2013 Annual Report

2013

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superiorcolorado.gov | superiorrec.com

of the Parks, Recreation, & Open Space Department The Town of Superior Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department (PROS) wrapped up another busy year, and what a year it turned out to be! Participation from the community in events and recreational opportunities continued to grow with many of the Town’s programs and activities experiencing record attendance. Out in the field, the parks and maintenance staff worked diligently throughout the year maintaining the Town’s parks, trails, open space areas and facilities all while navigating the ever-changing Colorado weather and managing a new landscape maintenance contractor.

2013 brought the Department several planned and unplanned park, trail, facility and community engagement projects that took place throughout the year including: resurfaced the North Pool Tennis Courts, added a year-round restroom at Autrey Park, installed trail connections at Mt. Sopris and Indiana Street near Eldorado K-8 School, added new pool deck furniture to the North and South Pools, coordinated a recreation program assessment, and hosted with the Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Advisory Committee several EngageSuperior community meetings to discuss a potential future park on the “school parcel” at S. Indiana and W. Torrey’s Peak, as well as indoor community and/or recreation space needs of the community. PROS staff also played a big role in cleaning up after the September flood event working alongside Public Works and Utilities staff and contractors to coordinate emergency trail maintenance and facility repairs throughout the Town, and with volunteers to complete several follow-up projects after the water receded.

The year wouldn’t be complete if the Town’s community events and volunteer participation program wasn’t highlighted. In June, Town staff rolled out the new volunteersuperior.com website to advertise and accept registrations for volunteer opportunities in Superior. The Town successfully hosted the annual Arbor Day Festival, the Superior Morgul bike race, July 4th Celebration with pancake breakfast and Superior Downhill Mile race, Chili Fest, National Day of Service Community Volunteer Project, and the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. The community events and service projects that took place in 2013 simply would not have been possible without the fantastic support from community volunteers. Town staff worked with over 200 volunteers on projects that ranged in scope from bike park and trail maintenance to flipping pancakes and pouring syrup.

The Town is looking forward to working with the community in 2014. Please visit superiorcolorado.gov for Town information, and check superiorrec.com for the latest programs and activities, park and trail project updates and volunteer opportunities.

In 2013 the Town set out to design a new volunteer website with the goal of creating a one-stop resource for those interested in viewing and registering for volunteer opportunities in our community.

Other functions of the website include: • Easy account sign-up process • Register for opportunities you are interested in • View opportunities you have signed up for in your account settings • Sign up multiple members of your family under one account • Receive reminder emails from event coordinators for opportunities that you have registered for • Track your number of volunteer hours completed • Receive up to date emails when new opportunities are provided The website launched in June 2013 and within the first 6 months over 100 new volunteer registrations were collected.

OUTREACH • • • • •

Produced 3 seasonal recreation guides Produced 3 seasonal mail home pieces to accompany recreation guide (5,500 print copies) Designed and produced 2 event postcards (5,500 print copies) 50+ CAC blasts 25+ Eblasts/PROS Newsletters

IN 2011, 16% OF ALL ACTIVITY REGISTRATIONS FOR TOWN PROGRAMS OCCURRED ONLINE. THAT NUMBER INCREASED TO OVER 65% IN 2013 WITH THE HELP OF THE REDESIGNED REGISTRATION PAGE.

There were plenty of programs and activities to participate in throughout the year in Superior. Citizens in 2013 were able to participate in Marcelo Balboa Mile High Soccer Camp, private and group swim lessons, i9 Sports Camps, Play-Well TEKnologies Lego Engineering Camps, Grass Roots Ultimate Disc Camp, Superior Lifestyle Boot Camp Fitness, Dog Training, Learn to Skate – Ice Skating, Zumba, Yoga in the Park, Superior Running Club, Rugby Ready Fitness, introductory art and music, slacklining clinics, wildlife education, youth soccer, CARA Team Tennis, Cardio Tennis, group and private tennis lessons, youth softball, youth lacrosse, youth football, historical education programs, and historic site tours.

