HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 08/25/2020 - PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLANDATE:
STAFF:
August 25, 2020
Honore Depew, Interim Policy and Project Manager
John Stokes, Natural Resources Director
Kelly DiMartino, Deputy City Manager
WORK SESSION ITEM
City Council
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Parks & Recreation Master Plan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to seek feedback on specific draft sections of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan,
including policy recommendations, classifications for parks and recreational facilities, and levels of service. An
overview of the Master Plan process and findings to date will be presented by Andrew Dobshinsky, Associate
Planner with The Olin Studio.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
1. What feedback do Councilmembers have on the draft sections of the Master Plan?
a. Level of Service
b. Classification & Design Guidelines
c. Policy Framework
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
The Parks and Recreation Policy Plan was last updated in 2008, (now called a Master Plan). Community
expectations have evolved, and survey data collected during this planning process provide insights into these
evolving community perspectives. The Master Plan update effort began in late 2019 and a final draft is expected
to be ready for review and adoption in the Q4 of 2020. Council previously discussed this item in October 2019 and
June 2020 (Attachment 1).
Since last year, staff has been working with a consultant team, stakeholders, and the community to identify parks
and recreation needs, assess how Fort Collins compares to other peer and benchmark communities, and identify
key issues and priorities the plan should address. Identifying a strategy for park refresh is a desired outcome of
the plan, as well as a Council priority for 2020.
Based on extensive community engagement (Attachment 2) previous Council direction, and staff input, the
consultant team has provided several sections of the Master Plan in draft form for review. The focus of this work
session is to seek feedback on those draft sections listed below and included as attachments.
Key Findings & Opportunities
A key concept that has emerged in this update to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan is how the system is
viewed overall - the concept of imageability. From the perspective of most residents and visitors, it is access to
the complete inventory of parks, recreational facilities, trails, natural areas, and other open space (such as
stormwater management property and schools) that matters. How these elements are classified, funded, and
managed is important administratively, but for the public to visit and enjoy them it only matters how accessible
and connected they are.
Staff and the consulting team are conducting a thorough and detailed analysis of the entire inventory of parks and
recreational facilities. The assessment includes an appraisal of assets and amenities throughout the system using
benchmark communities, national trends, and survey data as guideposts.
Analysis includes careful scrutiny of accessibility to different features of the system and sets standards for access.
The analysis also includes an evaluation of the funding structures in place to support development, maintenance,
August 25, 2020 Page 2
replacement, and programing. The Council Finance Committee discussed medium- and long-term funding
strategies at its July meeting and will consider more detailed findings related to options for funding strategies at its
September meeting.
Level of Service
The Level of Service section of the Master Plan seeks to answer the question how many parks and recreational
amenities do we need and where should they go?
There are generally two types of standards that communities use to analyze service: population-based standards
and access standards. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan defines both population-based and access
standards by amenity. (Attachment 3)
Classification & Design Guidelines
Defining how we classify the parks and recreational facilities in our community helps to answer the question what
types do we have now and what types should we have in the future?
Currently, the City uses two park classifications: community parks and neighborhood parks. The City does not
currently use a classification system for recreational facilities. Community parks are generally differentiated from
neighborhood parks by their large sizes, which can accommodate more amenities, and unique identities.
However, the system of parks and recreation facilities encompasses a broad range of places that differ in size,
amenities, design, usage, and programming.
Consistent Design Guidelines for parks and recreational facilities provide a number of benefits for the organization
and community in relation to design, context, access and connectivity, wayfinding, zones, and features.
(Attachment 4)
Policy Framework
The basis for plan recommendations is the adoption of broad Goals for an ideal future state, Actions that move
the system towards that future, and specific Methods or steps that implement the goals and actions.
The following proposed Goals for the master plan were developed based on expert analysis, Council direction,
staff input, and community engagement:
1. Provide equitable access to parks.
2. Provide equitable access to recreational experiences.
3. Expand the active transportation network to support access to parks and recreation.
4. Protect and enhance natural, historic, and cultural resources in parks and increase related activities.
5. Enhance the financial sustainability of parks and recreation.
6. Strengthen partnerships to leverage resources for mutual benefit.
7. Ensure parks, paved trails, and recreation facilities are operated and maintained efficiently and to defined
standards.
8. Promote the synergy between parks, recreation, and economic health.
9. Improve marketing and communication to enhance operations and user satisfaction.
10. Elevate the design of and connection to nature in parks and recreation facilities.
11. Continue to enhance safety and security in all parks and facilities.
The Actions and Methods supporting each Goal may be found in the attached Policy Framework draft. This
section specifically addresses two of Council’s adopted priorities of Equity and Inclusion (Goals 1 and 2) and
Parks Refresh (Goal 5). (Attachment 5)
Next Steps
Staff will continue to work with the consultant team in refining the Master Plan draft over the next several months,
including additional public engagement. Financial considerations will be discussed further at the September 21,
2020 Council Finance Committee meeting. Another Council work session is scheduled for October 27, 2020. The
final Master Plan is anticipated to be considered for adoption in late 2020 or early 2021.
August 25, 2020 Page 3
ATTACHMENTS
1. Work Session Summary Memo (PDF)
2. Public Engagement Summary (PDF)
3. Level of Service (Draft) (PDF)
4. Classifications (Draft) (PDF)
5. Policy Framework (Draft) (PDF)
6. Powerpoint Presentation (PDF)
City Manager’s Office
City Hall
300 LaPorte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
DATE: June 15, 2020
To: Mayor and Councilmembers
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manger
Kelly DiMartino, Deputy City Manager
FROM: John Stokes, Interim Director, Community Services
Honore Depew, Interim Policy and Project Manager
RE: June 9, 2020 Work Session: Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update
All Council members were present.
The purpose of this item was to provide an update and seek feedback on the Parks &
Recreation Master Plan, including proposed goals and vision statement as well as an
overview of community outreach.
The Master Plan update process began November 2019 and has included extensive
system analysis and community engagement. Based on prior Council direction, staff
has been working with a consultant team, stakeholders, and the community to identify
parks and recreation needs, assess how Fort Collins compares to other peer and
benchmark communities, and identify key issues and priorities the plan should address.
General Feedback:
• Support for the approach the Master Plan update process has taken
• Proposed goals are laudable and thorough.
• Having the Parks and Recreation vision statement connect holistically to a broad,
future vision for public space is a useful example of systems thinking.
• A focus on equity and inclusion is important - set accessibility standards and also
go beyond just access to amenities.
• Consider how to meet the needs of all people of Fort Collins.
• Council feedback from previous direction was incorporated well.
• Fort Collins has an engaged master planning process and then build plans. Part
of the reason our public space network has grown and thrived.
Next Steps
• Parks and Recreation Master Plan funding analysis will be discussed July 20,
2020 by Council Finance Committee.
• Next Council Work Session scheduled for August 24, 2020.
ATTACHMENT 1
Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Public Engagement Summary – August 25, 2020
Previous 2020 Community Engagement - INVOLVE
Together with the consulting team, staff utilized several different engagement tools to help the community
guide development of the Master Plan. Key engagement strategies have included:
• Survey - A statistically valid survey was deployed at the end of 2019. From the 511 responses
received, the results achieved a demographically representative sample of the community with a
confidence level of 95% and precision of +/- 4.33%. Results from the survey demonstrate how highly
residents value the system of parks and recreational facilities in Fort Collins. It is possible to pinpoint
community preferences based on the responses
• Open Houses - Two open houses were held in February 2020, engaging over 300 visitors. One open
house was held at the Lincoln Center, and one at Preston Middle School. City staff and the consultant
team were able to interact with interested members of the community and quantifiable data was
collected using informational boards. All materials were translated into Spanish and interpretation
services were available at both events.
• Pop-up Events - Three pop-up events were held at various locations throughout the community,
including Foothills Mall, downtown Fort Collins, and the Old Town Library. This unique engagement
strategy enabled the team to interact with residents directly in an unannounced and spontaneous
format, enabling input from residents who may not normally participate in a traditional community
engagement format.
• Stakeholder Meetings - In November 2019 and February 2020 a series of special meetings were held
to hear directly from key partners (e.g., PSD, CSU) and representatives of various user groups (e.g.,
bicyclists, disc golf enthusiasts, etc.). These key stakeholders provided valuable feedback on
potential improvements and partnerships.
• OurCity Web Page - An engagement webpage at <https://ourcity.fcgov.com/parksandrec> provides a
valuable resource for project updates and ongoing collection of ideas and feedback as the planning
effort progresses.
• Boards and Commissions - Representatives from about a dozen boards are part of an ad hoc group
known as the Advance Review Committee (ARC). These board members act as liaisons to their
respective boards for feedback and regular updates. Staff will also be engaging directly with key
boards, such as the Parks & Recreation Board, as the planning effort continues.
Phase 2: Engagement and Feedback - CONSULT
Timeline: August 24 – September 18.
Goal – Provide a recap of master plan activities up to this point, frame the story for what we have heard
and how that information has informed the plan thus far, introduce appropriate plan documents, and
funnel participants to Our City site to give feedback.
Target Groups:
• General public
• Advanced Review Committee (Board
Members)
• Our City subscribers
• Stakeholders
• Open house participants
• Recreation subscribers (includes
Reduced Fee participants)
• Larimer County Health Department –
Built Environment Leadership Team
• Poudre School District
• La Familia
• Boys & Girls Club
Strategies:
• Social media outreach
• Targeted emails
• Postcard and/or flyers
• Our City website
• CityNews
• Flyers in parks and recreation facilities
ATTACHMENT 2
148 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
DRAFT
ATTACHMENT 3
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 149
LEVEL OF
SERVICE
The City of Fort Collins has a robust, distributed public
space system that seeks to provide residents with
convenient access to amenities and services. However,
different parts of the city have different levels of access
to recreational amenities. For example, residents in
downtown Fort Collins can walk to several rectangular
sports fields in under 10 minutes, while residents in
Northeast Fort Collins, an area expected to grow rapidly,
are well outside of walking distance to a rectangular
field.
No uniform level of service standards exists for
parks or recreational amenities across the country.
However, there are generally two types of standards
that communities use to analyze service: population-
based standards and access standards. The Parks and
Recreation Master Plan defines both population-based
and access standards by amenity.
DRAFT
150 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
SETTING AND USING LEVEL
OF SERVICE STANDARDS
Level of service standards help guide decisions about how many
recreational amenities are needed and where. Population-based
standards address how many amenities are needed and access-
based standards address where amenities are needed, both now and
in the future.
Using the level of service standards to increase access to recreational
amenities could result in different types of actions:
• In areas where sidewalk and trail connections are lacking for
pedestrians, or where roads are disconnected for drivers,
increased access could mean adding sidewalks, trails, or road
segments to better connect residents to existing amenities.
• In areas where there is access to school district amenities but
not to City-owned amenities, increased access could mean
formalizing a partnership agreement to ensure that school
district amenities are always open and available to the public.
• In areas with a high population density that do not have access
to school or City amenities, increased access could mean
building new amenities.
• In growing areas, where developers may provide new public
spaces, increased access could mean working with developers
during the development review process to provide needed
amenities.
• In areas with access to multiple amenities in close proximity,
increased access could mean removing or repurposing an
underused amenity.
Together, the level of service standards can be used—along with
other direction from City Council—to help prioritize which actions
will increase equitable access to recreational amenities for the most
residents.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 151
POPULATION-BASED
STANDARDS
Population-based level of service is expressed as a ratio of number
of amenities to population. The current ratio is compared to a
recommended ratio, which indicates whether additional amenities
are needed.
Methodology
A number of data points were considered in setting the
recommended level of service standards:
• current level of service
• level of service peer cities
• national participation trends
• community priorities
Some data supports raising the current level of service. Other data
supports maintaining or lower the current level of service.
Peer Cities
Through the benchmarking analysis (see Chapter XX), data was
collected on level of service provided by five peer cities that have
similar demographic or economic characteristics, or have highly
regarded public space systems.
• Aurora, CO
• Boise, ID
• Boulder, CO
• Madison, WI
• Minneapolis, MN
National Participation Trends
National participation trends were taken from the Sports and Fitness
Industry Association’s 2019 Sports, Fitness, and Leisure Activities
Topline Participation Report, which tracks total national participation
in recreational activities over time. While the national trends for
amenities are useful, it is important to keep in mind they include
numbers from localities that have very different demographics from
Fort Collins.
Community Priorities
The statistically valid survey conducted as part of the Parks and
Recreation Master Planning process in 2019 asked residents whether
they or their households have a need for various outdoor and
indoor amenities, and how well those needs are currently being met.
