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Boulder parks staff outline 2026 work plan, warn service cuts likely without new funding
Summary
Parks & Recreation staff presented a 2025 progress report and a 2026 work plan that emphasizes operations, capital repairs and a long-term financial strategy; staff said community engagement and polling will inform any November ballot measures and cautioned that services may be reduced if new funding is not secured.
Allie Rhodes, director of parks and recreation, told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on Feb. 23 that staff are preparing detailed community engagement and financial scenarios this spring to guide possible ballot measures this fall and to prioritize aging facilities and operating needs.
Rhodes said the department will present subject-matter experts and polling results in February through May, and that city council will weigh ballot scenarios in May. “We are not asking people to fundraise for the replacement of the South Boulder Recreation Center,” Rhodes said, adding that staff will evaluate capital and operating costs together and bring options back to the board.
The presentation summarized 2025 accomplishments — CAPRA accreditation, SmartRec implementation and increased grants and donations — and data on usage: Scott Schuttenberg, deputy director, reported about 459,000 visits to rec centers last year and said roughly 16% of visits are supported by financial aid. Jackson Knight, senior manager for business services, said SmartRec now has more than 35,000 accounts and staff expect revenue trends to keep improving as the system stabilizes.
Staff flagged several near-term capital projects and timelines: Mark Davidson, senior planning manager, described Tom Watson’s 12 outdoor pickleball courts (targeted for an August opening) and a Barker Park nature-play and civic-area refresh planned later this year. Staff also described an asset-management effort to prioritize limited capital dollars to assets with the highest community impact.
On funding, Rhodes reviewed a multi-step process: city polling in May–June to test tradeoffs, council study session in May, ballot language refinement in summer, and a potential November election. She cautioned that without additional general-fund subsidies or new revenue, the department may need to reduce services in 2027, including fewer classes, reduced hours and fewer pool hours.
Staff said they will return with more detailed engagement plans in February and asked the board to help spread sign-ups for city communications. The board asked staff to clarify engagement methods and timing; staff committed to follow-up at the next meeting.
The board took no formal vote on funding direction at the meeting; staff said decisions would follow later phases of public engagement and council review.
