CPRA Byline - Winter 2023

New Edge on the Horizon

Natural play meets urban design in the NU-Edge GSX for activity that builds balance and overall confidence. This compact piece offers a gauntlet of challenges for a child. How will they choose to get to the rope bridge? The options are as limitless as a child’s imagination. Climb the crisscrossing ropes to escape a collapsing tomb or slide into an unexplored jungle. Stay steady on the large rope over a course of raging rapids. Hang out between the top wooden planks to plan the next adventure. The NU-Edge GSX invites kids, and kids-at-heart, to channel their creativity in a space that teeters between the rustic and the modern.

To see NU-Edge® GSX in action, visit LittleTikesCommercial.com/GSX

Designed with the ability to connect to an existing post and platform.

CONTENTS

By Lizzy Owens

UPCOMING BYLINE DEADLINES

Spring 2023 Issue

Content/Ad Deadline: March 25, 2023 | Mails: April 2023

Summer 2023 Issue

Content/Ad Deadline: June 15, 2023 | Mails: August 2023

Fall 2023 Issue

Content/Ad Deadline: August 15, 2023 | Mails: November 2023

Winter 2023 Issue

Content/Ad Deadline: January 23, 2024 | Mails: March 2024

Learn more about advertising at www.bit.ly/CPRA2023.

COLORADO PARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATION

PO BOX 1037

Wheat Ridge, CO 80034

[P] 303-231-0943

[F] 303-237-9750 cpra@cpra-web.org www.cpra-web.org

Ashley Perillo Acting Executive Director ashleyp@cpra-web.org

Rachel Hungerbuhler

Professional Development Program Coordinator rachelh@cpra-web.org

Jillian Strogis Membership & Communications Coordinator jillians@cpra-web.org

Colorado Byline is the official member magazine of CPRA, Colorado Parks & Recreation Association. CPRA is a dynamic, proactive organization that creates healthy residents and livable communities by promoting excellence in parks and recreation.

2022-23 CPRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

Hillary Roemersberger Apex Park & Recreation District hillaryr@apexprd.org

PRESIDENT-ELECT

Clay Shuck City and County of Broomfield cshuck@broomfield.org

SECRETARY/TREASURER

Sean VonRoenn ERBM Recreation and Park District seanv@ERBMrec.com

AT-LARGE

Susan Anderson City of Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation sanderson@ci.wheatridge.co.us

AT-LARGE

Gina Barton Jefferson County Parks and Conservation gbarton@jeffco.us

AT-LARGE

Megann Lohman City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Lohmanm@bouldercolorado.gov

AT-LARGE Kit Newland City of Lakewood kitnew@lakewood.org

2022-23 CPRA ADVISORY COUNCIL

AAPS

Amy Hodge Eaton Parks & Recreation District amyhodge@eaprd.com

AQUATICS

Hillary Osmack City of Boulder Parks and Recreation osmackh@bouldercolorado.gov

CARA

Kyle Parker City of Greenwood Village kparker@greenwoodvillage.com

DIRECTORS

Dean Rummel Carbon Valley Parks and Recreation District drummel@cvprd.com

FACILITY MANAGEMENT

Dan Wahl Town of Castle Rock dwahl@crgov.com

FITNESS

Michelle Stout Apex Parks & Recreation District michelles@apexprd.org

PARKS

Ryan Jensen City and County of Broomfield rjensen@broomfield.org

PLAaY

Katy French City of Brighton kfrench@brightonco.gov

THERAPEUTIC RECREATION (TR)

Ashley Bordenet Town of Castle Rock abordenet@crgov.com

BYLINE, ONLINE & EMAIL

ADVERTISING:

Todd Pernsteiner Pernsteiner Creative Group 952-841-1111 todd@pernsteiner.com www.pernsteiner.com

On the cover: ERBM Recreation & Park District’s inflatable start/finish line

Photo by: Donnee Theos

GO DIGITAL

View this issue online at cpra-web.org/page/byline. Keep up on all things CPRA via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Colorado Byline is the quarterly publication of Colorado Parks & Recreation Association (CPRA) and is provided as a benefit to members. Submit your article to www. cpra-web.org/page/bylinearticlesub under publication resources. Submissions are edited and published as space allows. Letters to the editor, suggestions, comments and encouragement are welcome. Expressed opinions and statements in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinions of the CPRA board of directors or its membership.

Mission: Promote the parks and recreation profession and its growth throughout the State of Colorado.

Vision: A dynamic, proactive organization that creates healthy residents and livable communities by promoting excellence in parks and recreation.

Meet Dean Rummel

By Katie Rummel, Communications Director – Thompson Rivers Parks & Recreation District and Ally Flanagan, HR Manager – Carbon Valley Park & Recreation District

Dean Rummel has been working in the parks and recreation field for the past twenty years. This hard-working guy from Iowa was with the City of Boulder for a little over twelve years before he became the Executive Director for the Carbon Valley Parks and Recreation District in May of 2018. Dean is also the current Chair for the CPRA Directors Section where he enjoys being able to work and collaborate with so many other great professionals in the field.

Dean believes in leading by example, and prides himself most on his strong morals and values. He has built an incredible Culture Plan while at

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Counsilman-Hunsaker

IMC: Aquatics for Everyone

Counsilman-Hunsaker offers diverse aquatic solutions for every aquatic facility. We bring aquatics to life with stunning, stateof-the-art facility design, assure facilities meet the needs of the community, and guarantee facilities run safely and sustainably for guests and operators. Whether an architect, developer, owner, or operator, Counsilman-Hunsaker brings aquatics to everyone.

Founded in 1970 by swimming pioneers James “Doc”

Counsilman and Joe Hunsaker, Counsilman-Hunsaker has been established as the trusted industry authority and respected thought leader in aquatics, completing thousands of aquatic projects in all fifty states and internationally.

CVPRD which focuses internally to grow and develop staff. With this he was able to create and hire two new director level positions. These directors will continue to focus internally and allow Dean to work externally with community partners to continue to provide exceptional recreational programs and facilities to a rapidly growing community.

Outside of the office Dean spends many hours on either a softball field or basketball court. He loves coaching and watching his two daughters doing what they love most. He truly is the best #girldad there is!

Based in St. Louis with locations in Dallas, Denver, San Diego, and Ann Arbor, Counsilman-Hunsaker offers a full circle of expertise unavailable anywhere else in the aquatic industry, including:

• Physical and engineering audits

• Aquatic feasibility studies and master planning

• Commercial aquatic design, drawings, and construction documents

• Aquatic operational support for risk management, training, and compliance

• Cloud-based applications supporting operations, training, and risk management (HydroApps™)

With over five decades of unique expertise and unique partnerships, Counsilman-Hunsaker’s design projects can be seen in universities, municipalities, school districts, hotels, condos, wellness centers, and military bases, while planning and operations services have profoundly impacted hundreds of communities and enhanced the safety and sustainability of their pools.