Combining these metrics into a Priority Investment Rating (PIR), the
survey report indicates the relative priorities for investing in these
amenities.
DRAFT
152 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
POPULATION-BASED STANDARDS
supports raising the LOS standard
Peer Median
> Fort Collins
PIR > 100
Participation
Change > 0
supports maintaining the LOS standard
Peer Median
= Fort Collins
PIR ≤ 100
PIR > 50
Participation
Change = 0
supports lowering the LOS standard
Peer Median
< Fort Collins
PIR ≤ 50
Participation
Change < 0
no information available
AMENITY COUNT METRIC CURRENT
LOS
PEER
MEDIAN
LOS
SURVEY
PRIORITY
NATIONAL
5-YR PART-
ICIPATION
TREND
REC. LOS
STANDARD
Rectangular Fields 50 1/10,000 2.9 4.6 53 -2.4% 2.5
Playgrounds 44 1/10,000 2.5 3.8 65 3.0
Basketball Hoops 64 1/10,000 3.7 2.2 31 +8.0% 3.0
Pickleball Courts 8 1/20,000 0.9 0.6 65 +40.5% 1.5
Dog Parks 4 1/100,000 2.3 3.9 120 4.0
Swimming Pools 4 1/100,000 2.3 2.4 197 +10.8% 2.4
Recreation
& Senior Centers 4 1/20,000 0.5 0.7 0.6
Community Garden Plots 158 1/1,000 0.9 0.7 120 1.1
Diamond Fields 37 1/10,000 2.1 2.2 33 +12% 2.1
BMX Courses 3 1/100,000 1.7 0 50 +55.2% 2.0
Volleyball Courts 7 1/100,000 4.0 36 -0.5% 4.0
Lighted Fields 14 1/100,000 8.0 11 8.0
Paved, Multi-Use Trails
(miles) 44 1/100,000 60.6 33.8 157 -1.7% 60.6
Skate Parks 6 1/100,000 3.4 0.9 31 +0.4% 3.0
Disc Golf Courses 2 1/100,000 1.1 0.7 1.4
Tennis Courts 46 1/10,000 2.6 3.3 51 -1.2% 2.6
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 153
ADDITIONAL AMENITIES NEEDED TO
MEET RECOMMENDED LOS STANDARD
IN 2020 BY 2040 ACCESS STANDARD
-6 +11 10 Min Walk
+8 +28 10 Min Walk
-12 +8 10 Min Walk
+5 +10 5 Min Drive
+3 +5 5 Min Drive
0 +2 5 Min Drive
+1 +3 5 Min Drive
+34 +109 5 Min Drive
0 +15 5 Min Drive
0 +2 NA
0 +2 NA
0 +5 NA
0 +41 NA
-1 +1 NA
0 +1 NA
-1 +17 NA
DRAFT
154 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
ACCESS STANDARDS
Access standards are expressed as a time within which residents
should be able to get to a particular type of amenity by a particular
mode of transportation. Where population-based standards indicate
how many of an amenity is needed, access standards indicate where
new amenities, or better ways of accessing existing amenities, are
needed.
Residents’ expectations of how close recreational amenities should
be to their homes—and the City’s ability to provide those amenities—
vary by type of amenity. People tend to expect some amenities, like
basketball courts or playgrounds, which require little equipment to
use, have broad drop-in usage, and are well used by children, to be
within a close walk of home. Facilities and amenities, like dog parks
and community centers, which are used by a subset of residents or
have highly scheduled or programmed usage, residents are willing to
travel a bit further to use but still want them close by. Both of these
categories of facilities and amenities require access standards. Other
facilities and amenities, particularly those that cater to more niche
user groups, people are willing to travel anywhere in the city to use
and do not require access standards.
Considering these differences in expectations, the City of Fort
Collins is establishing two tiers of access standards: a 10-minute walk
standard and a 5-minute drive standard,
10 minute Walk Standard
• Rectangular Fields
• Playgrounds
• Basketball Courts
5 Minute Drive Standard
• Pickleball Courts
• Dog Parks
• Pools
• Community Centers
• Community Gardens
• Diamond Fields
It may also be possible in some cases to increase the level of service
by improving the walkable street and trail network that connect
to existing amenities. In some instances an amenity has a smaller
service area because the sidewalks and trails to get there may not
exist and therefore the amenity’s full service potential is not being
met. These gaps in access are shown as circles, which represent an
idealized service area. An example is shown at the right.
Existing LOS
Idealized LOS
trail
streets with
sidewalks
streets without
sidewalks
Amenity
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 155
HOW THE MAPS WERE
CREATED
A spatial access analysis was performed for certain public space and
school district amenities. To determine what parts of the city meet
and do not meet the recommended access standards, areas were
drawn around each individual amenity (e.g., basketball court) within
which a person could reach that amenity within a specified time by
walking, or driving. These service areas were then overlaid with the
projected population density in 2040. This overlay analysis reveals
parts of the city with gaps in access. These access maps follow.
The access maps are a planning tool that evaluates access across
the City to certain recreational amenities and highlight general
areas where access to amenities could be improved. Improved
access could mean adding new linkages to the travel network, like
constructing more sidewalks, or adding another amenity in the
general area identified as having limited access.
The access maps were created using Geographic Information System
(GIS) software, multiple travel networks and 2040 population
projections. Travel time for each individual amenity (e.g., basketball
courts) was calculated using the City’s walking, and driving networks.
Right
An example of several 10 minute walk
service areas.
DRAFT
Planned Park
Planned School
Population Density
2040
CSU Campus
Idealized 10-Minute Walk
Park Amenity
Existing 10-Minute Walk
Idealized 10-Minute Walk
School Amenity
Existing 10-Minute Walk
156 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Service Gap/ New Amenity
Focus Area
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled
by Securing Access to Existing
School Amenity
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled by
New Amenity in Planned Park
Rectangular Fields - 10 Minute Walk
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
I-25
College Ave
Taft aft Hill Rd
Timberline Rd
Mulberry St
Harmony Rd
DRAFT
Planned Park
Planned School
Population Density
2040
CSU Campus
Idealized 10-Minute Walk
Park Amenity
Existing 10-Minute Walk
Idealized 10-Minute Walk
School Amenity
Existing 10-Minute Walk
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 157
Service Gap/ New Amenity
Focus Area
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled
by Securing Access to Existing
School Amenity
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled by
New Amenity in Planned Park
Playgrounds - 10 Minute Walk
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
College Ave
Taft aft Hill Rd
Timberline Rd
Mulberry St
Harmony Rd
DRAFT
Planned Park
Planned School
Population Density
2040
CSU Campus
Idealized 10-Minute Walk
Park Amenity
Existing 10-Minute Walk
Idealized 10-Minute Walk
School Amenity
Existing 10-Minute Walk
158 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Service Gap/ New Amenity
Focus Area
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled
by Securing Access to Existing
School Amenity
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled by
New Amenity in Planned Park
Basketball Courts - 10 Minute Walk
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
College Ave
Taft aft Hill Rd
Timberline Rd
Mulberry St
Harmony Rd
DRAFT
College Ave
Taft aft Hill Rd
Timberline Rd
Mulberry St
Harmony Rd
Planned Park
Planned School
Population Density
2040
CSU Campus
Idealized 5-Minute Drive
Park Amenity
Existing 5-Minute Drive
Service Gap/ New Amenity
Focus Area
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled by
New Amenity in Planned Park
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 159
Pickleball Courts - 5 Minute Drive
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
DRAFT
160 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
College Ave
Taft aft Hill Rd
Timberline Rd
Mulberry St
Harmony Rd
Planned Park
Planned School
Population Density
2040
CSU Campus
Idealized 5-Minute Drive
Park Amenity
Existing 5-Minute Drive
Service Gap/ New Amenity
Focus Area
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled by
New Amenity in Planned Park
Dog Parks - 5 Minute Drive
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
DRAFT
College Ave
Taft aft Hill Rd
Timberline Rd
Mulberry St
Harmony Rd
Planned Park
Planned School
Population Density
2040
CSU Campus
Idealized 5-Minute Drive
Park Amenity
Existing 5-Minute Drive
Service Gap/ New Amenity
Focus Area
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled by
New Amenity in Planned Park
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 161
Pools - 5 Minute Drive
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
DRAFT
Future Southeast
Community Center
162 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
College Ave
Taft aft Hill Rd
Timberline Rd
Mulberry St
Harmony Rd
Planned Park
Planned School
Population Density
2040
CSU Campus
Idealized 5-Minute Drive
Park Amenity
Existing 5-Minute Drive
Service Gap/ New Amenity
Focus Area
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled by
New Amenity in Planned Park
Community Centers - 5 Minute Drive
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
DRAFT
College Ave
Taft aft Hill Rd
Timberline Rd
Mulberry St
Harmony Rd
Planned Park
Planned School
Population Density
2040
CSU Campus
Idealized 5-Minute Drive
Park Amenity
Existing 5-Minute Drive
Service Gap/ New Amenity
Focus Area
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled by
New Amenity in Planned Park
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 163
Community Gardens - 5 Minute Drive
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
DRAFT
164 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
College Ave
Taft aft Hill Rd
Timberline Rd
Mulberry St
Harmony Rd
Planned Park
Planned School
Population Density
2040
CSU Campus
Idealized 5-Minute Drive
Park Amenity
Existing 5-Minute Drive
Service Gap/ New Amenity
Focus Area
Service Gap/ Potentially Filled by
New Amenity in Planned Park
Diamond Fields - 5 Minute Drive
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 165
Focus Area Overlay
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
The map above is an overlay of the new amenity focus areas from both the walking and driving analysis maps. By
overlaying these focus areas, several patterns emerge. First, the location of the proposed future parks in both the
Northeast and East parts of the city are appropriately located and will provide amenities to parts of the city that will
grow significantly over the next twenty years. The other pattern that emerges is that a need for a new park or parks
exists in the southern part of the city.
DRAFT
94 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
DRAFT
ATTACHMENT 4
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 95
PARK AND
RECREATION
FACILITY
CLASSIFICATIONS
The City of Fort Collins has parks and recreation facilities
of different sizes and uses. Together these places form
the active heart of the city’s public space system.
Currently, the City uses two park classifications—
community parks and neighborhood parks. Community
parks are generally differentiated from neighborhood
parks by their large sizes, which can accommodate
more amenities, and unique identities. The City does not
currently classify recreation facilities.
However, the system of parks and recreation facilities
encompasses a broad range of places that differ in size,
amenities, design, usage, and programming. Additionally,
as parts of Fort Collins continue to see increased
density, new types of parks and recreation facilities will
be needed. The expanded classification system in this
plan is meant to help set mutual expectations between
the City and residents about how different parks and
recreation facilities look and function.
DRAFT
96 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
CLASSIFICATIONS
The new park and recreation facility classification system proposed
in this plan expands the existing classification system to both clarify
how existing parks and recreation facilities function and provide
guidelines about future park and recreation facility typologies that
Fort Collins expects to need in the future to meet the needs of
current and future residents.
Park Classifications
• community parks
• school parks (new)
• neighborhood parks
• mini parks (new)
• urban parks (new)
• plazas (new)
• special use parks (new)
Recreation Facility Classifications
• community centers (new)
• neighborhood centers (new)
• indoor/outdoor sports complexes (new)
• court/field clusters (new)
• special use facilities (new)
For each park and recreation facility classification, the following
pages include a general description of the classification, a typical
size range, a typical length of visit, access provisions, a list of
appropriate amenities for that type of park or recreation facility, and
applicable design guidelines. (Descriptions of the design guidelines
follow the classifications.)
The list of amenities is not meant to be prescriptive or exhaustive.
The appropriate amenities for any individual park or recreation
facility should be determined through a regular master planning
process that involves the community it is meant to serve. All parks
and recreation facilities should be designed to serve multiple age
segments.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 97
PARKS & RECREATION FACILITIES BY CLASSIFICATION
0 1/2 1 2
Miles
COMMUNITY PARKS (9) COMMUNITY CENTERS (3)
SPECIAL USE FACILITIES (7)
URBAN PARKS (3)
SCHOOL PARKS (14) PLAZAS (2) NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS (2)
NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS (19) SPECIAL USE PARKS (4) INDOOR/OUTDOOR COMPLEXES (0)
MINI PARKS (10)
COURT/FIELD CLUSTERS (1)
DRAFT
98 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
EXISTING COMMUNITY PARKS
CITY PARK: 76.7 ACRES
EDORA COMMUNITY PARK: 85.4 ACRES
FOSSIL CREEK COMMUNITY PARK: 95.9 ACRES
LEE MARTINEZ COMMUNITY PARK: 85.7 ACRES
ROLLAND MOORE COMMUNITY PARK: 76.2 ACRES
SPRING CANYON COMMUNITY PARK: 123.9 ACRES
TWIN SILO COMMUNITY PARK: 53.0 ACRES
PLANNED COMMUNITY PARKS
EAST COMMUNITY PARK: 58.0 ACRES
NORTHEAST COMMUNITY PARK: 80.0 ACRES
COMMUNITY PARKS
Community parks are the largest parks, with many over seventy-five
acres in size. These parks serve several adjoining neighborhoods,
attracting residents from a relatively large area. They should include
both active and passive recreation activities, preserve unique
landscapes and open spaces, allow for group activities, be able
to accommodate community events, and offer unique recreation
opportunities not feasible or desirable at the neighborhood park
level. Community parks may also include revenue-producing
facilities, recreation or community centers, or other recreation
facilities. They should include a permanent and accessible public
restroom.
