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Parks department to cut staff and close a community center; TOPS and enterprise projects to continue
Summary
Parks director described $3.18M in department‑level reductions including elimination of 9.5 FTE (7.5 tied to Meadows Park Community Center), elimination of some aquatic facility maintenance funding, and continued enterprise-funded capital (Pikes Peak America’s Mountain, Fishers Canyon, Blodgett trails).
Brett (transcribed as "Bridal") Haley, director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, presented the department’s 2026 budget and described $3.18 million in reductions across the department to achieve a balanced budget.
Haley said the department eliminated roughly 9.5 full‑time positions for 2026, of which 7.5 are tied to the Meadows Park Community Center contract reductions with Harrison School District 2; those cuts reduced the department’s capacity for before‑and‑after‑school programming and summer camps. Haley said a private provider has picked up some of the former program delivery, but the department lost licensed staff to those providers and consequently reduced summer camp capacity.
Haley said the department had to eliminate funding for aquatics facility maintenance and pool replastering (including portal park pool and Wilson Ranch Parks Pool), and she warned that maintenance-cut decisions may lead to longer service interruptions if equipment is damaged and cannot be replaced quickly.
On capital, Haley identified enterprise-funded projects that will proceed: Pikes Peak America’s Mountain projects (paving and infrastructure), Halfway Picnic Grounds improvements, and underground-storage work; TOPS funds will support several open-space trail and trailhead projects (Fishers Canyon, Blodgett). Haley said enterprise revenues improved, which offsets some losses in general fund and conservation trust dollars, and that she will continue the department’s park‑system master‑plan update to guide capital priorities.
Haley described program adjustments (reduced seasonal staff, curtailed travel and nonessential training, and soliciting extra philanthropy for cultural services), and said the department will continue to pursue grant and donor partnerships to preserve high‑priority services where possible.