We bring aquatics to life with stunning, state-of-the-art facility design, assure facilities meet the needs of the community, and guarantee facilities run safely and sustainably for guests and operators.

Denver Museum Nature Play & Box Canyon Waterway Project Breaks Ground

By Lauren Weiderspon, ECI Site Construction Management

As part of its mission to build interactive outdoor spaces that enhance communities, ECI Site Construction Management, Inc. (ECI) celebrated the groundbreaking of its Nature Play and Box Canyon Waterway project at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. The project is a collaboration between DMNS and the City and County of Denver and will cover four acres across the southwest corner of the museum in City Park.

This multisensory outdoor venue will include numerous unique elements that will appeal to multiple generations, including swings, slides, climbing features, seating and gathering spaces,

a 20-foot bighorn sheep sculpture, and accessible pathways. Additionally, the historic waterway in the southeast corner of City Park will be restored and highlight Colorado’s ecosystems through play experiences.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this project is how much the Denver community has driven its overall vision. As part of the 2018 City Park Master Planning Process, more than 800 community members were surveyed so the end result could best match the public’s needs. Feedback included the desire for accessibility, native Colorado plants, water features, and much more.

With more than 1.7 million people served annually by the DMNS onsite, offsite and virtually, it goes without saying that the institute is a fundamental landmark for families in the Denver area. This new outdoor space will provide learning opportunities and gathering spaces for all ages and abilities for years to come.

It is expected to open to the public in late 2024. ECI will serve as the project’s general contractor and Dig Studio as the primary landscape architect.

Visit the DMNS website at dmns.org to learn more about the project and vision behind it. Learn more about ECI and its projects at www.ecisite.net.

Renderings: ECI Site Construction Management

Stay Connected with Technical Tuesdays

CPRA’s Technical Tuesdays emails provide our members with insight on the current technical trends in the Parks & Recreation field and available solutions provided by our Industry Partners. Sent to the membership twice a month, the emails provide an opportunity for our professional and partner members to network and engage. P&R professionals across the state need the latest offers and solutions, while our partners need to know how to best help their clients. Technical Tuesdays provide an avenue to serve both sides.

Participate in our once-a-month Technical Tuesdays survey to provide your feedback on the leading questions on our partners’ minds so you can help bring the industry together. Plus you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card for participating! Technical Tuesday emails and surveys are sent to all active CPRA members. Keep an eye on your inbox and check out the data here to get your gears turning with the latest from the industry! We will feature survey results in future Byline issues. You can see past Technical Tuesdays and Byline issues at cpra-web.org/publications – member log-in is required.

Don’t miss it!

TECHNICAL TUESDAY RESULTS FEBRUARY 2023 SURVEY

Question 1: How are your marketing efforts handled?

Question 2: What type of plan is your agency likely to undertake in the next 12-24 months?

(Please choose all that apply.)

CPRA Parks Workshop & Tradeshow

April 6, 2023 | 7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Island Grove Event Center, Greeley

Join the CPRA Parks Section for the 2023 Parks Spring Workshop & Trade Show on Thursday, April 6th at the Island Grove Event Center in Greeley. This event offers parks professionals educational sessions worth 0.2 CEUs, a trade show with some of the best companies in the industry, a coffee & doughnuts breakfast plus lunch. Raffle items & giveaways are just the icing on the cake at this event!

Attendee Rates:

Register by March 23

$65/members; $75/non-members

March 24 - April 3 (by 12 p.m.) $80/members; $90 non-members

Note: Do you need to register multiple crew members but aren’t sure who specifically will be attending? You can register generic names, (ex: Broomfield One, Broomfield Two, etc.), and update these names in your account at a later date.

Vendors - Are you interested in securing an exhibit booth for the trade show? Visit www.cpra-web.org for details including the exhibit hall map and registration pricing. Booths are first come, first serve.

Registration deadline is March 29.

Grow Your Passion for Communication

CSU’s Communications for Conservation Graduate Certificate Program

Environmental professionals face increasingly complex problems, including climate change, land and energy development, recreation pressure, biodiversity loss, natural disasters, and human health impacts. Tackling these issues requires a wide range of skill sets. Social science and communications knowledge is a noticeable gap for many conservation practitioners. As the various avenues for communication continue to evolve, environmental professionals require more tools and tactics to convey information and change constituents’ behaviors to better our planet. Considerations for equity, inclusion, and environmental justice are also essential skill sets so that all people can participate in stewarding our natural resources.

Colorado State University’s online graduate degree in Communications for Conservation is an accelerated learning platform that offers budding conservation communicators the tools, information, and skills to engage with diverse constituents through various media outlets. The program pairs the context and language of conservation with communications best practices. From interpretation to policy influence

and social media strategy, students gain experience analyzing and mastering communications tactics applied to realworld problems. Interactive discussions with university faculty and peers foster a robust learning environment where students gain exposure to different professional backgrounds.

Many of our students are working in natural resources but seeking additional tools in social science and communications or looking to make a career shift toward conservation. This flexible asynchronous program allows individuals to balance work and education while gaining conservation communication skills. Our alumni have found positions in state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, private firms, educational institutions, and some have started their own communication firms.

As Dean Smith, the Wildlife Liaison for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, shared, current conservation efforts “require people that can communicate with their peers, and to ...public stakeholders and all the people that are involved in the broad set of responsibilities in managing our natural resources.”

Check out the program!

Learn more about CSU’s Communications for Conservation Graduate Certificate at https://col.st.qMb4r or scan the QR code below.

AN ACCELERATED LEARNING PLATFORM THAT OFFERS BUDDING CONSERVATION COMMUNICATORS THE TOOLS, INFORMATION, AND SKILLS TO ENGAGE WITH DIVERSE CONSTITUENTS THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA OUTLETS.

2022 CPRA AWARDS

Colorado Parks & Recreation Association’s awards program is designed to recognize and celebrate the individuals and organizations that contribute to the success and value of parks and recreation in the state of Colorado. Designed to bring attention to its recipients, the awards program highlights the successes of association members and community champions. The sharing of new and creative programs is an additional benefit of involvement in the awards program. Excellence in parks and recreation is visible in many places. We encourage you to take notice of the parks and recreation programs, professionals and community champions that deserve recognition by nominating them for an award!