PROS staff, working with the production team from Racing Underground hosted the second annual Superior Stocking Run 5K on December 1st. The race was a fun and festive family event – participants were given red holiday stocking goodie bags, red Stocking Run t-shirts and jingle bell bracelets to wear during the race. Nearly to 600 runners, ranging in age from 4 to 75, finished the Christmas-themed run/walk. 135 Superior residents participated in the race.

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In addition to the Stocking Run, staff helped to coordinate and provided support for several other events that occurred in Town.

• Koppenberg Road Race • Boulder County Sheriff’s Office National Night Out • Rock Creek Master HOA Movie Nights, Egg Hunt and Oktoberfest • Skirt Sports 1/2 Marathon, 5 Mile and 5K Race • Halloween Pet Parade - Saddlebrook Community • Historical Commission Spring Education Program, Mine Camp Walk, Tombstone Tour

Town staff and the Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Advisory Committee (PROSTAC) worked on a community-wide recreation program assessment that was intended to evaluate recreation programs currently offered in the community, and help identify potential program opportunity areas to consider adding or improving in the future.

The assessment involved extensive community outreach that included facilitated meetings with staff and PROSTAC, meetings with stakeholder groups, one-on-one interviews with program providers, and a webbased questionnaire that was made available to the community. Over 40 community stakeholders and 250 residents provided feedback during the assessment process.

Key future tasks identified through assessment: • Continue efforts to improve and expand the Town’s aquatic programs and update swim lesson curriculum and offerings • Offer a more diverse range of adult fitness programs • Create opportunities to participate in recreational activities during evenings and weekends • Continue exploring net sports programs: badminton, pickleball, pick-up sand volleyball. Possible partnership with nearby communities for pickle ball league • Work to enhance department-wide marketing and communication

aquatics • • • • • • • •

Over 28,000 unique visits to the Town’s pools 435 participants in the Town’s group swim lesson program 25 participants in the Master’s Swim program Hosted “Kids Fun Day” on July 4th at South Pool Staffed over 25 pool parties and private functions Facilitated and staffed weekly swim days for Rocky Mountain Day Camp Ongoing partnership with the Rock Creek Flyers Swim Team Maintained swimmer and facility safety levels throughout the season

A number of capital improvement projects were completed at the pool facilities in 2013. Both pools met ADA compliance standards with the installation of user friendly handicap lifts, and each facility received new chemical controller probes and upright vacuums, helping to ensure a safe and clean swimming environment for facility patrons. Before the start of the summer season, a new boiler was installed for the leisure pool at South. To aid in bringing the North Pool facility up-to-date and increase its capability of handling a growing number of users, all locker room toilets were replaced with new pressure assisted units. North Pool received an aesthetic upgrade with the replacement of over 70 aging lounge chairs.

Feedback gathered from program and activity evaluations reveal that a Town of would Superior program or activity to their family members or friends.

The Town implemented a community engagement process in 2013 called EngageSuperior to broadly capture the pulse of the community and invite all points of view on important topics impacting the future of parks, recreation and open space operations and facilities. EngageSuperior included a series of professionally-facilitated community meetings, and an online communication forum, www.engagesuperior.com, providing citizens the opportunity to express their thoughts, ideas and opinions in an open forum. EngageSuperior will continue to be used this year as a tool for citizens to contribute feedback conveniently via computer or mobile device, maintain a widely accessible community dialogue to share ideas and contribute to our community’s decision-making process.

2013 EngageSuperior Topics • Future of the “School Parcel” at S. Indiana and W. Torrey’s Peak • Potential indoor community and/or recreation spaces in Superior • Playground equipment assessment

EngageSuperior Statistics • Over 10,000 page views on EngageSuperior.com • 1,450 unique visitors to EngageSuperior.com • 205 unique participants contributed ideas to EngageSuperior.com • More than 125 citizen participants at EngageSuperior community meetings • 8 professionally facilitated community meetings

Before the flood event had ended staff began working with community groups to coordinate volunteer clean-up projects at various trails and park locations impacted by the flood.