Size
40 – 150 acres
Length of Visit
1 – 5 hours
Access
Community parks should be accessible by way of the city’s trail
network, low stress bicycle network, sidewalks, and major streets.
Since they serve residents from longer distances, community parks
should have on site parking.
The pavilion at Twin Silo
Community Park
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 99
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
n MIXED-USE
n BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
n STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
n SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
n STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
n SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
n MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
n TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
n BIKE CONNECTIONS
n TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
n SHARED PARKING
n VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
n GATEWAYS
n PATH HIERARCHY
n SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
n NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
n FLOODPLAINS
n INTENSIVE USE AREAS
n PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
n RECREATION AREAS
n CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
n LOOP TRAIL
n IDENTITY FEATURES
n NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
n SEATING
n CASUAL USE SPACES
n COMMUNITY GARDENS
n INTERNAL WALKING TRAILS
n UNIQUE LANDSCAPE FEATURES
n NATURAL SPACES
Active Recreation
n BIKING TRAILS
n OUTDOOR FITNESS / EXERCISE FACILITIES
n CREATIVE PLAY ATTRACTIONS
n LARGE PLAYGROUNDS
n SMALL PLAYGROUNDS
n RECTANGULAR FIELDS
n DIAMOND FIELDS
n COURT GAMES
n TENNIS COURTS
n VOLLEYBALL COURTS
n WATER PLAY
Facilities
n DOG PARKS
n INDIVIDUAL PICNIC / SITTING AREAS
n GROUP PICNIC SITTING AREAS
n PARK SHELTERS
n OUTDOOR EVENT SPACES
100 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
SCHOOL PARKS
School parks are parks on or adjacent to school district property.
These parks range in size, but are generally larger than 5 acres. They
allow for a fluid boundary and shared amenities between parks and
schools, leveraging these adjacendies to provide larger public spaces
than neighborrhood parks alone. School parks should include both
active and passive recreation activities and may include specialized
recreational amenities that support both school and park programs.
School parks present opportunities to partner with school districts
on cooperative programming, access, and maintenance.
Size
5 – 20 acres
Length of Visit
1 – 3 hours
Access
School parks should be accessible by way of the city’s, low stress
bicycle network, sidewalks, and major streets. Where possible
trails should also connect to neighborhood parks. School parks
should also be accessible from the schools that they are adjacent
to, allowing for users of both to pass between the two seamlessly.
School parks and schools should share off-street parking.
NEED PHOTO
PERMISSION
Stewart Case Park
illustrates a fluid
boundary between park
land and school district
property.
EXISTING SCHOOL PARKS
BEATTIE PARK: 8.8 ACRES
BLEVINS PARK: 6.6 ACRES
BOLTZ PARK: 9.5 ACRES
EASTSIDE PARK: 3.2 ACRES
ENGLISH RANCH PARK: 12.7 ACRES
GOLDEN MEADOWS PARK: 11.6 ACRES
HARMONY PARK: 15.2 ACRES
HOMESTEAD PARK: 5.9 ACRES
RADIANT PARK: 10.2 ACRES
RIDGEVIEW PARK: 11.2 ACRES
STEWART CASE PARK: 12.8 ACRES
TROUTMAN PARK: 18.9 ACRES
WESTFIELD PARK: 13.8 ACRES
PLANNED SCHOOL PARKS
BACON PARK: 5.3 ACRES
IRON HORSE PARK: 8.1 ACRES
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 101
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
n SEATING
n CASUAL USE SPACES
` COMMUNITY GARDENS
n INTERNAL WALKING TRAILS
` UNIQUE LANDSCAPE FEATURES
n NATURAL SPACES
Active Recreation
n BIKING TRAILS
` OUTDOOR FITNESS / EXERCISE FACILITIES
` CREATIVE PLAY ATTRACTIONS
` LARGE PLAYGROUNDS
` SMALL PLAYGROUNDS
n RECTANGULAR FIELDS
n DIAMOND FIELDS
n COURT GAMES
n TENNIS COURTS
n VOLLEYBALL COURTS
` WATER PLAY
Facilities
` DOG PARKS
` INDIVIDUAL PICNIC / SITTING AREAS
` GROUP PICNIC SITTING AREAS
` PARK SHELTERS
` OUTDOOR EVENT SPACES
n RESTROOMS
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
n MIXED-USE
n BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
n STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
n SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
n STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
n SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
n MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
n TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
n BIKE CONNECTIONS
n TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
n SHARED PARKING
n VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
n GATEWAYS
n PATH HIERARCHY
n SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
n NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
n FLOODPLAINS
n INTENSIVE USE AREAS
n PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
n RECREATION AREAS
n CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
n LOOP TRAIL
n IDENTITY FEATURES
102 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS
Neighborhood parks serve the needs of residents within walking
distance of their homes. Neighborhood parks should strike a balance
between passive and active recreational opportunities. They are
intended for residents from their respective neighborhoods and
should not seek to attract visitors from too far outside of the
adjacent neighborhood.
Size
5 – 20 acres
Length of Visit
1 – 3 hours
Access
Neighborhood parks should be accessible by way of the city’s
sidewalks, low stress bicycle network, and local streets. They should
be easily accessible from the surrounding neighborhood with no
physical barriers or busy streets restricting access. Where possible
trails should also connect to neighborhood parks. Neighborhood
parks should have street parking nearby.
EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS
AVERY PARK: 6.2 ACRES
BUCKINGHAM PARK: 5.2 ACRES
COTTONWOOD GLEN PARK: 13.2 ACRES
CRESCENT PARK: 7.2 ACRES
GREENBRIAR PARK: 22.8 ACRES
LANDINGS PARK: 8.7 ACRES
MIRAMONT PARK: 11.4 ACRES
OLD FORT COLLINS HERITAGE PARK: 10.7 ACRES
OVERLAND PARK: 19.9 ACRES
REGISTRY PARK: 6.3 ACRES
RICHARDS LAKE PARK: 6.8 ACRES
ROGERS PARK: 8.3 ACRES
ROSSBOROUGH PARK: 16.8 ACRES
SOFT GOLD PARK: 16.1 ACRES
SPRING PARK: 16.8 ACRES
SUGARBEET PARK: 7.2 ACRES
TRAILHEAD PARK: 4.0 ACRES
WARREN PARK: 24.4 ACRES
WATERS WAY PARK: 8.2 ACRES
Sugar Beet Park is a
fantastic example of new
neighborhood park.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 103
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
` MIXED-USE
` BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
n STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
n SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
n STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
n SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
` MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
` TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
n BIKE CONNECTIONS
` TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
` SHARED PARKING
n VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
n GATEWAYS
` PATH HIERARCHY
n SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
n NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
n FLOODPLAINS
` INTENSIVE USE AREAS
n PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
n RECREATION AREAS
n CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
n LOOP TRAIL
n IDENTITY FEATURES
n NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
n SEATING
n CASUAL USE SPACES
n COMMUNITY GARDENS
n INTERNAL WALKING TRAILS
n UNIQUE LANDSCAPE FEATURES
n NATURAL SPACES
Active Recreation
` BIKING TRAILS
n OUTDOOR FITNESS / EXERCISE FACILITIES
n CREATIVE PLAY ATTRACTIONS
` LARGE PLAYGROUNDS
n SMALL PLAYGROUNDS
n RECTANGULAR FIELDS
n DIAMOND FIELDS*
n COURT GAMES
n TENNIS COURTS
n VOLLEYBALL COURTS
` WATER PLAY
Facilities
` DOG PARKS
n INDIVIDUAL PICNIC / SITTING AREAS
` GROUP PICNIC SITTING AREAS
n PARK SHELTERS
` OUTDOOR EVENT SPACES
104 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
URBAN PARKS
Urban parks located in higher density areas. Urban parks should
have a mix of planted and paved areas. These parks should face
surrounding development, and surrounding development should
face urban parks. Urban parks provide residents in downtown areas
access to park amenities without having to travel far from the urban
centers.
Size
1 – 3 acres
Length of Visit
1 – 2 hours
Access
Urban Parks should be accessible by way of the city’s sidewalks, low
stress bicycle network, and local streets.
They should have multiple entrances to allow for permeability and
clear access in populate urban areas. They should also be well lit in
order to extend their use and provide safe comfortable spaces at
night. On street parking may be located nearby.
EXISTING URBAN PARKS
CIVIC CENTER PARK: 2.7 ACRES
LIBRARY PARK: 5.5 ACRES
WASHINGTON PARK: 1.3 ACRES
The Fort Collins Mid Town
Plan proposes techniques
to build parks in high
density areas.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 105
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
n MIXED-USE
n BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
n STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
n SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
n STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
n SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
` MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
` TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
n BIKE CONNECTIONS
n TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
` SHARED PARKING
n VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
n GATEWAYS
` PATH HIERARCHY
n SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
n NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
n FLOODPLAINS
n INTENSIVE USE AREAS
n PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
n RECREATION AREAS
n CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
` LOOP TRAIL
` IDENTITY FEATURES
n NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
n SEATING
n CASUAL USE SPACES
` COMMUNITY GARDENS
` INTERNAL WALKING TRAILS
n UNIQUE LANDSCAPE FEATURES
` NATURAL SPACES
Active Recreation
` BIKING TRAILS
` OUTDOOR FITNESS / EXERCISE FACILITIES
` CREATIVE PLAY ATTRACTIONS
` LARGE PLAYGROUNDS
n SMALL PLAYGROUNDS
` RECTANGULAR FIELDS
` DIAMOND FIELDS
n COURT GAMES
n TENNIS COURTS
n VOLLEYBALL COURTS
` WATER PLAY
Facilities
n DOG PARKS
n INDIVIDUAL PICNIC / SITTING AREAS
` GROUP PICNIC SITTING AREAS
n PARK SHELTERS
` OUTDOOR EVENT SPACES
106 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
PLAZAS
Plaza’s are smaller spaces that are primarily paved and provide
outdoor recreation opportunities higher density areas. They are
centers of activity throughout the year and should be designed for
four season programming use. Plazas may have a lot of pedestrian
traffic and should include places to sit or relax. They should also be
well lit in order to extend their use and provide safe comfortable
spaces at night.
Size
Up to 3 acres
Length of Visit
15 minutes – 1 hour
Access
Plazas should be accessible by way of the city’s sidewalks, and
downtown streets.
NEED PHOTO
PERMISSION
EXISTING PLAZAS
OAK STREET PLAZA: 0.4 ACRES
OLD TOWN SQUARE: 1.3 ACRES
Oak Street Plaza in
downtown Fort Collins is
used all year long, both
night and day.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 107
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
n MIXED-USE
n BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
n STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
n SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
n STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
n SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
` MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
` TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
n BIKE CONNECTIONS
n TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
` SHARED PARKING
n VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
n GATEWAYS
` PATH HIERARCHY
n SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
` NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
n FLOODPLAINS
n INTENSIVE USE AREAS
n PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
` RECREATION AREAS
n CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
` LOOP TRAIL
n IDENTITY FEATURES
n NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
n SEATING
` CASUAL USE SPACES
` COMMUNITY GARDENS
` INTERNAL WALKING TRAILS
` UNIQUE LANDSCAPE FEATURES
` NATURAL SPACES
Active Recreation
` BIKING TRAILS
` OUTDOOR FITNESS / EXERCISE FACILITIES
` CREATIVE PLAY ATTRACTIONS
` LARGE PLAYGROUNDS
` SMALL PLAYGROUNDS
` RECTANGULAR FIELDS
` DIAMOND FIELDS
` COURT GAMES
` TENNIS COURTS
` VOLLEYBALL COURTS
n WATER PLAY
Facilities
` DOG PARKS
` INDIVIDUAL PICNIC / SITTING AREAS
` GROUP PICNIC SITTING AREAS
` PARK SHELTERS
n OUTDOOR EVENT SPACES
108 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
MINI PARKS
Mini parks provide places for residents to enjoy a few minutes
outside and are great ways to enhance access to walkable
recreational amenities, particularly on sites not suitable for other
uses. These parks tend to be more passive and may be simple in
their designs. Mini parks should have lawn and shade trees. They are
not programmed by the City.
