[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6146648,"mediaKeyId","5525238-9fd82182dfe21c5a3d5343704549729c","parentId",5525238,"title","East Boulder tennis/pickleball project put on hold; tennis advocates decry broken promises, Tom Watson work slowed by hazards","audioSeconds",1869,"startMs",1113000,"endMs",2982000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5525238-9fd82182dfe21c5a3d5343704549729c&start=1113&end=2982","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5525238-9fd82182dfe21c5a3d5343704549729c/thumbnail_1113000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6146648/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/East-Boulder-tennispickleball-project-put-on-hold-tennis-advocates-decry-broken-promises-Tom-Watson-work-slowed-by-hazards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146648-3f3f0e3ba79fce70cf075304252947e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457036&Signature=ZdBUA0YwQHH-c-fU8yGafzYqMgPkkITtGxOR0-YF-akIiCENLPQSuSpq84rV3ykeaneNhO-~1cPtLym2lcFeG68hewuZh~xAjHrZRv6tLw7qrW8u4ypzk74JejQEfRJ~BWEy92lNPl36ml6tgRerQyl-s5CZTons-wWFzZNPKhJrgzDCrx840XwsqaOrMye2uvBR2ayp-D926tDNc9P3xFD5wXpguoiiZaxITHRMIYyJUPeyaUM8oHYRt-NQqOudvT-PumbFhMC~zKFYRILbKTgh4jxaSO0Mk3DoWmSP5VSpyThgz3bhS~BeDQBS5Ji7nHHjDo4x0PZ70aIl3Y7G0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boulder City, CO","date","2025-08-02T19:54:09.237Z","article","Tennis and pickleball advocates pressed Parks and Recreation staff after learning the East Boulder recreation center racket project has been put on hold. Don Bergl, president of the Global Tennis Association, told the board he and other players were surprised and angry after years of planning and public outreach: “The community has received no detailed explanation of what happened or what the new plan is... We're gonna mobilize the community,” he said.

Board and staff described the pause as an administrative consequence of a hiring freeze and planning‑team vacancies rather than a policy reversal. Director Ali said the planning team recently lost staff and that the department has “approval to recruit for those” positions; she said the project timeline will be updated as planners are hired. Jackson Haidt, budget and planning staff, said several projects were delayed because the department had fewer planning staff available to finish designs and coordinate construction: “We have many projects that are impacted by the vacancies that we have on the planning team,” he said, and staff plan to return with more information in August.

Advocates also asked about the separate Tom Watson court project. Ali said the Tom Watson project is proceeding but has slowed because hazardous conditions in an associated bathroom require demolition before construction can proceed; staff expect only modest delay. Judy Emery, a board member with the BOCO Pickleball Club, urged continued outreach to organized players and said the club wants to be kept informed of schedule changes: “Please, please continue to talk with us as you continue to sign and maybe modify what is or was the existing plan so that, again, we can communicate with our constituents.”

Staff said funding for the East Boulder project remains allocated but that staff must dig into final designs to confirm scope and to identify any funding gap. During discussion Jackson and others referenced roughly $1.8 million to $2.3 million cited for project funding at various points in the meeting; staff said final numbers will be shown when planning capacity allows the team to finish design and cost estimates.

Board members asked staff to keep tennis and pickleball groups informed while staff recruits planning personnel. Ali said communications staffing was recently filled and that the department will work to catch up on public web updates and to provide timelines to stakeholders as soon as possible.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","7-28-25 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Tennis and pickleball advocates told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board they were blindsided after learning the East Boulder racket project has been put on indefinite hold despite years of studies and public outreach.","taxTitle","Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado","taxId",3386,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6146638,"Parks staff propose separating rec‑center, reservoir and seasonal access and a sliding‑scale aid program to close a recreation revenue gap",2070,6999000,9069000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5525238-9fd82182dfe21c5a3d5343704549729c&start=6999&end=9069","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5525238-9fd82182dfe21c5a3d5343704549729c/thumbnail_6999000.jpg","/articles/6146638/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Parks-staff-propose-separating-reccenter-reservoir-and-seasonal-access-and-a-slidingscale-aid-program-to-close-a-recreation-revenue-gap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146638-fc72073b6e7b108e33d6c2232bd4ee28/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457036&Signature=VP4qjVLSDp6u5IMY0kjSK8nSHZi349RpKiRscbDPvRrnIaP7ppbQ2143K1~La~ytAWKwQnGprswFCc~kyqiRqJ1f6inMP3poOoigSlTFP0h2T-ew6yCpZRvxXq650eiE0C61fRE4tYRaC7vIVe9RgbCQ9RFNEIf0MWspG1TvMjRyII8ydeFg1tf5s08esiFZITVC57lQuHABVcM9cdu0bLT6HGtXXL-ZPBSPlBfzhk0oo7VaPvJeqbAWyGz8p2p-7xcZggmenOeJp~Y7p25z06d~11B1XTb2xdJma-G~kag4p2tlLFRZ5k4JESHhEMw6FiYoElcVAUFv9klm5LHAmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Parks staff presented a first‑look package of membership and fee changes designed to close a recreation activity fund gap and reduce pressure on taxpayer subsidies. The department said it needs to raise about $600,000 in additional recreation activity fund revenue for 2026 (a total RAF target near $12.1 million) and that, under the current all‑in membership structure, fees would need to rise nearly 40% to close the gap without service reductions.

