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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7968RESOLUTION NO. 796 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUBMITTAL OF GRANT APPLICATIONS TO THE STATE BOARD OF THE GREAT OUTDOORS COLORADO TRUST FUND AND THE STATE HISTORICAL FUND FOR THE FAMILY INTERACTIVE AREA IN THE HISTORIC ARKANSAS RIVERWALK PROJECT, AND AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL TO EXECUTE SAME AND ACCEPT SAME SHOULD THE GRANT(S) BE AWARDED. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PUEBLO, COLORADO, that: WHEREAS, the City of Pueblo supports the ongoing Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project; and SECTION l Submittal of grant applications to the State Board of the Great Outdoors Colorado requesting $150,000 and a State Historical Fund grant requesting $100,000 for the development of the Family Interactive Area in the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project. SECTION 2 The President of the City Council is hereby authorized to execute and deliver said Contract on behalf of the City of Pueblo, a Municipal Corporation, and the City Clerk shall affix the Seal of the City thereto and attest same. SECTION 3 The President of the City Council is hereby authorized to accept the grant should the funds be awarded. SECTION 4 The City shall obligate up to $100, 000 as the cash match for both projects and will be paid from the 1997/1998 Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project budget. INTRODUCED: SEPTEMBER 23, 1996 ATTEST: CfAY CLERK BY: Samuel Corsentino COUNCILPERSON APPROVED: PRE IDENT OF tITY COUNCIL Great Outdoors Colorado GRANT APPLICATION Local Government Parks, Related Outdoor Recreation Facilities and Environmental Education Facilities (Acquire, Establish and Enhance) Participant Information 1. Applicant: 2. Third Party/Partner: City of Pueblo 3. Applicant Address: 4. Third Party Address: No. 1 City Hall Place, Pueblo, CO 81003 5. Applicant Contact: 6. Third Party Contact: Name: Jim Munch Name: Steven Meier Title: Director of Planning and Title: Senior Planner, Dept. of Planning and Development Development Telephone #: (719) 543 -6006 Telephone #: (719) 543 -6006 Fax #: (719) 543 -0572 Fax #: (719) 543 -0572 PROJECT INFORMATION 7. Project Title: Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project - FAMILY INTERACTIVE AREA 8. U.S. Congressional District: 9. Colorado Senate District #: 45 &46 Third Colorado House District #: 3 10. County: Pueblo 11. Brief Description of Project (please describe the scope and nature of this project): The City of Pueblo is proposing a project known as the "Family Interactive Area" that will be a park enhancement to the Historic Arkansas River Project. The park will be developed as a urban discovery pkry park and will focus on demonstrating the nature of water through discovery play areas, educational displays and interpretative nodes. Improvements will consist of landscaping, discovery play areas, water interactive and education nodes, discovery pathways, seating area, drinking fountains, lighting for pathways and nodes, information kiosks, and environmental education signage. 12. Project Funding: Grant Request: $ 150,000 Local Match: $ 65,000 Total: $ 215,000 13. Source & Amount of Local Match: Source: Amount CASH $ 65,000 14. Authorized Signature�� e' Date: I. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: 1. Project Type: Funding is needed to construct a portion of the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project (HARP) known as the "Family Interactive Area ". The project will be a discovery park focusing on the theme of water. Several demonstration and discovery play areas will be developed to educate the public on how the nature of water works, performs, and benefits the environment and mankind. 2. Recipients: The grant recipient will be the City of Pueblo. 3. Matching Funds: The total cost for the construction of the "Family Interactive Area" in HARP is $215,000. The grant request is for $150,000 from Great Outdoors Colorado. A $65,000 cash match will be provided from the sale of limited tax general obligation bonds for the construction of HARP. 4. Ability to Complete the Project: The City of Pueblo has a flawless record for the development, support, implementation, and completion of similar projects. Pueblo is known statewide, as well as nationally, as a city that gets things done. Pueblo has assembled the necessary funding and built a number of large public projects, such as; the Fountain Creek Flood Protection Project constructed in 1989; the 25 mile multi -use river trail system along the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek; Phase 1 - resurfacing of the City Park Tennis Courts, completed earlier this year; and the Langoni Sports Complex which is 20 acres of youth soccer fields. The City anticipates the construction of the "Family Interactive Area" to be constructed in a 12 month period. No State or Federal permits will be necessary in completing the project. 