colorado byline winter 2015

COLORADOCOLORADO

Lafayette Strikes Gold for Colorado

Growing a Natural

Areas Program

Renovating Parks and Connecting Community in Englewood

WINTER 2014-2015

BylineBylinePARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATIONPARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATION

Growing a Natural

Areas Program

Growing a Natural

Areas Program





P3-641 CPRA Ad.indd 1 8/7/14 2:31 PM

ADVERTISER INDEX

Commercial Fitness ..........................................................Back Cover

Musco Lighting ................................................................................. 25

Potestio Brothers Equipment, Inc. ................................................. 25

Push, Pedal, Pull ................................................... Inside Front Cover

R.J. Thomas Manufacturing .............................................................. 4

Safe Sitter .......................................................................................... 21

Southwest Soils/PlaySoft ................................................................ 27

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 [email protected].

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Member Spotlight .............................................................................. 4

President’s Letter ............................................................................... 5

Inspiring Youth Connections to the Outdoors One School Playground at a Time .............................................................................6

Renovating Parks & Connecting Community in Englewood ............8

Apex Center Manages Energy Use for a Healthy Environment and a Healthy Budget ....................................................................................10

The Colorado Community Center Collaborative ............................. 12

Wheat Ridge Parks & Recreation Finds Sustainable Solution with Little, Shaggy Mowers .........................................................................20

Lafayette Strikes Gold for Colorado ..................................................22

Recognizing and Addressing Unlawful Harassment by Third Parties .....................................................................................26

Growing a Natural Areas Program .....................................................28

2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

P.O. Box 1037 • Wheat Ridge, CO 80034 (p) 303-231-0943 (f) 303-237-9750www.cpra-web.org, [email protected]

Winter 2015 • Colorado Parks and Recreation 3

PRESIDENT Carolyn Peters Highlands Ranch Metro District 720-240-5931 [email protected]

PRESIDENT-ELECT Patrick Hammer Town of Superior 303-499-3675 [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT Jayna Lang City of Lakewood 303-987-5419 [email protected]

AT-LARGE Mike Sexton City of Pueblo Parks & Recreation 719-553-2804 [email protected]

SECRETARY/TREASURER Amanda Peterson City of Northglenn 303-450-8950 [email protected]

AQUATICS Heather Deal City of Longmont 303-774-4718 [email protected]

CARA Brian Magnett City of Northglenn 303-450-8899 [email protected]

CASC Kate Fisher City of Northglenn 303-450-8841 [email protected]

CTRS Sarah Braun City of Colorado Springs 719-385-6855 [email protected]

DIRECTORS Carrie Ward Highlands Ranch Metro District 720-240-5950 [email protected]

FACILITY MANAGERS Andy Fraser Town of Parker 303-805-6310 [email protected]

FITNESS Tehra Porterfield City of Northglenn 303-450-8947 [email protected]

PARKS Jim Haselgren City of Lakewood 720-963-5242 [email protected]

PLAAY Yasmin Cassini Commerce City Parks, Recreation & Golf 720-977-5916 [email protected]

SMALL COMMUNITIES Jay Cochran City of Fort Morgan 970-542-3929 [email protected]

WESTERN SLOPE Wilma Erven City of Delta 970-874-0923 [email protected]

CPRA VISIONThe 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 STAFF Allison Kincaid, Executive Director [email protected]

Ashley Perillo, Professional Development Program Manager [email protected]

Melissa Daruna, Strategic Partnership Coordinator [email protected]

Natalie Flowers, Communications and Office Assistant [email protected]

COLORADOPARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATION Byline

4 Colorado Parks and Recreation • www.cpra-web.org

Jill Schladweiler is the newly elected Aquatics Section Chair Elect, and we’re thrilled to have her as part of our leadership team.

Jill came to Colorado by way of Wisconsin, and a few other states, but has planted her

roots deep into the Estes Valley. She began working in the recreation world over 20 years ago in middle school when she worked as a swim lesson instructor aid during the summers and then working her way up to being an outdoor aquatics facility manager, she even worked a few summers on Lake Michigan which remains as her favorite place she’s lifeguarded.

After moving to Colorado she started working with the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park. Over the years she was a lifeguard, outdoor education instructor, ropes course facilitator, pool supervisor and ropes course and climbing director, she’s truly a Jill of all trades. From the Y, Jill moved over to the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District and hasn’t looked back. Jill has been the Aquatics Director at the Estes Park Aquatic Center for the past 6 years and has enjoyed every day. In addition to her Aquatics Center duties Jill is also the social media guru, special events coordinator and the resident team building expert for the Rec. District.

Outside of aquatics Jill has a passion for team work. She says ‘I believe that a big part of recreation is working together. Be it with the kids in our programs or staff, I believe that creating shared experiences and chances to challenge ourselves is important’. Her strong leadership skills are part of what have made her an active member of the Aquatics Section.

As for Jill’s personal interests, she loves music. You can usually find her around music, playing it, watching it or just listening to it. She prefers to be outside and loves getting the chance to just enjoy the mountains. A fun Jill fact is that the only place she’s ever lived in Colorado is Estes Park among the mountains and elk.

Member SpotlightCARA Member SpotlightJill Schladweiler

Dear Members,

What a great way to start a new year! I’m so pleased, after several years and the diligent work of many, to let you all know that in December, CPRA was officially given 501(c)3 non-profit status by the I.R.S. With that status in hand, our association was able to merge with the CPRA Foundation as one organization. This merger presents many opportunities for the growth and stability of CPRA. Financially, CPRA will be able to realize substantial savings from tax exempt status and encourage the development of sponsorships. Thank you to all for seeing this process through, and special thanks to members of the Foundation board for ensuring the merger will address and continue the many programs that the Foundation oversaw, including CancerFit, tree grants, and fundraising.

Along with this new year and the merger come several chances for members to become more engaged with the association. Please consider making a New Year’s resolution to become involved and active in your association. First, welcome to the PLAY section. The organizing members of this group have spent many hours preparing for, and putting together, a new section that will provide more professionals a home at CPRA. I got to spend some time with this group in December and was so impressed with the ideas and creativity that were shared. No wonder they work with the youth of our communities!

Secondly, the Board will be looking forward to inviting some members to participate in developing a fundraising committee that will form the basis of the fundraising and sponsorship efforts of CPRA. This is a great opportunity for becoming involved and helping your association and fellow professionals.

In 2015, I’m looking forward to meeting as many members as possible by continuing to attend section meetings. In the past two months, I’ve been able to meet with the PLAY group and spend a morning with the Aquatics section and its leadership. I also had lunch with the Directors section and got some great insight into the plans that many agencies will be busy working on throughout the year. There are many other section meetings that Allison and I will be scheduling to attend in the coming months. While I appreciate getting to know and hear from the advisory council representatives, having the chance to hear more in-depth discussions at these section meetings has truly been valuable and refreshing for me.

