Colorado Springs has three sparkling, new recreation facilities after the citizens told the politicians what they wanted.
In
1997, the mayor and city council of Colorado Springs, concerned about
voter apathy in their growing city, committed themselves to increasing
community awareness and input on the issues. Every citizen who wanted
to be heard would be heard. And the more they spoke, the more one area
of concern kept popping up: the cityês lack of family aquatic
recreation centers. No new city pools had been built since the 1940s.
Now ã
after research and analysis, committees and subcommittees, and,
ultimately, approval by reinvigorated voters ã Colorado Springs has
opened three aquatics centers.
The
new Cottonwood Creek Aquatic Center and the renovated American Fitness
Center, both indoor facilities, and the new outdoor Wilson Ranch
Community Pool are all thriving. But then, thatês not surprising given
the recreational mission statement set forth for this trio of
facilities: –The Colorado Springs community aquatic facilities will be
family-oriented facilities dedicated to promoting recreation, physical
health and fitness in a safe, attractive environment.”
The
response to Wilson Ranch, the first of the pools to open last year, was
–phenomenal,” says Deborah Barry, aquatics supervisor for the city of
Colorado Springs. –We reached capacity in the first week. People came
from all over the area: Castle Rock, Pueblo, Monument and other towns.”
The
response was similar at the two indoor facilities, both of which opened
in September 2001. Barring any unforeseen events, all three centers
should recoup operating costs. –The amazing thing is how much money has
been made from birthday parties and other facility rentals,” Barry
says. –At Cottonwood and Wilson Ranch, 100 percent of the available
rental dates have been filled.
–Weêre
also seeing a serious increase in money from public swimming,” she
says. –In the past, the majority of our funds came from swim lessons.
However, this is no longer the case at any of the new facilities.”
All
this is a sure sign that Colorado Springs has achieved its mission for
family recreation ã thanks, in large part, to the involvement of its
citizens.
The political process
Colorado
Springs has experienced a boom over the past decade. Since 1990, the
population of this mountain town has grown approximately 20 percent to
more than 366,000 nowadays. However, for whatever reason, voter apathy
and low voter turnout also increased, becoming an area of concern for
Mayor Mary Lou Makepeace and the other eight city council members.
After
five months of research and study, the city staff developed the Springs
Community Improvements Program (SCIP). This program gives citizens the
chance to offer input. Eight Citizen Coordination Committees (CCC) were
formed to address specific community areas of interest. Committee
members were chosen from a pool of citizens not employed by the city.
One CCC was put in charge of overseeing the SCIP subcommittee on parks
and public facilities.
Concerns
were identified, and recommendations were made and passed along to the
city council, which determined what would be put on the ballot for
votersê consideration. In 1999, every proposal presented by the CCCs
was approved. Clearly, this process worked. Citizens became more
involved with their community, more interested in issues and less
apathetic about the importance of voting.
Colorado
Springs voted to acquire the necessary funds for this operation through
the sale of bonds. This method has worked well for them. After three
years of paying off its bonds, Colorado Springs was declared by the
U.S. Treasury to have a stronger local economy than that of the average
U.S. city. Therefore, Colorado Springs received a higher bond rating,
resulting in lower interest rates on the bonds, yielding a shorter bond
term. The bonds will be paid off no later than 2015 rather than 2019,
as originally planned.
When
SCIP concluded that Colorado Springs needed new family recreation
centers, they consulted Terry Putman, the cityês director of parks and
recreation. Putman started a base-line education process to show SCIP
members exactly what a recreation center could be.
After
much deliberation, Putman borrowed a bus from the Department of
Transportation and drove most of the committee members to Denver, where
everyone received a tour of a genuine indoor leisure pool, complete
with aquatic and dry amenities. For many SCIP members, it was their
first glimpse of a modern family recreation center. They were impressed.
Colorado
Springs citizens now knew what they were working to develop. Having
seen a new family rec center, they knew what kind of facility they
wanted, but they still wanted all the facts.
So
the city commissioned a feasibility study outlining all the major
issues facing a development of this kind. The study covered a lot of
ground, such as different kinds of aquatics centers across the nation,
their propensity to turn a profit and the groups that typically enjoy
such facilities. Also included was the input of city residents, parks
and recreation staff members, and concerned citizen groups. And there
was an analysis of area aquatic providers; an evaluation of potential
user groups and a local demographic analysis (that is, population by
distance from the proposed sites, and age and income of population);
facility management issues; probable revenues and expenses; and overall
operation opinions.
Initially,
many user groups stressed the importance of creating a competition
venue for local swim teams. Through the study process, it was
determined that the cost-effectiveness of competition venues would be
well beneath the cost-effectiveness of leisure venues in that area.
