Community engagement for the Civic Area Phase 2 project has been guided by the city's Racial Equity Instrument tool, its Community Connectors program, and equity groups across the city to ensure historically excluded community members are meaningfully represented at every stage of design, engagement, and analysis. The project has so far undergone three engagement windows:
Window 1: Community Values & Park Perception - The project team gathered information from the community about how they use the park now, how they'd like to use it in the future, and confirmed community values established during Phase 1 of the project.
Window 2: What We Heard & Design Ideas - The project team showed two design diagrams created from community ideas and priorities heard during Window 1 of engagement and asked for the community to vote on their favorite features shown in the diagrams.
Window 3: Concept Design Options - The project team brought family-friendly activity to the park space through the installment of a temporary nature discovery area in Central Park. The team also brought the concept design, formed from feedback heard during Windows 1 & 2, to the community and asked them to vote on their favorite features shown in the design. The project team is now taking feedback to define which features will be built under the Phase 2 budget.
Window 1 Engagement Summary
Between February and May of 2024, City of Boulder staff, in collaboration with Downtown Community Connectors, implemented 13 engagement events to gain feedback from the community. The engagement process was guided by the seven principles of the Civic Area Park Plan, the Sustainability, Equity and Resiliency Framework (SER), the Engagement Strategic Framework, and Equity-centered Engagement.
Central Questions Posed to the Community Included:
What do you envision doing in the Civic Area?
What are your top values and guiding principles that will help inform the Civic Area Phase 2 project?
What are your top concerns for the Civic Area and future design?
How would you like to connect to the Civic Area through the Arboretum?
Overview of Engagement Events
Spanish Speaking Focus Group*
Equity Focus Group*
Mapleton HOA (Manufactured Housing Community)*
Roll and Stroll (People Experiencing Disabilities)*
Online Questionnaire (Spanish translation provided and demographic information collected)*
Bridge House (Unhoused Population)*
Boulder High Art Honors Society*
Community Organization Meeting (Stakeholders)
Family Concert and Community Feedback Public Event
Library Mural Pop-up
CU Environmental Design Students
Age Well Centers Mural Pop-up
* Representation of historically excluded groups
The Focus on Equity in Civic Area’s Phase 2 Engagement Process
The SER Framework was used to ensure diverse representation and co-creation in the design and activation of the Civic Area. This equity-centered engagement process was the product of close collaboration between City of Boulder staff, Downtown Community Connectors, and design consultants, guided by the Equity Plan and Instrument.
The process included
Intentional Focus Groups Formed to Elevate:
Racial equity discussions, space activation and place making
Universal design and programming feedback with disability equity discussions
Youth engagement series on youth space activation and place making
Conversations with low-income populations and the unhoused
Intergenerational feedback from older adults, college students, teens, and families
Wide-Reaching Methods of Engagement, Including:
Focus group meetings
Pop-up idea murals
Design proposals from CU Boulder students
Boulder High School’s Civic Area Art Gallery
Family and community feedback concert
Online questionnaire
Engagement Data, Analysis, and Outcomes that:
Elevated voices of historically excluded communities, especially a need to create a welcoming, inclusive, safe, and connected urban heart
Fostered community support for the next phase of design
Highlighted top priorities for the Civic Area, according to community members
Summary of Community Feedback from Window 1 Engagement
The Boulder community ranked the Civic Area project's seven guiding principles in this order: Place for Community Activities & Arts, Outdoor Culture & Nature, Civic Heart of Boulder, Life and Property Safety, Sustainable & Viable Future, Enhanced Access & Connections, Celebration of History & Assets. Historically excluded groups had the same ranking order, but ranked the Civic Heart of Boulder principle third, instead of fourth.
Window 2 Engagement Summary
From October to December 2024, the project team and community connectors conducted the project’s second engagement window to confirm “What We Heard” in the first window and gain feedback on early design ideas for the Civic Area.
During Engagement Window 2, community members were asked to vote for their favorite design diagram and park features and to provide open-ended feedback about the design ideas. This engagement activity will help the project team prioritize which improvements to pursue within the project budget. Throughout this engagement window, the project team reached:
1,510 questionnaire respondents
~220 respondents to pop-up posters at 5 community locations
~100 in-person participants at the library open house event
~60 representatives from community organizations
And collaborated with 7 community connectors to worked to ensure an inclusive engagement process
Below are two diagrams the project team created in response to design ideas heard from the public during Engagement Window 1. The Adventure Loop diagram focuses on active recreation, nature immersion, and unique experiences. The Creekside Social diagram prioritizes flexible, welcoming social spaces that foster community connection and passively engaging with nature. The top 6 most voted-for features from community engagement are circled in each diagram below.