Section Awards

AQUATICS: Brady Warner, Woodland Park

CARA: Kyle Parker, Greenwood Village

Professional Service Awards

FITNESS: Lexi Bulich (right), City of Lafayette

PLA aY: Cara Hockaday, City of Northglenn

SAVE THE DATE!

The next award nomination deadline is July 15, 2023. Information can be found on the CPRA website under the Resources tab.

CPRA FELLOW: Matt Robbins, Jefferson County Open Space

OUTSTANDING NEW PROFESSIONAL: Whitney Dyer, City of Greeley

COMMUNITY CHAMPION: Carol Hastings, City of Thornton

Columbine Awards

DESIGN: NEW FACILITY

Town of Berthoud

Columbine Awards

Divided into three subcategories, Columbine awards are designed to highlight best practices and creative ideas in:

• Design - may include new or renovated park and recreation facility design projects

• Innovation - may include marketing ideas, technology advances, communication, ‘green’ practices, partnerships, or operations

• Programming - may include any program or initiative that is create, fresh, and new

DESIGN: NEW & RENOVATED PARK

City of Fort Collins

DESIGN: RENOVATED FACILITY

City of Colorado Springs

INNOVATION AWARD - The River Park at Las Colonias, Grand Junction Parks and Recreation

Planning for the River Park at Las Colonias launched in 1997 with the vision to transform an area replete with non-native vegetation and traces of former uses as migrant farm housing, a junkyard, and a uranium mill. Guided by strong civic leadership in the 90’s, the community remediated the uranium mill, cleaned up the junkyard, and removed the invasive weed species. The project took planning and input from thousands of individuals and a multitude of organizations over many years.

The River Park at Las Colonias is part of the Riverfront Trail system which

spans from Palisade in the east to Fruita in the west. The River Park builds upon the diverse recreational options available to Grand Junction residents. The choices are endless from fishing, rafting, kayaking, paddleboarding, as well as mountain biking, walking, hiking and running. The River Park provides abundant outdoor opportunities for the community. It also supports the economy being surrounded by local businesses. The River Park also acts as a side channel for the endangered fish species in the Colorado River. The transformation of this area has created a vibrant and welcoming amenity open and useful to the public.

The City of Grand Junction saw this as an opportunity to connect underserved

INNOVATION: City of Grand Junction

PROGRAMMING City of Wheat Ridge

neighborhoods and areas together through nature and the use of the River Park. Multiple organizations and people were involved in the transformation. The City revised the master plan and prioritized the River Park development. During that process, feedback was gathered that validated Las Colonias as a riverfront amenity with abundant opportunity for passive activities and river access. The City worked closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife to determine if a feature in the main stem of the Colorado River was possible given the park’s location. The main stem was not a suitable location, so focus turned to developing water channels within the park that could still achieve recreational objectives and improve aquatic habitat. The River Park at Las Colonias was built to suit all users. During the summer of 2020, the River Park stayed open during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming the community’s escape from the summer heat and the stressors in everyone’s lives. Adding this park has encouraged recreation within the community.

PROGRAMMING AWARDRegenerate Wheat Ridge, Wheat Ridge Parks & Recreation and the Jefferson Conservation District

Through a collaborative, grantfunded approach, Wheat Ridge Parks & Recreation and the Jefferson Conservation District combined forces to implement a regenerative agriculture program in Wheat Ridge. The City of Wheat Ridge has a rich agricultural history, and we found that while many residents were very interested in learning more about urban agriculture, there weren’t many well-aligned educational opportunities within the community. The Regenerate Wheat Ridge program provided free educational sessions on a variety of topics from soil to pollinators to goat grazing for individuals of all ages. The training benefitted residents by providing skills to help their own yards and gardens flourish, often resulting in a prosperous food source. It also created much-needed connections between landowners and food producers, resulting in a new food production site in Wheat Ridge. Additionally, our working

group developed a technical assistance guide which provides resources for interested landowners and food producers to continue this valuable work on their own. The guide details various obstacles, best practices, and practical solutions.

NEW PARK DESIGN - The Poudre River Whitewater Park, City of Fort Collins Park Planning and Development

For millennia, the Poudre River has been the lifeblood of Fort Collins; a sacred resource and refuge for native tribes including the Apache, Comanche, Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne. In the 1800’s, the river became a destination for settlers and ultimately a military post, Camp Collins, the namesake of the city today. Proximity to clean water and a mild climate resulted in the emergence of “white gold”, or the sugar beet, a thriving agricultural industry in the early 1900’s. Industry and commerce grew along the banks of the river as the city emerged as a destination for travel and tourism. Like many American cities,

The River Park at Las Colonias

the river was eventually neglected and largely forgotten. A landfill was placed at the riverbanks in downtown. An underground coal tar leak polluted the river, resulting in a costly clean-up effort. In the 1980’s and 90’s, the city renewed efforts to restore the river, making it a haven for wildlife and riparian vegetation. This preservationist approach resulted in a healthier river corridor, but also one that disconnected the people of Fort Collins from the river, especially through the downtown area. In 2013, a master plan was developed with a primary objective to balance the environmental health of the river with

the needs of residents to engage with the river in new ways.

The Poudre River Downtown Master Plan provides an inspiring vision and plan for over three miles of the Poudre River through downtown. River use zones are identified in the plan, including natural, urban interface, and transition zones. These zones were developed in response to specific ecological, economic, and sociologic needs. The master plan seeks to balance three primary goals: improved safety, natural systems, and recreation. Previous efforts to improve the downtown stretch of the river failed, as there was typically a focus on only one of

these objectives. By looking holistically at all three, the plan re-imagined how the river could be experienced without compromising ecological integrity.

Following completion of the master plan and adoption by City Council in 2014, the whitewater park was identified as the first project for implementation. The whitewater park site is approximately 12 acres in size and extends downstream from College Avenue to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad trestle. The north boundary of the park is Vine Drive, a former industrial area that is now emerging as part of the Innovation District, home to new business incubator spaces and new technologies. The park is anchored on the south by the Colorado State University Engines Lab, a worldrenowned facility located in the historic power plant building that once produced electricity for the city.

In the 1980’s, the city acquired the first recreational water right in Colorado, establishing the need for recreational uses on the river and enabling other communities to pursue in stream recreational rights throughout the state. In partnership with the Poudre Heritage Alliance, this significant historical event is recognized in the park as part of a unique sculptural piece that celebrates the agricultural, industrial, and recreational heritage of Fort Collins.