Size
0.5 – 3 acres
Length of Visit
30 minutes – 1 hour
Access
Mini Parks should be accessible by way of the city’s sidewalks, and
local streets. They should be located away from busy streets and
noisy areas.
PLACEHOLDER
EXISTING MINI PARKS
ALTA VISTA PARK: 0.6 ACRES
CREEKSIDE PARK: 3.3 ACRES
FREEDOM SQUARE PARK: 0.6 ACRES
INDIAN HILLS PARK: 2.3 ACRES
LEISURE PARK: 0.9 ACRES
LILAC PARK: 1.0 ACRES
RABBIT BRUSH PARK: 1.5 ACRES
ROMERO PARK: 0.2 ACRES
SPENCER PARK: 0.5 ACRES
WOODWEST PARK: 2.8 ACRES
Washington Park is a
successful example of the
Mini Park.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 109
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
` MIXED-USE
` BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
n STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
n SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
n STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
n SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
` MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
` TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
n BIKE CONNECTIONS
` TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
` SHARED PARKING
n VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
` GATEWAYS
` PATH HIERARCHY
n SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
n NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
n FLOODPLAINS
` INTENSIVE USE AREAS
` PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
` RECREATION AREAS
n CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
` LOOP TRAIL
` IDENTITY FEATURES
n NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
n SEATING
n CASUAL USE SPACES
` COMMUNITY GARDENS
` INTERNAL WALKING TRAILS
` UNIQUE LANDSCAPE FEATURES
n NATURAL SPACES
Active Recreation
` BIKING TRAILS
` OUTDOOR FITNESS / EXERCISE FACILITIES
` CREATIVE PLAY ATTRACTIONS
` LARGE PLAYGROUNDS
n SMALL PLAYGROUNDS
` RECTANGULAR FIELDS
` DIAMOND FIELDS
n COURT GAMES
` TENNIS COURTS
n VOLLEYBALL COURTS
` WATER PLAY
Facilities
` DOG PARKS
n INDIVIDUAL PICNIC / SITTING AREAS
` GROUP PICNIC SITTING AREAS
n PARK SHELTERS
` OUTDOOR EVENT SPACES
110 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
SPECIAL USE PARKS
Special use parks are unique outdoor spaces, usually oriented toward
a single-purpose use. They can vary greatly in size.
Size
Varies
Length of Visit
Varies
Access
Varies
EXISTING SPECIAL USE PARKS
ARCHERY RANGE: 53.7 ACRES
AGGIE GREENS: 25.8 ACRES
POUDRE RIVER WHITEWATER PARK: 9.7 ACRES
Special use parks create
unique opportunities for
residents. Grand Opening
at the Poudre River
Whitewater Park.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 111
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
m MIXED-USE
m BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
m STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
m SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
m STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
m SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
m MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
m TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
m BIKE CONNECTIONS
m TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
m SHARED PARKING
m VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
m GATEWAYS
m PATH HIERARCHY
m SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
m NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
m FLOODPLAINS
m INTENSIVE USE AREAS
m PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
m RECREATION AREAS
m CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
m LOOP TRAIL
m IDENTITY FEATURES
m NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
m SEATING
m CASUAL USE SPACES
m COMMUNITY GARDENS
m INTERNAL WALKING TRAILS
m UNIQUE LANDSCAPE FEATURES
m NATURAL SPACES
Active Recreation
m BIKING TRAILS
m OUTDOOR FITNESS / EXERCISE FACILITIES
m CREATIVE PLAY ATTRACTIONS
m LARGE PLAYGROUNDS
m SMALL PLAYGROUNDS
m RECTANGULAR FIELDS
m DIAMOND FIELDS
m COURT GAMES
m TENNIS COURTS
m VOLLEYBALL COURTS
m WATER PLAY
Facilities
m DOG PARKS
m INDIVIDUAL PICNIC / SITTING AREAS
m GROUP PICNIC SITTING AREAS
m PARK SHELTERS
m OUTDOOR EVENT SPACES
112 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
COMMUNITY CENTERS
Community centers are large buildings that provide residents from
all over the city with places to explore fitness and wellness, play
indoor sports, learn and teach, participate in indoor and outdoor
activities, and host small or large meetings and events. They may
also offer aquatics or unique recreational experiences not found
in other centers. These facilities should have full time staff and
maintenance in order to accommodate the higher numbers of users.
Ideally, community centers should be co-located with community
parks to promote indoor/outdoor recreational opportunities.
Size
45,000 – 75,000 Sq. Ft.
Length of Visit
1 – 4 hours
Access
Community centers should be accessible by way of the city’s
sidewalks, low stress bicycle network, Transfort, and major streets.
Because they draw people from large areas, community centers
should have on site parking.
EXISTING COMMUNITY CENTERS
NORTHSIDE AZTLAN COMMUNITY CENTER
FORT COLLINS SENIOR CENTER*
PLANNED COMMUNITY CENTERS
SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY CENTER**
The weight/cardio room
at the North Aztlan
Community Center
*While the Fort Collins Senior Center has specialized
programming for adults 50 years of age and up, it
functions as a community center for all adults. Its name
may turn away prospective users.
**Current funding for the Southeast Community Center is
sufficient to construct a first phase of the full center.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 113
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
n MIXED-USE
n BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
n STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
n SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
n STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
n SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
n MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
n TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
n BIKE CONNECTIONS
n TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
n SHARED PARKING
n VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
n GATEWAYS
n PATH HIERARCHY
n SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
n NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
n FLOODPLAINS
n INTENSIVE USE AREAS
n PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
n RECREATION AREAS
n CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
n LOOP TRAIL
n IDENTITY FEATURES
n NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
n MULTI-PURPOSE MEETING ROOMS
n PERFORMANCE SPACES
n CRAFTING / MAKER SPACES
Active Recreation
n GYMNASIUM
n WEIGHT / CARDIO ROOM
n INDOOR TRACK
n POOL / AQUATICS
` RECTANGULAR FIELDS
` DIAMOND FIELDS
` TENNIS COURTS
` VOLLEYBALL COURTS
Facilities
` SPECTATOR SEATING
n CONCESSIONS / CATERING KITCHEN
n SNACKS
DRAFT
114 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
Neighborhood centers are buildings that provide places to explore
fitness and wellness, learn and teach, participate in indoor activities,
and host small meetings and events. Neighborhood centers are
generally smaller than community centers and may have more
limited hours, activities, and staff. Ideally, community centers should
be co-located with parks to promote indoor/outdoor recreational
opportunities. As Fort Collins continues to grow and needs change,
it may be possible to expand neighborhood centers into community
centers.
Size
15,000 – 45,000 Sq. Ft.
Length of Visit
1 – 2 hours
Access
Neighborhood centers should be accessible by way of the city’s
sidewalks, low stress bicycle network, Transfort, and major streets.
Neighborhood centers should include on site parking or have an
adequate amount of street parking available.
EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
FOOTHILLS ACTIVITY CENTER
PLANNED NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
NORTHEAST COMMUNITY CENTER
The gymnasium at the
Foothills Activity Center
is perfect for residents
nearby to play a game
inside on hot days.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 115
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
n MULTI-PURPOSE MEETING ROOMS
n PERFORMANCE SPACES
n CRAFTING / MAKER SPACES
Active Recreation
n GYMNASIUM
n WEIGHT / CARDIO ROOM
n INDOOR TRACK
n POOL / AQUATICS
` RECTANGULAR FIELDS
` DIAMOND FIELDS
` TENNIS COURTS
` VOLLEYBALL COURTS
Facilities
` SPECTATOR SEATING
` CONCESSIONS / CATERING KITCHEN
n SNACKS
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
n MIXED-USE
n BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
n STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
n SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
n STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
n SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
n MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
n TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
n BIKE CONNECTIONS
n TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
n SHARED PARKING
n VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
n GATEWAYS
n PATH HIERARCHY
n SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
n NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
n FLOODPLAINS
n INTENSIVE USE AREAS
n PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
n RECREATION AREAS
n CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
n LOOP TRAIL
n IDENTITY FEATURES
n NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
DRAFT
116 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
INDOOR/OUTDOOR
SPORTS COMPLEXES
Indoor/outdoor sports complexes are paired groups of
at least 6 indoor and outdoor fields and courts that are
primarily designed to meet the general recreational needs
of residents but because of their configuration are well
suited to host tournaments and events. For this reason,
indoor/outdoor sports complexes should provide room for
spectators and Concessions / Catering Kitchen, and be
located near other amenities, such as stores and restaurants,
for downtime during tournaments.
Size
100,000 - 200,000 Sq. Ft. / 80 - 90 acres
Length of Visit
1 - 6 hours
Access
Indoor/outdoor sports complexes should be accessible by
sidewalks, low stress bicycle network, Transfort, and major
streets. They should also be accompanied by appropriately
sized on site parking or have an adequate amount of
street parking available in order to accommodate sport
tournaments.
PLACEHOLDER
EXISTING INDOOR/OUTDOOR
SPORTS COMPLEXES
NONE
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 117
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
n MIXED-USE
` BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
n STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
n SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
n STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
n SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
n MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
n TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
n BIKE CONNECTIONS
n TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
n SHARED PARKING
n VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
n GATEWAYS
n PATH HIERARCHY
n SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
n NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
n FLOODPLAINS
n INTENSIVE USE AREAS
n PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
n RECREATION AREAS
n CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
` LOOP TRAIL
` IDENTITY FEATURES
n NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
n MULTI-PURPOSE MEETING ROOMS
n PERFORMANCE SPACES
` CRAFTING / MAKER SPACES
Active Recreation
n GYMNASIUM
` WEIGHT / CARDIO ROOM
` INDOOR TRACK
n POOL / AQUATICS
n RECTANGULAR FIELDS
n DIAMOND FIELDS
n TENNIS COURTS
n VOLLEYBALL COURTS
Facilities
n SPECTATOR SEATING
n CONCESSIONS / CATERING KITCHEN
n SNACKS
DRAFT
118 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
COURT/FIELD CLUSTERS
Court/field clusters are groups of 4 or more fields or
courts with a clubhouse or pro shop. These facilities may
also attract local tournaments and spectators. Court/field
clusters are not independent facilities, but generally located
within community parks or school parks.
Size
1 -2 Acres
Length of Visit
1 - 3 hours
Access
Court/field clusters should be accessible by way of the city’s
sidewalks, arterial, and collector streets. They should also be
accompanied by appropriately sized on site parking or have
an adequate amount of street parking available.
PLACEHOLDER
EXISTING COURT/FIELD CLUSTERS
ROLLAND MOORE TENNIS CLUSTER
BEST PRACTICE
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 119
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
n MIXED-USE
` BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
` STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
n SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
n STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
n SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
n MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
n TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
n BIKE CONNECTIONS
` TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
` SHARED PARKING
n VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
n GATEWAYS
n PATH HIERARCHY
n SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
n NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
n FLOODPLAINS
n INTENSIVE USE AREAS
n PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
n RECREATION AREAS
` CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
` LOOP TRAIL
` IDENTITY FEATURES
n NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
` MULTI-PURPOSE MEETING ROOMS
` PERFORMANCE SPACES
` CRAFTING / MAKER SPACES
Active Recreation
` GYMNASIUM
` WEIGHT / CARDIO ROOM
` INDOOR TRACK
` POOL / AQUATICS
n RECTANGULAR FIELDS
n DIAMOND FIELDS
n TENNIS COURTS
n VOLLEYBALL COURTS
Facilities
n SPECTATOR SEATING
` CONCESSIONS / CATERING KITCHEN
n SNACKS
DRAFT
120 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
SPECIAL USE FACILITIES
Special use facilities are unique indoor/outdoor spaces
designed around a single use or activity. These facilities
provide residents with specific programs that may require
special gear, equipment, or building structures. Special use
facilities may be located within or adjacent to parks or be
standalone facilities.
Size
Varies
Length of Visit
Varies
Access
Special use facilities should be accessible by way of the city’s
sidewalks, low stress bicycle network, Transfort, and major
streets. Because they offer unique experiences, Special use
facilities draw people from a larger area and should have
appropriately sized on site parking.