From the Adventure Loop Diagram, the most popular features are Standing Wave, Bandshell with Local Performances, Farmers Market Promenade Loop, Beer Garden, Zip Line, and Library Cafe. From the Creekside Social Diagram the most popular features are Upgraded Bandshell, Farmers Market Culture Loop, Beer Garden, Food Truck Plaza, Boulder Beach, and Creek Walk.
Community members shared an equal enthusiasm for both diagrams, and a blend of the most popular features from each diagram will inform the concept design. The overall most popular features are shown on the infographic below with the top 6 most popular highlighted in red.
Window 3 Engagement Summary
Window 3 Event Summary
March - July Youth Engagement
3 Boulder High School (BHS) Engagement Sessions w/ Growing Up Boulder (GUB)
6 BHS Zonta Club Engagement Sessions w/ GUB – Gather Detailed Teen Proposals for Civic Area
Design Charette with CU Environmental Design Students for Wild Woods Temporary Nature Play Area in Central Park (continued from window 2 Engagement)
Construction of Wild Woods Temporary Nature Play Area for Space Activation – Built w/ CU Design Student’s Ideas
Wild Woods Grand Opening & Kids Concert w/ concept plan Youth Feedback
3 Walking Field Trips with Boulder Day Nursery to Civic Area
2 Walking Field Trips with Whittier Elementary to Civic Area
July Public Engagement
Public Open House for concept plan Feedback & Kids Concert in Central Park
2 Community Organization Meetings
2 Library and 3 Recreation Center Pop-Ups
Online Questionnaire
August Public Engagement
Continuation of 2 Library and 3 Recreation Center Pop-Ups
Online Questionnaire
Roll & Stroll in Civic Area and Wild Woods with Disability Community
Community Connectors in Residence Milestone Meeting
Window 3 Results Summary
At window 3 engagement events, community members were shown the concept plan with 38 park features included based off of suggestions heard from the community in windows 1 and 2. During window 3, they were asked to vote for their favorite feature in each section of the concept plan (West End, Boulder Beach, East End, and Arboretum Path) to help the project team prioritize which features to fund for Phase 2 construction. Voting results showed full alignment between historically excluded groups and the broader community.
The top 5 favorite community features were:
Farmers Market & Festival Street
Boulder Beach
Beer Garden & Market Hall
Nature Play with Splash Pad
Nature Hub with Restrooms
Additional community favorites were:
Swing Forest
Accessible Elevated Board Walk
Accessible Shallow Kids Creek
Boardwalk
Experiential Lighting
The diagram below shows the Top 10 features overlayed on the concept plan.
Bandshell Programming Voting
Community members were also asked what types of events they would most like to attend at the Bandshell. Both the broader community and historically excluded groups voted for concerts and movie nights as their top preference out of the following options:
Concerts
Movie Nights
Theater, Symphony & Musicals
Cultural Events
Picnic Space
Dance, Yoga, Exercise
Art Installations & Lighting
A New, Connected Green Park
Additionally, community members were asked if they would prefer to keep the existing ditch or build a land bridge to create a new connected green park. 67% of all community members and 70% of members from historically excluded groups voted to create a new connected green park. The diagram below demonstrates these two options shown to the community.
Youth
For Engagement window 3, the project team worked with Growing Up Boulder on sixteen youth-oriented events and activities. The project team engaged with:
66 Children 0-5 yrs
54 Parents/caregivers
36 School-age Youth
30 Tweens
130 Teens
17 Teachers
About half of these events focused on gaining feedback on youth ideas for Civic Area. The other half focused on activating the park with kids and families.
Children at Boulder Day Nursery visited the Wild Woods Nature Exploration Area three times with GUB. The school then conducted many of their own field trips to the space.
55% of parents now visit Wild Woods one or more times per week and prefer this type of play experience over traditional playgrounds because they believe their children are more engaged.
Teachers reported they had never used the area near the Bandshell until they were exposed to it through programs with Growing Up Boulder.
Now 30% of teachers use it weekly, and 65% of teachers use it monthly.