Regenerate Wheat Ridge

Poudre River Whitewater Park

During construction, the contractor uncovered a 100-year-old infiltration gallery located beneath the bed of the river that was used to collect and distribute river water for cooling the adjacent historic power plant. With an urgent need to complete the river work during the winter season, an archeologist was called to the site to quickly record and map the gallery and associated infrastructure. Once completed, construction resumed and the spring deadline for river work was met.

NEW FACILITY DESIGN –Waggener Farm Park, Town of Berthoud

Berthoud, Colorado, is a statutory town located in Larimer and Weld counties with a population of approximately 11,000. What was once a gold rush town turned agricultural hub has not-soslowly been morphing into a growing destination for young families and Coloradans looking for a slower pace of life and lower living costs than its neighboring cities. With this population growth and culture, come great opportunities for this unique mix of longtime senior residents and newly formed bedroom community families.

The Waggener Farm Park project is the first phase of a Parks Masterplan conducted in Berthoud, Colorado. The main programming goals within the Waggener Farm Park site included a Community Recreation Center, a community destination park, outdoor sports fields, Outdoor Community gathering spaces, pedestrian connection to the adjacent residential properties, and an overall trails network. The Waggener Farm Park site is approximately 57 acres. The northern 3rd was slated to develop this recreation center while the southern 2/3rd will remain primarily natural landscape. The Recreation Center is approximately 49,300 SF, including an indoor leisure pool and 3 lane lap pool, gymnasium, fitness & weights area, aerobics room, child watch and small community party/ meeting room space.

An election that approved a sales tax for recreation was almost a 50/50 split vote

representing the difference in opinion of new development within the Town. Throughout the design process, the team was involved in public meetings and listened to concerns and appreciation of this project. Although most all citizens have been highly supportive of the design, the cost to build the facility and the method of funding through certificates of participation has been a political struggle for the Town’s leadership. The goal of not only a recreation facility but also a community destination park that unifies all—old and new residents, young and elderly users— was a significant challenge that within the first year of operations, we are proud to say was successfully met!

RENOVATED PARK DESIGN –Sugar Beet Park, City of Fort Collins Park Planning and Development

Fort Collins joined the “beet boom” in 1903 when the Great Western Sugar Company opened a sugar factory along East Vine Drive. Sugar beets require precise planting, thinning, and harvesting, and thus a large labor force. Great Western Sugar Company actively recruited workers to northern Colorado to work the beet fields,

including German-Russia and Hispanic/ Latino workers. Many of these workers lived in the surrounding communities of Buckingham, Andersonville and Alta Vista, commonly referred to as “Tres Colonias”. These neighborhoods are some of the oldest in the city and foundational to the growth and prosperity of Fort Collins in the early 20th century. The Fort Collins sugar factory closed in 1954 after struggling with years of drought conditions, high production costs and increased competition from cheaper sugar sources like cane sugar and corn syrup. The sugar beet industry and the contributions of the people who worked in the fields and factories indelibly shaped the character of Fort Collins. Over the last century, the Tres Colonias neighborhoods remained predominantly working class, Hispanic/Latino and were geographically and economically isolated from the rest of Fort Collins. Until recently, the neighborhoods lacked much of the public infrastructure other parts of the city take for granted including sidewalks, sanitary sewer, adequate stormwater/flood mitigation, parks and access to public transit.

Recognizing a need to better engage Tres Colonias residents, the City implemented an extensive community

Waggener Farm Park

engagement strategy in development of the 2014 Lincoln Corridor Plan, a significant corridor adjacent to the neighborhoods. Out of these efforts, the need for a renovated park was identified.

Sugar Beet Park is a profoundly impactful park to the residents of Fort Collins, particularly to Hispanic residents of the Tres Colonias neighborhoods, where basic infrastructure, transportation, and open space needs have a history of neglect. As a cultural bridge, the park celebrates the rich heritage of the sugar beet in Fort Collins, a large and quirky vegetable that transformed Fort Collins into the nation’s largest sugar producer in the early 20th century. With a brightly colored wooden vegetable as the centerpiece, the park restores honor and significance to those who labored in the sugar beet fields; recognizing the unmistakable contributions of migrant workers to the economic and cultural development of the city, while creating a fun-filled, enriching park environment enveloped by a native Colorado landscape. The park remains an effective and responsive environment to sensitive cultural issues, raising awareness and helping to build bridges between cultural divides. The park is heavily used and dearly loved by residents today.

POLLINATOR GARDEN

CUSTOM RAIL CAR BENCHES

Sugar Beet Park

RENOVATED FACILITY DESIGN –The Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center, City of Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services

The Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center project replaced the deteriorating and undersized 1963 Summit House. The new three-level facility, set into the hillside on the summit of Pikes Peak, is positioned to visibly anchor with nearby Mount Rosa, the location where Zebulon Pike first viewed Pikes Peak. The focus of the new facility was designed to incorporate several elements including to:

• Preserve the Pikes Peak summit area in a raw, wild, and undeveloped state, similar to that first seen by early explorers and the indigenous tribes

• Use building materials that would blend with the natural environment, withstand environmental conditions,

and provide for energy efficiency

• Incorporate alternative and renewable energy sources

• Reorganize the existing site facilities and utilities in a sustainable and efficient manner

• Restructure visitor use and traffic flow, encompassing the Cog Railway, motor vehicles, bicycles, and hikers

• Ensure access to the 14,115-foot mountain summit is achievable by all visitors, all abilities

The new summit experience provides interpretive pedestrian walks, highlighting historic cultural resources and connecting each space, while avoiding native tundra areas to support tundra restoration efforts. Walkway designs provide options for visitors, based on time, weather, and interests. Other visitor circulation and flow

elements include strategically designed spaces to provide uninterrupted views, seating, and interpretive opportunities for both cultural and natural resources. The project’s conservation initiatives are designed for today and into the future. The recycling programs implemented support upwards of 1,000,000 visitors to the summit annually. Our water treatment facility that allows us to treat and reuse our water is designed to collect rainwater once state regulations allow, and PPAM continues to work with our concessionaire to further reduce our impact to the environment. We will continue to tell our “Road to Sustainability” story and include retail and food suppliers who are implementing innovative strategies to reduce their impact, while still providing quality products, services, and experiences to our guests.

Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center

Professional Service Awards

Professional Service Awards are for CPRA professional members only. The Fellow and Outstanding New Professional awards honor individuals who exemplify leadership, inspiration, and noteworthly constributions to the profession.