“Rates would need to increase nearly 40% to actually accomplish the funding gap,” Recreation staff said in the meeting materials when describing the effects of keeping the existing one‑pass‑for‑everything model. Staff offered two broad alternatives: (1) a product‑based model that groups similar facilities (for example, sell all rec centers together) while selling the reservoir and seasonal pools separately, or (2) a “rec center plus” model that sells rec centers together and offers discounts or add‑on pricing for seasonal/unique facilities. Both approaches would preserve an optional all‑access pass for people who want everything.

Staff recommended several equity measures to avoid disproportionate impacts on low‑income residents: maintain the department’s financial aid program (currently free passes for households at or below 60% AMI) and implement a sliding scale so people pay in proportion to household income rather than all‑or‑nothing eligibility. Staff noted financial aid enrollment has grown from about 829 participants in 2014 to more than 4,300, increasing subsidy pressure.

Other market moves staff proposed to raise revenue without large headline increases include stricter enforcement and pricing for court reservations, aligning golf fees with the local market, and refining daily‑drop‑in fees for the Boulder Reservoir, where 79% of visits are paid daily entries and where the facility is operated to approach full cost recovery.

Staff also discussed third‑party access programs such as SilverSneakers and similar Medicare‑supplement provider programs. Those contracts currently increase participation but reimburse municipal providers at rates that have not kept pace with departmental cost increases; staff recommended keeping those contracts through 2026 while renegotiating as opportunities arise.

Staff said it will return in August with detailed price modeling, pass‑structure examples and communications plans for a September final proposal and a September/October fee‑adoption timeline tied to the budget process.","Parks staff proposed selling rec‑center access, outdoor seasonal facilities and reservoir access as separate passes (while keeping an optional all‑access pass) and recommended a sliding‑scale financial aid program to shield low‑income residents from fee increases needed to close a revenue gap.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6146643,"Boulder Parks & Recreation faces 5% city‑wide cut target, hiring freeze and project delays as staff prepare 2026 options",1426,3447000,4873000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5525238-9fd82182dfe21c5a3d5343704549729c&start=3447&end=4873","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5525238-9fd82182dfe21c5a3d5343704549729c/thumbnail_3447000.jpg","/articles/6146643/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Boulder-Parks-Recreation-faces-5-citywide-cut-target-hiring-freeze-and-project-delays-as-staff-prepare-2026-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146643-59f71be372eb2dd55e0982560d67ab0e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457036&Signature=dXflZBQf~vZQMIDiMXAY2bu6hqycw8eJ81QNKW71~jVfg20HOblhLUq1c7XWeHgmzQhrcIbRQmwF2whdb2S6O6OgGbO19OTpvoAENT38YzmRPHrM1zdOjNLc6sqKscO5UYg-q1FB~6W8z5fiZLtogApkysuVefqp-trQkbAuJTacSfbegzEYdRi2N9RWrPQfSMbw5nuJHtxtae~asYozSAHOBOKmDTkrSmu-67D-AgHPGw~I1UPnpVSDx2kuMQR4KnqQVnwS8X1qY2JsIVfZnaaY73QkgHp9TGcRgHVHxFP3sPsDmP2tqhZcvD12FEEityfJWrKqqKuYuifPD2xxxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City parks budget staff told the advisory board that a citywide directive to find roughly 5% in expense reductions has forced Parks & Recreation to identify significant cuts and to revise capital project timing. Jackson Haidt, budget staff, said the department submitted a 2026 budget with base cost increases at about $51.6 million total (roughly $36.4 million operating and $15.1 million capital) but is preparing targeted reductions that could total up to $4 million.

Director Ali and Deputy Director Scott Schuttenberger explained the operational context. “City decided to reduce expenses and asked every department to cut back on expenses here in 2025 by about 5%, which for our department equates to a little over $2,000,000,” Scott said at the meeting. Ali described five draft budget scenarios the department has prepared and urged public conversation about long‑term priorities: “Because of the long term financial strategy and the work that city council has prioritized, we are perfectly poised to have the conversation with the community about the level of service they want and the level of service they're willing to pay for.”

Staff described immediate fiscal and staffing constraints: a hiring freeze, two vacancies on the planning team (with recruitment approved), and at least three vacancies in park operations that create risk during the high‑season irrigation and snow‑removal windows. A parks operations manager warned that staffing shortages could make the system less responsive to irrigation failures and reduce redundancy for snow removal in winter.

On capital planning, staff said much 2026 capital will be carried forward from unspent 2025 allocations and that the department intends to prioritize finishing existing projects before adding new ones. Jackson noted that the department typically spends $5.8–$6.6 million per year on CIP but is proposing a smaller ask for 2026 while it spends down carryover funds; staff also highlighted significant cost escalation in construction and equipment since 2019.