5. Maintenance Capability: The "Family Interactive Area" will be located on land owned by the City of Pueblo. It will be the responsibility of the City to maintain and operate the facility in the same high quality manner that all other park facilities currently received (see the attached 1996 budget summary for the City of Pueblo's Parks Department). 6. Status of Property: The project is located in Tract No. 1 and No. 2 and is property owned by the City of Pueblo (see attached Deed). 7. Local Support: The City of Pueblo supports the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project. The "Family Interactive Area" has been an integral part of the overall plan and program since the beginning of the project. The City has approved resolutions endorsing the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project and this grant application (see attached Resolutions). 8. Maximum Grant: The total project is estimated to cost $215,000. The grant request is for $150,000. 9. Project Period: The design of the "Family Interactive Area" is currently being developed at this time. Once the grant is awarded the construction drawings will be finalized. The project is expected to begin in the summer of 1997 and will be completed in a 12 month period (within 18 months from the signed agreement between GOCO and the City of Pueblo). 2 II. SELECTION CRITERIA: A. Characteristics 1. Quality of Project: The "Family Interactive Area" will be a urban discovery play park with a water theme focus. In this unique urban setting, the park will be about water, not a "water park ". The park will have both passive and active areas providing a wide range of family activities. The park will demonstrate the nature of water, how it is supplied, how it is used through development, how it is treated for pollution, and the rediscovery / rehabilitation of waters. This urban park will be located in the central area of HARP which is the celebrating the rebirth of the Arkansas River within the historic channel. The project area is highlighted with an open body of water separating the commercial area from the proposed "Family Interactive Area ". The park will be located directly across from the core development area on the other side of the historic Arkansas River channel. The park will be approximately V2 acre in size and consist of several typical and unique park enhancements, such as: irrigated lawn areas, plant materials, discovery play nodes, water interactive and educational nodes, discovery pathways (ADA accessible), site amenities including - drinking fountains, security lighting for pathways and interpretative nodes, seating areas, informational kiosks and environmental educational signage. The "Family Interactive Area" is identified in the attached HARP Program Plan as item no. 35. The trail system shown adjacent to the project area is currently being funded by a Legacy Grant received recently from Great Outdoors Colorado. Items such as the access tower, restroom, art nodes and water features that are shown within the project area on the Program Plan are being funded from private or other sources and are not apart of this grant application. The design of the project is currently in the thematic planning stage and will be formalize over the next 6 months. 2. Need /Degree to which the need is satisfied: The "Family Interactive Area" will focus on satisfying a major need which the community has demonstrated through public workshops and comments. The need is for more public open space within HARP that is not associated with the commercial development. By providing this urban discovery play park, it will provide the needed open space separating HARP's commercial development from the surrounding Historic Union Business District. The public feels this is a vital urban park project that will maintain the open space concept associated with the rediscovery of historic Arkansas River. There are no other urban park facilities located within the entire downtown area. The nearest park facilities are located over a mile away and include a baseball complex (Runyon Baseball Facility) and a wildlife area (Runyon Lake). These facilities are oriented towards other specific users. The "Family Interactive Area" project within HARP will create special and unique opportunities for this urban area. The project will demonstrate the dynamic and resiliency of the river within an urban context; it will provide a opportunity for the public to learn about the environment and natural resources; and enhance the region's appreciation and stewardship of our water resources. The restoration and interpretation of this regionally significant resource will not only re- establish a long lost historic context, but with this project, it will provide a recreational enjoyment for individuals from the City, Region, and State. There a number of newspaper articles and support letters reflecting the importance of the project (see attached). It is very important the funds to build the "Family Interactive Area" be secured at this time due to phase one of the construction for HARP is currently underway. First Phase of construction is the infrastructure improvements and is scheduled for completion by the end of 1997. The second phase of construction will consist of surface/ finishing improvements, therefore it is important that the funding be obtained in order to time the construction of the project with the surrounding improvements. 3. Multiple Objectives: The project will accommodate individuals of all ages and income groups with a variety of both active and passive recreational needs. The project will be used by K -16 schools, tourist, a variety of recreational users, and families from around the region and state. Currently, there are no other urban parks within the immediate area. Along with HARP, the project will provide direct benefits to the access disadvantaged. The project will be ADA accessible and will have appropriate signage and information displays. It will provide a recreational opportunity to an under - served and /or diverse disadvantage minority population by providing access to Rock Canyon Swim Beach and the other facilities at Lake Pueblo, the University of Southern Colorado, several business districts, and residential areas. The project will meet the specific and practical needs of the under - served populations in two significant ways. First, it is owned by the City and will be free. It will be available without charge to all populations within the entire region. Second, it is easily accessible via both the automobile and trail system. HARP is located adjacent to and easily accessible to a number of urban neighborhoods encompassing under - served schools, senior housing, and employment centers. 4. Relationship to Plan: The Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project has long been a dream, vision, and objective of the Pueblo community. Planning for the project began in the early 1990's and has included project feasibility studies, public goals and objectives, program plan development, environmental suitability, schematic plan development and design development. Various local, regional, and statewide plans and policies have identified the need for each of the trail, river greenways and environmental education components incorporated within the HARP plan (see attached matrix). Since the beginning of the program development of HARP, the 4 "Family Interactive Area" has played a significant role in satisfying a urban park need to the downtown area of Pueblo. HARP is a critical missing linkage needed to join downtown area to other framework plan anchors. HARP will accomplish this through the extension of the River Trail System into the downtown area by restoring the Historic Arkansas River chanel. It will provide a vital trail linkage adjoining the "Family Interactive Area" with other regional facilities as depicted in the attached Framework Plan. HARP has been identified as an important area to the Pueblo community in a recent planning document titled Pueblo Intimated Resource Management and Conservation Plan "River Corridors and their Environs" 1996. It has also been identified in a the initial draft of a plan titled the Strategic Natural Resource and Environmental Education Plan for the Pueblo Region as a significant location for a central information center exhibiting the regions natural resources and environmental education facilities, programs, and plans (the plan will be completed 12/96). Both of these plans have been funded by Great Outdoors Colorado planning grants. The Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program 1992 -1997, Updated in 1995, discusses the need of parks and open spaces for this area (see attached). The greatest evidence of Pueblo's commitment to building this project is the 1995 November local election where Puebloans voted to commit 12.8 million dollars to the construction of HARP. The City conducted a number of public meetings to determine the importance and need for this project prior to placing the issue on the election ballot. There are no state or federal permits necessary to complete the "Family Interactive Area ". 5. Accessibility: The "Family Interactive Area" will be free to the public and is centrally located in the City of Pueblo. It will be connected to 25 miles of river trail system linking Lake Pueblo and the University of Southern Colorado to the downtown area and HARP. The river trail system is used by a number of diverse users, including; walkers, joggers, bicyclists, roller bladers, naturalist, student education curriculums and nature center programs. There will be a bus and trolley stop located at HARP. The project is located approximately 2 blocks from the new Public Transportation Center for Pueblo. HARP will also be designed to serve as a regional trailhead facility with direct access to I -25. The Pueblo River Trail System currently attracts users from both the Region and the State. The Pueblo Convention and Visitors Bureau, through actual visitor counts for major local area attractions, including the Lake Pueblo State Park estimates that approximately 2.5 million people visit the Pueblo region annually. This number does not include visitors to the State Fair Grounds attending off season events. When looking at the geographical distribution of these visitors, approximately 60% come from an area outside Pueblo County, 30% from within Pueblo County, and 10% from outside the State of Colorado. These are all potential beneficiaries from HARP. Pueblo also serves as the regional center for Southeastern Colorado. 5 B. Leveraging and Partnerships 1. Matching Funds: Approximately 80% of HA.RP's overall costs will be funded by the City of Pueblo. The City is committed to providing $12,850,000 in funds generated by the sale of limited tax general obligations bonds for the construction of the entire HARP project. From those bond funds, $65,000 will be used as matching funds to the $150,000 grant request for the "Family Interactive Area" enhancement to HARP. In -kind services will also be provided by the City through various means, such as the design, engineering, bidding, surveying, acquisition of needed land parcels, project management, construction inspection, and maintenance. The City is also in the process of pursuing several different grants sources to enhance other vital areas in HARP. 2. Support: Private partners included in the planning and publicity of the project include: WestPlains Energy, Public Service Company of Colorado, TCI Cablevision, Colorado National Bank, Centennial Bank of Blende, Minnequa Bank, Norwest Bank, Pueblo Bank and Trust, Noodles Restaurant. The HARP Foundation is also a partner and has been legally created under statutes of the State of Colorado and has received its 501c3 tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. At any one time, over 100 private citizens are also working on this project, either through the HARP Commission or as one of the Commission's five subcommittees. (See attached HARP Commission Organizational Chart). 3. Cooperation: HARP has approximately twenty -one partners including ten public agencies and the eleven private organizations (listed in the above section). The City of Pueblo's public partners for HARP include: Pueblo County, Pueblo Conservancy District, and the Board of Water Works. In order to formalize their commitment and participation, these public partners have entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement (see attached). Each of the partners are contributing matching cash and in -kind services towards HARP and the "Family Interactive Area ". These partners have joined together not only to develop the project but to also manage the resource. School District No's. 60 and 70 have joined as partners will contribute staff time to the development of the environmental education programs. The Division of Wildlife and the Colorado State Parks have joined as partners because of their ongoing interest in the development of the additional wildlife and recreational opportunities along the Arkansas River between Lake Pueblo and downtown Pueblo. Great Outdoors Colorado has also became a partner recently through their Legacy Program by awarding the City a one million dollar grant to assist in funding wildlife habitat improvements at the southeast end of HARP, landscape improvements around Lake Elizabeth at the northwest end of HARP, and a trail system connecting the two areas. Another State partner includes the University of Southern Colorado who's involvement is through the Pueblo Greenway and Nature Center. The federal government, through the National Park Service, has joined as a partner in planning for trail development linking HARP to the River Trail System. 7 ATTACHMENTS • Budget summary for the City of Pueblo's Parks Department • Property Deed Showing Ownership • City of Pueblo's Resolution endorsing HARP • City of Pueblo's Resolution approving the submittal of this grant application to GOCO • HARP's Program Plan dated 8/16/96 (This plan is used to show Project Area) • Newspaper Articles • Support Letters Matrix - Consistency with Local /Regional Government, State, and Federal Agency Plans and Policies Summary Matrix • Pueblo River Greenway Framework Plan • Supporting Plans: Pueblo Integrated Resource Management and Conservation Plan - "River Corridors and their Environs" 1996 Initial Draft of the Strategic Natural Resources and Environmental Education Plan for the Pueblo Region The Urban Park and Recreation Recover�Program 1992 -1997, Updated in 1995 • HARP Commission Organizational Chart • Intergovernmental Agreement between partners • Project Budget • Project Timeline • Context Map (surrounding uses) C I T Y O F P U E B L O - A N N U A L B U D G E T BUDGET CODE FUNCTION ACTIVITY DEPARTMENT HEAD FUND PAGE 0151 - 0159 PARKS DEPARTMENT SUMMARY RICH ZAJAC 001 - GENERAL FUND _ 87 1993 1994 1995 1996 - BUDGET SUMMARY BY ACTIVITY: ACTUAL ACTUAL BUDGET DEPT MANAGER COUNCIL EXPEND EXPEND REQUEST RECOMMEND APPROVED 0151 ADMINISTRATION 173,754 171,307 184,392 216,774 194,821 194,821 0152 PARK AREAS SOUTH 744,060 747,154 814,627 1,097,740 902,449 902,449 0153 RECREATION 478,186 469,838 628,457 852,280 618,227 618,227 0154 PARK AREAS NORTH 631,043 649,526 689,316 1,016,540 765,235 765,235 0157 FOUNTAIN CENTER 72,756 55,408 73,208 182,188 78,368 78,368 0159 JOSEPH EDWARD SENIOR CTR 66,992 -0- -0- -0- -0- -0- TOTAL 2,166,791 2,093,233 2,390,000 3,365,522 2,559,100 2,559,100