My best wishes to you all for a great 2015 – I hope to see you soon.


PRESIDENT’S LETTER

By CPRA Board President, Carolyn Peters, CPRP

Happy 2015!

Member Spotlight

Carolyn Peters, CPRA President & CPRA Staff

Carolyn Peters

Don’t forget to renew your membership!Membership helps you stay connected to what’s happening in our industry. Renewals due by February 28 and can be done online at www.cpra-web.org. Thank you for your continued support of CPRA.

COLORADOCOLORADO

Fosters Economic Vitality

Lafayette Parks and Recreation

Economic Benefits of Denver’s Park and Recreation System

Denver Broncos Host Punt, Pass and Kick Team Championship

WINTER 2014

BylineBylinePARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATION

PARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATION




Lafayette Parks and RecreationFosters Economic Vitality




Get your business noticed!Be seen by hundreds of Colorado park and recreation

professionals in COLORADO Byline magazine!

Advertising is targeted, affordable, memorable and

supports the association. It literally gets directly

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Todd Pernsteiner at (952) 841-1111 or [email protected].


By Laura Cardon

GOCO offers design help for schools seeking nature-based playgrounds and outdoor learning spaces.

With children spending half the amount of time playing outside as their parents did, it’s easy to worry whether today’s children will ever form a

meaningful connection with the great outdoors.

Many environmentally-minded adults share that common fear these days – what will happen to our state’s incredible outdoor resources once we’re gone? Will the next generation be able to put down their smart phones long enough to take care of the remarkable outdoor recreation opportunities we have at our disposal?

The one place where every child is guaranteed to spend time outside is their school playground. Five days a week, children are turned loose for a chance to be active and enjoy the great outdoors. But what good is it if the playground looks more like a prison yard? In communities across the state, playgrounds were falling short of their incredible potential to provide easy access to outdoor play and learning.

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) is one organization that realized this potential. Its 2010 strategic plan set increasing participation by youth and connecting children to nature as a goal, leading GOCO to fund the 2012 Larimer County Plug In To Nature project to identify what barriers were keeping youth and families from connecting to the outdoors, and school playgrounds quickly emerged as a straightforward solution.

“When the barriers were lack of money, lack of free time, and lack of access, we realized school playgrounds would be an immediate, accessible, and free opportunity for people to get outdoors,” GOCO Director of Programs Jackie Miller said. “We knew kids would be benefiting from the school playgrounds five days a week, and in many locations, the school often serves as a hub of recreation for the entire community.”

From that study the School Play Yard Initiative was born the same year. The GOCO Board approved $750,000 to execute the very first grant cycle, which also leveraged $750,000 in matching funds from the Colorado Health Foundation to revamp playgrounds across the state.

Sixteen playgrounds in 12 counties were built in 2013, the first year of the initiative, providing 6,000 students and their families with free, convenient access to outdoor play. To date, GOCO has invested $1.4 million to build 24 playgrounds at Colorado schools. Not only have students’ outdoor experiences been transformed, but an entire neighborhood’s opportunity for outdoor play has been renewed – as all of the playgrounds are open to the public outside of normal school hours, including summer break.

The results from the first initiative were impressive, but while the new playgrounds were having positive impacts on children, GOCO really wanted to help children foster a relationship with nature.

Inspiring Youth Connections to the Outdoors One School Playground at a Time

A Big Thompson Elementary School family helps plant trees in the new native species garden at the elementary school.


“We did encourage nature-based play elements in the first round of in the Initiative,” Miller said. “But what we found was that a lot of schools were putting in traditional, playground equipment that had a nature theme. While it was a vast improvement over the original condition of the playground, it didn’t have that emphasis on nature that we were really aiming for.”

Nature-based play has been a recent trend in playground design, with more and more playgrounds incorporating vegetable gardens, butterfly habitats, or natural objects such as logs and boulders. But it’s quickly becoming more than just a fad – it is a permanent, practical solution to the nature deficit so many of today’s children suffer from.

Nature-based play often caters to a full spectrum of children’s play preferences, meaning more students will be engaged by and take advantage of natural elements on the playground. Not only do students benefit from more physical activity with nature-based playgrounds, but the natural designs are also proven to improve academic performance and social skills.

To help schools harness the array of design ideas that are possible, the School Play Yard Initiative has continued to shape its application process and guidelines.

“In the second round, we required an outdoor learning environment,” Miller said. “At that time, we were hoping more people would build the more compelling, living components that can be a part of play yards such as educational gardens. We found they had a hard time thinking in that direction, so in the third round we brought in a landscape design team to help the schools think more creatively.”

In the current grant cycle, schools were asked to first apply for $15,000 in professional design services, and six were selected to work with Chris Schooler, MLA, a landscape planning and design specialist. Those six will then apply for a share of $684,000 in construction funds in 2015.

The aptly-named Schooler has an extensive background in playground design as does his team of consultants, including Tony Mazzeo of Plot Project LLC and Mark T. Lang, a construction specialist with Wood Site Design. Between them, they have designed over 100 school playgrounds in Colorado and have been involved with the School Play Yard Initiative since its inception.

Miller hopes that providing design services will help schools not only think big, but also think outside of the box. Instead of simply replacing one piece of aged equipment with an updated one, a team of professional landscape design specialists can open up the realm of possibilities for schools. Equipment is just scratching the surface. Water tables, songbird habitats and other creative outdoor learning solutions are what GOCO really hopes to see come alive.

That doesn’t mean that adults will be running the show, however. Since the beginning, a student-led design process has been the cornerstone of the School Play Yard Initiative, an effort Schooler helped develop. Each school was asked to form a Student Task Force Committee, which would serve as the voice of students. The committees, comprising six to eight students and supervised by a faculty member, are responsible for collecting feedback and ideas from their peers.

“As adults, we often like to assume that we know what’s best for kids,” Miller said. “But ultimately, they know what’s most compelling. They’re often way more creative than we are.”

Students are asked to create their dream playground, but their assignments are also rooted in environmental research. The committees have also been asked to create a presentation for Schooler and his team based on students’ research into the ecology of their playground site and neighborhood, which will be incorporated into the design. Students are encouraged to help fundraise and bolster support for their project by meeting with their local government representatives or school boards.

“By empowering them, they’re an integral part of the project, and we hope once we get something built that they’ll be proud of it and see the hard work they put into it,” Schooler added.

Miller echoed his sentiments. “The students get all of these really rich experiences in things like team work, the democratic process, and fundraising that result in something tangible for them to enjoy,” she said. “It gives them huge ownership. It’s truly their space. They designed it. They raised money for it. And they made it happen.”

That sense of ownership combined with an opportunity to learn more about the world around them results in students that are invested in taking care of their playgrounds, a sentiment that GOCO hopes will translate into a lifetime of environmental stewardship and care for their home state’s natural heritage.