Board members asked what the numbers mean for local services and were told staff will return with revised slides for the city manager’s study session and that the city manager’s recommended budget is scheduled for release Aug. 29, with council hearings and votes in September–October. Staff reiterated that reductions will focus on vacancies, non‑personnel materials and equipment, and deferral of capital projects that lack staffing or funding to proceed.","Parks budget staff told the advisory board a city directive to cut about 5% in expenses means roughly $2 million for Parks & Recreation, and the department is preparing multiple reduction scenarios and deferrals while a hiring freeze and planning vacancies slow projects.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6146653,"Boulder parks staff close Spruce Pool three weeks early to meet budget and staffing targets; users push back",2462,481000,2943000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5525238-9fd82182dfe21c5a3d5343704549729c&start=481&end=2943","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5525238-9fd82182dfe21c5a3d5343704549729c/thumbnail_481000.jpg","/articles/6146653/Boulder/Boulder-County/Colorado/Boulder-parks-staff-close-Spruce-Pool-three-weeks-early-to-meet-budget-and-staffing-targets-users-push-back","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146653-5791eaf389125f51e892ac2628e39528/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457036&Signature=AFXc56nJrf1V3B9d7SxWuTp6PUnNzRbRSw1X0xpcYURimoPKdbqu0BJclE11vMaYSGFQbON0eDFpqhK-~7cclQRc1v9oG5~ka9kYW4for10MrSMwUcUZ98pfrGr0hMiVGIZtvm67wJRq2Hr49gxQv0GWDTmb-x-duBwspnhk3J9obMeZ~nsulw4Mb2gQ8UQuvMMVTRlLBhfsePPdbBG~u3l0dZHTDvnE7HhjUMT8aFX-upPmdIQYTazj9ZrlKtbzHzdOqnD5QIQMzB8cz4EPKm2lW~Dvop9cdDZexv~3ZAwskbNl71de8urTBmMUfbeGrnkOai3tBIIDCdNbvss3PQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Parks and Recreation Director Ali (last name not provided) told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board that Spruce Pool will close for the season the week beginning Aug. 17, a move staff say will save roughly $25,000 and ease staffing gaps caused by a citywide hiring freeze. The announcement drew more than a dozen public speakers who said Spruce is a unique, lower‑intensity facility used by older adults, people rehabbing injuries and families with young children.

The closure was framed by staff as a cost‑saving and staffing decision tied to a city directive to reduce expenses by about 5% across departments. “City decided to reduce expenses and asked every department to cut back on expenses here in 2025 by about 5%, which for our department equates to a little over $2,000,000,” Deputy Director Scott Schuttenberger said. He added, “By closing Spruce Pool about 3 weeks early, we're able to save about $25,000 this year. I know that doesn't sound like a lot of money, but we're looking at anywhere we can find additional resources.”

Users at the meeting described Spruce as small, quiet and vital for therapeutic exercise. “I have spent every single summer day that I've been in town over the past 30 years at Spruce,” said Lynn Stein, a Boulder resident. “I was dismayed to hear that it is closing early on August 17.” Jennifer Purnell, who described multiple serious health problems and long rehabilitation, said Spruce has been “fantastic” for her therapy and praised the lifeguards and staff who assist people with equipment.

Staff acknowledged the loss of Spruce’s particular atmosphere but said other facilities will be used to keep services available. Scott said staffing shortages (noting many aquatic staff are high‑school students who return to school in mid‑August) and duplicated services across pools made the decision possible without eliminating swim access citywide: “We looked across our system and said, where do we have duplication of service? Where do we have an alternative that people can go and still have the ability to swim?” He also said staff will move employees to other pools where possible and will review quiet‑hour lane availability at Scott Carpenter Pool: “When you look at that pool schedule for Scott starting Monday, August 18, you'll see times from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. where all 20 lanes are open to the community.”

Board members and staff committed to expanding communications about the change. Recreation Manager Meghan Lohman and communications staff will post updates online and on social media, and staff said they will send targeted notices to the membership lists. Director Ali said the department does not plan to keep Spruce closed in 2026 and intends to operate all facilities next year unless funding changes: “That's not something we're considering at this time. And so, we fully intend to operate all of our facilities next year.”

The board also noted a longer public conversation this fall about levels of parks and recreation service and funding, and the department plans an aquatics review at the board’s September meeting. For now, staff said the Spruce closure is a near‑term, fiscally driven step to protect higher‑priority subsidy lines and services for people with low incomes and disabilities.","Parks staff said closing Spruce Pool the third week of August will save about $25,000 and ease staffing pressures tied to a citywide hiring freeze, prompting several hours of public comment from users who said the small pool is essential for seniors and people rehabbing injuries.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

East Boulder tennis/pickleball project put on hold; tennis advocates decry broken promises, Tom Watson work slowed by hazards

Parks staff propose separating rec‑center, reservoir and seasonal access and a sliding‑scale aid program to close a recreation revenue gap

Boulder Parks & Recreation faces 5% city‑wide cut target, hiring freeze and project delays as staff prepare 2026 options

Boulder parks staff close Spruce Pool three weeks early to meet budget and staffing targets; users push back