The Combined Parks and Recreation Advisory Board discussed some of its adopted goals during a regular meeting on Aug. 1, with the main topic being the importance of property acquisition and how the formation of a recreation district could influence that.
Parks and Recreation Director Darren Lewis indicated that the board previously decided to wait until all voting members of the combined advisory board are present to approve the adopted goals, noting that board members Josh Sanchez and Kevin Metzler were absent at the Aug. 1 meeting.
Lewis noted the board may want to reconsider that decision as the year goes on and may decide to adopt the goals with whatever quorum is available, noting the next regular meeting is currently scheduled for Sept. 5.
Lewis explained that Sanchez was involved in drafting the goals and that he was in favor of them at the time.
“If Josh [Sanchez] isn’t here, I think he’ll support them,” Lewis said.
Board member Larry Lynch stated that, after the board’s previous meeting, he realized the board had not discussed the long-term goal of future property acquisitions for parks and open space in the town and/or county.
“Here we see tonight that we’re running out of room at Yamaguchi Park,” Lynch said, referring to new bike skills park proposal in Yamaguchi Park South that the board heard earlier during the Aug. 1 meeting.
Lewis commented that the location being proposed for the new bike skills park is one of the last locations that he is able to develop in Yamaguchi Park South.
“What else is there for future park development in the community? And it’s getting kind of slim,” Lynch said, questioning if the board wanted to consider adopting property acquisitions as a long-term goal for the advisory board.
Lewis noted that the current drafted adopted goals include exploring funding mechanisms for parks and recreation development and improvement, and town and county growth collaboration, adding property acquisition could fall under either of those goals.
Lynch indicated that he’d like to see be a specific goal, but didn’t “know if anybody else agrees with that.”
“I feel property acquisition is always important,” board member Mat deGraaf commented, noting the town council looks at it regularly.
He went on to explain that in his opinion the creation of a recreation district may be a way to incorporate property acquisition for parks and open space.
“Then that [a recreation district] would be a taxing entity that in and of itself could go and purchase property ... I feel like that’s the bigger thing that can then move the parks in a bigger and better direction,” deGraaf said, in comparison to prioritizing property acquisition at the advisory board level.
Lynch agreed with deGraaf about the benefits of forming a recreation district, but expressed a need for the advisory board to consider property acquisitions as a goal.
“A parks and rec district would be the perfect mechanism to go out purchase a large piece of property,” Lynch said. “I still think its worth considering if the right opportunity comes up.”
Lewis questioned if the board wanted to add the creation of a recreation district to its adopted goals.
Board member Sally High explained that the topic of creating a recreation district has been discussed multiple times and questioned if it has been determined if the town or the advisory board could spearhead the process of forming a recreation district.
Lewis indicated that neither entity could and that it would have to be an “outside entity” to lead the process.
High commented that it will take “a group of motivated citizens with access to a lot of money.”
Board member Veronica Medina mentioned the possibility of having the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association (PLPOA) join in with creating a recreation district, noting that the town and Archuleta County could provide some of the funds needed.
deGraaf commented that the PLPOA “needs” to be a part of the district and that it would be odd to exclude PLPOA neighborhoods from the recreation district boundaries.
He went on to explain that talks about building a recreation center or establishing a recreation district have happened in the past, but that nothing has come to fruition.
deGraaf mentioned that he hopes this time something can happen in “a way that will be more successful.”
“This community is at a point where we really need … we need a proper rec center, and the best way to do that is through a rec district,” he added.
Lewis mentioned that in previous meetings Archuleta County Attorney Todd Weaver suggested the recreation district needs to have a project behind it for it to be successful.
“It’s very expensive for the town to run the parks and rec system,” Lewis added.
Lynch noted other communities such as Salida, Gunnison and Cortez funded their recreation centers through a sales tax, noting that residents in the Pagosa community may not want to do that.
Lewis noted that in 2014 town voters denied a sales tax proposal that would have funded a recreation center.
deGraaf explained that the town has the Parks and Recreation Department that is funded through the town, but that the department “serves so many more people than the taxpayers that are actually funding that department.”
“I’ll tell ya because I’ve been there and done that,” Lewis said in regard to proposing a sales tax. “I am not going to waste my time — I’ll be very honest about it — if this is just a town initiative because I know it’s not going to work.”
He added he would like to see a countywide vote.
“If there’s some traction there, I’ll be happy to dive back into it,” Lewis added.
He explained that most of the community’s families live outside of the town limits.
Lewis also suggested expanding the community center to the north “and try and start adding these amenities that we desperately need” through different phases.
High commented that every discussion about the topic is of value and having representatives from the town and county in the same room is important when considering different options of creating a recreation district or recreation center.
At the end of the discussion, the board directed Lewis to amend the drafted goals to specifically include property acquisition.
New hours
Lewis reminded the board that hours for town facilities are changing, after being approved by the Pagosa Springs Town Council last month.
He indicated that beginning this week, Town Hall and the community center will be open during regular hours of 8 a.m to 5 p.m., but on Fridays the facilities will only be open until 11:30 a.m.
“In the summertime we do not get very many people on a Friday afternoon in the community center because it’s so nice outside,” he said.
Lewis explained that he “tweaked the community center” so that during the winter the building will remain open for regular hours due to the increased use.
“I feel it’s important that that building stays open in the winter time,” he said, explaining there will be summer and winter hours.
The summer hours will be in effect from May 1 through Oct. 31, with the community center open all day Monday through Thursday and a half day on Friday.
Winter hours will be in effect from Nov. 1 through April 30, with the community center open all day Monday through Friday.
Lewis added that during the wintertime the community center gets more traffic due to the weather and with kids getting out of school around 1 p.m. on Fridays, the community center offers a space for them to go until the evening.
clayton@pagosasun.com