Schooler recently completed site visits with the six selected schools and met with each Student Task Force Committee before hearing from an adult focus group of faculty members at each school. Over the last month, Schooler and his team have helped facilitate public meetings for input from each community before putting together their master plans.

In February, schools will submit their design plans to compete for funding and grant awards will be announced in April. For more information about GOCO and its grant programs, visit goco.org.

GOCO invests a portion of Colorado Lottery funds into a variety of projects benefitting the state’s great outdoors, including open space conservation, funding for parks and trails, and protecting Colorado’s rivers and wildlife.

A student from Green Mountain Elementary School shows the GOCO

Board the pea gravel that dominated the old playground as part of a

student task force presentation.


In Englewood, parks and recreation is a dynamic proactive force in providing a high quality of life and connecting communities. On any given day, someone is being positively affected through parks and recreation – whether they are taking a walk in a park or fitness class at the recreation center, learning something new in a class or just taking in that good ole’ clean air because of preserved open space.

The Englewood Parks and Recreation Department takes their dedication to service seriously to meet the needs of the community. Here in Englewood, neighborhood parks take on a whole new meaning.

Duncan Park, in the heart of the Denver metro area, is now home to a large playground site with two different sets of equipment: one for children 5 and younger and another for children 5-12, a new picnic pavilion, restrooms, athletics fields, walking trail, horseshoe pits and sport courts. But above all, the park is a testament to the power of community engagement.

The Englewood School District purchased the 3.3 acres of land, located in the 4800 block of South Pennsylvania Street, in the early 1950s as the site for Duncan School, named after Elsie Duncan, who taught school in Englewood for 24 years starting in 1928.

The school was closed in the late 1970s and the district leased the building while the surrounding land was maintained as a park. In 2006, the school board voted to sell the Duncan Park property.

The initial indication was the land would become a new housing development but neighbors organized, met with the school district and city officials and asked them to find a way to keep the land a park.

With an Arapahoe County Open Space for $250,000 and a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant for $200,000, the City of Englewood reached an agreement to purchase the land from the school district for $1.1 million. Work quickly began with neighbors to help develop designs for the park makeover and the city committed $1.3 million to the construction.

Young people from the neighborhood joined in this grassroots effort to preserve the park, thirteen-year-old Luke McKee wrote a letter to GOCO seeking a grant for the design of the Duncan Park project.

“We quickly learned the importance of this park in the community. It seemed as though it wasn’t a city park but rather the neighbor’s park,” said Jerrell Black, director of parks and recreation. “They really took ownership and it was our job to make their vision a reality.”

By Meghan Dwyer, Communications and Marketing Administrator, City of Englewood Parks and Recreation

Connecting Communityin Englewood

Renovating Parks


In 2012, the City of Englewood received a $350,000 GOCO grant and a $250,000 Arapahoe County Open Space Grant to renovate the park and the work began.

American Civil Contractors was selected for the renovation. The old site marked by 25 year-old metal play equipment, pea gravel, and an outdated school building was demolished in 2013 to make way for a new park in the most underserved southeast section of Englewood.

The project came in $200,000 over budget but the department pulled some additional funds out of the Arapahoe County Open Space shareback money and $100,000 from the Conservation Trust Fund. With that and the grant funding the entire renovation project was paid for without tapping into the city’s general fund.

“We wanted to give the neighborhood everything they asked for without exhausting our resources,” said Black.

The renovation of the park also provided the city with an opportunity to teach the community how parks truly make life better. Boy Scouts from local troop #444 and members of the Englewood Youth Council came out to Duncan Park to learn about conservation and preservation of parks and open space. Justin Yarbrough of American Civil Constructors explained how

to properly plant in Colorado and why these specific plants and trees were selected for this project. Following the lesson, everyone grabbed a shovel and planted two beds with grasses and shrubs.

When the park opened on October 18, 2014 hundreds of people gathered to reap the benefits of their hard work, including the young Luke McKee whose support letter was crucial for grant funding.

“We did a lot of work to keep our park and I am happy to see the effort was worth it. I feel I helped us get a Duncan Park that is a legacy for the future,” the 13-year-old said. “I am excited to see all the new facilities in our park. Now, I hope everyone will respect the park and help keep it clean.”

Englewood Parks and Recreation truly connected the community through the revitalization of Duncan Park.

The site is now used by the community for neighborhood barbeques, block parties, and even marriage proposals.

“It is great to see your work come to fruition but it is even greater to see your positive impact in the community,” said Black. “It’s those moments that keep you coming into work every day.”

It is great to see your work come to fruition but it is even greater to see your positive impact in the community.


The Apex Center is a 168,500 square-foot building with two ice arenas, a large aquatic area, multiple activities and a huge range of climate-control needs. It’s probably not the first thing that comes to mind as an example of energy conservation. But in the 14-plus years since the Apex Center opened, one of the important operational goals has been to identify and implement as many energy and cost-saving measures as possible. That strategy helps maintain quality, affordability and accessibility for activities at the Apex Center and throughout Apex Park and Recreation District.

Justin Howe, District Services Manager, oversees building maintenance and manages construction and project development. A big part of the job is energy and cost-saving strategies for the Apex Center and all the other district facilities. The basic guidelines are “save money, less maintenance, more sustainable.”

Ever-rising costs of energy are a permanent fact of life. That presents a challenge to recreation professionals, whose task is to keep finding new ways to offset energy expenditure within a finite structure and the limitations of both new and aging buildings. “At the Apex Center, we are always trying to stay ahead of the curve. One piece of that puzzle is a partnership of energy providers, the District Services staff and employees,” said Apex Center Manager Terry Goldwater.

That philosophy prompted the decision to undertake a recommissioning project at the Apex Center, beginning in 2005. This is a comprehensive energy audit, conducted in partnership with Xcel Energy. Recommendations were put in place over a period of several years, and together with upgrades at Meyers Pool and Indian Tree Golf Course, the district was able to save $300,000 annually in electricity costs alone.

The savings were realized in several areas at the Apex Center. Lighting was upgraded to use energy-saving LED fixtures throughout the building, and after purchasing and installing the new fixtures, cost payback was achieved in 3 to 11 months, depending on the area and type of fixture. As with all the changes, Justin conducted extensive research to get the optimum mix of energy efficiency and implementation cost. He often purchases both equipment and power wholesale for even more cost savings.

