recreation.
EXCELLENT PARTNERSHIPS: The role of RISE is a cooperative one when it comes to working with outside agencies, non-profits, and internally. Their partnerships in the community include Developmental Disabilities Resource Center, Rocky Mountain Human Services, Continuum of Colorado, and the Arc of Jefferson County. Nationally, RISE received a grant though the National Inclusion Project to provide inclusion training and funding for their program and the City of Lakewood. Since service to participants and their families is a top priority for RISE, the staff there also gladly work with surrounding agencies such as the City of Wheat Ridge, APEX, and Denver Parks and Recreation, to make sure that anyone with a particular need has access to a variety of programs and services.
EXCELLENT FUTURE: If you ask Mark Snow, CTRS, at Lakewood’s Recreation and Inclusion Services for Everyone (RISE) what makes their program stand out he’ll tell you: “One of my staff put it best when she said…‘to be connected, you never want to be too far from the finished product you are producing.’ I think that’s the key. We strive to make personal connections while offering quality programs. We also listen closely to participant feedback and add new and exciting programs each season.” That is a key quality to be proud of and along with it, there is so much more to what makes RISE excellent.
This summer was the first for RISE to mentor an intern in the field of Therapeutic Recreation in over 5 years. Going forward, they hope to have many more students from around the country work with them to bring quality programs to their community. RISE also recently initiated an Aquatic Therapy program open not only to their participants, but anyone in the community. It is a new addition to their offerings that they are very proud of. RISE will no doubt continue to grow and change with their community’s needs while offering innovative programs, providing quality staff, and maintain partnerships. They are a city service making a difference in their community. Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 15
Excellence in Parks & Recreation
Excellence in Collaboration
Get Outdoors Colorado www.getoutdoorscolorado.org
By Melissa Branson
E
VERY ONCE IN A WHILE A SHARED GOAL ALLOWS PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER TO CREATE SOMETHING GREAT. OVER THE LAST YEAR, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN WHAT THIS PROCESS CAN LOOK LIKE THROUGH MY INVOLVEMENT WITH GET OUTDOORS COLORADO. GET OUTDOORS COLORADO IS A PARTNERSHIP NETWORK CREATED WITH THE COMMON GOAL OF CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH THE OUTDOORS TO PROMOTE HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFESTYLES. THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT HAS BEEN 6 YEARS IN THE MAKING AND HAS RESULTED IN A STATEWIDE NETWORK THAT IS OVER 130 PARTNERS STRONG. In 2008, after much debate and despair about nature deficit disorder, the US Forest Service put out a challenge to its regional coordinators. The challenge was to create a day that was focused on getting children and families back outside – National Get Outdoors Day. Susan Alden Weingart accepted this challenge and through an amazing
response of public, private and nonprofit partners put on one of the most successful events in the country in only six weeks time. As Susan and her partners from Colorado Kids Outdoors, the Colorado Department of Health and Human Services and Colorado Parks and Wildlife continued to spread the word, the collaboration behind the annual National Get Outdoors Day grew. The event became bigger and more exciting each year. The partnership network became driven to do more as well. The group began to consider what else could be done, what was next. They came up with a goal to shift the focus from one day a year and make every day a great day to get outside and the Get Outdoors Colorado collaborative was born. At the same time, former Lt. Governor Barbara O’Brien was conducting a listening tour to acquire information about children and families getting outside. The result was that many people did not feel they knew where to go, who to contact or how to learn about outdoor opportunities. People wanted a one-stop-shop for everything outdoors in Colorado. Many of the Get Outdoors Colorado partners felt the same way. Some had even been trying to develop websites within their own organizations to provide the public