EXISTING SPECIAL USE FACILITIES
CARNEGIE CENTER FOR CREATIVITY
CITY PARK POOL
CLUB TICO
EDORA POOL AND ICE CENTER
THE FARM
MULBERRY POOL
THE POTTERY STUDIO
The Pottery Studio is an
example of a Special Use
Recreation Facility
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 121
TYPICAL AMENITIES
Passive Recreation
m MULTI-PURPOSE MEETING ROOMS
m OUTDOOR EVENT SPACES
m CRAFTING / MAKER SPACES
Active Recreation
m GYMNASIUM
m WEIGHT / CARDIO ROOM
m INDOOR TRACK
m POOL / AQUATICS
m RECTANGULAR FIELDS
m DIAMOND FIELDS
m TENNIS COURTS
m VOLLEYBALL COURTS
Facilities
m SPECTATOR SEATING
m CONCESSIONS / CATERING KITCHEN
m SNACKS
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Design
n SYSTEMWIDE DESIGN LANGUAGE
n DESIGN VOCABULARY
Context
m MIXED-USE
m BUILDING FRONTAGE / ENTRANCE
m STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
Access and Connectivity
m SEAMLESS PUBLIC SPACE
m STREET GRID CONNECTIVITY
m SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
m MAJOR TRAIL CONNECTIONS
m TRAIL MODE SEPARATION
m BIKE CONNECTIONS
m TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
m SHARED PARKING
m VISIBLE FRONTAGE
Wayfinding
m GATEWAYS
m PATH HIERARCHY
m SUPPORT FACILITIES
Zones
m NATURAL SYSTEM AREAS
m FLOODPLAINS
m INTENSIVE USE AREAS
m PROGRAMMABLE GATHERING SPACES
m RECREATION AREAS
m CASUAL USE SPACES
Features
m LOOP TRAIL
m IDENTITY FEATURES
m NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
DRAFT
122 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
AMENITIES COMMUNITY
PARKS
SCHOOL
PARKS
NEIGHBOR-
HOOD PARKS
URBAN
PARKS PLAZAS MINI PARKS
SPECIAL USE
PARKS
Passive Recreation
Seating —
Casual Use
Spaces —
Community
Gardens —
Internal
Walking Trails —
Unique
Landscape
Features
—
Natural
Spaces —
Active Recreation
Biking Trails —
Outdoor
Fitness/
Exercise
—
Creative Play
Attractions —
Large
Playgrounds —
Small
Playgrounds —
Rectangular
Fields —
Diamond
Fields —
Court Games —
Tennis Courts —
Volleyball
Courts —
Water Play —
Facilities
Dog Parks —
Individual
Picnic/Sitting
Areas
—
Group Picnic
Sitting Areas —
Park Shelters —
Outdoor
Event Spaces —
Restrooms —
SUMMARY OF TYPICAL AMENITIES BY
CLASSIFICATION
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 123
RECREATION FACILITIES
AMENITIES COMMUNITY
CENTERS
NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS
INDOOR/
OUTDOOR
SPORTS COMPLEX
COURT/FIELD
CLUSTERS
SPECIAL USE
FACILITIES
Passive Recreation
Multi-Purpose
Meeting Rooms —
Performance
Spaces —
Crafting/Maker
Spaces —
Passive Recreation
Gymnasium —
Weight/Cardio
Rooms —
Indoor Track —
Indoor Pool/
Aquatics —
Rectangular Fields —
Diamond Fields —
Tennis Courts —
Volleyball Courts —
Passive Recreation
Spectator Seating —
Concessions /
Catering Kitchen —
Snacks —
DRAFT
124 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
DESIGN GUIDELINES
The following design guidelines are meant to ensure that park and
recreation facility sites are well integrated into their surrounding
contexts and provide the best experiences for visitors. They address
site context, access and connectivity, wayfinding, and various use
zones within the site. The guidelines are intended to inform:
• the development of framework plans
• the periodic evaluation of parks and recreation facilities to
determine if they’re functioning as intended
• the design of refreshed or new parks
Following the list of design guidelines are diagrams showing how
they apply to a prototypical park of each classification.
DESIGN
System Wide Language
Use a consistent design language throughout the system.
Entry, wayfinding, and other signage; paths; and lighting should be
consistent from one park or recreation facility to another. Structures
and equipment in school parks, neighborhood parks, and mini parks
should also follow a consistent design language. Having a consistent
design language helps identify a park or recreation facility as being
part of the Fort Collins public space system and helps users feel
more comfortable visiting parks or recreation facilities they may be
unfamiliar with. Consistency does not, however, preclude unique
identity features.
Design Vocabulary
Ensure the vocabulary of design is appropriate for the scale and
materials of the landscape and existing infrastructure.
Particularly on larger sites, landscape and architectural design
elements should respond to the scale and aesthetic of their context.
CONTEXT
Mixed-Use
Ensure a mix of uses around parks and recreation facilities.
A mix of uses expands the user base, particularly at street
intersections where people are traveling in multiple directions and
encourages activity through a longer part of the day. The number
and mix of uses may vary by size, type, and location.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 125
Building Frontage/Entrances
Ensure that buildings adjacent to and across the street from parks
and recreation facilities have frontages and entrances that face
them.
Buildings with active ground floor uses that front parks and
recreation facilities help frame the space and provide “eyes on the
park.” Such visibility from adjacent uses enhances the perception
of safety. Buildings entrances adjacent to a park or recreation
facility provide a built-in user-base. In addition, proximity to parks
and recreation facilities is correlated with higher property values—
benefiting property owners.
Streetscape Enhancements
Surround parks and recreation facilities with enhanced streetscapes.
Streets surrounding parks and recreation facilities should be treated
as extensions of those facilities. Trees, planters, rain gardens, and
other features provide a visual cue to all street users that a park
or recreation facility is nearby. Streetscape enhancements should
conform to Fort Collins’ Streetscape Standards.
ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY
Seamless Public Space
Ensure seamless connections between parks and recreation facilities
and other adjacent public spaces.
Residents do not typically perceive differences between ownership,
but they do perceive differences in experiences and missing
connections. Barriers and breaks in access limit attractiveness and
viability. Regional ecosystems also do not observe jurisdictional
boundaries and must be thought of as integrated, functional
systems.
Street Grid Connectivity
Maintain physical and visual connections to the street grid.
Parks and recreation facilities should fit into the fabric of the
neighborhoods they are in. They should be sited to minimize
disruptions to the street grid, which is integral to a functional
transportation network. Where streets do not continue through a
park or recreation facility site, efforts should be made to maintain
physical and visual connections, such as gateways, or sight lines or
walking paths through the site, in line with those streets.
Safe Pedestrian Access
Ensure adequate sidewalks and safe pedestrian crossings.
While street frontage can encourage usage and increase safety, too
much vehicular traffic can deter pedestrians. Sidewalks and safe
crossings, whether at intersections or mid-block, encourage access
and allow pedestrians to feel comfortable that they are protected.
DRAFT
126 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Trail Connections
Maintain connections to the paved trail network.
Trail users can become park and recreation facility users. Parks and
recreation facilities can serve as trail heads, trail destinations, or
locations to stop and rest along a trail. They may also host critical
trail links, leading to a more connected system.
Trail Mode Separation
Separate trails into pedestrian and bicycle paths.
On larger sites, where there is space to separate faster-moving
bicycles and slower-moving pedestrians, splitting trails can reduce
conflicts while signaling to trail users that they are in a park or
recreation space.
Bike Connections
Maintain connections to the low stress bicycle network.
Where trail connections are not possible, the low stress bicycle
network can provide safe, easy routes for cyclists of all ages and
abilities to connect with parks and recreation facilities. Bicycle racks
and tune-up stations should be provided where possible to enable
and encourage bicycle access.
Transit Connections
Connect parks and recreation facilities to Transfort.
As with trails, transit users can become park and recreation facility
users and vice versa. Particular types of parks, such as plazas, may
relate directly to a transit station, providing a sense of place and
spaces to welcome and send off visitors.
Shared Parking
Pursue shared parking strategies to eliminate or reduce on-site
surface parking.
Particularly in higher density areas, where space is at a premium, and
where parks and recreation facilities abut each other or other public
facilities, on-site surface parking is difficult to justify. In addition to
on-street parking, shared parking may be a better option than losing
valuable on-site area to parking.
Visible Frontage
Ensure that parks and recreation facilities are visible from streets,
trails, and adjacent uses.
Being able to see what is going on within a park or recreation facility
can pique passersby’ interest and increase patronage.
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 127
WAYFINDING
Gateways
Create gateway features at major entrances to parks and recreation
facilities.
Gateway features clearly indicate major entrances and signal to
visitors that they are welcome to enter. Architectural, landscape,
art, and/or signage features may be used to indicate a gateway. The
placement and design of gateway features can guide users to use
specific routes through park and recreation facility sites.
Path Hierarchy
Ensure on-site paths have a clear hierarchy.
Particularly within larger parks and recreation facility sites that have
multiple trails and paths, signage is important. Routes should be
clearly marked and categorized by length and difficulty so that users
can choose routes that meet their available time and skill levels.
Support Facilities
Provide areas for facilities that support the use of parks and
recreation facilities.
In order for parks and recreation facilities to function optimally,
it is necessary to include facilities, such as restrooms and water
fountains, to support their use. Appropriate support facilities may
vary by park or facility type.
DRAFT
128 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
ZONES
Natural System Areas
Define areas that focus on the enhancement and function of natural
systems.
Natural environments, including habitat areas, woodlands, and
stream corridors are not always thought of as predominant
components of parks and recreation facilities. Yet, natural systems
do not stop at site boundaries. In addition, parks and recreation
facilities are the closest opportunities to interact with natural spaces
in some neighborhoods. Incorporating best stormwater management
practices, enhancing existing ecosystems, providing habitat, and
planting diverse landscapes and community gardens can maximize
the function of natural systems and enhance the user experience.
Floodplains
Avoid overbuilding in flood-prone areas.
The potential for inundation makes some uses more or less
compatible with floodplains. Healthy wetland ecologies and systems
should be prioritized and paths should be hardened in all floodplains,
while recreational assets should be minimized. Buildings in the 500-
year floodplain should be minimized, and they should be avoided in
the 100-year floodplain.
Intensive Use Areas
Design spaces that can accommodate intensive use.
Parks and recreation facilities may attract large numbers of users
due to the density of their surroundings, their integration into
pedestrian and bicycle travel routes, and their use as event and
gathering spaces. This high level of usage can impact the integrity
of the space. Areas that are expected to be heavily used—for
example, near entrances or gathering spaces—should be designed
to accommodate that use, perhaps incorporating more hardscape
areas or more resilient landscape plantings, but be designed to feel
comfortable even when large events are not occurring.
Programmable Spaces
Provide flexible open spaces that can be used as gathering spaces.
Parks and recreation facilities often serve as community gathering
spaces, from small get-togethers to large events. Areas should be
designed to be flexible enough to accommodate these events while
serving as space for informal play, picnicking, or other uses between
events. These spaces may include both paved and soft surfaces and
include amenities such as amphitheaters for performances.
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Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 129
Recreation Areas
Provide areas and facilities that are specifically designed for
recreation and are responsive to the needs of surrounding
neighborhoods.
How parks and recreation facilities are used, and the degree to which
they are used, depends on how well they respond to the needs of
those who live near them. This may include both traditional and
unique facilities and spaces.
Casual Use Spaces
Provide areas that are specifically designed for casual, impromptu
use.
Just as important as programmed spaces are unprogrammed areas
intentionally designed for people to enjoy a park or recreation
facility without being displaced by programmed uses. Such casual
use spaces may include areas for sitting (e.g., seating, walls, steps),
picnicking, or playing a game of catch.
FEATURES
Loop Trail
Provide a loop trail for people to explore, circulate, and recreate.
Loop trails provide opportunities for people to see parts of a park
or recreation facility site that they may not otherwise be aware of.
When they are a specifically measured length, they allow users to
easily walk, jog, bike, or skate to a number of steps or miles they may
be targeting for exercise and wellness.
Identity Features
Incorporate features that can lend identity to a park or recreation
facility.
Much as gateways can use architectural, landscape, art, and/or
signage features to indicate access, the same types of features can
become a park or recreation facility’s signature. Decorative arches,
sculptures, or water fountains are examples of identity features that
may attract users and serve as landmarks for meeting people or
giving directions.
Natural or Historic Features
Preserve and enhance naturally or historically significant features.
Natural features, such as wetlands or groves, or historically
significant features, such as historic structures or routes, add
interest and preserve experiences that are rare or unique. These
features may become destinations themselves and attract local and
regional visitors and residents. Parks and recreation facilities with
naturally or historically significant features provide opportunities for
interpretation and education.