OUTSTANDING NEW PROFESSIONAL: Whitney Dyer, City of Greeley Recreation

Whitney Dyer was hired as the Recreation Supervisor of the Sports/AIR team for Greeley Recreation in May of 2021 with the intent of relaunching programming that had been completely eliminated due to COVID. Though she is a lifelong participant in sports, including as a college soccer player, Whitney did not have extensive experience in operating a sports program prior to taking on this challenge. Nor had she overseen Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation (AIR) previously. Despite her lack of direct experience, Whitney performed exceptionally in bringing back all programming in her area, due primarily to her outstanding leadership. With the entire Sports staff having left, Whitney was tasked with hiring a dynamic team of coordinators and part-time staff to deliver programs. She did a phenomenal job of onboarding and training her staff to be effective in their positions, despite being new to her role as well. As the team began to reassemble the Sports and AIR programs, Whitney established a strong vision along with goals for her team to focus on high quality programs that are accessible to all. Whitney also established a youth sports philosophy and code of ethics for the program. The philosophy was developed to help participants better understand the purpose of youth sports leagues.

Beyond her program area, Whitney’s ability to lead has had great impact on the entire organization. She chaired the division’s Website Committee within two months of being hired and guided the committee’s efforts towards establishing consistent design standards and transforming the Webtrac landing page. Whitney has also taken a lead role in the development of many of the division’s interns.

FELLOW: Matt Robbins

Matt Robbins has been a leader in the parks, recreation, and conservation field for over 20 years. Over his career he has supported and advanced our field as the Community Connections Director for Jefferson County Parks & Conservation, as Public Information Manager for Colorado Parks & Wildlife, as Community Manager for the Colorado Lottery, and in various roles with Denver Parks & Recreation and Mayor Hickenlopper’s Office. Given his range of experience statewide he has touched many in our field and is widely known for his upbeat, friendly, and reliable persona. His service to people, our community, and environment is also evident in his volunteer endeavors with Volunteers of America, Meals on Wheels, The Huntington’s Disease Society, the Colorado Problem Gambling Coalition and more.

Matt Robbins is a very worthy recipient of CPRA’s highest honor because he has served the organization, its members,

our profession, and communities across the state extremely well. Almost everyone in the parks and conservation world knows Matt, or knows of him, as an approachable, supportive, and action-oriented leader. His work over the past several decades has made an enormously positive impact statewide, in many communities and with many professionals. His passion for our work is unsurpassed, contagious, and inspiring to those he touches. Those who know him and the CPRA Fellow Award will agree that he embodies the letter and spirit of this honor.

Community Champion

The Parks and Recreation Community Champion award recognizes an individual or organization within a community who is a true parks and recreation champion.

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMUNITY CHAMPION: Carol

Hastings

Carol embodies what it means to give of oneself for the benefit and advancement of others. Carol has connected to the larger Thornton community through recreation, programming and volunteer activities. She is compassionate, loving, and an ambassador for all that the city of Thornton does to provide not only seniors, but people of all ages opportunities to participate in ways that sparks joy in their soul. She is the first to invite someone to play a game, come to a special event lunch or bingo, or try an exercise class.

Colorado Lottery Starburst Awards

The Colorado Lottery recognizes excellence in the use of Lottery funds across the state with its annual Starburst Awards. The award winners are highlighted at the CPRA Annual Conference.

In 2022, eight winning projects were chosen from across the state based on the creativity of the project, economic and social impact on the community, and whether the project achieved its goal. More than $6,406,826 in Lottery funds were represented in the winning projects. Lottery proceeds are distributed statewide through grants via Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), the Conservation Trust Fund (CTF), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), which

manages the Outdoor Equity Fund, and Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST).

“The Lottery is committed to conservation through the distribution of Lottery revenue through our beneficiaries. We are always so pleased to recognize the variety of projects these funds support - including wildlife conservation, protection of land and open space, and the creation and improvement of all kinds of outdoor recreation facilities,” said Tom Seaver,

2022 Starburst Award Winners

City of Greeley – East Greeley Initiative

GOCO: $719,515

director of the Colorado Lottery.

“This year’s Starburst winners really demonstrate the many ways the Lottery funds help enrich our amazing state.” Submissions included programs and projects such as parks, playgrounds, outdoor recreation facilities, land conservation, trail enhancement, open space acquisition, wildlife natural resource preservation, and public school capital improvements.

The goal of the East Greeley Initiative is to provide close-to-home opportunities for local residents to enjoy the outdoors. This recently completed project is the result of seven years of active neighborhood engagement and collaboration with surrounding communities. For this project, Lottery dollars were used to fund two site development projects that include nature play amenities, walking paths, benches, picnic shelters, interactive art, and native landscaping.

City of Lamar – North Gateway Park GOCO: $502,910

The Inspire Lamar project used its GOCO Generation Wild program grant to fund improvements and amenities at North Gateway Park, Escondido Park, and a sports complex playground. Funding helped support concession stands, fire pits, picnic areas, restrooms, shaded areas, outdoor education programs and events, campsites, accessible finish piers, and equipment rentals. This adds to the $1.8 million in grants since 2017 to transform North Gateway Park and Willow Creek Park, both of which are now easily accessible from the Lamar Loop trail. Eighteen programs and associated pathway opportunities will bring new experiences to youth like fishing, camping, and biking, and will give them the gear to do it by providing an affordable outdoor gear library.

Carbon Valley Parks and Recreation District – Outdoor Fitness Project

CTF: $221,901

Carbon Valley Parks and Recreation District serves the towns of Firestone, Frederick, and Dacono, and while still a relatively small community, it is one of the fastest growing areas in the state.The new workout area features a variety of equipment for weight training, athletic and cardiovascular training, along with providing additional space for group fitness classes.

Applications for the 2023 Starburst Awards

are now open! Entries must be submitted by Friday, March 3 for consideration. If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Bewley by email at: daniel.bewley@state.co.us

Since 1992, GOCO has been investing a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces. Their independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts and makes investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created by voters, GOCO has committed more than $1.3 billion in Lottery proceeds to more than 5,500 projects in all 64 counties without a single dollar coming from taxpayers’ pockets.

Revenue Generation Funding Your Programs & Spaces

Sadly, money doesn’t grow on trees, but finding funding sources might be easier than you think. Colorado park and recreation professionals share their revenue generation insights.

Grantwriting

Anyone Can Write! Seriously…Anyone

By Luke Bolinger, CPRP, Development & Neighborhood Services Division Manager, Town of Erie Parks and Recreation

Remember that line from the movie Ratatouille? “Anyone can cook!” Chef Gusteau was an advocate that that there was nothing really spectacular about a person in order to be a successful cook. I mean, Remy was a rat and he cooked a dish that took that curmudgeon critic back to his childhood! That’s an impact.