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more information about where, when and how to get outside. Get Outdoors Colorado brought a variety of partners to the table to discuss creating a website that would help people make getting outside an everyday priority. Contributions were made from many partners including the US Forest Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Parks & Recreation Association, The Department of Health and Human Services, and Colorado Kids Outdoors. Those funds were taken to Open Media Foundation, a nonprofit media company that matches resources for nonprofits to create websites, graphics and more. What started out as an idea for a one-stop-shop quickly became a $75,000 website project. The result was GetOutdoorsColorado.org, a dynamic website designed to serve as a springboard for everything outdoors in Colorado. GetOutdoorsColorado.org allows people to search for an outdoor experience by activity type, location, date, age, cost, and even skill level. Government agencies, nonprofits, and even private outdoor recreation providers post activities and events involving everything from hiking and biking to rafting and gardening. GetOutdoorsColorado.org was launched this past spring and already has over 130 partners posting outdoor
opportunities and over 8,500 visitors to the site. The website is free to use and free for agencies and organizations to post opportunities. All Get Outdoors Colorado asks is that these organizations partner with them, share ideas, and keep the common goal of connecting people with the outdoors to promote healthy, active lifestyles. So, why does this work? How can so many organizations and agencies with so many different agendas collaborate so well? As Susan often puts it “we had to leave our logos and our egos at the door.” Every partner that has come to the table has put the bigger picture first. It does not matter what an organization has to contribute, what matters is that the contribution is made for the greater good. It is a true collaborative when everyone has opportunities to be heard, to provide support and to share in the success. I feel so fortunate to participate in this project. It shocks people when I explain the list of partners involved and that everyone from government agencies to for-profit companies play well together. The outdoor recreation industry in Colorado has kept something sacred at heart, the outdoors. Every partner involved is made of staff who truly understand the profound impact the outdoors has on a person. The desire to share this impact moves these partners to do great work every day. Get Outdoors Colorado has tapped into all of that great work, allowed organizations to do what they do best, and provided a unique and collaborative network around this common goal.
She’ll soon need new playground equipment. Stay top of mind. For as little as $225 per issue, CPRA Byline magazine gets you in front of key recreation & park decision-makers. No other form of advertising gets you so targeted.
COLORADO Byline PARKS & RECREATION
Go to www.pernsteiner.com/CPRAmagazine2013.pdf to download the advertising rate card or call Todd Pernsteiner at (952) 841-1111.
Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 17
GOCO-funded Parks Are Outstanding Additions to Colorado Communities As Colorado’s population and obesity rates climb, access to outdoor recreation amenities is more important than ever before. Helping to ensure that all Coloradans—regardless of where they live—have access to neighborhood parks, trails, and public open spaces remains a top priority for Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO).
of Staunton State Park, which is only 40 minutes from downtown Denver. Visitors can horseback ride, bike or hike on several miles of multi-use trails passing through ponderosa pine and aspen forests. Fish at the Davis Ponds and Elk Falls Pond, rock climb on the Staunton Rocks, and make sure to visit the waterfall!
GOCO’s investment of lottery proceeds in outdoor recreation projects significantly contributes to the economic (and physical) health of communities statewide and the state overall. Three parks exemplify the difference GOCO grants make every day at no cost to taxpayers.
New Freedom Park in Denver
Staunton State Park Opened to the public in May 2013, Staunton State Park in Jefferson County is Colorado’s newest state park. Frances H. Staunton donated her family’s 1,680-acre homestead to create the park, but GOCO funds helped acquire additional land that expanded the park to more than 3,800 acres. All told, GOCO invested more than $10 million towards the creation and development
What was an unsafe eyesore in an East Denver neighborhood where children once played amidst broken glass and weeds, is now the two-acre New Freedom Park with a modern playground, a community garden and a soccer field. New Freedom Park provides families from wartorn countries a place to grow fresh vegetables, run in green grass and play on swings, slides and other structures. The park came together with the help of GOCO funding and a partnership between the Trust for Public Land and Denver Parks and Recreation. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock attended the New Freedom Park ribbon cutting
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ceremony in June 2012 and said, “It’s a great source of pride for this community and demonstrates what Denver is all about—one city for all people.”