RA
CS
DRAFT
130 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
GUIDELINE COMMUNITY
PARKS
SCHOOL
PARKS
NEIGHBOR-
HOOD PARKS
URBAN
PARKS PLAZAS MINI PARKS
SPECIAL USE
PARKS
Design
Systemwide
Design
Language
—
Design
Vocabulary —
Context
Mixed-Use —
Building
Frontage/
Entrances
—
Streetscape
Enhancements —
Access and Connectivity
Seamless
Public Space —
Street Grid
Connectivity —
Safe
Pedestrian
Access
—
Major Trail
Connections —
Trail Mode
Separation —
Bike
Connections —
Transit
Connections —
Shared
Parking —
Visible
Frontage —
Wayfinding
Gateways —
Path
Hierarchy —
Support
Facilities —
Zones
Natural
System Areas —
Floodplains —
Intensive Use
Areas —
Programmable
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 131
GUIDELINE COMMUNITY
CENTERS
NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS
INDOOR/OUTDOOR
SPORTS
COMPLEXES
COURT/FIELD
CLUSTERS
SPECIAL USE
FACILITIES
Design
Systemwide
Design
Language
Design
Vocabulary
Context
Mixed-Use —
Building
Frontage/
Entrances
—
Streetscape
Enhancements —
Access and Connectivity
Seamless
Public Space —
Street Grid
Connectivity —
Safe
Pedestrian
Access
—
Major Trail
Connections —
Trail Mode
Separation —
Bike
Connections —
Transit
Connections —
Shared
Parking —
Visible
Frontage —
Wayfinding
Gateways —
Path
Hierarchy —
Support
Facilities —
Zones
Natural
System Areas —
Floodplains —
Intensive Use
Areas —
132 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
CS
CS
RA
NA
NA
IU
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PS
COMMUNITY PARK
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 133
RA CS
RA
NA
PS
SCHOOL PARK
DRAFT
134 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
CS
RA
NA
PS
NEIGHBORHOOD PARK
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 135
CS
RA
RA
NA
PS IU
INDOOR/OUTDOOR SPORTS COMPLEX
DRAFT
136 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
CS
RA
NA
IU PS
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URBAN PARK
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 137
PLAZA
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138 / Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan
CS
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MINI PARK
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan / 139
DRAFT
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
Policy Framework DRAFT 8/14/2020
Document Format: X. Goals
X.X. Actions
X.X.X. Methods
1. Provide equitable access to parks.
Fort Collins has a substantial network of parks where people can relax, exercise, socialize, and come
together for community events. A large majority (79%) of survey respondents felt that there are
sufficient public parks, natural areas, and open spaces within walking distance of their residence.
However, as Fort Collins continues to grow, the City will need to consider how to meet the needs of
existing and new residents. In addition, City Plan elevated Nature in the City’s goal to increase the
number of residents who have access to natural areas, parks, and/or open space within a 10-minute
walk of their home, reinforcing the need to close existing gaps and provide nature in areas planned
for intensification. As an integral component of the city’s public space system, providing access to
parks is one way to achieve the City Plan goal.
1.1. Expand the usability of existing parks.
Parks, like other built infrastructure, have a life cycle. Recreational preferences, design preferences, and
neighborhood demographics change over time. Periodically, parks must be evaluated to determine
whether they are meeting community needs and performing as well as they could be.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Parks, Planning, Neighborhood Services, Natural Areas, Utilities, School
Districts
Consider potential connections and synergies of adjacent parks, recreation facilities, natural areas, stormwater
management lands, schools, trails, and complete streets to maximize user experience and benefits when
developing corridor, sub-area, or redevelopment plans.
Ensure that every park has a framework plan to identify the intended uses and in what areas of the park those
intended uses are meant to occur.
Comprehensively evaluate the design and function of parks every 10 years using this plan’s design guidelines
to determine if they need to be refreshed.
Develop master plans for all parks in need of a refresh.
Seek opportunities to enlarge or add space for community gardens and urban agriculture in parks.
1.2. Expand existing parks and secure new parkland, where possible, to serve growing and
underserved communities in established parts of the city.
In addition to newly developing parts of the city, Fort Collins is growing in established parts of the city.
Existing parks may not be sufficient in the future to meet the needs of additional residents in these areas.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Planning, Utilities
Secure parks and public spaces envisioned in adopted plans—including the Downtown Plan, Downtown Civic
Center Plan, Midtown Plan, subarea plans, and corridor plans—and ensure they provide amenities that meet
neighborhood needs.
Tie parks and recreation facilities proposed in adopted plans to this plan’s park and recreation facility
classification system.
Purchase private properties adjacent to existing parks, when available and cost effective, to expand existing
parks.
Ensure that new parks provided by developers are accessible, usable, connected to city-wide public space
systems, and meet design and maintenance standards.
Reimagine City-owned stormwater utility sites as new and expanded parkland.
ATTACHMENT 5
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
1.3. Continue to build new parks to serve newly developing parts of the city.
While a large majority (79%) of residents across Fort Collins said there are sufficient public parks, natural
areas, and open spaces within walking distance of their residence, this was not uniformly true of all parts
of the city. Only 59% of those who live in still-growing northeast Fort Collins felt the same way. When built,
previously proposed parks will go a long way toward serving developing parts of the city.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners:
Complete future community and neighborhood parks that were proposed in the 2008 Parks and Recreation
Policy Plan.
Build additional parks in higher density areas that are outside a 10-minute walk to parks, natural areas, and
other public spaces.
1.4. Ensure access to spaces that are intentionally designed to support casual, impromptu
use.
As Fort Collins continues to grow, pressure will be put on existing parks to accommodate more users and
more uses. However, it is important to preserve and create spaces that can be used for relaxation,
reflection, and informal activities—spaces that are open and available, not programmed with activity. Such
spaces were the fourth most important type of outdoor amenity to residents’ household, behind only trails
and natural or habitat areas.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Parks
1.5. Assess and augment the capacity of downtown parks and public spaces to accommodate
community events and festivals of various sizes.
With festivals and special events always dotting the public calendar, these activities have become part of
the culture of Fort Collins. It is no wonder, then, that residents identified festivals and special events as the
fourth most important type of program or activity to their households. As attendance grows, current event
spaces like Civic Center Park are unable to accommodate the crowds. Downtown continues to be a
preferred location for events due to synergies with restaurants and retail, multi-modal access, and a
central location.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Neighborhood Services, Downtown Development Authority
Expand the use of festival streets and temporary street closures during events to provide flex space for
crowds.
Remove surface parking adjacent to Civic Center Park and Washington Park to expand these parks.
Examine the potential of parks near downtown, such as Lee Martinez Park or Old Fort Collins Heritage Park,
to function as festival and event spaces while staying true to the objectives of the Poudre River Downtown
Master Plan.
Consider the addition of an indoor/outdoor venue to host larger events, offer recreation opportunities, and
increase economic health.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
2. Provide equitable access to recreational experiences.
Fort Collins offers a wide array of programs in its parks and recreation facilities. While program
participation is high, it is highest in parts of the city that are closest to the Northside Aztlan
Community Center and Fort Collins Senior Center (above 60%) and lower in other parts of the city
(under 60%). Recreation preferences are not the same for everybody, and they continually change.
The City must keep an eye on local and national trends to ensure that recreation facilities and
programs offered continue to respond to residents’ needs. Residents indicated that aquatic facilities
and programs as well as exercise and fitness facilities and programs were very important to their
households.
2.1. Provide recreational amenities according to level of service standards.
Population-based and access standards for level of service can be used together as a tool to understand
how many of a particular amenity is needed in Fort Collins and where. The periodic evaluation of park and
recreation facility performance provides an opportunity to determine how well current amenities, and
access to them, relate to defined standards and residents’ needs.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development (Outdoor facilities); Recreation (Indoor facilities)
Implementation Partners: Recreation, Parks
Construct the new southeast recreation center and consider two other community or recreation centers to
serve the community’s indoor recreation needs.
Identify opportunities during the periodic evaluation of parks to add or change recreation amenities or to
enhance access based on city-wide needs and resident input. (See also 1.1.2.)
Consider national and regional recreation trends, local demand, and projected usage and participation before
introducing new and innovative amenities.
Based on level of service, determine where to reduce duplication of services without reducing the overall
quality of service provided to the community.
Site new amenities in locations that are or will be made accessible by as many modes of transportation as
possible.
Consider renaming the Fort Collins Senior Center to more accurately reflect its role as a community center,
with a range of facilities and programming available to all adults.
2.2. Expand year-round usability of existing recreation facilities.
Changes in daylight hours and temperatures affect the usability of some outdoor recreation facilities over
the course of the year. This has the dual effect of suppressing participation in colder months and putting
greater pressure on facilities in warmer months. Expanding year-round usability could help distribute these
waves of usage and participation.
Implementation Lead: Parks
Implementation Partners: Recreation, Park Planning & Development
Develop a city-wide, objective lighting policy for parks and recreation facilities.
Consider the conversion of select existing fields to synthetic turf to extend usability.
Consider a new indoor court facility to meet local demand and level of service standards, as proposed in the
2019 Sports Facility Market and Feasibility Analysis.
Explore opportunities to provide all-season access to certain high use facilities through the use of temporary or
permanent structures.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
2.3. Strive for universal access.
Through its Adaptive Recreation Opportunities and Reduced Rate programs, the City offers inclusive,
transitional, and specialized programs that broaden access to recreation. Continuing this program and
continuing to design physical facilities that are welcoming to all users will move further towards achieving
universal access.
Implementation Lead: Recreation
Implementation Partners: Parks, Park Planning & Development
Continue the Adaptive Recreation Opportunities program
Incorporate new and creative recreation facilities and amenities, such as playgrounds, for universal access,
offering a variety of experiences where people of all abilities can interact.
2.4. Ensure facilities and programs continue to respond to changing user needs.
While traditional sports like basketball, golf, tennis, baseball, and soccer still attract large numbers of
participants, recreational preferences change over time. In the past five years, for example, pickleball has
been one of the fastest growing sports, with participation up more than 40%. Such trends have
implications for both facilities and programs. A degree of nimbleness is necessary to prepare for and
adjust to these trends.
Implementation Lead: Recreation
Implementation Partners: Park Planning & Development, Parks
Continue to monitor regional and national recreation trends and incorporate new and innovative recreation
facilities and programs to sustain community participation.
Evaluate opportunities to repurpose or expand the range of allowable uses of existing facilities before building
new, specialized facilities.
Promote and broaden the availability of facilities and programs to cater to diverse ages, interests, abilities, and
cultures.
Regularly evaluate program demand and adjust offerings.
Implement best practices in program life cycles to maintain a culture of quality program delivery.
Periodically evaluate each program’s participation, finances, and outcomes.
2.5. Promote public health and wellness through public spaces programming.
Nearly all (99%) residents of Fort Collins agree that parks, trails, recreation facilities, and programs
improve physical health and fitness. Fitness and wellness programs were the second highest priority
program for residents, and exercise and fitness equipment was the second highest priority for indoor
facilities.
Implementation Lead: Recreation
Implementation Partners: Community Services, Parks, Natural Areas
Enhance fitness, wellness, and healthy lifestyle programming.
Highlight the health and wellness benefits of recreation programs in informational materials.
Collaborate with local healthcare providers on a park prescription program.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
3. Expand the active transportation network to support access to parks and
recreation.
With more than 100 miles of paved and unpaved, multi-use trails throughout the city. Fort Collins is
one of only five communities awarded Platinum Bike Friendly Community status by the League of
American Bicyclists. The city has a strong network of cycling advocates and an active base of casual
cyclists, who use trails for both recreation and transportation. The recent introduction of e-bikes has
further grown the number of cyclists using Fort Collins’ trails.
3.1. Expand the network of paved, multi-use trails.
Nearly two-thirds of residents identified paved, multi-use trails as one of their top 4 most important outdoor
facilities—more than for any other outdoor facility. As Fort Collins continues to implement its Paved
Recreational Trail Master Plan (2013) and Bicycle Master Plan (2014), this plan can give guidance on
connections between trails, parks, and recreation.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Parks, FC Moves
Continue to implement the recommendations of the Paved Recreational Trail Master Plan and the Bicycle
Master Plan.
Coordinate paved trail development with transportation and stormwater planning.
Ensure all existing and future community parks are connected to a major paved trail.
Evaluate opportunities to create better connections across or around current barriers, including major arterial
streets.
Coordinate trail expansion with surrounding communities and Larimer County.
Pursue agreements with irrigation ditch companies to allow trail access on or next to maintenance roads.