Apexmanages energy use for a healthy environment... and a healthy budget


Some people would assume the best way to save energy is just to make sure the switch is in the “off” position as often as possible. That’s true in many instances. But for a facility like the Apex Center, there’s some fine-tuning involved. Because of the size of the building, and the diverse numbers and needs of its users, it’s been a more effective conservation strategy to minimize the total run time of the equipment. “For example, we use variable frequency devices in the aquatics area. These VFDs allow the pumps to operate at different speeds, depending on the filtration needs at any given time in the pools,” Justin said. “They operate like a dimmer switch.” Matching the workload of each system to the current need also means less money spent on maintaining or replacing equipment, Justin noted. “Operating a device at varying levels versus 100% power will keep that device in service much longer. So we’re conserving more than just energy resources, we’re also saving on run time and replacement costs.” For example, since the VFDs were installed, there’s been a threefold increase in the life of the filters used in the aquatics area.

As much as possible, Apex Center systems are set up to work when they need to work. “That includes everything from lights to heated sidewalks to air conditioning,” said Terry Goldwater.

One of the most visible energy-conservation measures undertaken at the Apex Center is a rooftop solar thermal energy collection system. Upfront costs were significantly reduced in several ways. Justin Howe purchased the materials from Boulder-based Lumos Solar, and then oversaw a team of community volunteers and staff as they spent five months installing 291 solar collectors, 9,000 glass tubes and 3 ½ miles of pipe. The Colorado Carbon Fund also helped fund the system as part of a statewide effort to support community-based projects that promote clean technologies.

Prior to the installation, natural gas powered the boilers that provide heat, including water in the 23,000 square-foot aquatics area.

Each solar collector is capable of generating up to 80,000 BTUs per day, so the savings added up quickly. Using solar thermal energy for heating air and water in the Apex Center amounts to about a 30 percent

reduction in annual energy costs. The project also reduces carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

As with the other energy conservation strategies at the Apex Center, a lot of thought went into defining the varying use levels for the solar thermal system. It’s designed to generate heat, and also to operate within seasonal variances. “During the sunniest and longest days of the year, the rooftop system heats 100% of the building and the water for weeks at a time,” Justin said. But to avoid overheating the glass tubes that transmit the heated water, a system of sensors keeps the flow of thermal energy regulated to no more than what might be collected on a sunny day in early July.

Daylight harvesting is another conservation strategy that’s in place at the Apex Center. The corridor and interior lighting systems use light level sensors to detect the prevailing light levels throughout the day and adjust the electric lighting accordingly. In areas without natural light, motion sensors are in place so that the lights only come on when that portion of the building is in use. Sensors control both light and heat in areas such as the upper ice arena spectator seating, which is unused during portions of the day. “Staff awareness of energy conservation is very important, but everyone’s got a busy work schedule, so anything we can automate will help,” Justin said.

Justin also credits Xcel Energy for its support of energy conservation measures. They offer rebates for energy savings and for implementation of the improvements they recommend as part of a recommissioning project like the one at the Apex Center.

Some of the energy conservation measures used at the Apex Center are unique to the facility. When it opened in 2000, it was the largest all-in-one recreation facility in Colorado, and utility costs now account for more than two-thirds of the utilities/maintenance budget. As such, it’s the go-to category for potential cost savings. During the past ten years, many upgrades and improvements have offset increasing energy costs, but the work is never done. Justin researches industry developments, takes classes and works with the staff to find new solutions for energy conservation at the Apex Center and other Apex PRD facilities. “We can always find a better way,” he says.

By keeping a sharp eye and a creative mind on energy conservation, the Apex Center is able to provide affordable, accessible recreation to the community and the region. “With the size and scope of the center and its activities, energy conservation and cost savings are extremely important,” said Terry Goldwater. “We’ll keep finding new strategies to be more efficient.”

“During the sunniest and

longest days of the year, the

rooftop system heats 100% of

the building and the water for

weeks at a time.”


Colorado Springs, Colorado, has three city-managed community centers located within neighborhoods that are marginalized by lower socioeconomic conditions and are

by many criteria considered to be underserved, as evidenced by a relatively high incidence of junk food diets, food deserts, sedentary lifestyles, early substance use, and early high school dropout rates. By utilizing recreation and leisure as its medium and forging partnerships with local individuals and groups from the public and private sectors, the community centers have made great strides towards determining creative solutions that improve the quality of life to residents within the service delivery area while supporting the overarching mission of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department.

Like much of the rest of the state, Colorado Springs experienced an economic downturn in 2009 that cast widespread effects upon the entire population, and particularly amongst the poorest and most vulnerable

residents. Among the effects were budget cuts, which caused such actions as the downsizing of city staff, reduced bus service and significantly reduced water for parks. In addition city community centers, each in operation for over twenty years, were in peril of closure after outsourcing efforts proved to be futile. As funding became tighter and the need for basic, core services became greater, it was apparent that a new paradigm needed to be developed that both met customer demand while also establishing fiscal solvency.

The most significant presenting problem was that although the community centers provided core services whose participants offered consistent testimony related to the deep impact that provided services had on their quality of life enhancement and attention to their most critical basic needs e.g. access to nutritional food and affordable childcare, there was little, if any, quantitative data to verify these claims. Collective impact was needed to solve this large-scale issue and address the needs of our city’s most vulnerable populations. Testimonials and comment cards were simply not enough establish the business case for why the services and opportunities provided through community centers provided a great return on investment while serving a fundamental role of local government. And with new funding resources necessary to supplement the subsidy provided through the General Fund, providing evidence between services and desirable outcomes became critical in securing support through grants and other private funding agents.

One such effort began in earnest in November 2012 with the formation of the Colorado Community Center Collaborative. Designed to support positive youth development, forge a connection between parks and recreation and public health and provide quantitative assessment, the CCCC has provided much needed support to both the centers and the greater community. A memorandum of understanding was created between the University of Colorado and the City, allowing for tremendous support systems and opportunities for both organizations. Members of the initial partnership include

The Colorado Community Center Collaborative:Promoting Health Equity by Supporting Positive Youth Development

Community gardens positively impact those involved in myriad ways.

Barbara Joyce, Ph.D., CNS., RN, Associate Professor, Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Brian Kates, MA, CPRP, Facility Director, City of Colorado Springs Meadows Park Community Center


CCCC Conditions of Collective Impact

COMMON AGENDA

A Mission and Vision has been created and a joint approach to working on the Vision through collaborative work on the Logic Model.

Use of Social Development Strategy to create successful kids and strong communities (Hawkins, Kosterman, Catalona, Hill, Abbott, 1999).

SHARED MEASUREMENTSStandardized assessment measures have been developed with rubrics for evaluation of selected programs across all three settings. Evaluation outcomes have been identified and a data management and documentation system has been implemented.

MUTUALLY REINFORCING ACTIVITIES

Targeted use of evidenced-based practice intervention programming. (ie. 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go!) Specific activities and selected programs have been targeted for a mutually reinforcing plan of action. (Obesity, Education, Civic Engagement, Safety/Violence Prevention).