Beauty in the background
Bottom
line? The people of Colorado Springs wanted to build three aquatics
centers, but they didnêt want them to stand out as bland structures in
an otherwise lush and natural environment. They wanted to offer patrons
a chance to harmonize with the environment while enjoying their
community aquatics centers. So all three handsome structures also boast
breathtaking views of Pikes Peak.
But,
not all is perfect. Deck space is very limited at these facilities.
While that is not a major issue for Wilson Ranchês outdoor pool, which
can be expanded, there is no cost-effective way to expand the deck of
an indoor pool without sacrificing pool area.
If money were no
object, says city aquatics supervisor Barry, she would remove at least
one lap lane from the Wilson Ranch facility because –at least one lane
is always open.”
At
the renovated American Fitness Center, Barry considers the office space
to be too large, and would love to convert some of it into an employee
room.
In
Barryês opinion, Cottonwood Creek could benefit from adding a spa for
adults and a spray park for younger children. Barry would love to see
her concrete floors replaced with tile, but thatês mainly an aesthetic
issue, so it rates low on her list of possible alterations.
The
biggest issue, says Barry, is deck space. As far as sheês concerned,
these facilities need more spectator areas and deck lounging spots. As
it is, she currently doubles the community rooms as viewing centers for
spectators.
But
all in all, the three aquatics centers have become more popular than
anyone anticipated ã and with the revenue figures to support that. –We
are very excited to have these pools, to be able to offer these great
services and facilities to the people of Colorado Springs,” Putman
says. –I only hope that we can get more of them.”
¾
Wilson Ranch Community Pool
By D. Scot Hunsaker
Special to Aquatics International
he Wilson Ranch
Community Pool is located in a different area of Colorado Springs from
the two indoor facilities. Instead of overlooking Pikes Peak, this pool
is nestled at its foothills. From many locations in the water and on
the deck, pool patrons can look uphill at the mountaintops.
For designers, a
big advantage of an outdoor facility such as this is its expansion
possibilities. Unlike a natorium, it costs little to enlarge the deck
and create a more open, social environment.
On the other
hand, this outdoor pool is open only during summertime due to the
weather. Therefore, its marketing plan targets schoolchildren and their
families.
Doubtless thatês
just as well because this aquatic facility was clearly designed for
family recreation. The pool features a water vortex, zero-beach entry,
current channel, water slide with a catch pool, and a participatory
play feature.
For those who
feel like practicing their swimming, or just swimming for fitness while
in the fresh air, this facility also has three lap lanes.
Many
locals wouldêve been satisfied with this beautiful facility by itself,
but designers didnêt want to miss the chance to capitalize on the
beauty of the surrounding environs. So they added a bathhouse with
natural light configurations similar to those found in the indoor
aquatics centers.
Cottonwood Creek Aquatic Center
By D. Scot Hunsaker
Special to Aquatics International
Cottonwood Creek Aquatic Centerês wave pool has something for everyone.
Because this is
an area where young families and teenagers tend to reside, a wave pool
seemed like the right idea. With the flip of a switch, the waves stop
and the space becomes ideal for swim lessons, aquatic exercise classes
and water-walking.
But thatês not
all. To complement the flexible wave pool, a dedicated separate leisure
pool was put in, featuring a water slide and catch pool, a water vortex
and current channel.
If visitors can
take their eyes off Cottonwood Creekês various aquascapes, theyêll
discover a panoramic view of Pikes Peak, its rivers and canyon.
The indoor wave
pool washes up to a zero-beach entry, where any patron leaving the wave
pool can stop, look out a window and see Pikes Peak stretching across
the horizon. The effect cannot be understated ã itês as if a beach
washes up to a mountain view. To further enhance this effect, a mural
of natural aquatic life was painted at the other end of the wave pool.
Creating
an aquatics center with a great view was easier said than done,
however. To minimize the possibility of glare, the designers elected to
use natural light from the walls and a natural skylight in the ceiling,
thus forming a comfortable indoor environment.
American Fitness Center
By D. Scot Hunsaker
Special to Aquatics International
Looking south,
the city turned to renovating an existing indoor competition pool and
gym. The final result was everything the good citizens of Colorado
Springs couldêve asked for.
The American
Fitness Center (AFC) now offers an indoor leisure pool with zero-beach
entry, a participatory play feature, water slide, water vortex and lap
lanes.
Mindful of the
areaês pervading age demographic, the city also decided to pep up the
facility with a spa. From the bubbling spa, relaxing parents can watch
their children play in the many leisuretime amenities ã and enjoy a
sweeping view of Pikes Peak, which features a small clear lake at the
base of the mountains.
When
designing the AFC, designers extended the life of an old facility in an
established area while maximizing project costs by building at an
existing location. The natural light coming into the building from the
walls and the natural skylight, as well as the beautiful view, all seem
to confirm that the design and construction of this facility was a
great decision.