So what does a talking rat cooking delicious meals have to do with grant writing? Anyone can do it. It doesn’t take a journalism degree or a two-day course – it takes patience. It takes knowledge of the subject matter. Most of all, it takes patience. If you truly believe in a project, then you can write a grant application. Sure, some training might give you some tips and it doesn’t hurt to brush up on creative writing, but I would say about 85% of any grant application comes from what you and your colleagues already know about your community, the project, and the need. The other 15% depends on the project, funder, and application requirements.

Grantwriting Luke Bolinger’s Top Five Pieces of Funding Advice

1. Find the funders – and get to know them. Find a system of tracking funders and their application timelines – they can often change. Make the system work for you. Whether it’s a spreadsheet or a calendar, find a way to check in on application schedules. Get to know the key players in the funding organization before writing a sentence. Most funders have staff that are willing to spend some time with you to talk about your project to see if it is a good fit for their organization.

2. Instructions. Read them, then read them again. Your 5th grade teacher was right.

3. Start early. Work backwards from the due date. There may be certain requirements, like a resolution from your board, that you need to have complete – and those take time. Get letters of support early. Nothing is more stressful than having a great project and not having some

impactful letters to submit. Get them from people who will actually benefit from your project. Sometimes a letter written in crayon speaks more than a form letter from someone who will never use your project.

4. Budget. Know your eligible and ineligible costs and be realistic about estimates. Also, know the match requirement – it varies across funding organizations. Double check your work.

5. Finally – the narrative. The narrative is where you get to tell your story and the story of your project.

What is the project? Why is it needed? How will it improve your community? Who will benefit from this project? What is unique about your project? Find those answers – every project has one. Just because you may be a small department in a small town does not mean that your project won’t have an impact in your community. Remember that you are not only trying to get money, but you are telling the story of your community. Let your passion for what you do come through your writing. Anyone can do that.

Luke Bolinger is the Development & Neighborhood Services Division Manager for Erie Parks & Recreation. He has extensive grant experience, having worked with Great Outdoors Colorado in the local government program, conducting grant workshops and reviewing hundreds of projects all across Colorado. He has secured over $2.5M worth of grant funding for Erie capital projects.

Erie Community Park

Mountain Recreation Increases Revenues through Sponsorships

By Lizzy Owens, Community Engagement Manager, Mountain Recreation

Fundraisers don’t seem to be found at parks and rec departments frequently, but we’re a great addition to any parks and recreation staff team.

I joined our Special District’s team at a particularly auspicious time (March 2020) as the first fundraiser on staff. Our team had done some exceptional work in procuring sponsors and generating advertising revenue in the past, but when I came on board, I pulled all the efforts under one umbrella and created formalized programs with tangible and intangible benefits for our partners.

From events that had never had sponsors to newly imagined partnerships with sponsors, we were able to increase revenue and offset the tax dollars with those donations. With a professional fundraiser on staff, District sponsorships increased by 61% after the first year and 128% from 2020 to 2023. Creating new opportunities for local companies and finding innovative ways to recognize

their contributions were two ways we were able to increase sponsorships, but it was more than that: with a dedicated staff member to creating relationships with those organizations and nurturing them as the relationship progressed with monthly updates and post-event/endof-program-year statistics and impact reports, local companies were more apt

to join our District as a partner and stay committed to helping us achieve our mission.

At the same time, we also created a Foundation arm of our Special District – a 509a, yes, but still under the 501c3 designation. What does that mean? The Foundation is a supporting arm of the District and can apply for (and receive)

Photos: Mountain Recreation

grants that the District cannot. This status allows our organization to leverage its 501c3 status to receive nonprofit discounts – saving the District funding that it couldn’t otherwise realize, like nonprofit rates on postage and software. Our Foundation is also acting as a fiscal agent for another local project promoting recreation –by doing so, we’re able to support the local project by charging a significantly reduced rate to the project and we’re able to generate additional revenue through this fiscal sponsorship. Even more, we’re able to build our database of potential donors for future District campaigns.

And of course, a nonprofit receives donations from individuals. With a small county of 55,000 people and over 250 nonprofits, it’s a crowded field here in Eagle County. But with our first year-end giving solicitation,

we were able to raise nearly $20,000 for local families. We asked community members to give to the youth scholarship fund, which is used by families to help cover the cost of youth sports leagues and our statelicensed childcare when the school district isn’t in session.

All of these opportunities are made possible through building relationships with folks who work for the companies able to sponsor or partner. It’s much easier to say no to a cold caller than it is a fellow parent on the soccer field; and once you get to know the sponsors and parnters, you understand what aligns with their missions. And, you hear from the community about what they want. It’s a win-win-win. The companies support the community, the Special District gets new funding, and the community reaps the benefits.

THE MATERIAL PLACEMENT GUYS

Highlight Your Agency!

SHARE YOUR NEWS & UPDATES IN A 2023 ISSUE OF CPRA’S COLORADO BYLINE

2023 Editorial Themes*

Spring 2023 Byline

Article deadline ........................ April 5, 2023

Mails & Online May 2023

Theme: 2023 Industry Trends

Trends in:

• Park, trails, and facility design

• Going green and energy savings

• Technology

• Emergency Response

• All About Aquatics

CPRA Agency Members:

It’s time to plan ahead for the coming 2023 editions of our Colorado Byline magazine and we want to feature YOU. We have opportunities to get featured in Byline and add being published in your state professional magazine to your resume! For reference, CPRA members can view past issues of Byline on www.cpra-web.org.

Have something to share? There are multiple ways you to do so:

1. Get Included in the NEW Keeping Up Section

Keeping Up is a regular feature to highlight CPRA agency and member updates. This is a great place to submit articles about a special event, project, staff update, or retirement. Articles can be as short as one sentence or up to 300 words and can include a photo.

2. Submit Feature Articles –

We welcome article submissions from CPRA agencies about topics relevant to our mission. Articles should be between 250-500 words and include 3-4 high-resolution photos.

3. Send Article Leads/Ideas –

If you don’t have the bandwidth to submit an article but have an idea about an article that would fit one of our issue topics, please share it with us! Send us a brief explanation of the article and who to contact. If we can we will do the leg-work to research and write the article for you.

How to submit:

Send your article or article topic, photos, and any other information to Jillian Strogis at jillians@cpra-web.org. If you have questions, call (720) 588-0943.