In addition to the devastation experienced by many Superior residents, the September flood event produced heavy rainfall creating overland flooding, small landslides, and mudslides throughout the Town impacting several areas of Town-owned open space and trails. The fast moving floodwaters inundated creeks beyond capacity resulting in significant damage to the Coal Creek Trail, Rock Creek Trail, Autrey Park, Christenson Trail, Coyote Ridge, and Founders Park. PROS staff, community volunteers and contractors worked hundreds of hours helping restore the Town’s open space and trails back to pre-flood conditions.

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Over 12,500 lineal feet of trail repaired 680 tons of crusher fines material used 120 tons of road base used 755 cubic yards of rip-rap used 240 lineal feet of steel fencing repaired along Rock Creek in Community Park

• Trail restoration project near the basketball court at Coalton and Indiana – A group of 10-15 local church volunteers raked and shoveled trail-material displaced by the floodwater from the Rock Creek near the west end of Community Park. The group helped restore 25 yards of the Rock Creek trail, and filled several washout areas on the connecting trail behind the homes on Clayton Circle • Rock Creek Parkway underpass clean-out near the Horizons – A group of 10-15 volunteers from the Monarch High School baseball team removed debris, shoveled silt and swept rocks and dirt from the underpass • Grasso Park farm equipment clean-up – The Mustangs U10 Youth Football team removed branches, trash, rocks and debris that accumulated in and around the farm equipment and structures in Grasso Park • Set up a Flood Buster Volunteer Match Program on the Town Volunteer website linking those in need with those who want to help

• Naming of Founders Park (formerly Town 9 Park) • 100+ in attendance • 15 trees planted by Superior Mustang Football players & volunteers • Kids Activities • Sustainability Fair, Several eco-friendly vendors & presenters • Refreshments provided by Panera Bread • Cyclists from all over Colorado and the United States • Friday - Time Trial - 400 racers • Saturday - Summit Criterium - 500 racers • Sunday - Morgul Road Race - 700 racers

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7,000+ in attendance 45 Registered Chili Cooks 55 Vendor Booths 70+ Volunteers 7 Restaurants in People’s Choice Competition • $4,000 collected for Boulder County Incident Management Team • That Eighties Band & Academy of Rock Bands

parade & pancakes

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July festival of

events

• 6,000+ in attendance • 245 participants in the Downhill Mile Race • 40+ Entrants for the Community Parade • 35+ Vendor Booths • 40+ Volunteers

WE MAKE A LIVING

BY WHAT WE GET, BUT WE MAKE A LIFE

BY WHAT WE GIVE. - WINSTON CHURCHILL

projects

ESTIMATED VALUE OF VOLUNTEER TIME IN 2013

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Eldorado 6th Grade Service Outreach Project

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12 students and 1 teacher Spent 3 hours cleaning up Community Park and the Rock Creek Trail

Eldorado 7th Grade Service Outreach Project

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10 students and 1 teacher Spent 3 hours cleaning up Coal Creek Trail from Superior to Louisville

Key Bank Finance • 12+ volunteers • Helped rebuild the disc golf pads at Autrey Park for “Neighbors Make a Difference Day

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JustServe • 12+ volunteers from the LDS Church • Helped set up fencing at the Summit for the Crit course during the Superior Morgul Bike Race

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4th of July • 45+ community volunteers including citizens, Boy Scouts, Rocky Mountain Firefighters, and members of the LDS Church • Flipped pancakes, set up/tear down, and more

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Keep It Clean Partnership • 6 members of the community came out to help clean up Coal Creek drainage way • Volunteers picked up several bags of trash and marked storm drains along the way

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Chili Fest • 70+ volunteers • Helped with set up/tear down, chili judging, Eco Cycle waste stations, and more!

