Future of Recreation Centers - final public input

The Denver Recreation Center Task Force (Task Force), a group comprised of community leaders, neighborhood activists, Denver Parks & Recreation staff and citizens, has announced their draft recommendations for the future of Denver recreation, which will guide decision-making for the next 5-10 years.

Next Step
The next step will be presenting the recommendations to the community for additional input. These five community meetings will take place at locations throughout the City.

2/3/2009 Martin Luther King 7 pm to 8:30 pm
2/4/2009 East high School (Lunchroom) 7 pm to 8:30 pm
2/5/2009 Swansea 7 pm to 8:30 pm
2/10/2009 Harvard Gulch 7 pm to 8:30 pm
2/11/2009 Barnum 7 pm to 8:30 pm This group first convened in June 2008. Over the last six months, they have:

TASK FORCE PROCESS

reviewed previous efforts regarding the system of recreation centers (including Game Time 2004, Center Needs Assessment 2006 and the DPR Game Plan)
identified missing information needed to create a successful plan
facilitated a series of eight (8) two-part community input meetings across the city, with more than 600 participants, with a particular emphasis on areas underrepresented in previous outreach efforts, and
formulated a recommendation based on the series of community input.

These recommendations were focused on the value of the system, programs and opportunities, location/transportation and a fee structure. The recommendations include:

The Value of the System

Embrace a Service Model that provides facilities and service by collaborating with others and that supports a local need through the development, training, and use of local community boards to guide service provision.
Develop collaborative partnerships to implement the Service Model by assuring partners are a good fit for the local community, providing training for management partners and holding the collaborations accountable.
Establish a baseline of care for the facilities system wide by establishing a standard level of quality for maintenance of both operations and staffing, customer service and programs.

Programs and Opportunities

Establish a standard Level of Service for all centers by serving as “safe havens;” assuring quality standards for equipment, maintenance, and strong customer service; adjusting hours of centers as appropriate to accommodate shifting of services or programs among all sites; and; facilitating transportation options in order to improve service overall.
Establish a standard Level of Programming for all centers by providing drop-in activities (game room, gym) at all centers; developing age group strategic plans for youth program offerings that assures that youth programming meet the needs of each community; and developing a strategic plan for Senior Citizen program offerings across the City, broadening the overall opportunities available to senior citizens at specific centers.
Establish a programming focus for some centers (i.e. Youth, Teens, Seniors)
Transition existing programs, which are not to be continued at a particular center, to other sites and address transportation options to them. This ensures continuity and access of programming.

The Physical System (Location and Transportation)

Establish a three tiered system of recreation centers including:
- Regional centers with focused amenities (i.e. indoor aquatics, state of the art fitness area, gym), open seven days a week.
- Local facilities, open five - six days a week.
- Neighborhood facilities, open five days a week with focus on youth programs.
Seven centers will be transitioned which will entail developing quality partnership programming opportunities that best fit the community’s needs. DPR programming will be continued through a consolidation of services to regional center, supplemented by local or neighborhood centers.
Determine the viability of having the City of Denver own/build facilities but operate them through leases with other providers at some locations.
Promote community “ownership” of facilities, while City continues to be an active partner with these other organizations by providing upgrades such as lighting and equipment improvements.

Fee Structure

Establish a three tiered fee system based for regional centers, local centers and neighborhood centers.
Offer population grouping-based fee system:
- Adults: standard fee, annual fee would increase from current.
- Senior Citizens: discount off of adult fee, annual fee would increase from current.
- People with Disabilities: discount off of adult fee. Annual fee would increase from current.
- Youth: encourage membership through a low fee ($3-5 per year); continue “My Place” Program; consider free admission at specific times for Denver resident youth (during non-school periods - Christmas, spring break, summer vacation).
Offer income-based discounts; offer scholarship/reduced fee based on need.

Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2008

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