3.2. Increase safe routes to parks and recreation facilities.
In some parts of Fort Collins, parks and recreation facilities are a short distance away from residents as
the crow flies, but missing sidewalks and trails make them difficult to access on foot or by bicycle. Even
with adequate sidewalks and trails, some routes to parks and recreation facilities require pedestrians or
cyclists to cross major roads.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: FC Moves
Fill gaps in sidewalks and on-street bicycle facilities that connect parks and recreation facilities to
neighborhoods, schools, transit, and other facilities.
Consider the use of signalization, signal prioritization, pedestrian refuges, grade separation, and other
techniques where trails cross wide and heavily trafficked roadways.
3.3. Ensure trails function for a range of recreational and transportation users.
Trails in Fort Collins have seen usage grow as the city has grown. With growth comes more potential for
conflicts between different types of users—between cyclists, skateboarders, pedestrians, and runners who
move at different speeds; between those using e-bikes vs. traditional bicycles; between users of varying
skill levels; and between those using trails for recreational purposes and those using trails as quick modes
of transportation.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Parks, Transportation
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
Promote trail education and etiquette for both skilled and novice users with signage or the development of a
“learn to ride” area for trails added onto the Walk & Wheel Skills Hub.
Collaborate with regional partners to develop regional trail wayfinding standards, complementary to the city’s
existing wayfinding standards, that address hierarchy, destinations, landmarks, identity, and congestion for
both recreational and transportation users, and to be more accessible to novice and non-English-speaking
users.
Use striping on major trails to separate traffic moving in opposite directions, where appropriate.
Ensure paved trails are wide enough for passing and that there is enough space alongside trails to pull over.
Where widening of trails is not possible to meet demand due to physical, environmental, or other constraints,
consider the development of parallel trail and complete street corridors.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
4. Protect and enhance natural, historic, and cultural resources in parks and
increase related activities.
Natural, historic, and cultural resources are irreplaceable assets. More than half (52%) of survey
respondents identified natural areas and wildlife habitat as outdoor facilities important for their
households—behind only trails—and nearly half (44%) identified nature-based recreation as
important programs and activities—the highest of any type of program or activity.
4.1. Integrate natural resources and natural resource interpretation into the design of parks.
In Fort Collins, the Natural Areas Department acquires and manages natural areas specifically to protect
natural resources. Yet, natural systems do not stop at property boundaries. Natural resources within
parks, including stream corridors, plant communities, and wildlife, will be treated as vital assets, with
enhanced care and better integration into park design.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Parks, Natural Areas
Promote the planting, preservation, and maintenance of canopy trees.
Emphasize native and xeric plants over mowed lawn and paved paths in areas that are conducive to this
approach.
Increase the ecological value of parks by preserving and integrating native plants and plants with high
pollinator value.
Add interpretive signage within parks to highlight their natural resources and the benefits they provide.
Explore opportunities to use public art to interpret natural resources.
4.2. Develop and promote nature-based education, recreation, and training programs.
Nature-based programs offer participants new and continued ways to connect with nature and appreciate
the value of natural resources. This builds advocacy across ages. Currently, the Recreation Department
and the Natural Areas Department each offer nature-based programs, using different methods of
promoting the programs and different pricing structures. This results in confusion for users.
Implementation Lead: Recreation
Implementation Partners: Natural Areas
Offer nature-based education programs that cater to different age groups, including young children, teens,
adults, and seniors.
Coordinate nature-based programs across departments to avoid duplication of offerings and competition.
Consider charging at least a nominal fee for nature-based programs to increase the likelihood that those who
register attend.
4.3. Optimize the care of natural resources across parks and natural areas.
The Parks and Natural Areas Departments each have responsibility over defining the standard of care of
natural resources within the properties they maintain. While there is often knowledge sharing between the
departments, each has its own approach in caring for natural resources on City-owned property, even
when natural resources function as a system across property boundaries.
Implementation Lead: Parks
Implementation Partners: Natural Areas
Create a shared manual for the care and maintenance of plantings and habitat areas across City-owned
properties.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
4.4. Capitalize on historic and cultural resources, themes, and stories in parks and recreation
facilities.
Whether preserving important sites or architecture, as at Library Park, incorporating themes from Fort
Collins’ history, as with the playground at Twin Silo Park, or telling stories about neighborhood change
and development, as at Sugar Beet Park, parks and recreation facilities provide a setting for learning
about, appreciating, and interacting with unique cultural stories.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Parks, Cultural Services, Neighborhood Services
Continue to include historical and cultural interpretative elements in new and existing parks and recreation
facilities.
Identify critical historic and cultural resources that may need protection and have potential educational and
interpretive components.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
5. Enhance the financial sustainability of parks and recreation.
The City strives to use taxpayer dollars wisely. While the Parks and Recreation Departments have
stretched operational budgets to maintain existing parks, recreation facilities, and other city
infrastructure, additional capital and operational funding is needed to ensure all parks and recreation
facilities continue to provide the level of experience that residents seek. A full range of funding needs
include day-to-day operations and maintenance costs as well as capital costs for replacing individual
park and recreation amenities at the end of their lifecycles, refreshing existing parks, and building
new parks in both growing and established parts of the city.
5.1. Secure sufficient funding to develop, maintain, and program parks and recreation facilities
as well as enhanced infrastructure.
The operation of parks and recreation facilities comes primarily from the city’s general fund, which is
heavily dependent on sales tax revenue. Construction of new parks in growing parts of Fort Collins comes
primarily from capital expansion fees. While these fees are meant to offset the cost of providing services
to new development, they have not kept pace with actual construction costs, due to both increased costs
of construction and higher quality facilities designed to meet residents’ evolving needs. New recreation
facilities and park upgrades in established parts of the city rely on bond funding, such as the Building on
Basics program. However, Building on Basics does not provide adequate capital funding for long-term
asset management of recreation and park facilities Two thirds of survey respondents indicated they would
be supportive of an increase in taxes to fund the types of parks, trails, and recreation facilities that are
most important to them.
Implementation Lead: Community Services
Implementation Partners: Parks, Recreation, Park Planning & Development, Finance
Regularly adjust capital improvement expansion fees to cover the costs of building new neighborhood and
community parks.
Explore the potential for a new capital improvement expansion fee for recreation facilities.
Identify a dedicated funding stream for capital investments in existing parks and recreation facilities.
Identify a funding source to support park construction and the expansion of parks and recreation facilities in
established parts of the city.
5.2. Consider and budget for both up-front and ongoing costs and benefits in maintenance
and capital budgeting.
Building capital projects is necessary to provide the public services that residents expect. It is seen as a
sign of progress. While some capital investments come with a warranty period, all capital investments
inevitably require maintenance and replacement.
Implementation Lead: Community Services
Implementation Partners: Finance, Parks, Recreation, Park Planning & Development, Environmental
Services
Identify life cycles and set maintenance schedules and standards for assets and capital facilities at the time
they are approved.
Plan for increases in operations and maintenance budgets for the Parks and Recreation Departments
commensurate with additional assets and capital facilities that they are required to operate and maintain (e.g.,
enhanced infrastructure).
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
5.3. Continue to generate revenue from parks, recreation facilities, and programs that can be
reinvested back into these assets.
The Recreation Department currently recovers in revenue about 58% of what it spends on operations,
more than twice the national median for agencies serving cities with a similar population density.
Implementation Lead: Recreation
Implementation Partners: Parks, Neighborhood Services
Regularly update recreational fees and charges based on a defined pricing and cost recovery philosophy.
Continue to set cost recovery targets for each program area based on costs, the degree to which it provides a
public benefit, and market competition.
Evaluate the use of additional pricing strategies—including by residency, day of week, time of day—to
increase cost recovery.
Expand the offering or permitting of concessions in community parks, at trailheads, and at special events in
parks and recreation facilities.
Pursue additional revenue from weddings and other events that rent park and recreation facility spaces.
Expand capacity to proactively set revenue goals, seek revenue generating opportunities, provide a point of
contact for those looking to rent public spaces for events, and liaise with the City’s overall special events office
and the visitor center for the entire Community Services service area.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
6. Strengthen partnerships to leverage resources for mutual benefit.
Residents of Fort Collins benefit from having access to amenities provided by the City and other
entities, including Larimer County and the Poudre School District. In an era of limited resources,
partnerships can help deliver more efficient and effective services. By strengthening existing
partnerships and identifying new partners, the City can leverage its resources to make limited funding
stretch further. Important to these partnerships are finding common goals, such that each partner
benefits from the arrangement and formalizing agreements to hold each partner accountable.
6.1. Strengthen partnerships between city departments.
While each city department has specialized expertise core to its responsibilities, departmental silos can
also lead to duplication of effort and inefficiency in achieving policy goals. There is particular opportunity at
the service area level for departments to work together to achieve common goals. These collaborations
should be formalized to endure staff changes.
Implementation Lead: Community Services
Implementation Partners: Park Planning & Development, Parks, Recreation, Natural Areas, Utilities
Enable opportunities for joint projects among the Park Planning & Development, Parks, Recreation, Natural
Areas, and Utilities Departments.
Develop consistent asset management systems across the Community Services service area.
Consider consolidating existing department-level marketing, communication, and partnership functions at the
Community Services service area level. (9.1.1.)
Consolidate existing department-level budgeting and finance functions at the Community Services service
area level.
Request boards and commissions to consider and support multi-benefit projects.
6.2. Formalize and strengthen partnerships with other major providers of parks, recreation
facilities, and programs in Fort Collins and the North Front Range.
Though the City of Fort Collins is the largest provider of parks, recreation facilities, and programs in Fort
Collins, the full set of experiences currently available to residents is dependent on other providers. For
example, the City of Fort Collins owns roughly half of all public playgrounds and fields in the city, while the
Poudre School District owns the other half, and Larimer County is building ice facilities that will alleviate
local demand.
Implementation Lead: Parks
Implementation Partners: Recreation, Poudre School District, Thompson School District, CSU, Larimer
County
Develop formal intergovernmental agreements with the Poudre School District and the Thompson School
District to ensure open access to playgrounds, fields, and park areas on school property when school is not in
session.
Formalize cooperative maintenance agreements with the Poudre School District and the Thompson School
District that address where and to what standards the City and the districts will operate on each other’s
property.
Collaborate with CSU, the Poudre School District, and the Thompson School District to understand the
recreational needs of students and to explore joint-use facilities.
Coordinate with Larimer County and surrounding communities on the provision of recreational facilities, such
as ice rinks, to prevent duplication.
Pursue agreements with irrigation ditch companies to allow trail access on or next to maintenance roads.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
6.3. Regularly revise or create partnership agreements to ensure fair and equitable
relationships.
Successful partnerships are borne of clear responsibilities and mutual benefit. As circumstances change,
partnership agreements may need to be updated to accurately reflect roles and responsibilities.
Implementation Lead: Community Services
Implementation Partners: Parks, Recreation
Develop a guide to partnership agreements to help organizations navigate the process of becoming a partner.
Assign a staff liaison for each partner to improve communication and collaboration.
Track and regularly share information and measurable outcomes of partnership agreements.
6.4. Support and strengthen volunteer programs for parks, recreation, and trails.
Volunteers play an important role in supporting and caring for parks, recreation, and trails. The City will
continue to seek ways to make it easy for volunteers to engage.
Implementation Lead: Community Services
Implementation Partners: Parks, Recreation, Human Resources
Regularly update volunteer position descriptions and durations.
Look for strategies to improve on the recruitment of volunteers.
Promote and encourage “Adopt-a-“ programs (e.g., Adopt-a-Park, Adopt-a-Field, Adopt-a-Trail).
Encourage volunteer days with companies, institutions, non-profits, and other large organizations.
Encourage volunteerism through citywide events.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
7. Ensure parks, paved trails, and recreation facilities are operated and
maintained efficiently and to defined standards.
Maintenance standards and operations procedures help ensure that the City is maintaining similar
facilities efficiently and at the same level.
7.1. Ensure maintenance standards are clear and consistently implemented.
Through site analysis and stakeholder interviews, it was reported that similar spaces are maintained to
different standards. At the same time, each department has particular expertise in maintaining certain
landscapes and facilities. Clarifying and regularizing maintenance standards will ensure high-quality
spaces exist equitably across the entire public space network.
Implementation Lead: Parks
Implementation Partners: Recreation, Natural Areas, Operation Services, Utilities
Encourage cross-departmental knowledge sharing and training on maintenance practices.
Develop unified standards across the departments that manage the city’s public spaces for maintaining similar
types of spaces and facilities.
Define and regularly update maintenance standards for each park and recreation facility classification, taking
into account usage and visibility.
Consider assignment of maintenance responsibilities across departments and property lines to cater to each
department’s strengths and knowledgebase, increase efficiency, and enhance the user experience.