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National Day of Service/Flood Clean Up • 25+ volunteers • Rebuilt soft surface trail connections at Community Park that were washed away during the September flood Coyote Crew • Partnered with Project Coyote to promote coexistence with coyotes • Coyote Crew was created through a group of 2 dozen community volunteers Snow Busters • Volunteers matched up with those in need • Shovel sidewalks with more than 2 inches of snow - program started in 2012 - served over 12 residents in need last year

“SUPERIOR JOB ON CHILI FEST. HAD A GREAT TIME AS ALWAYS. WONDERFUL TO SEE SUPERIOR GAIN SUCH RECOGNITION” - SUPERIOR RESIDENT AND VOLUNTEER

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The Town is responsible for maintaining over 500 acres of landscape areas and park facilities and approximately 30 miles of hard-surface and soft-surface trails throughout the community. Town staff oversees these valuable assets, coordinating the majority of maintenance work through a third-party vendor as well as full-time staff. The scope of the maintenance program continues to take into account evolving service needs as the Town’s facilities and plant material age, and facilities are added or renovated. In addition to annual maintenance work, Town staff coordinated several projects. Highlights include: • Site improvements at Founders Park, including additional tree planting and soil enhancement.

• Installation of low volume irrigation heads near hard surface trails in several areas throughout Town.

• Coordinated with Boulder County Youth Corps to renovate and improve the Coyote Ridge Trail area.

• Completion of a three-year project of installing new LED bollard lighting to replace metal halide bollard lighting, as well as conversion to LED fixtures at Town landscape sculptures and several neighborhood monuments.

• Enhancement of several native park areas throughout Town by planting over one thousand pounds of native grass seed on prepared soils. Planting was largely successful due to spring rains, and should help reduce future weed control.

• Installation of aeration system in a pond at Purple Park to help promote habitat • Enhanced program of weekly tree trimming and dead tree removal program that has reduced potential storm damage.

• Expanded holiday lighting display.

• Initiated sidewalk grinding program to reduce fall hazards.

• 30’ high square-mesh containment netting was added behind the soccer goals/football goalposts on Williams Turf Field in 2013. The netting was added to help prevent soccer, football and rugby balls from flying into the parking lot and hitting parked cars along the north side of the field.

The Town received a $900 grant through the USTA Adopt-A-Court Grant Fund to add 36’ and 60’ court lines to accommodate youth QuickStart Tennis as part of this project. The addition of QuickStart lines on the courts allows the Town to once again host all levels of Junior USTA sanctioned matches.

The Town installed a heated restroom at Autrey Park on the north side of the parking area. Adding a restroom to this heavily-used facility has been a priority over recent years, with many community members requesting this additional service. Construction for the project began in the fall and the restroom was open to the public in November. An overhead light and security camera were added near the restroom in December to complete the project.

Installation in 2013 of trail connections through the drainage ravines adjacent to Eldorado K-8 school east of Indiana Street had been identified annually in the Town’s Five-Year Trail Plan for several years as a primary trail need. Students living in the neighborhoods east of the ravines split by Mt. Sopris would traverse these two sections to go to and from school via social trails and parts of maintenance roads installed by Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (UDFCD). The development of social trails and unguided crossing points caused general erosion and unsafe crossing of the waterways when water was present. These damage and safety concerns, along with the ongoing traffic congestion at intersections and frequent requests from citizens living in these neighborhoods for a safe crossing alternative, made this a priority trail project recommendation. The two trails (approximately 1,700 linear feet) include both hard- and soft-surface material with rock retaining walls (approximately 2,800 square feet) and one drainage crossing.

projects

During the month of July the North Pool Tennis Courts were resurfaced, which included extensive crack repair, concrete leveling, application of acrylic surface material and then relining all four courts. The tennis courts, which are approximately 15 years old, are heavily used each the year

by YMCA of Boulder Valley, Monarch High School boys and girls tennis teams, USTA adult tennis leagues and Superior residents. Due to the cumulative impact of many years of use, age of the originally-installed materials and freeze/thaw cycles, the condition of the courts had deteriorated substantially, so this is a great improvement that has received very positive feedback from users.

• • New Outdoor Education programming with Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC) • Resurfacing South Pool playground • New summer camps and recreation programs • EngageSuperior process to explore options for the civic space dedicated to the Town as part of Superior Town Center • Additional family activities at both pools

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