The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Strategic planning over next two months
By Mark Reaman
Solidifying a path forward to identify priorities with expanded recreational opportunities in the county, the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District will begin a strategic planning process in January that the board hopes is fairly quick. In a January meeting, the board will review information aiming for a final strategic plan to be drawn up by February.
The board discussed how to go about crafting such a plan at the December 18 meeting and listened to representatives of the soccer and hockey communities inform them that they need assistance and new facilities as fast as possible. The Met Rec board has budgeted only $120,000 for recreation purposes in 2020, so no major project will originate from them for at least a year.
But the board wanted to start the process of being ready to assist with major recreation improvements when the time was right—perhaps after voters approve financial tax assistance for major recreation projects as early as the next November election. Everyone admitted that would be a tight timeline, given the work needed to get a ballot issue lined up for next November.
“Fields are a huge need up here right now with more kids participating every year,” said West Elk Soccer Club president Ross Matlock. “Certain fields are getting destroyed. We’ve heard the town of Crested Butte will limit use at Rainbow Field, for example, because it is getting beat up. I’m not sure where we go when that happens. And I’m talking about both soccer and lacrosse.
“The school field has big issues as well,” Matlock continued. “It’s used not just for soccer but for recess at school, which makes sense but is very hard on the field. It is getting hammered and needs some love. We would love a turf field at the school as soon as possible. We definitely have field needs coming to a crunch. It is getting critical for us.”
After talking to locals with field maintenance expertise, Matlock estimated it would take $15,000 to $20,000 to get Rainbow Field up to par. He said a turf field would cost between $1 million and $1.5 million. He did say his group was investigating other grant sources and he felt confident they could obtain some state and federal money to add to funds from the Met Rec and other local sources.
Soccer coach Tom Lewis said about 160 kids from the Crested Butte area participate in local soccer programs. Another 40 come up from Gunnison to play.
Responding to a question from Met Rec board member Cassia Cadenhead, Matlock said a turf field could significantly expand the soccer season. “Other communities we play that have turf fields can open earlier and be playing in the spring. That can’t happen here,” he said. “We have a great girls soccer team with a spring schedule where they have to practice in the gym and maybe get some field time in Crested Butte South or Gunnison if lucky. The first grass they play on is usually at their first competition.”
Jeff Moffett, president of the West Elk Hockey Association, agreed with the scenario painted by Matlock. “Take everything Ross said and replace the word ‘field’ with the word ‘ice’ and that is how we feel,” he told the board. “Right now it doesn’t make sense for us to go out and find new kids for the programs because there is no more room on the ice. And it’s not just kids using the local ice. There are adult teams as well.
“The $120,000 you have in next year’s budget won’t get you a $1.5 million turf soccer field or $1.5 million sheet of ice,” Moffett continued. “I agree you need a plan. You need a thorough plan when it is time to ask voters to help fund these things. So your 2020 money could be well spent moving those plans along. We would love to see a vote in 2020 but I’m ever an optimist that that could happen. There are a lot of things, practically and politically, to take into consideration before that decision is made.”
Cadenhead said she too would ideally like to see a ballot initiative to raise recreation funds sooner rather than later. She has been a long-time proponent of a north valley recreation center. “I understand the need for a solid plan but I really want to get things done,” she said. “I’d like to do it quickly.”
“I agree and would like to act quickly,” said board member Derrick Nehrenberg. “At the same time, I would hope there is some low-hanging fruit in 2020 that allows us to take some definitive action.”
“Planning is critical for any successful path forward,” said Crested Butte Parks and Recreation director Janna Hansen. “The town uses a five-year plan. We’re looking at not only project timing, but how we line up grant funding requests. We, for example, can’t go after GOCO [Great Outdoors Colorado] grants every year.”
“It is important to have a plan for voters that answers the ‘whys’ of raising taxes,” said Met Rec chair Dave Clayton.
Board member Ian Billick outlined how he would like a strategic plan constructed. He said using Met Rec district manager Hedda Peterson’s four areas of focus is a good place to start: Access to recreation for underserved communities; the development of recreation facilities; support for outdoor recreation; and development of a 2020 community grant cycle.
But Billick felt in the big picture the strategy should explain how the Met Rec district could accomplish any goals falling under the areas of focus in a unique manner. “For me the district is the entity that integrates across the silos such as municipalities and public lands. The fact we can cross boundaries is a focus of the strategy. The district can be a convener when it comes to things like ball fields. The Met Rec can do some unique things other entities can’t.”
Billick explained that the four recreation focuses are the “what” when it comes to short-term and long-term goals and the strategy is the “why” and the “how” they get prioritized. “It doesn’t feel like a big stretch to me to be able to gather information and outline a plan in January and have a final plan in February,” he suggested. “It is up to us to get more feedback from the stakeholders and we can send out an RFI [Request for Information] to them to gather the data we need. Ask them if we missed anything in the recent Needs Assessment we did.”
Billick also suggested that the stakeholders be invited to the January meeting that would begin the district’s strategic planning effort.
Clayton said because of the holidays, the information might be a bit slow in coming but he felt it should be in hand before the February meeting. “I think we really need to hear from the stakeholders again,” he said.
“We put a lot of the answers to some of these questions in our response to the Needs Assessment,” said Moffett. “But we’ll be there with a new RFI response.”
Peterson said she would develop an RFI to be sent out to recreation stakeholders before the New Year. The RFI would solicit information on things such as immediate needs and longer-term capital needs.
“This endeavor is what the community needs and it is exciting for the Met Rec to be able to step up,” concluded Billick.
Peterson said the January work session will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 15 at the district’s office in Gunnison.