CONTINUOUS COMMUNICATION

Consistent and open communication is supported through a structure of committees which include monthly leadership team meetings, a partner collaborative meeting. Work group/taskforces that focus on one of the specific goals create opportunity to support common motivation.

BACKBONE SUPPORTA fiscal agent, a separate organization that does not represent any organization of the leadership team, has been secured. This has contributed to the collaboratives’ first grant award to support the vision and the activities of the collaborative.

representative from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Beth-El College of Nursing & Health Sciences, directors of the city’s community centers, LiveWell of Colorado Springs, El Pomar Youth Sports, and the El Paso County Health Department. The initial partnership worked to create a Logic Model (Border Health Foundation, 2005) for our work and to build capacity by extending partnerships and collaboration including the local school district and a major health care provider, Kaiser Permanente. While community centers have traditionally established partnerships and an advisory committee, this collaborative has gone one step further by formalizing the relationship and developing a foundation to which all collective work can connect.

The purpose of the collaboration is an explicit commitment to achieving health equity: To promote health equity by supporting positive youth development. With a vision, mission, memorandum of understanding a logic model to guide activities the partnership was accepted into the prestigious National Academy for the Public’s Health (NLAPH) in January 2013. While this award did not provide funding, the team traveled to Atlanta for a three day orientation on inter-sectoral collaboration. We were assigned a national coach whom we met monthly with, who provided a site visit and who connected us with other national experts. Over the year of the fellowship, the partnership worked to further apply conditions necessary

for collective impact which distinguish collective impact from other types of collaboration: a common agenda, shared measurement systems, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and the presence of a backbone organization (HanleyBrown, Kania, Kramer, 2012).

Targeted use of an evidenced based intervention program in collaboration with staff from each community center focused on nutrition and active living education; 5 fruits and vegetables , 2 hours or less of screen time, 1 hour of activity and 0 sugary drinks each day. Programs were provided, prescriptions for behavior change and use of parks were distributed. Initial screening of height and weight provides baseline data to measure program outcomes. Center

Exemplar: 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! A nutritional and active living intervention. (Rogers, Fortier and Motyka, 2012).

Healthy vending machines have replaced those containing sugary drinks and junk food.


activities reinforce programming and create a common standard for behavior, bonding through acknowledgement of a young person’s effort, and praise for recognition of effort and achievements. The Omaha System (Martin, 2005) provides a framework for practice documentation and information management. The system provides an inter-professional Problem Classification Scheme, which consists of four domains: environmental, psychosocial, physiological and health related behaviors for problem identification, an Intervention Scheme and a Problem Rating Scale for Outcomes. Documentation can reflect intervention with an individual, family or community and with problems that are health promotion, potential or actual problems. Interventions are focused on assessing knowledge, behavior and health status and the Problem Rating Scale for Outcomes provides a Likert-type evaluation of interactions. The Likert Scale

ranges from one to five evaluating knowledge, behavior and status. A pre-post evaluation yields data about the change in knowledge and behavior.

Strategic direction and collaborative types of structures are necessary to find new ways to do more with less and being proactive to pressures that show no signs of abating. A collective impact approach provides the structure for channeling change and addressing social problems that we as individuals and separate organizations are confronted with on a daily basis. Together, professionals from both the parks and recreation and public health fields can establish a tour de force that addresses common objectives such as childhood obesity, stress management and, more broadly, sustained, positive long-term change.

References:

Border Health Foundation, (October, 2005). Logic model development: A training manual.

Tucson, Arizona: Border Health Foundation.

Hawkins, J.D., Catalano, R. F., Kosterman, R., Abbott, R., Hill K.G. (1999). Parenting adolescent health-risk behaviors by strengthening protection during childhood. Archives of Pedatric Adolescent Medicine. 153: 226-234.

Martin, K. (2005). The Omaha System: A Key to Practice, Documentation, and Information Management. St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders.

Rogers, V.W., Fortier, R., Motyka, E. (2012). 5-2-1-0 Goes after school: Toolkit. www.letsgo.org. Retrieved 5/15/2012.

5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! is even part of the décor at Colorado Springs community centers.


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Collaboration Multiplier is an interactive tool for strengthening collaborative efforts across diverse fields. A multi-field approach has proven vital for tackling today’s complex social challenges. Whether the goal is promoting health equity, strengthening local economies, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, or enhancing community safety, improving our well-being requires community-wide changes that include strengthening government policies and the practices of key organizations. Multi-field collaboration expands available resources, strategies, and capabilities to achieve outcomes that could not be accomplished by one field alone.

Collaboration Multiplier provides a systematic approach to laying the groundwork for multi-field collaboration. The tool guides organizations through a collaborative discussion to identify activities that accomplish a common goal, delineate each partner’s perspective and potential contributions, and leverage expertise and resources. Collaboration Multiplier is based on the understanding that different groups and sectors have different views of an issue and different reasons for engaging in a joint effort. For example, a collaborative formed to increase access to healthy food in underserved neighborhoods can more effectively engage partners by recognizing that each has their own goals. A grocery store operator might expand fresh food offerings to enhance sales and profits, a health department would support the effort to improve health, and the Mayor might

Enhancing the Effectiveness ofMulti-Field Collaboration

see enhanced food retail as fundamental for a flourishing community. Collaboration Multiplier helps surface these perspectives and forge strategies that advance their objectives simultaneously.

Collaboration Multiplier can be used in different stages of collaboration. It can be used by a newly formed or established partnership that wants to strengthen its collective effort, or it can be used by an individual or small set of organizations that recognize the value of a diverse partnership and want to think strategically about whom to invite to the table.

The Collaboration Multiplier ProcessCollaboration Multiplier occurs in two phases: 1) Information Gathering and 2) Collaboration Multiplier Analysis

In the first phase, the key sectors and fields that can contribute to a solution are identified. Then key information from the perspective of each field (or prospective field) is collected according to a common set of categories. Specific categories vary based on the particular collaboration, but typical examples include:

• Importance: Why is this issue important?• Organizational Goals: What are the goals related to this issue?• Audience: Who is the primary audience/ constituency?• Expertise: What unique expertise does this field bring to the collaborative?

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This past summer, the City of Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation Department’s Open Space section teamed up with Amanda Weaver, urban agricultural researcher and owner of Five Fridges Farm. The City worked with her farm to develop a land management solution that allows the community to grow while maintaining its hometown roots.

So how does it work? Simple. Goats are the ultimate vegetation management mechanisms: they mow, aerate, and fertilize, and they do it all for free. We’ve heard goats eat everything and this includes the overgrown grass and invasive weeds that would normally take herbicide or a fossil fueled tractors to maintain. When they graze, their hooves promote positive soil movement and unlike horses or other animals, goats digest vegetation completely, meaning they won’t spread seeds when it’s time to do business.

