HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 08/17/2004 - RESOLUTION 2004-099 AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION BY T ITEM NUMBER: 21
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: August 17, 2004
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Jim Clark
SUBJECT
Resolution 2004-099 Authorizing the Execution by the Mayor of a GOCO Grant Agreement for
Construction of the Children's Garden at the Gardens on Spring Creek.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A proposal was submitted and approved for a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant for the
amount of$200,000 towards the construction of a Children's Garden at the recently-opened Gardens
on Spring Creek. The mission of the Children's Garden will be to provide outdoor recreation and
education on horticulture and the natural world,within a garden-like setting. The Children's Garden
will not be a garden in the strict sense,but rather an integrated combination of various"child-scaled"
theme gardens and garden-like elements for experiential play, gardens planted and maintained by
children, a small amphitheater for presentations, interactive educational exhibits, inter-connecting
paths and comfortable benches. Although referred to as a"children's" garden, this will be a place
that is equally enjoyed by adults.
City staff estimates that the cost to design and construct the Children's Garden will be
approximately $400,000, of which $350,000 has now been raised. There will be no City funding
used to establish this garden. In addition to this$200,000 grant,staff and the Friends of the Gardens
on Spring Creek have received donations and commitments including$100,000 from the four local
Rotary Clubs, $25,000 from the Bohemian Foundation and an additional $25,000 from two
individuals. The Children's Gardens will be maintained with no additional funding from the City.
It will be maintained by current horticultural staff, supplemented with the extensive use of
volunteers, interns, private donations, grants and earned revenue. The Children's Garden is
currently being designed and is expected to be constructed in the Spring of 2005.
The Grant Agreement requires that a resolution be adopted by the governing body of the Grantee
authorizing the execution of the agreement and approving its terms and conditions. The Grant
Agreement also requires that the City obtain matching funding for the grant, and operate and
maintain the Children's Garden for at least 25 years, subject to annual appropriations.
RESOLUTION 2004-099
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION BY THE MAYOR OF
A GOCO GRANT AGREEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE
CHILDREN'S GARDEN AT THE GARDENS ON SPRING CREEK
WHEREAS, the Board of the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund (the "GOCO Board")
is a political subdivision of the State of Colorado which invests a portion of the net proceeds of
the Colorado Lottery in the State's parks, wildlife, open space and recreational resources; and
WHEREAS, only local governments are eligible for local government grants from the
GOCO Board which are intended for, among other things, local government parks, outdoor
recreation and environmental education facility projects; and
WHEREAS, the GOCO Board approved a grant application by the City for a local
government grant to be used to design and construct the Children's Garden at the Gardens on
Spring Creek (the "Project"), and has awarded to the City a grant in the amount of $200,000 to
be used together with private matching funds to construct the Project; and
WHEREAS, the total cost of the Project will be approximately $400,000 with funding
coming from various private donors including the Rotary Clubs and Bohemian Foundation in
addition to the grant from GOCO; and
WHEREAS, the City is authorized to enter into intergovernmental agreements, such as a
grant agreement, to provide any function, service or facility, under Article II, Section 16 of the
Charter of the City of Fort Collins and Section 29-1-203, C.R.S.; and
WHEREAS, the Grant Agreement, a copy of which is on file in the Office of the City
Clerk and available for public inspection (the "Grant Agreement"), requires a resolution, adopted
by the governing body of the Grantee, authorizing the execution of the agreement and approving
its terms and conditions; and
WHEREAS, the Grant Agreement further requires that the City operate and maintain the
Project for not less than 25 years, subject to the annual appropriation of funds, allow reasonable
public access to the Project, and cooperate with the GOCO Board on publicity, public
information and signage for the Project; and
WHEREAS, City staff has recommended that the City Council approve the Grant
Agreement as described herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS that the Mayor is hereby authorized to enter into the Grant Agreement with the
GOCO Board obligating the City to use the $200,000 in grant proceeds for design and
construction of the Children's Garden, in substantially the form of agreement as is on file in the
office of the City Clerk, and that the terms of the Grant Agreement are approved together with
such other terms and conditions as the City Manager, in consultation with the City Attorney,
determines to be necessary and appropriate to protect the best interests of the City.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this
17th day of August, A.D. 2004.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk