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Thanks to everyone who joined us on Sunday, March 16 for an informal opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback about the proposed design for the park renovation including plans to increase park resilience, solve drainage issues, create a space for teens, increase Nature Play fun, upgrade the shade shelter.
If you were not able to attend this event and would like to provide feedback, please review the information below and send comments to fischerc@bouldercolorado.gov by March 30.
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The City of Boulder Parks & Recreation (BPR) is renovating the northern end of one of the City’s most beloved neighborhood parks, North Boulder Park.
The design for this active part of the neighborhood park has the potential to reimagine the look, feel, and function that is unique to this community. The new park will focus on youth including teens, wellness and fitness, green infrastructure and stormwater mitigation.
Para recibir más información en español, por favor llame al 303-413-7200 x9.
Currently staff have been working on an overall framework plan for upgrades to the park. These include:
There is a need to dig up parts of the park to fix mentioned drainage issues, which allows us to take a climate-based water-wise approach increasing shade trees and native grasses in the park.
We will ensure to retain major activities after renovation is complete including informal activities on the green like picnicking, flying a kite, hunting for bugs, etc. and winter activities like cross country skiing.
Once we have a schematic design we will share it with the community during the next engagement window.
We anticipate that there will be park impacts on the south side due to the upcoming construction start for the nearby Western City Campus.
The existing playground equipment at North Boulder Park was installed in the late 1990s and has surpassed its useful life. Playgrounds generally have a 25–30-year lifespan before needing to be replaced as part availability becomes an issue on older models and repair frequency increases.
Replacement of older playground equipment also allows the city to keep up with current playground safety standards and address changes in playground trends and design.
In 2022-2023, the existing playground at North Boulder Park will be replaced as part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
A brief history of the North Boulder Park playground:
The new playground at North Boulder Park will provide opportunities for children of all ages to play, interact, and learn alongside their peers, within the existing playground footprint.
Community engagement for this project will focus on specific design options for the play equipment, such as colors and style of equipment. A final concept plan for the playground replacement will be developed from that community input. Spaces for teens, a new fitness court, improvements for the picnic shelter and restrooms.
While the playground's design will be specific to the North Boulder Park, there are standards that the department includes in all playground designs, including:
In addition to the playground replacement, the existing restrooms will be converted to year-round, unisex, ADA compliant facilities.
Other items being considered with the renovation include removal of existing fitness equipment, installation of a city wi-fi system, security lighting, and providing storage for the department to facilitate on-site programming.
North Boulder Park is located near Alpine-Balsam. For more information on that project's implementation, please see the link to related projects below.
Boulder Parks and Recreation has selected a design team for the park and playground renovation and is looking forward to kicking off the schematic design process as soon as contracting has been completed. In the meantime, Parks Planning is coordinating with Utilities - Public Works and Facilities to ensure a seamless tie-in between the anticipated storm water infrastructure upgrades, Alpine-Balsam Project and the park.
A public engagement event is being planned for late summer/early fall 2024.
The new Fitness Court® is installed and available for use at North Boulder Park. We celebrated the grand opening on a chilly October 27 morning! Download the free Fitness Court App to gain access to the largest free outdoor gym network and expert training wherever you go. Learn more about this Fitness Court ®.
Additionally, staff are coordinating stormwater management improvements and park renovations. Boulder Parks and Recreation interviewed consultants for the design of the north end of the park on Friday, Nov. 17. The selected consultant will build upon community outreach that was completed in 2022.
Based on feedback from the community and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB), staff developed two concept plans for the North Boulder Park Site Plan.
The two concept plans are posted above for your reference. For more details, see the October PRAB packet starting on page 12.
The concept plans consist of active play areas and areas for passive recreation and gathering. The active play areas in both plans contain the playground equipment for 2 to 5 and 5 to 12 age ranges, and water play opportunities.
The passive spaces in both alternatives include the shelter, bermed areas, and open turf. Teen-friendly features and amenities are also incorporated into both active and passive recreation areas.
The fitness equipment would be relocated and updated. It would also include adjacent space to provide opportunities for health and wellness programs.
The proposed active and passive space areas in each alternative would minimize impacts to the existing park site, including mature trees, to the greatest extent possible.
Both concepts place their focus on an expanded playground consisting of more natural materials and play elements along with better circulation and improved universal access.
Concept A foresees the new fitness court spatially separated from the playground to avoid conflicts between different user groups. A gathering space north of the existing shade shelter is being proposed along with a resurfacing of the existing bike tot track.
Concept B proposes the gathering space to the northwest of the existing shade shelter and seeks the addition of a teen space in the northern part of the area that is being renovated.
Community feedback to these two concepts was received in late 2022 and will influence the schematic design, where the programming will be further solidified.