Identify opportunities to share maintenance responsibilities with partner organizations and groups for
efficiency, using formalized agreements.
Ensure maintenance safety checklists include obstacles to universal access.
7.2. Strengthen sustainability policies and practices.
Changing environmental conditions and resource consumption have a direct impact on natural resources.
By strengthening sustainability policies, the public space system can lead by example to preserve and
conserve natural resources and serve as a model for other organizations and residents.
Implementation Lead: Parks
Implementation Partners: Recreation, Natural Areas, Operation Services, Environmental Services, Park
Planning & Development
Target waste reduction, recycling, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced energy usage, reduced water
consumption, and light pollution for increasing sustainable practices.
Take climate change predictions into account in the design of parks and facilities and in maintenance and
operations practices.
Continue to identify sustainable water sources for irrigation.
Conduct pilot projects to test effectiveness for citywide usage.
Continue to emphasize native and water-wise plants over non-native species.
Remove invasive species.
Use environmentally friendly products (e.g., cleaners and chemical treatments) where feasible.
Provide training for staff on how to include sustainability in evaluating costs and benefits.
Develop outreach and education programs on sustainable practices.
Pursue environmental certification of parks and facilities.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
8. Promote the synergy between parks, recreation, and economic health.
Parks, trails, and recreation facilities provide tremendous value beyond being places for reflection,
connection with nature, and physical activity. Nearly all (97%) of residents in Fort Collins feel that
parks, paved trails, recreation facilities, and programs are important to the city’s identity. Parks, trails,
and recreation facilities attract residents, businesses, and tourists alike. Studies have consistently
shown that proximity to high quality parks and recreation facilities contributes to higher property
values. In Colorado, outdoor recreation generates over $13 billion in consumer spending every year.1
8.1. Provide amenities for residents while unlocking recreation tourism potential.
As the City looks to leverage parks and recreation as economic drivers, the primary focus should continue
to be on serving the residents of Fort Collins. The City’s Sports Facility Market and Feasibility Analysis
(2019) sparked conversations about the inability of tourism dollars to offset the cost of building facilities
that are primarily for tournaments and events. However, the focus should be on building facilities primarily
to meet the needs of residents, but which due to their secondary use for tournaments and events can
have a share of costs offset by tourism dollars.
Implementation Lead: Recreation
Implementation Partners: Visit Fort Collins, Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce
Revisit and reframe the added tourism benefits of parks and recreation facilities built primarily to meet
residents’ needs—including event spaces and sports complexes.
Support the development of city-wide tourist infrastructure—including hotel rooms and food and beverage
establishments—near parks and recreation facilities.
Collaborate with Visit Fort Collins, the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations to market
parks and recreation facilities as destinations for residents and visitors from the city, region, and beyond.
8.2. Encourage new park- and recreation-oriented development or redevelopment to capitalize
on the economic value of parks, trails, and recreation facilities.
Parks, trails, and recreation facilities are increasingly valuable for surrounding property values, providing a
boost to both residential and commercial areas. These amenities are also essential to attracting
businesses and talent.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Planning
Guide developers during the development review process to ensure development interfaces with adjacent
parks, trails, and recreation facilities.
Develop land use, subarea plans, and corridor plans that encourage park- and recreation-oriented
development or redevelopment.
Pursue public-private partnerships for mutual benefit and to stretch public dollars.
1 Outdoor
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
9. Improve marketing and communication to enhance operations and user
satisfaction.
Successful parks, trails, recreation facilities, and programs hinge on user awareness, enthusiasm,
and participation. The City should continue to improve its ongoing engagement and communication
practices by considering a more holistic strategy and additional outreach tactics to more equitably
inform and get feedback from a broad spectrum of existing and potential users.
9.1. Promote parks and recreation as part of a unified public space system.
There is currently no unified map or informational resource to understand all components of Fort Collins’
public space system—parks, paved and unpaved trails, recreation facilities, natural areas, stormwater
management areas, and community gardens. While residents may have their favorite parks or natural
areas that they visit, having separate informational resources precludes an understanding of how these
resources are all physically connected—that one may be able to walk or ride their bike between
resources—or the full array of programs offered by various city departments.
Implementation Lead: Community Services
Implementation Partners: Parks, Recreation, Park Planning & Development, Natural Areas, Streets,
Utilities, School Districts
Consider consolidating existing department-level marketing and communication functions at the Community
Services service area level. (6.1.3.)
Create new maps and guides with a universal graphic style for parks, trails, recreation facilities, and natural
areas.
9.2. Update and develop new marketing and communication materials that increase
awareness and highlight the benefits of parks, trails, recreation facilities, and programs.
Nearly a third (33%) of survey respondents indicated that they do not use parks and recreation facilities or
programs because they do not know where to go or what is offered. The two methods they indicated they
would most prefer to learn about parks, recreation programs, activities, and events are the Recreator
(48%) and the City’s website (32%).
Implementation Lead: Community Services
Implementation Partners: Parks, Recreation, Park Planning & Development, Natural Areas, Cultural
Services
Ensure communication materials and signage use consistent language to refer to parks and facilities of
different classifications.
Develop materials that communicate the full range of facilities and experiences available across the city to all
residents, workers, and visitors.
Highlight the environmental, social, economic, and wellness benefits of parks, trails, recreation facilities, and
programs.
Highlight facilities with natural and historic resources in marketing materials.
Communicate the availability of physically and financially accessible facilities and programs.
Ensure materials are written in relatable language and are accessible to non-English speakers and the visually
impaired.
Explore expanded use of technology and digital platforms to disseminate information about parks, recreation,
and trails and to enhance the user experience.
9.3. Regularly measure and report on the progress of Master Plan implementation.
The momentum of engagement achieved through the process of developing the Master Plan should
continue through its implementation. Both small and large achievements should be celebrated as steps
toward achieving this plan’s vision.
Implementation Lead: Community Services
Implementation Partners: Parks, Recreation, Park Planning & Development
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
9.4. Engage users, partners, and staff in the planning, development, programming, and
maintenance of parks and recreation facilities.
Collaborative engagement among users, partners, and staff can bring to light mutual desires and
expectations. Lines of communication should not only be used for major planning and capital projects but
remain open on an ongoing basis to create feedback loops and improve user experiences.
Implementation Lead: Community Services
Implementation Partners: Parks, Recreation, Park Planning & Development, Natural Areas
Conduct a needs assessment, including a statistically valid survey and level of service analysis, at least every
5 years.
Use inclusive, transparent, and creative engagement practices that encourage participation by all community
members.
Engage users on an ongoing basis to evaluate the success of parks, trails, recreation facilities, and programs
to establish a meaningful feedback loop between the City and residents.
Proactively engage communities adjacent to parks and recreation facilities about the benefits of programs and
facilities to inspire users to participate more often.
Engage communities in the master planning of new or refreshed parks and recreation facilities.
Monitor and evaluate trends in engagement tools and platforms that can increase users’ interaction with the
City.
Use online and social media regularly to inform and solicit feedback from residents.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
10. Elevate the design of and connection to nature in parks and recreation
facilities.
Design excellence enhances wellness, ecosystem services, and function. From the earliest stages of
project development, it is important to consider how a project can be beautiful and multi-functional
while addressing multiple needs of adjacent communities. Design excellence requires an attention to
quality of built structures, landscape typology, and the way buildings and landscapes interact with
each other. Integrating artists and designers early in the process can help lead to design excellence.
Elevating the quality of design of parks and recreation facilities will also serve to elevate the level of
design across Fort Collins.
10.1. Develop a unified design language for parks and recreation facilities that is flexible
enough to allow for individualized park identities.
Though design evolves over time, through changing preferences, the availability of materials, and more
informed practices, it is possible to use plantings, color, materiality, and other devices to achieve a
cohesion that allows users to immediately identify that they are in a Fort Collins park or recreation facility.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Parks, Recreation
Identify elements, such as paths, signage, lighting, trash receptacles, and picnic tables, that can be
standardized across all parks and recreation facilities to increase efficiency and create a cohesive identity.
Standardize the design language of structures and equipment across school parks, neighborhood parks, mini
parks, and urban parks.
Develop a design framework for community parks and recreation facilities that is cohesive but flexible enough
to allow for individual identities.
10.2. Strive for design excellence in the development and refresh of parks and recreation
facilities.
Though more recent parks, such as Fossil Creek Community Park, Twin Silo Community Park, and Sugar
Beet Park have elevated the level of design, many of Fort Collins’ parks and recreation facilities feel
frozen in time—meticulously maintained as they were when they were built. Refreshes of parks and
recreation facilities will provide an opportunity to not just replace individual elements in kind but to
reimagine their design to increase usability; environmental, social, and economic benefits; and aesthetic
appeal.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Parks, Recreation
Use this plan’s design guidelines as a reference in designing or refreshing parks and recreation facilities.
Study and visit award winning parks and recreation facilities to keep up to date on successful design solutions.
Partner with local and nationally recognized designers to add different design perspectives.
Incorporate best practices in park and recreation planning, design, and operation from other park systems.
Pursue state and national awards from organizations such as the Colorado Parks & Recreation Association
(CPRA), the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the
American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), and the American Planning Association (APA).
10.3. Promote the planting, preservation, and maintenance of canopy trees and native
vegetation on public and private land. (See 4.1.)
Natural resources within and outside of parks, including stream corridors, plant communities, and wildlife,
should not only be preserved but actively enhanced.
Implementation Lead: Parks
Implementation Partners: Park Planning & Development, Natural Areas
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
10.4. Incorporate public art, including landscape-based art and functional art, into parks and
recreation facilities.
In alignment with FoCo Creates and the Art in Public Places programs, public art can enhance the
experience in parks and recreation facilities. Public art can tell stories, reveal histories, and provide
opportunities for whimsy or reflection. Involving artists in the design process can ensure that public art
works with, rather than detracts from, the user experience.
Implementation Lead: Park Planning & Development
Implementation Partners: Parks, Cultural Services
Develop a master plan for art in parks that addresses selection of artists, provision of design parameters for
artists, and other guidance specific to working with artists on park and recreation projects in order to enrich the
user experience.
Integrate public art design and installation timelines with overall park and recreation facility design and
construction timelines.
Fort Collins Parks & Recreation Master Plan
11. Continue to enhance safety and security in all parks and facilities.
Concern about safety, whether real or perceived, keeps some residents from using parks and
recreation facilities.
11.1. Ensure adequate “eyes on the street” around and in parks and facilities.
The most effective way to improve the perception of safety and reduce the incidence of crime is to support
a visible community presence in parks and recreation facilities. The more parks and recreation facilities
are used by the community, the more “eyes on the street” there are and the less inviting they are to
unwanted activities.
Implementation Lead: Parks
Implementation Partners: Park Planning & Development, Planning
Expand the park ranger program.
Develop a Park Ambassador program akin to the Natural Areas Volunteer Ranger Assistant program to
increase resident presence and encourage rule enforcement in parks.
Encourage new development to face, rather than turn its back, to parks and recreation facilities.
Work to avoid or eliminate “backs” of parks and recreation facilities.
11.2. Update guidelines and policies on safety and security.
The City should clarify the ways it intends to combat safety concerns, whether though people-based
approaches or through design-based approaches. Almost a quarter (23%) of survey respondents
indicated that they do not use parks, recreation facilities, or programs because of people experiencing
homelessness there.
Implementation Lead: Parks
Implementation Partners: Park Planning & Development, Homeward Alliance
Incorporate Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles into design standards.
Provide safety training for all staff who work in parks and recreation facilities.
Collaborate with the Homeward Alliance to connect those in parks who are experiencing homelessness to
available resources and services.
ATTACHMENT 6
Programmable
Gathering
Spaces
—
Recreation
Areas —
Casual Use
Spaces —
Features
Loop Trail —
Identity
Features —
Natural or
Historic
Features
—
DRAFT
Gathering
Spaces
—
Recreation
Areas —
Casual Use
Spaces —
Features
Loop Trail —
Identity
Features —
Natural or
Historic
Features
—
DRAFT
DRAFT
m RESTROOMS
DRAFT
` RESTROOMS
DRAFT
` RESTROOMS
DRAFT
n RESTROOMS*
*Restrooms in urban parks will require additional
maintenance.
DRAFT
n RESTROOMS
*Practice fields only
DRAFT
n NATURAL OR HISTORIC FEATURES
*Preferably provided, through partnership agreement, by
allowing access to school restrooms
DRAFT
n RESTROOMS
The vegetable garden at Twin Silo
Community Park reflects the agricultural
heritage of Fort Collins, which influenced
the park’s identity.
DRAFT