Parks director reports rising vandalism and homeless activity; outdoor pool needs further inspection after leak detection

Carol Cosby, director of Parks and Recreation, presented a mid‑year update July 22 on programs, maintenance and capital projects. She described steady program growth, new staff hires, and a busy events calendar, but also flagged more frequent graffiti, vandalism in restroom facilities and increased homelessness in parks and along trails.

Cosby listed maintenance priorities for the remainder of 2025 — turf replacement at Civic Center Park, trail bids (Purcell Boulevard and Civic Center Phase 1), playground replacement at Pixie Park, and a planned dog park to go to bid. She said the department has increased volunteer engagement with schools and youth groups and that pickleball courts and other new facilities are already in use.

On the pool: Cosby briefed the board on a leak‑detection report and on a visit from the vice president of Rocky Mountain Aqua Care. According to the presentation and Cosby’s summary, leak detection located a likely failure in the plumbing that runs from the pool’s deep end toward the pump room and a separate damaged line outside the pump building. The vendor gave a verbal, preliminary estimate that repairing the piping alone could run a “minimum” of roughly $700,000; the vendor also quoted an evaluation rate of $225 per hour and estimated a minimum of three hours for an on‑site inspection leading to a written repair proposal.

Board members asked staff to get a second opinion before accepting a single vendor’s written estimate. Several directors noted they preferred additional bids or a plumber’s assessment (including non‑pool plumbing contractors) before committing to the expense; staff agreed to pursue a second opinion and to defer payment for a full written repair quote until the district obtained additional technical reviews.

Why it matters: The parks department’s expenses for vandalism and graffiti are increasing, and the pool’s plumbing problem — if repairs cost on the order of the preliminary estimate — would represent a significant unbudgeted capital expense. The board emphasized the need for multiple technical reviews and cost comparisons before committing district funds.

What the board asked staff to do: obtain at least one additional technical opinion (potentially a general plumbing contractor or another pool contractor familiar with camera inspection and pipe relining techniques), confirm existing leak‑detection documentation, and report back with comparative estimates and options (repair piping, convert the pool to another amenity or pursue an indoor pool option).