Controlled grazing has been used successfully across the state to eliminate weeds and encourage healthy soil and so far Wheat Ridge is no different. The first experimental graze took place in July in the space between Five Fridges Farm and neighboring Prospect Valley Elementary. The goats got to work and the area was ‘mowed’ in just three weeks of good eatin’!

The program is now set to continue long-term with the goats rotating through half-acre sections to graze the five-acre area along the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt over several years. This past fall, with the help of volunteers from the Wheat Ridge High School girls’ volleyball team, Open Space staff were able to install fencing, relocating it as needed to control grazing. The new sustainable land management program has yielded minimal cost and maximum benefit for the public: this portion of land no longer needs chemicals for weed control and residents enjoy viewing the peace and quiet of the grazing goats. The goats get a good meal and the communities have combined urban and rural in a way that will benefit all residents, two-legged or four, for many years to come.

For more information about the City of Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation Open Space, call 303-231-1307 or visit http://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/ParksandRecreation.


Lafayette strikes gold for ColoradoThe Colorado Parks and Recreation industry is unique. All over this great state communities benefit from an environment of remarkable natural, fiscal and human resources that set us apart on a national level. In many areas of the country there is a prevailing public sentiment that parks and recreation agencies are essentially ‘beneficial services’ and therefore do not receive the support necessary to preserve the innate beauty or build the kind of quality infrastructure and cooperative network that make this such a special place to work and live. The story behind much of the success of Colorado’s parks and recreation in general, and the City of Lafayette in particular, has been that ‘quality requires commitment’ and ultimately that ’collaboration breeds excellence’! As a 2014 NRPA Gold Medal Award Winner (Class IV Population 30,000 or less) and a 2013 recipient of CAPRA Accreditation, the City of Lafayette has cultivated a collaborative spirit for agency innovation and advancement that has produced noticeable

results, and is also deeply indebted to the state-wide trends and tremendous association that we all enjoy.

In a City of just over 27,000 residents, Lafayette boasts 1290 acres of open space, 236 acres of parks, 20 miles of trails, the award winning Bob Burger Recreation Center, Indian Peaks Golf Course, Thomas Open Space Barn / Isabelle Organic Farm Co-op, Lafayette Skatepark, Waneka Lake Boathouse, and many other signature amenities. Lafayette is also home to a full service YMCA as well as a variety of local and national fitness businesses, is neighbor to or in close proximity of several other high caliber municipal and special district park and recreation agencies, which all converge to build a culture that demands exceptional service delivery. “We welcome the opportunity to work with many partners in our region” says Curt Cheesman, Director of Recreation and Facility Management Department. “We’re proud of what we have in Lafayette and humbled to represent the excellence that Colorado has to offer. I’m fortunate to


have been with the city and active in CPRA for 25 years. As with much of the rest of the state, Lafayette has become a balanced community through strategic smart growth that values open spaces, healthy lifestyles and a vibrant economy”.

A key hub for healthy activity in Lafayette has long been the beloved Bob Burger Recreation Center, where new guests and visitors frequently make the comment, “wow, you would never know this place is 25 years old.” Age is certainly hard to determine in a facility that has received multiple upgrades in the last five years, including: a large program expansion, an outdoor adult only hot-tub area, an indoor spa area (steam room, sauna and spa) remodel, locker room renovations and most recently an addition of a second floor functional training space, spin studio and cardio theatre room. The 2009 expansion of additional program space allowed for significant growth in licensed preschool programming and, in response to pent up demand. the creation of the BASE (Bob’s After School Enrichment) program where school-age participants are transported to the center from each of the city’s five elementary schools. As we all mature we must be fluid and innovate, another initiative that has local residents talking is Lafayette’s former Senior Services Division’s branding transformation over the last two years to become the GO! (Grown-up Opportunities) Services Division and Center. This new approach and incorporation of Boomers, sees adults as individuals who refused to be defined by something as ordinary as age. So whether it’s a nutritious lunch at the city’s congregate meal site, an adventurous outdoor excursion, drop-in program, social or wellness treatment, staff is better equipped to be flexible and accommodate the varying interests and values of multiple generations of adults.

We’re proud of what we have in Lafayette and humbled to represent the excellence that Colorado has to offer.


Having just celebrated its quasquicentennial (125 year) anniversary as a City, Lafayette has a rich history of parks and recreation leadership which has only continued to evolve in recent years. Lafayette Parks and Recreation as an organization has undertaken multiple strategic planning and restructuring efforts to optimize both staffing and services over the last ten years. In 2005, Parks and Recreation were realigned into two distinct departments; Parks, Open Space and Golf, and Recreation & Facility Management. Both Departments work collaboratively on several programs and services, however, this change has allowed for the improved efficiencies of: having all outdoor versus indoor spaces managed separately by specialized staff, commitment to open space preservation and stewardship, profitability of recreation center and golf course operations, community wide focus on energy and sustainability, and ultimately allowed the city to remain responsive to the ever changing and expanding needs of Lafayette. “We would not be where we are today in terms of new projects, maintaining quality and responding to citizen interests without a long term commitment and investment in planning” notes Monte Stevenson, Department Director for Parks, Open Space and Golf. “The city has matured as a manager of public lands. Lafayette’s open spaces, trail system, and parks provide a balanced network of formalized landscapes and play structures, outdoor recreation opportunities, natural areas, wildlife corridors and habitat areas, view corridors, and green ways. These invaluable community assets help preserve the city’s natural, aesthetic, and

community character, and provide connections between neighborhoods, the natural environment, and numerous community amenities.”

The commitment to open space preservation and stewardship in Colorado is truly unparalleled. Lafayette and Boulder County have been at the forefront of this industry trend and made strong strides in this area toward making a positive impact on health and well-being. One distinct example in Lafayette has been the citizen-led, grass roots effort to revamp Thomas Open Space’s historically farmed land into use for organic crop production and modern barn building that serves as a farmer’s market. The unique relationship between a municipality and a local farming operation demonstrates Lafayette’s commitment to providing diverse experiences for citizens, while preserving our small town atmosphere. In the case of Thomas Open Space the City of Lafayette has partnered with Isabelle Farm who operates the on-site barn as their farm stand for locally grown, organic crop.

Through collaboration, innovation and team passion Lafayette is grateful to offer quality amenities and services that represent the state on a national level. We should all recognize the benefits we provide to our communities and collaboratively state-wide. We have an outstanding state association, natural splendor, dedicated constituencies and a collective ability to continue moving Colorado forward as a leader in parks and recreation for future generations.

We would not be where we are today in terms of new projects, maintaining quality and responding to citizen interests without a long term commitment and investment in planning.


