Parks and Recreation Commission

Rebecca Dunn, Chair Michael Smith, Vice Chair Parks and Recreation Commission Dan Ahrens Meeting Minutes Scott Dowis Jessica Kallweit Melissa Lindsay Karly Morkes Wednesday, September 18, 2024 5:00 PM Central Service Center 1400 Caprice Drive Castle Rock, CO 80109 Note: This meeting is open to the public. Three or more Council members may also attend this meeting, during which the items listed herein will be discussed. If you are unable to access any portion of these materials due to a disability as defined under Colorado House Bill 21-1110, please call us at 303-663-4440, email the Town’s accessibility team at accessibility@CRgov.com or submit an accommodation request form at CRgov.com/A11yRequest. TIMES SHOWN ARE APPROXIMATE AND MAY BE ADJUSTED DUE TO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA. CALL TO ORDER ADDITIONS/DELETIONS/MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA Commission Chair Rebecca Dunn called the meeting to order at approximately 5 p.m. Staff members in attendance included Jeff Smullen, Mike Kilman, Jeff Brauer, Bob Maloney and Maia Yates. Present 7 - Chair Rebecca Dunn, Commissioner Michael Smith, Commissioner Dan Ahrens, Commissioner Scott Dowis, Commissioner Jessica Kallweit, Commissioner Melissa Lindsay, and Commissioner Karly Morkes PUBLIC COMMENT DURING THIS TIME, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AND STAFF ON ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA. COMMENTS SHOULD BE LIMITED TO NO MORE THAN FOUR (4) MINUTES. None. MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING PRC 2024-010 Approval of the Minutes Dan Ahrens motioned and Melissa Lindsay seconded the approval of the August 21, 2024 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting minutes. The motion passed unanimously. Yes: 6 - Chair Dunn, Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Ahrens, Commissioner Dowis, Commissioner Lindsay, and Commissioner Morkes Not Present: 1 - Commissioner Kallweit DISCUSSION ITEMS PRC 2024-011 Centennial Park Improvements Update Assistant Director Jeff Smullen provided an overview on the planned renovations for the basketball and tennis courts at Centennial Park. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes September 18, 2024 Centennial Park, the town's oldest park, was acquired in the 1970s and features Burgess Pool, an athletic field, a playground, picnic areas, tennis and basketball courts and open space. Over the years, the 10-acre site has seen multiple improvements, including the replacement of the playground, reconstruction of Burgess Pool and the pool house and upgrades to the athletic field as part of Craig and Gould streetscape and drainage enhancements. The tennis and basketball courts remain the only area of the park that has not been updated. These courts, now approximately 40 years old, have sustained significant damage, with the asphalt beneath them showing more deterioration than any other park facility in town. A plastic tile installed in the 1990s to extend their life has also reached the end of its lifespan. The replacement of Centennial Park's courts is included in the Town’s approved five-year capital improvement budget, with construction planned for 2024 and 2025. The project will construct three regulation-sized, post-tensioned tennis courts with two shade shelters with seating and one post-tensioned basketball court. The pathways adjacent to the courts were also identified in the Town of Castle Rock ADA Transition Plan as requiring significant accessibility improvements. This project will address the walkways to ensure they meet accessibility requirements and will add two ADA van parking stalls to the lot at Castle Rock Baptist Church for shared public/private use. A conceptual master plan was completed and staff recently obtained bids for various aspects of the project. Staff plan to seek Town Council approval of the project this fall for commencement before the close of the year with the hopes of opening the courts for public use in summer 2025. Chair Rebecca Dunn asked about the project's projected cost, and Jeff Smullen confirmed a project budget of $1.3 million. Jeff also explained that the department had applied to receive grant funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund program. The Town did not receive either award so planned the project to the scale of the available budget. PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT COMMENTS The following updates were provided by staff: Town Council has approved ballot question 2A for the community’s consideration in November to increase sales tax rate by $3,750,000 annually by an additional sales and use tax of .2% (which would cost 20 cents on a 100 dollar purchase) to fund staffing needs for Fire and Rescue and Castle Rock Police. Mayor Pro Tem Desire LaFluer's District 4 open house would be held from 4-6 p.m. at Cantril School on Thursday, Sept. 19. The Town of Castle Rock received the Blue Grama Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnership and Collaboration from the Colorado Open Space Alliance, recognizing the partnerships involved in the acquisition and preservation of Lost Canyon Ranch Open Space. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes September 18, 2024 The Town contracted Wenk Associates to provide planning services to create a master plan, trails plan and management plan for Lost Canyon Ranch Open Space. Staff hosted a pre-kick off meeting with the contractor and have a series of public meetings scheduled with the adjacent neighbors and public at large to provide feedback on the future amenities provided at the open space. While the neighbors expressed excitement that the property would be preserved and not developed, they also expressed concern over increased traffic. Wenk would likely complete a traffic calming study as part of the planning process as well. Vice Chair Mike Smith asked if staff anticipate racing opportunities on site, and Jeff Smullen explained that the first phase of development would likely provide trail access, parking and wayfinding signage, and also explained that racing may or may not be appropriate as determined by the usages approved by Douglas Land Conservancy, the conservation easement holder. Dan Ahrens asked about the timeframe, and Jeff Smullen confirmed that staff hope to present a final master plan to Town Council in summer 2025. Scott Dowis asked what uses would be allowed on the trails, and Jeff Smullen explained that dogs and bikes may be limited, but the planning process would help confirm the opportunities for use and define what is allowable within the conservation easements. Jeff also reinforced that the Town may need to be sensitive to specific areas such as wildlife nesting zones. Chair Rebecca Dunn asked for additional clarity related to the parties who have the authority to determine usage types, and Jeff Smullen confirmed that it will be up to both the Town as the property owner and the Douglas Land Conservancy as the conservation easement holder to determine priorities going forward. DLC would need to approve the management plan and the trails plan. Staff invited members of the commission to the Emerald Park grand opening event from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11. Holiday light installation began and staff pulled the existing lights out of trees for trimming and reinstallation. The large trees would be placed the first week of November at Festival Park and at Wilcox Square. The installation process requires half of the crew for six consecutive weeks. The Park Operations and Maintenance Division was also working on mowing and fertilizing, and resurfacing Bison Park’s tennis courts. The inaugural Tiny Art Quest program had launched in Festival Park and featured the artwork of thirteen Castle Rock students placed in a scavenger hunt for other students to find. The Public Art Commission promoted the program with great success during Castle Rock Artfest. The last free Tunes for Trails concert of the season would feature Face Vocal Band on Thursday, Sept. 19 at the Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park. Other upcoming events included a Public Lands Day clean-up opportunity at Quarry Mesa Open Space on Saturday, Sept. 28; the Glow Dance Party fundraiser for Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes September 18, 2024 Therapeutic Recreation at the Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park on Sept. 28; and the Castle Rock Trails Festival featuring a variety of race distances at Philip S. Miller Park and Ridgeline Open Space on Saturday, Oct. 6. COMMISSION COMMENTS Chair Rebecca Dunn asked if the Town had plans to continue featuring student art on its official holiday card, and Maia Yates confirmed that the Public Art Commission had issued a call to student artists to receive submissions for 2024. Scott Dowis asked if there were any updates on the County's plans for the athletic fields near the fairgrounds or to provide additional athletic fields elsewhere. Jeff Brauer confirmed that the County is committed to executing their fairgrounds master plan, which does not yet have a verified timeline or budget. The Town has advised the County Commissioners that if they remove the existing athletic fields, the Town would be prepared to partner with the County to provide alternate options. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:58 pm.