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).
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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.
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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.
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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