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While many employers, including park and recreation organizations, often take active steps to reduce harassment within their organizations, they sometimes fail to recognize that harassment of their employees by a third-party must also be addressed and the park and recreation facility’s failure to take such complaints seriously can have significant adverse consequences. Recognizing unlawful harassment and having the tools to effectively manage situations in which harassment is present, are essential components of an employer’s efforts to minimize legal risk. It is important that all employees understand that harassment may come from third-parties, just as easily as it may originate from your employees. This article explores the legal parameters of unlawful harassment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) as it relates to your park and recreation organization, specifically focusing on “third-party harassment,” or harassment that stems from individuals who are not co-workers—parents, coaches, participants in park and recreation programs and other third-parties.

Third-Party Harassment Of Park & Recreation Organization Employees

Employees’ claims of harassment fall under a number of state and federal statutes, most notably Title VII and Section 1983, Title 42 of the United Stated Code (“§ 1983”).

When an employee asserts a third-party harassment claim against a government employer, there are at least three parties involved—the harassing party, the employee and the employer. Under Title VII, an employer may be held liable for third-party harassment when (1) a management-level employee knows, or should know, that a hostile or offensive environment exists,

and (2) the employer fails to prevent the hostile or offensive work environment. A hostile work environment arises when a workplace is permeated with discriminatory intimidation, ridicule and insult, that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the victim’s employment and creates an abusive working environment. Under the controlling laws, the discrimination and harassment that leads to a hostile work environment must be based upon an individual’s protected class, such as gender, race, religion or age. Thus, the mere fact a parent or other third-party is aggressive or inappropriate is not enough to establish a claim of third-party harassment or hostile work environment under Title VII. Rather, the basis for the third-party’s conduct must be the employee’s protected class. Currently, the classes protected by law in Colorado are race, national origin, ancestry, gender, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion, creed, age, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, military status, veteran status and marital status.

In addition, governmental park and recreation facilities and individual employees may be held liable under § 1983 in instances of third-party harassment. A governmental entity is subject to liability when (1) it has an official discriminatory policy statement, or makes an official discriminatory decision, that is adopted by the entity’s “officers,” or (2) its discriminatory practice is so permanent and well settled that it constitutes a “custom or usage.” Beyond an employer’s official policies or permanent discriminatory practices, individual park and recreation employees also may be held liable under § 1983 if they are “deliberately indifferent” to known harassment. As such, employees must act upon any known harassment, even if it stems from a third-party.

Recognizing and Addressing Unlawful Harassment by Third-Parties

Matthew A. Court, Esq. and Michelle B. Ferguson, Esq.

1. Lockard v. Pizza Hut, 162 F.3d 1062, 1074 (10th Cir. 1998).

2. EEOC v. PVNF, LLC, 487 F.3d 790, 799 (10th Cir. 2007) (citing Herrera v. Lufkin Indus., Inc., 474 F.3d 675, 680 (10th Cir. 2007).


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As the name “third-party” harassment suggests, even when the hostile work environment is brought about by someone outside of the direct control of the park and recreation facility—like a parent, athletic coach or a program participant—the park and recreation facility nonetheless has a duty to take prompt corrective action in order to prevent an abusive working environment. In fact, one court has even gone so far as to suggest that third-party harassment can stem from a non-human, and that a macaw kept in a patient’s hospital room is capable (though, of course, highly unlikely) of creating hostile working conditions!

Although no Colorado court has addressed third-party harassment under Title VII or § 1983 in the context of park and recreation employees, this concept has permeated numerous other employment situations, including the food service industry, medical workers, law enforcement and other professions. Park and recreation employers are not immune from claims of third-party harassment, and with the vast number of community members who interact with park and recreation employees on a regular basis, third-party harassment remains a very real issue that must be addressed.

Minimizing Risk

Implementing a policy to help recognize and prevent instances of third-party harassment will allow your park and recreation organization to work toward minimizing legal risk. Here are some important steps your facility can take to prevent and address third-party harassment:

• Create a collaborative, comprehensive policy that clearly details how to report such conduct and the steps the park and recreation facility and employees will take to prevent and respond to claims of harassment;

• Take all claims of harassment seriously, and promptly and thoroughly investigate all claims;

• If the claim is substantiated, take prompt, appropriate remedial action;

• Ensure that all employees understand to whom they should report claims of harassment—whether it is conduct they endured or witnessed;

• Conduct regular trainings to teach and reinforce the policy, so that all employees are able to recognize and appropriately respond to actual and alleged harassment;

• Include within the policy, and discuss with employees, that harassment can originate from various sources, including third-parties; and

• Discuss harassment with your legal counsel.

Ultimately, taking active steps to identify and prevent third-party harassment will allow you to focus your efforts on what matters most—providing park and recreation services to your community in a safe environment.

Matthew A. Court is an employment law attorney at Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe, PC. He works with charter schools, businesses and government entities on all types of employment law matters. He can be reached at [email protected].

Michelle B. Ferguson leads Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe, PC’s employment law practice group. Her practice focuses on preventative employment law finding ways to keep businesses out of court by being proactive in identifying and solving employment issues before a claim is filed. She can be reached at [email protected].

This article is intended to provide general information and is not to be construed as legal advice. If legal advice is needed you should consult with an attorney.

3. Murrell v. School Dist. No. 1, 186 F.3d 1238, 1249 (10th Cir. 1999).

4. Dunn v. Wash. County Hosp., 429 F.3d 689, 691 (7th Cir. 2005).

The Town of Windsor straddles the Poudre River and has gorgeous arroyos draining to the liquid “spine” of our community. These natural areas

are home to coyote, fox, rabbits, pheasant, deer, prairie dogs and numerous other wildlife species and are also representative of great dry land prairie ecosystem vegetation. Also found in Windsor is the Frank State Wildlife Area, the former Kodak Watchable Wildlife Area and numerous privately owned reclaimed gravel mining sites. Combine all this with typical open space requirements in subdivision referrals, and Windsor has a lot of natural area within its 25 square miles. While not all of it is under municipal jurisdiction, it begs the question of how does a smaller municipality develop a natural areas program reflective of community desires?

In 2013 the Town of Windsor partnered with the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources on a Regional Study entitled Our Lands – Our Future. The study, funded in part through Great Outdoors Colorado, looked at the public opinion and desires of residents in Larimer County and all of Windsor (Windsor actually is located in both Larimer and Weld

Counties), and explored specific questions about open space preservation and recreation preferences. Other partners included the City of Fort Collins, the City of Loveland, the Town of Berthoud, the Town of Estes Park, the Town of Johnstown, the Town of Timnath, and the Town of Wellington.

Through the Our Lands - Our Future public outreach process, residents identified priorities for land conservation, stewardship, and outdoor recreation. The consultant team developed a mapping system where land managers could filter priorities to highlight specific information. For example all tracts of land adjacent to bodies of water could be highlighted, or areas managed by a governmental entity vs privately held. This tool can be used to assist with decision making. The tools allow comparative analysis to maximize the investment and reflect community desire. They include jurisdiction specific results, and already have and will continue to be of significant value in land use planning and master planning efforts being conducted by the various partners, including Windsor. Below are excerpts from the Our Lands – Our Future report.

