Boulder parks staff outline new community access framework and SmartRec rollout to simplify rentals and permits

Parks and recreation staff presented a Community Access Framework designed to streamline rentals, permits and partner relationships across park and recreation spaces and to improve equity and customer experience.

Brian Geary, senior manager of programs and partnerships, and Chris Pasarelli, project lead, told the advisory board they organized a cross-department "matrix" team to inventory rentalable spaces, user types and current administrative friction. Their goal is to make reservation processes more intuitive, provide Spanish-language access where needed, introduce an annual "customer permit" option for recurring commercial users, and bring low-friction self-service booking to many picnic shelters, courts and small facilities.

Key points

- SmartRec implementation: Staff said the department will implement the new recreation management software (SmartRec) on Nov. 14 and will phase in membership and annual/seasonal price changes concurrently. The software will enable online self-booking of many spaces and improved billing, refund and post-use surveys.

- Annual customer permit and commercial users: For recurring commercial users (for-profit camps, private vendors) staff proposed an annual permit model so the department receives required insurance, reporting and an up-front agreement that lowers quarterly back-and-forth and clarifies revenue collection responsibilities.

- Equity and language access: Early outreach identified the need for Spanish-language forms and targeted in-person support. Staff proposed drop-in help sessions at recreation centers and age-well centers to assist users unfamiliar with online booking.

- Partnerships and fee adjustments: Staff said partnership tiers will allow fee reductions or cost-recovery adjustments when organizations deliver services that align with department priorities (for example, subsidized youth programming, stewardship or activation of a new park). Partnership agreements would be evaluated for mutual benefit and documented as part of the annual-permit / partnership process.

Board feedback and next steps

Board members recommended clear, plain-language online guides showing which spaces can be self-booked and which require additional review, and urged staff to communicate lead times for bookings and special events. Staff said they will phase the SmartRec features so core self-service and shelter bookings are available first and more complex event/tournament processes continue to require staff coordination.

Staff said they will run further equity screening and finalize policy language this fall and incorporate Community Access Framework elements into 2027 budget and partnership planning.