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 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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.