The Parks and Recreation Department promotes the health and well-being of the entire Boulder community by collaboratively providing high-quality parks, facilities, and programs. This mission will be accomplished through sustainable practices, partnerships, continuous improvement and a focus on the common good, service excellence and with health at the core of all we do.
2025 Total Budget: $44,562,212
Administration for the department includes the department leadership, finance, marketing, communications, information technology, staff training and development, and business planning and process improvement analysis. These teams work closely with city Finance, Human Resources and IT staff to support operations.
The Community Building & Partnership team provides camps, EXPAND, Youth Services Initiative (YSI) and other recreation programming for people with disabilities and low-income families and volunteer efforts. This includes targeted outreach to increase awareness of public recreation programming for those from underrepresented communities as well as individuals with disabilities, coordinating system-wide volunteer efforts, and partnerships to build alternative funding to achieve community goals.
Natural Resources manages the urban forestry and natural lands. This team is committed to maintaining a healthy and safe urban forest as well as preserving extensive and diverse natural environments for current and future generations
The Park Operations team maintains more than 80 parks including sports fields, playgrounds, picnic shelters, skate parks, the Pearl Street Mall, the Civic Area, Valmont City Park, community parks, neighborhood parks, pocket parks, dog parks and more.
The Planning, Design & Construction program area manages capital project planning, design and construction, and twelve historic and cultural resources. This team leads asset management and park renovation projects, and community engagement related to planning efforts.
The Recreation Operations team performs the day-to-day management of the community’s recreation centers and outdoor pools along with sports, health and wellness, aquatics and general recreation programming. This team also operates the Boulder Reservoir and the Flatirons Golf Course.
Urban Park Rangers help foster safe and welcoming parks and facilities, provide security to visitors and staff by enforcing rules and regulations, creatively solve problems, build relationships, and engage community members to experience nature close to home.