Children ages five to ten gave direct feedback about how they want to use the park space. Based on a visual preference survey, results show they are most excited about:
Splash pad
Adventure Play
Outdoor movie nights
Creek play
Nature-Based Art Activities
Ice cream stand
From the 130 teens engaged between February and March of 2025, results consistently emphasize five interconnected priorities that should guide development of the area:
Community Connection & Inclusivity: Creating spaces that foster meaningful social interaction across diverse groups
Relaxation & Comfort: Balancing active recreation with comfortable environments for downtime and reflection; variety of seating options
Affordability & Accessibility: Ensuring economic accessibility for all teens through low-cost food and recreation options and activities
Safety & Extended Hours: Enhancing usability beyond daylight hours through strategic lighting and design
Novel Activities & Experiences: Providing unique recreational opportunities currently unavailable in Boulder
Specific features developed through Boulder High Student proposals include a teen-run cafe, outdoor seating area, ice skate/rollerblade venue, greenhouse, open green space, and movie night area.
The project team also worked with CU Environmental Design students to create a temporary nature exploration area in Central Park. Three students who submitted design proposals during window 2 of engagement were selected to co-create the Central Park installation with the project team. The end result – the Wild Woods Nature Exploration Area – combined ideas from all three of the student proposals.
Historically Excluded Groups
The project team met with Downtown Community Connectors, Community Connectors in Residence, and people in the disability community to gather additional comments about the concept plan. These discussions focused on Civic Area as a space that will:
Tell the stories of the land and people who have previously lived in the area, and have these stories be a major focal point of the design and park experience
Build community and be welcoming for all
Serve the local community as well as visitors
Balance protecting nature while creating recreational opportunities in this downtown urban space
Serve all community members through universal accessible design
Accessibility Summary
The project team walked the park with four families and their children who experience disabilities. Here is a summary of takeaways from this Roll & Stroll event.
Design Suggestions
Lie-back stations in nature for looking up
View points for people sitting in mobility devices
Bandshell accessible seating - not forced front and center
Pull-outs from main paths to get into nature
Spaciousness (in paths, play,seating, parking) - helps with maneuvering
Accessible fishing dock
Crusher fines nature paths (avoid mulch for mobility devices)
Min. 10’ height in parking garages
Adult size changing tables
Sensory Experiences
Touching the water
Hearing the birds
Feeling the trees/textures
Getting close to things to see and touch
Dappled Light
Movement stimulation (like bumpy paths and swings)
High contrast colors, specifically on black backgrounds
Pure sounds
Sensory Trail
Nature Play
Raised sand box
Some stump seats should be large and have backs
Railings into climbing pit and climbing structure
Low climbing surfaces for crawling
More overhang on maker tables
Non-steep slides with long ending at the bottom
Adult size changing tables
Uneven surfaces cause balance challenges
Low barriers at thresholds (one foot balancing is difficult)
Programming
Early access (30 minutes) at Farmers Market for disability community
Accessible equipment for rent at the Nature Hub
Volunteer escorts at Bandshell events for directing foot traffic
The Racial Equity Instrument for Civic Area Phase 2
The Racial Equity Instrument is a tool used by the City of Boulder to ensure decision-making serves, represents, and considers all people in Boulder:
Step 1: Establish Outcomes
Conduct an inclusive, welcoming, and equitable engagement process that reflects the Boulder community to inform project decisions. Elevate historically excluded voices throughout the engagement process.
During Engagement Window 1 analysis, confirm participation of historically excluded groups, and design Window 2 to capture unheard voices from Window 1.
Confirm demographic data collected during engagement matches Boulders demographic profile
Analyze feedback from historically excluded groups separately to confirm values alignment with larger community and elevate these voices in the project process
Step 2: Collect Data
Work with Community Connectors in Residence, Project Community Connectors, and Growing Up Boulder to co-create engagement and promote engagement opportunities to historically excluded communities
Conduct engagement opportunities at locations with diverse participation (rec centers, libraries) with options for paper and digital feedback
Conduct focus group engagement opportunities with historically excluded groups (youth, Spanish-speaking, unhoused, community organizations representing diverse groups)
Determine Benefit and Burden
Review design ideas with community organizations, project community connectors, community connectors in residence, and youth to progress the design in a way that supports and reflects the entire Boulder community
Develop Strategies
Review concept and schematic design with community organizations, project community connectors, community connectors in residence, and youth to prioritize funding and move the design to construction in a way that supports and reflects the entire Boulder community
Work with the project team and partners to develop a park management plan for Civic Area (governance and programming strategies) to ensure the final outcomes and management of the space support equity
Implement and Evaluate
Construct project
Evaluate built project, park management model, and park uses/users for equity
Continue equity work in future project phases.
Report Back
Current: Publish project milestone reports for equity-focused engagement and project updates
Publish milestone reports showing equity-focused data and outcomes for Civic Area