GROWING A NATURAL AREAS

PROGRAM... Strategic Structure

and Creative CollaborationsBY MELISSA M. CHEW – CPRP, DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION & CULTURE



“Although Colorado has thousands of acres of publicly preserved land, Larimer County has a significant number and diversity of partnerships. Each jurisdiction has processes to preserve lands of significance in their own communities. However, the larger collaborative effort focuses on working cooperatively to achieve four very broad goals:

➤ Conserve working farms and ranches;

➤ Create regionally significant natural open spaces to provide appropriate outdoor recreation and education opportunities;

➤ Protect and enhance natural resource and wildlife areas; and

➤ Create natural open spaces within the urban environment to provide appropriate outdoor recreation and education opportunities.”

The process adopted by the Core Committee, containing representatives from each jurisdiction, was to emphasize some specific actions:

➤ “Create tools for future master planning efforts that function both county-wide and locally, including

• Inventory of existing open space and outdoor recreation resources

• Assessment of levels of service and gaps in meeting public outdoor recreation needs

• Online, interactive land conservation mapping website

• Two county-wide surveys with individual community results

• An assessment of financial realities and needs

• Funding scenarios for land conservation, recreation improvements, and ongoing management

➤ Quantify the economic benefits of land conservation and outdoor recreation.

➤ Build a shared vision, based on citizen input, of conservation and recreation priorities that supports regional collaboration and fosters partnerships.

➤ Strengthen partnerships, broaden community engagement, assess public satisfaction and support for existing land conservation and outdoor recreation programs, and identify future needs.

➤ Build awareness and understanding of the financial requirements and funding possibilities to support the vision.

Economic Benefits calculations quantified the monetary value of land conservation and recreational activities, from activities such as agriculture, business and employee retention, enhanced property values, and recreation and tourism spending. The study found that proximity to open space resulted in an increase of $104 million in residential property values in Larimer County, which generated an additional $750,000 in property taxes in 2012. As the nation’s workforce evolves, workers have more flexibility in choosing where to live. Studies have shown that a quality of life defined by open spaces, recreation, and scenery has become a major factor in their choices of where to live and invest in


new businesses. Tourism, agriculture, and a variety of outdoor recreational pursuits – from backcountry hiking to motor boating – support local employment; and the region’s parks, open space, and trails support a high quality of life that attracts residents and businesses to the area.”

The Our Lands – Our Future report also found that “Larimer County natural areas and nature-based recreation areas provide recreational opportunities and attract tourism. In 2012, residents gained value between $120 million to $162 million, with an average of $141 million, in direct use value because of natural areas and nature-based recreation areas. In addition, tourists from outside of Larimer County that visited natural areas and nature-based recreation areas spent between $4.15 million and $5.60 million, generating between $134,000 and $181,000 in combined annual state and county sales tax revenue in addition to supporting local business, etc.”

Utilizing this information and the tools that were developed as part of the project, the Town of Windsor was able to determine that our residents were more interested in preservation of open space than in recreational opportunities afforded by open space lands. In fact, while other participant communities generated a fairly standard bell curve (with one being strong emphasis on preservation, 5 being strong emphasis on recreation and 3

being balanced) Windsor was the only community weighted towards preservation. Additionally, the survey overall showed a consistently strong emphasis on preserving “ecologically sensitive sites” including wildlife habitat, wetlands and rare plants.

SO HOW IS WINDSOR UTILIZING THIS INFO TO “GROW” A NATURAL AREAS PROGRAM?

First, Windsor developed a strategic structure – a process and specific criteria for considering conservation easements. While the Town does not offer any advice on tax valuation, referral information is provided and there is a clear process for determining the ecological value based on established criteria (adopted via resolution). These values include:

➤ The proposed conservation easement protects and preserves a community buffer, significant and desirable scenic views or trails.

➤ The proposed conservation easement protects and preserves the area’s cultural identity, archaeological sites or agricultural heritage.

➤ The proposed conservation easement protects significant and desirable ecological resources, including aquatic environments, wildlife habitat and unique vegetation.

References:

1. Our Lands–Our Future, October 2013 by: Logan Simpson Design for Larimer County Open Lands (significant paraphrasing)2. Conservation Easement Stewardship Level of Service Standards, 2013 by: Town of Windsor


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The structure is outlined in formally adopted Conservations Easement Stewardship Level of Service Standards. These are included in a “landowner packet” containing information created specifically for landowners to provide the framework for working through the easement acquisition process in Windsor.

Second, this process was utilized to explore certification to hold conservation easements issued for tax credits with the State of Colorado / Department of Regulatory Agencies / Division of Real Estate (DORA). Though currently not required by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), this is likely to change in the future to assure standardized practices. The process includes agency profile information and background on specific conservation easement projects. Once application is made, DORA further requests details of one or two specific easement projects, assuring that established procedures were followed and due diligence was completed. Windsor is submitting updated information in 2015 and looks forward to eventual certification.

Third, utilizing the tools that showed natural area emphasis along the Poudre River corridor (meeting the criteria of ecologically sensitive sites) we were able to identify parcels that could benefit from preservation. In some cases these are conservation easements that might be transferred to the Town, in others it is pursuit and acquisition of new easements. Some cases might involve land ownership via development agreements, voluntary donation or purchase. Still early in this process, the first big project is a transfer of conservation easements from

Colorado Parks and Wildlife to the Town of Windsor. The five easements that make up the Frank State Wildlife Area along the Poudre River will add 374 acres to the Town’s current 50 acres of inventory of natural areas. While preserving wildlife habitat, the conservation easements which exist in perpetuity, also allow recreational uses compatible with natural areas.

Lastly, Windsor is taking advantage of creative collaborations. Certainly the efforts to complete the regional study Our Lands – Our Future can be categorized as creative collaborations, yet another area is in the pursuit of regional efforts. In 2012 Windsor partnered with Larimer County, the City of Ft. Collins, Town of Timnath and the City of Greeley on the Poudre River Initiative. This project outlines land and trail acquisition and construction along the river corridor to enhance the vision that has been part of this region’s community planning documents for over thirty years…a regional trail that serves to provide community connections and preserve ecologically sensitive areas along the river floodplain. With GOCO funding of $5.1 million, Windsor’s part is to provide a trail easement to land acquisition by the City of Greeley. The land acquisition is a key community separator that preserves bluffs adjacent to the Poudre River.

While Windsor still meets most criteria of a small community at a population that barely exceeds 22,000, the structure and collaborations that have been put into place will help to grow and ensure a successful natural areas program that will meet the community’s desires and serve Windsor well into the future.

P.O. Box 1037 Wheat Ridge, CO 80034

COLORADOPARKS & RECREATION ASSOCIATION

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