• Exceptional Volunteers & Staff

Summer 2023 Byline

Article deadline ......................... July 8, 2023

Mails & Online August 2023

Theme: Creative Play for All

• Opportunities for All Residents

• Themed playgrounds and design trends

• Inclusion and accessibility

• Facility and park design

• Equity and diversity

• Promotion of programs

• Senior programs and trips

• 2023 Conference Preview

Fall 2023 Byline with Buyer’s Guide (Buyer’s Guide included in Fall issue)

Article deadline September 27, 2023

Mails & Online: November 2023

Theme: Tech 4 Rec

• Technology Now & in the Future

• Tech for facilities, fields, playgrounds

• Programming and registration

• Classes in communities

• Social media, website, advertising

• Contests and surveys

• 2023 Conference in Review

• 2023-24 Buyer’s Guide

Winter 2023 Byline

Article deadline January 30, 2024

Mails & Online March 2024

* Editorial content subject to change and will be announced prior to each issue deadline. Contact Todd Pernsteiner for more information at todd@pernsteiner.com or (952) 841-1111 for more information.

Carbon Valley’s Fitness Patron of the Month Program

By Suzi Shankweiler, Fitness and Wellness Coordinator, Carbon Valley Parks and Recreation District

Here at Carbon Valley Parks and Recreation District, our goal is to enhance the quality of life in our community by offering a variety of health, fitness and wellness services. We believe that Fitness and Wellness programming helps to create a healthier, happier and positive community atmosphere. One of the ways we strive to encourage others is by sharing health and fitness journeys through our Fitness Patron of the Month program. Patrons are selected based off of their commitment to their health and individual fitness goals. When choosing each month’s candidate, we look at their exercise consistency, dedication to self-healing and helping others. Part of our challenge is selecting the winner as we have so many dedicated and amazing patrons!

Snapshots of 2022 Patrons of the Month

WE BELIEVE THAT FITNESS AND WELLNESS PROGRAMMING HELPS TO CREATE A HEALTHIER, HAPPIER AND POSITIVE COMMUNITY ATMOSPHERE.

New Fitness Course

Wheat Ridge Adds Fitness Court at Panorama Park through CPRA/National Fitness Campaign Partnership and American Rescue Plan Funding

By Brandon Altenburg, M.Ed., CPRP, Grant and Special Project Administrator, City of Wheat Ridge Parks & Recreation

The City of Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation department installed and opened a sleek and modern outdoor Fitness Court® with a supporting mobile app at Panorama Park in October 2022.

This capital project is a featured part of a 2021-2022 initiative launched by a collaboration between the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) and the National Fitness Campaign (NFC), a nationwide consulting organization that partners with cities and schools to plan, build, and fund healthy infrastructure.

The City of Wheat Ridge and dozens of other select recipients from around the country were awarded a $30,000 grant from NFC to help support the program. In addition to grant funding, a city match and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were contributed to make the project possible in Wheat Ridge.

“We are very excited to add this new opportunity for our community to get fit and healthy,” stated Karen O’Donnell, director of Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation. “The new Fitness Court® offers a beautiful park setting with equipment that is specially designed for outdoor use.”

ARCHITECTURAL DOG PARK PRODUCTS

The new Fitness Court® at Panorama Park is an open-air wellness center that allows users to leverage their own body weight to get a complete workout. Created with adults of all ages in mind, the Fitness Court is adaptable for all fitness levels. New users can also download the free Fitness Court App

that transforms the outdoor gym into a digitally-supported wellness ecosystem. The Fitness Court App, entitled “Fitness Court”, is available for iOS and Android. The Fitness Court is now available for drop-in use during Park hours and will feature instructor-led classes in the future.

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National Fitness Campaign developed the trademarked seven-station system in 2012 hoping to inspire municipalities to transform public spaces into community fitness hubs. There are currently 100 active Fitness Court locations across the country, and the Campaign will reach a total of 250 cities and schools by the end of 2022.

To learn more about National Fitness Campaign and how to qualify for funding, visit www.nationalfitnesscampaign.com/ colorado.

What’s New at the South Boulder Recreation Center?

By Matt Pilger, Recreation Center Supervisor, City of Boulder Parks and Recreation

The South Boulder Recreation Center has been a vital part of the Boulder community since 1974. While beloved by members, the facility is showing its age. Over the last two years it underwent multiple repairs on the pool and HVAC systems, and a year-long closure was necessary for the basketball gym, racquetball court, and Pilates Studio after a boiler failure flooded the rooms. Through this adversity Boulder Parks and Recreation staff found opportunity and reimagined how the Recreation Center could serve the youth of South Boulder and the neighboring Fairview High School and Southern Hills Middle School students. While the basketball gym gained a new floor, the two adjacent rooms would change completely, and a new $2 school-day pass was implemented to provide affordable access to the new spaces.

Formerly a Pilates Studio, the new Community Lounge provides cafe seating, foosball & ping pong tables, foam axe throwing, a television with retro game console, and an Expresso virtual bike. The space immediately became a favorite hangout spot for students during lunch and after school - inquiries about birthday parties were quick to follow.

The Center’s underutilized racquetball court was given new life as a ninja obstacle studio. Lined with acoustic paneling to minimize echo in the room, the Ninja Studio is equipped with popular obstacles such as slanted steps and cargo nets - with a 10ft warped wall accessible just outside the room in the gym. The highlight of the room is an obstacle rig with interchangeable aerial obstacles; options such as cheese walls, floating discs, and ninja rings can be quickly switched to adapt to different ages and skill levels.

Utilizing these reimagined spaces BPR will be introducing new Youth & Teen programs throughout 2023 and maintain a focus on supporting the social and physical wellbeing of Boulder’s youth.

For more information the Center’s projects and repairs can be found here: https://bouldercolorado.gov/projects/south-boulderrecreation-center-facility-repairs

Mountain Recreation Sports Gear Swap

Mountain Recreation hosted its first-ever Sports Gear Swap at Eagle Pool & Ice Rink August 19-20, 2022. The event invited community members to unload sports gear that is collecting dust and gave residents access to a wide-variety of sports equipment for youth and adults.

Mountain Rec accepted any sport-related gear in in clean and usable condition between August 1-19. Donation slips were available upon request at drop off. Admission to the swap was free and to keep all gear at little to no cost, the District asked for a donation at checkout for items picked out, at the public’s discretion.

All proceeds from the swap will benefit the Mountain Recreation Foundation Youth Scholarship Fund that awards $20,000 annually to youth across the valley.

Mountain Recreation will host its first-ever Sports Gear Swap at the Eagle Pool & Ice Rink! Drop off your gently used sports equipment at the Pool & Ice Rink between August 1st-12th (Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:30pm).

