HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 6/8/2021 - Memorandum From Aaron Harris Re: Consultation For Southeast Community Innovation Center And Pool
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Recreation Department
215 N. Mason
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6655
fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
DATE: June 2, 2021
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Kelly DiMartino, Deputy City Manager
John Stokes, Interim Community Services Director
FROM: Aaron Harris, Interim Recreation Director
SUBJECT: Consultation for Southeast Community Innovation Center and Pool
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide additional information about an ordinance request
to fund outside consultation for the public engagement, conceptual design, and subject matter
expertise required for the Southeast Community Innovation Center and Pool (SE Community
Center). This information was requested at the June 1 City Council meeting.
Bottom Line
Prior to the design and construction of this unique facility in Fort Collins, public engagement,
technical and conceptual assistance, and consultation with recreation industry experts will be
necessary. This appropriation will support a consulting team who will provide the expertise and
bandwidth to fully engage the community in an iterative engagement and concept development
process. Given the large scale and complexity of the project, the parameters of the ballot
language, and what are likely to be ambitious community expectations, external expertise is
necessary.
Background
In April of 2015, voters supported the BOB 2 Community Capital Improvement Program Tax
Initiative. The tax initiative included the SE Community Center and outdoor leisure pool plus five
years of operations and maintenance funding. The ballot language stated:
This project will build a Community Center in southeast Fort Collins focused on innovation,
technology, art, recreation, and the creative process. The Center will also have a large
outdoor leisure pool with water slides, sprays and jets, decks, a lazy river and open
swimming area.
The funding for the project currently is estimated at $17.7 million. As the project scope is better
defined, fundraising opportunities and intergovernmental partnerships may be identified. Facility
design is scheduled to begin in 2022, with construction taking place in 2023. The facility is
estimated to be opened in 2024.Throughout this development process there will be multiple
opportunities for Council involvement.
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The Southeast Community Innovation Center and Pool will be a landmark project for Recreation,
integrating aquatics, innovation elements, arts, and recreation activities in one location. The
engagement, planning and design effort requires a comprehensive grasp of current trends in
facility design, innovation spaces, aquatic management and more. Extensive industry expertise in
this space will help identify gaps in existing inventory of facility amenities and
determine how that inventory aligns with the community desires identified for the SE Community
Center, as well as provide insight into long-term operations and maintenance costs.
The public engagement component of the requested expense will explore community priorities for
the project including those that may go beyond those specifically characterized in the ballot
language (e.g., a pool with lap lanes). If new community priorities are identified that are not
included in the ballot language, those opportunities will be investigated for feasibility.
The $100,000 allocation is an estimated cost based on discussions with various industry
consultants. A formal request for proposals will be issued once the funds have been appropriated.