Lincoln Park in Grand Junction Parks don’t last forever and eventually need to be improved and enhanced. With thousands of visitors each week, Lincoln Park in Grand Junction was in dire need of upgrades to make it safer and more accessible to the entire community. With the help of GOCO funding, Lincoln Park has been transformed into a community resource with a universally-accessible playground for children of all abilities. The park also boasts an Arboretum Trail with 56 signs denoting different tree types. For more information about outdoor recreation amenities near you, visit www.goco.org. Like GOCO on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@GreatOutdoorsCO) and Instagram (#greatoutdoorscolorado).
s t i s i v k c a r t y e h s r e h
N O I T C N U J D GRAN
BY MARC RADEMACHER
For the first time in its 36 year history, Colorado Hershey Track and Field State Games were held on the Western Slope of Colorado in Grand Junction on June 15. Approximately 450 Kids from 35 different communities across Colorado came to Grand Junction to celebrate this grassroots track and field program that is designed to introduce children ages 9 to 14 to the sport of track and field. The day began with a parade of athletes, teams were judged on the theme “Celebrate Colorado” The team that best represented this theme won lots of Hershey Chocolate. The winner this year was South Jeffco!
At the meet, Hershey Colorado awarded Shon Birch from Grand Junction Parks and Recreation the Hershey Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award. Shon received this award due to his commitment to bring the games to the Western Slope. This could not have happened without Shon’s dedication and hard work toward the program! The night prior to the meet approximately 150 kids visited Banana’s Fun Center and had pizza, soda and a great time meeting new friends.
Dakota, Manitoba and Saskatchewan) are placed on the Regional team that competes at the North American Final in Hershey, PA in August. This year Colorado had 5 kids make this team; 1 from Thornton, 1 from Denver, 1 from Fort Collins, 1 from South Jeffco and 1 from DeBeque. Congratulations to our Colorado kids! If your agency was not a part of the Hershey Track and Field Games please consider joining in 2014! Thanks for being a great host Grand Junction!
The athletes with the best times/distances from all the states/provinces in our region (Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Kansas, South Dakota, North Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 19
O N: I T A E R C E R R O O D T I N N O VAT I O N I N O U
T N O M L A V K R A P E K I B By Callie Hayden, City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department, facilities supervisor at the Valmont Bike Park and Mike Eubank, City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department, Project Manager
20 Colorado Parks and Recreation • www.cpra-web.org
At just over two years old, Valmont Bike Park (VBP) in Boulder, Colorado has become a hotspot for families, youth, advanced trick riders, and professional racers from around the world.
thought went into planning VBP to ensure the park was user friendly for all cycling disciplines, including the most novice cyclist, to the more technically skilled, to the gravity defying thrill seeker!
The facility sits within the larger Valmont City Park, and is owned and operated by the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department (BPRD). VBP is a 42-acre, natural surface cycling facility offering diverse amenities for all riding styles and abilities. VBP has incredible features that include four miles of bike trails, over three dozen rideable features, a dual slalom course, slopestyle area, dirt jumps, pump tracks, a novice skills loop, and a permanent Cyclocross “run up” that is one mile above sea level. The park offers not only a unique cycling opportunity within an urban setting but includes amenities of a traditional public park including manicured turf areas, restrooms, a “tot lot,” picnic shelters, and connecting greenway paths which lead to other Valmont City Park features. VBP is the only municipal park of its kind that is free and open to the public. Lots of collaborative
Attendance for this year-round facility is impressive with over 500 vehicles entering the parking lots daily during peak summer times. In fact, an estimated 40,000 riders visit the park each year from the Boulder community and the front range area, as well as the rest of the globe including Australia, Japan, Austria, France and Canada. The development of VBP was an exceptional example of collaboration and partnership between the BPRD, community groups, and contractors selected to design and build the park. There was a significant amount of problem solving and creative thinking required by all involved to ensure the end product would be a safe and maintainable facility. Funding for the development was led by the Boulder Mountain Bike Association (BMA), a local nonprofit advocacy group, the Boulder community, local businesses and
Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 21
Colorado State Lottery grants, which raised nearly $500,000 for the construction of VBP. After three years of planning and design, 13 months of construction and adding 180,000 cubic yards of soil, VBP was opened and ready to accommodate a mixed use of day-today public recreation, programming, events, and world-class races. BPRD staff immediately began to develop new standards and best management practices, (BMPs) for bike park operations. 22 Colorado Parks and Recreation • www.cpra-web.org
Daily maintenance tasks are a balancing act between traditional park maintenance activities such as irrigation maintenance, turf and horticulture practices, and preparing and accommodating events and programs with a heavy dose of trail and feature maintenance. One of the more important standards created is the risk management program that relies on trail maintenance, facility inspections, emergency response plans, indepth accident tracking
and comprehensive signage similar to the ski industry. This has helped ensure safe operations and decrease the user’s exposure to hazards. Staff continues to identify and create BMPs for the newly emerging urban bike park industry. Partnerships and volunteers are an essential part of the success of VBP. More than 1,000 volunteers have accomplished over 3,000 hours of work in the past two years to assist with noxious
weed mitigation, trail and park feature maintenance, event support, and property needs. VBP also has 175 specially trained volunteers that serve as park hosts and Boulder Mountain Bike Patrol (BMBP) members. The BMBP is a partnership with three other federal, county and local governments that work with the volunteer BMBP to serve as educational and informational resources to park users. In addition, the park works with numerous partners including Boulder Community Hospital, which supplies free helmets to youth and families, created a “Know Before you Go” informational video, provides an onsite defibrillator, and free CPR/First Aid courses to volunteers and staff. In addition to daily use, VBP provides unique programming and events to create opportunities for skill development and community engagement. The BPRD currently partners with two cycling contractors to offer the majority of onsite skills clinics along with lessons and camps that are held throughout the year. These classes have provided VBP with much needed revenue to offset some of the operational costs. To date, VBP has served over 800 participants in these offerings, as well as clinics offered by other groups. VBP has hosted a number of events including the United States Cycling Association-sanctioned Cyclocross races, National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day events, Dual Slalom competitions, and recently, a weekly Short Track Mountain Bike Series that includes adaptive racing. VBP has had over 3,500 participants racing and competing at the park and has been chosen to host the 2014 National Cyclocross Championship in January 2014, which will bring over 2,000 competitors to the five day event. One of the biggest successes has been the wide array of daily users that visit the park. On any given afternoon, you will see families with children as young as two years old utilizing the “tot track,” older adults enjoying a nice easy ride through the cross country areas, elite bike enthusiasts launching into the air on dirt jumps, a rider out for a quick lunch training session, and a large number of the traditionally “hard to reach” teen male segment of the community challenging themselves and engaging with other users of the park. Staff receives unsolicited positive feedback from numerous outlets including parenting blogs, Men’s Journal magazine, social media, phone calls, emails and many verbal “thank yous” to staff and volunteers at the park. Though the park has been open for just over two years, staff continues to be on the forefront of the management of municipally owned and operated urban bike park facilities. The BPRD remains dedicated to the safe and accessible operation of the facility through effective and efficient management, and strives to continually improve and develop best practices for operations and serving the community. Learn more at our session at the CPRA Conference in Vail. Fall 2013 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 23
COLORADO Byline PARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 1037 Wheat Ridge, CO 80034
CALENDAR OF
EVENTS Visit cpra-web.org for more details
September
Annual Conference September 24-27, Vail
ADA Programs & Policies Workshop November 15, Parker
November
February
Cancer Fitness Institute November 9-10, Littleton
Volunteer Power Workshop February 7, Lakewood
Fitness in the Rockies November 15, Parker
Student Conference February 20 Metro State University, Denver
Playground Equipment & Safety Surfacing • Water Slides Spray Parks & Water Playgrounds Shade Shelters • Restroom Buildings • Landscape Furnishings Scoreboards, Message Centers, Marquees & Video Displays Athletic Goals, Nets & Equipment • Bleachers & Stadium Seating Consulting & Design Services for Parks & Playgrounds