Mountain Rec will be accepting any sport-related gear, weapons will not be accepted. Donation slips available upon request.

SWAP DATES:

- Friday, August 19th (4pm-8pm)

- Saturday, August 20th (8am-12pm)

$$ - To keep all gear at little to no cost, the District will be asking for a donation at checkout for the items picked out, at the public’s discretion.

All proceeds from the swap will benefit the Mountain Recreation Foundation Youth Scholarship Fund.

¡Mountain Recreation organizará su primer Intercambio de equipo deportivo en el Eagle Pool & Ice Rink! Traiga su equipo deportivo usado en buen estado a la alberca y pista de hielo entre el 1-12 de agosto (Lun-Vie 7:30am-5:30pm). Aceptaremos cualquier equipo relacionado con el deporte, no se aceptarán armas. Boletas de donación disponibles a pedido

FECHAS DEL INTERCAMBIO:

- Viernes 19 de agosto (4pm-8pm)

- Sábado, 20 de agosto (8am-12pm)

$$ - Para mantener todo el equipo a un costo mínimo o gratuito, el Distrito solicitará una donación al momento de pagar por los artículos seleccionados, a discreción del público.

Todas las ganancias beneficiarán al Fondo de Becas para Jóvenes de la Fundación Mountain Recreation

mountainrec.org/swap mountainrec.org/swap

PARA MAS INFORMACION TO LEARN MORE

QUESTIONS:

Contact Sheryl Staten SStaten@MountainRec.org or (970) 328-5277

PREGUNTAS:

Contacta Eddie Campos ECampos@MountainRec.org o (970) 999-0274

A New Year Brings New Colorado Employment Laws

By Michelle Ferguson, Attorney, Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe, PC

The Colorado legislature has enacted various new employment laws requiring action by public employers. These changes to Colorado employment laws carry implications for employers of all sizes and in all sectors. This article briefly summarizes those new requirements.

FAMLI

The Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (“FAMLI”) is a stateadministered paid leave insurance fund into which employers and employees will contribute premiums, with some exceptions.

Beginning January 1, 2023, the FAMLI Division of the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment (“CDLE”) began collecting FAMLI premiums. In 2023-2024, the premium is equal to 0.9% of the employee’s average weekly wage. Employers with ten or more employees must contribute at least half the premium, or 0.45%, and they must deduct the other half from employees’ wages. Employers with nine or fewer employees are not required to contribute to the premium, but still must make appropriate deductions from employees’ wages to meet the 0.45% contribution requirement. Employers can choose to pay more than half of the premium, but employees can never be required to remit more than half the premium. Premium payments are also considered “fees” (not taxes).

The FAMLI Division will begin accepting claims or making payments to eligible employees on January 1, 2024. At that time, claims must be submitted by the employee to the State, which will then coordinate the determination and provision of FAMLI benefits. FAMLI leave may be taken for a variety of reasons, including where, because of the birth, adoption or placement through foster care, is caring for a new child during the first year after the birth, adoption or placement of that child; is caring for a family member with a serious health condition; has a serious health condition; because of any qualifying exigency leave (i.e., leave related to military service); has a need for safe leave (i.e., leave related to domestic violence response and shelter).

Under FAMLI, eligible employees receive wage replacement at less than 100% their average weekly pay, up to a maximum wage replacement of $1,100 per week through January 1, 2025. FAMLI leave is available for a maximum of 12 weeks or, for those using FAMLI due to childbirth or pregnancy complications, 16 weeks. Eligible employees are those who have earned at least $2,500 in wages over the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the first day of the individual’s benefit year, or the last four completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the benefit year.

Special districts and local government employers may opt out of FAMLI altogether, in which case they are not required to contribute to FAMLI premiums or make deductions from employees’ paychecks towards the premium. However, employees of local governments that choose to opt out can voluntarily choose to participate in FAMLI and pay their share of the necessary premiums to the CDLE. For more information, please log onto https:// famli.colorado.gov/

Restrictive Covenants

Non-compete and non-solicitation agreements may now be utilized under fewer circumstances in Colorado. Specifically, employers may enforce a non-compete, nonsolicit, or confidentiality agreement only if narrowly tailored to protect the employer’s legitimate interest in protecting their trade secrets, in addition to very few other, limited circumstances. Additionally, non-compete and nonsolicit agreements may only be enforced against those employees who earn a certain minimum salary, defined as the Highly Compensated Employee (“HCE”) threshold established by the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment each year. Employers also must provide notice in a separate document to employees which points them to the specific provisions of an employment agreement containing a

non-compete or non-solicit obligation. A detailed analysis of these changes is outlined here https://irelandstapleton. com/insights/insights-into-coloradosexpanded-laws-on-restrictive-covenants/

Colorado Secure Savings Program

In addition to FAMLI, the State has taken on administration of retirement benefits for Colorado employees. The Colorado Secure Savings Program (“CSSP”) requires employers to offer a retirement savings plan or enroll their eligible workers in a state-sponsored Roth IRA plan. Those employers who already offer 401(k) plans or other qualified savings plans are not required to use the CSSP state plan. To be clear, employers are only required to offer a plan to their employees, but are not required to contribute to such plan.

Registration opens “in early 2023” according to CSSP’s website, https:// coloradosecuresavings.com/.

Employers who use the State plan will be required to offer auto-enrollment and facilitate employee payroll deductions into the program. The default savings rate is 5% of the employee’s gross pay, but employees may change the contribution rate and/or opt-out entirely.

Rules are still being developed by the CSSP Board, including default contribution amounts, the process for enforcement, and required disclosures to employees. The fines for non-compliance are $100 per employee, per year and can ratchet up to $5,000 annually.

Separation Notices

Amendments clarify that employers must provide all of the following information to employees who are separating employment for any reason:

• Employer’s name and address;

• Employee’s name and address;

• Employee’s identification number or last four of employee’s SSN;

Park & Recreation Marketplace

Advertisers in this issue:

magazine, on CPRA’s

• Employee’s start date, date of last day worked, YTD earnings, and wages for the last week worked; and

• The reason for separation

This information should be provided in writing to employees upon separation by electronic mail or sent to their last known mailing address.

Workers’ Compensation Act

Employees now have ten days from the date of a work incident to report the injury to employers, increased from the previous requirement of four days. Further, the amendments include revised notice language which must be posted in every worksite.

Contact Michelle Ferguson, mferguson@ irelandstapleton.com, or Jennifer Kinkade, jkinkade@irelandstapleton.com at Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe, PC with any questions.

or via CPRA email

contact Todd Pernsteiner at todd@pernsteiner.com or (952) 841-1111.

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