Recreation Facilities Planning Update - Summer 2007

Your input matters.
The recreation district has been working hard to evaluate the condition of our existing recreation facilities, and exploring future recreation opportunities. We welcome your input.
Mike Ortiz, Executive Director
970.479.2461
mortiz@vailrec.com

The Vail Recreation District has been working overtime to assess our community’s recreation facilities, an important step in developing a plan to provide a superior, world-class recreation offering. We urge you to take the time to learn more about the district’s planning efforts, and our recent findings.

Rec District Does Its Homework
The Vail Recreation District (VRD)—in coordination with the Town of Vail as well as outside facilities experts and recreation consultants—has undertaken two major planning efforts over the past 15 months: 1) development of a Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and 2) a comprehensive evaluation of the district’s existing recreation facilities.

Parks and Recreation Master Plan Completed in March 2007
In April 2006, VRD retained GreenPlay, LLC to assist in the development of a parks and recreation master plan. GreenPlay retained a number of other consultants—Design Concepts, GeoWest, RRC Associates and others—to participate in this significant planning effort. Completed in March 2007, the district’s master plan provides a comprehensive overview and needs assessment of the district’s facilities, programs and staffing. The master plan has played an important role in assisting VRD define an overall vision, which is based on a commitment to provide residents and guests premier, world-class recreation facilities and programs. The plan outlines specific goals and action steps to ensure that the district’s commitment to a world-class offering is brought to fruition.

Outside Facilities Experts Evaluate Rec Facilities
In August 2006, Borne Engineering was retained by VRD to evaluate the condition of the recreation district facilities in the district. In April 2007, the firm delivered a Property Condition Evaluation & Physical Needs Analysis (the “Borne Report”) which provides a comprehensive overview of the architectural, structural and mechanical condition of all recreation facilities. The Borne Report also provides cost estimates associated with addressing the district’s facilities needs in terms of repairs and rebuilds.

VRD also recently retained Welch Tennis to evaluate the state of its clay tennis courts and to estimate the cost of retaining walls and fencing. Odell Architects has also been retained by VRD and the Town of Vail to conceptually plan further recreation opportunities and to evaluate existing town-owned and VRD-managed facilities.

VRD Seeks Additional Community Input
A variety of focus group meetings and surveys focused on identifying the community’s recreation needs have been executed over the past two years, with additional community opinion research efforts planned for 2007 and 2008. The next community opinion research to be conducted will focus on how the Vail Golf Club—both the course and clubhouse—are meeting residents’ needs. This winter, VRD will conduct a comprehensive mail survey to gather feedback on how residents would like to see the district move forward in addressing its facilities needs.

Recreation district continues to do its homework.

Click to view full image

Vail Golf Club Vail Golf Club, constructed 42 years ago, includes an 18-hole golf course, driving range, clubhouse, outbuildings and maintenance building. The golf cart storage area also serves as the town’s Nordic Center in the winter. The clubhouse is in need of a new roof, boiler system, plumbing, hot water heaters, circulation pumps, heat pumps, HVAC units, windows, grease traps, sand/oil interceptor, exhaust hoods, exterior doors, as well as improvements to interior walls and ceilings, exterior stucco and parking lot. It has also been mandated that the clubhouse provide an elevator by 2009 to be ADA-compliant. Weather shelters on the course need to be replaced, as do many sections of the cart paths, retaining walls, bridges, stairs and patios. The maintenance facility is in need of a new roof, fencing, storage facility and parking lot improvements. The golf course's irrigation system also needs to be replaced, along with upgrading the pond system. The irrigation system needs to be adaptable to various drought conditions.
Ford Park Ford Park includes a clubhouse, eight clay courts, softball fields and outbuilding with restrooms. Replacement of the outbuilding facility, construction of a retaining wall around the perimeter of the tennis courts, new fencing for the tennis courts, clubhouse repairs, and drainage/irrigation improvements are the highest priority needs at the park.	Youth Services Youth Services is located in the Lionshead parking structure. The facility, which was built 28 years ago, offers interactive areas for children, a kitchen and office space. The facility is in need of new furnances, flooring, wall and ceiling repairs and elevator system.
Nature Center The Nature Center consists of two homestead buildings, that are approximately 100 years old, and various trails and monuments. Improvements are needed to exterior siding and trim, interior walls and ceilings, walking and driving paths and signage.	Dobson Ice Arena Dobson Ice Arena, which was built 28 years ago, houses a full sized ice rink, conference rooms and five locker rooms. The arena’s 29,500-sq. ft. roof needs to be replaced as well as the central air handling units, sky light louver system, hot water storage tanks and event stage. Extensive repairs to interior walls and ceilings are also needed.
Athletic Field Built in 1989, the Athletic Field consists of a football/soccer field, sand volleyball courts, and outbuilding with restrooms, benches and bleachers. The outbuilding is in need of a new roof, the irrigation system needs to be upgraded, the field is in need of grading and drainage improvements, and a new asphalt parking lot needs to be poured.	Gymnastics Center The Gymnastics Center offers classes in dance, martial arts, trampoline and gymnastics. The facility is in need of a limited number of improvements in the next few years, including retaining walls, concrete drain pan, concrete wall repairs and a roof-mounted central air condition unit.