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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 03/19/2019 - RESOLUTION 2019-036 NAMING THE POUDRE RIVER WHITEWAgenda Item 15 Item # 15 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY March 19, 2019 City Council STAFF Kurt Friesen, Director of Park Planning & Development Jody Hurst, Legal SUBJECT Resolution 2019-036 Naming the Poudre River Whitewater Park Pedestrian Bridge in Honor of the Graham Family. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to approve a proposed donor recognition concept for the pedestrian bridge at the Poudre River Whitewater Park. Jack and Ginger Graham have provided a generous donation in the amount of $1 million toward the construction of the pedestrian bridge, which more than covers the cost of the $700,000 bridge that is part of the Project. The Grahams have requested the pedestrian bridge be named the “Graham Family Bridge” in order to honor their family. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The Poudre River Whitewater Park is located near the intersection of College Avenue and Vine Drive. The project is currently under construction, with an anticipated opening in summer 2019. As part of the fundraising campaign for the project, Jack and Ginger Graham made a generous charitable donation of $1M towards the project. The size of the donation makes the gift eligible for City Council to consider naming a key element of the project in accordance with their wishes. City staff recently met with the Grahams to review several donor recognition options. The preferred naming option selected was “Graham Family Bridge”. The name is proposed to be located on the southwest side of the bridge in a prominent location visible to pedestrians. Constructed of weathered steel, the letters of the name will match the finish of the bridge. Like an embossed signature, the name will appear integral with the bridge structure. The letters are approximately 6 inches tall, and will be slightly raised, creating a shadowed effect. In addition to the name “Graham Family Bridge”, the Grahams have requested a bronze plaque be placed on the south end of the bridge, honoring Jack’s parents, Joe and Janet. The plaque may include an image of Joe and Janet and include the words “In Honor of Joe and Janet Graham.” A final design for the plaque has not been determined. City Code Section 23-141 provides rules related to naming of City facilities as follows: “In the event a significant financial donation has been made for the acquisition, construction or improvement of a property or facility, the property or facility or a portion thereof may be named either for the donor or in consideration of the wishes of the donor, which name may be that of a person living or deceased. Donations shall be for no less than seventy-five (75) percent of the total value or cost of the property or facility or portion thereof to be named. If such a donation is received from an individual, family or entity, the City Council will give significant weight to a naming or recognition request from the Agenda Item 15 Item # 15 Page 2 donor but will consider such a request in light of other policy or practical priorities and concerns and the public interest in general. In some instances, the naming of a portion of a property or facility or a specific feature of the property or facility for a donor may be an appropriate alternative to naming the entire property or facility.” The cost of the pedestrian bridge at the whitewater park is approximately $700,000. Total project cost is $11.5M. Illustrative renderings of the donor recognition concept are attached. CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS No City financial impacts. The $1M donation has been received in full. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Multiple boards and commissions have reviewed the Poudre River Whitewater Park project and are in support. Board and commission approval for donor recognition has not been pursued. PUBLIC OUTREACH Extensive public outreach for the Poudre River Whitewater Park project occurred during the master planning phase. ATTACHMENTS 1. Poudre River Whitewater Park Donor Recognition Concept (PDF) PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE DONOR RECOGNITION CONCEPT: LIKE AN EMBOSSED SIGNATURE, THE NAME APPEARS INTEGRAL WITH THE BRIDGE STRUCTURE LETTERS ARE CONSTRUCTED OF WEATHERED STEEL, TO MATCH THE BRIDGE MATERIAL LETTERS ARE SLIGHTLY RAISED, CREATING A SUBTLE SHADOWED EFFECT THE NAME RISES UP, FOLLOWING THE ARCH OF THE BRIDGE THE NAME IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, IN A PROMINENT LOCATION VISIBLE TO PEDESTRIANS ATTACHMENT 1 PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE DONOR RECOGNITION CONCEPT A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE DONOR RECOGNITION CONCEPT A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE DONOR RECOGNITION CONCEPT A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE DONOR RECOGNITION -1- RESOLUTION 2019-036 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS NAMING THE POUDRE RIVER WHITEWATER PARK PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IN HONOR OF THE GRAHAM FAMILY WHEREAS, on November 1, 2011, City Council adopted Ordinance No. 134, 2011, amending Chapter 23, Article V of the City Code to add new provisions regarding the naming of City properties and facilities; and WHEREAS, on September 1, 2015, City Council adopted Ordinance No. 090, 2015, which repealed and re-adopted those provisions in Sec. 23-141 and authorized the City Manager to establish administrative rules and procedures for the consideration and recommendation to City Council of names for City-owned or -operated properties or facilities; and WHEREAS, Sec. 23-141 provides that only in the event that a significant financial donation has been made for its acquisition, construction or improvement may a property or facility, or a portion thereof, be named either for the donor or in consideration of the wishes of the donor; and WHEREAS, to be considered significant the donation must be for at least 75 percent of the total value or cost of the property or facility or portion thereof to be named; and WHEREAS, Sec. 23-141 also provides that City Council will give significant weight to a naming or recognition request from the donor, but will consider such a request in light of other policy or practical priorities and concerns to the public interest; and WHEREAS, the City is constructing the Poudre River Whitewater Park near the intersection of College Avenue and Vine Drive (“the Project”); and WHEREAS, as part of the Project, a pedestrian bridge is being constructed at a cost of $700,000; and WHEREAS, Jack and Ginger Graham (“the Grahams”) have provided a generous donation in the amount of $1 million toward the construction of the pedestrian bridge, which more than covers the cost of the $700,000 bridge that is part of the Project; and WHEREAS, the Grahams have requested the pedestrian bridge be named the “Graham Family Bridge” in order to honor their family; and WHEREAS, City Council finds that in considering all policy and practical priorities, it is appropriate to name the Project’s pedestrian bridge the “Graham Family Bridge” in accordance with the wishes of the Graham family. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: -2- Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. Section 2. That the name of the Poudre River Whitewater Park’s Pedestrian Bridge shall be the “Graham Family Bridge.” Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 19th day of March, A.D. 2019. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk