Business, Arts, Workforce, & Aeronautical Services Committee - Regular Meeting

Welcome back to this monthly meeting of the Parks Arts and Culture Committee of Denver City Council. Join us in the Parks Arts and Culture Committee starting now.

Hi. Good morning. Thank you for joining us this morning at Parks Art and Culture Committee, the best committee on this beautiful Tuesday morning. And I will my name is Flora Alvidrez. I'm the chair of Parks Arts and Culture Committee, and we can start today by introducing the council members. I'll start with my co chair to my right.

Vice chair. Vice chair. Hey, Denver. Chris Hines. Denver's perfect tech.

Chantel Lewis, District 8.

Darryl Watson, fine, District 9.

Diana Romero Campbell, Southeast Denver, District 4.

Really excited to hear from parks today. So, Jesus, you wanna take it away and introduce your team?

For sure. Good morning, council members. Arante, community engagement specialist with Parks and Recreation. We have several items that we will be presenting to you today. We will start with 19 on call contracts for design landscape work. My colleague is here. I'll have them introduce themselves, then we will get right into the presentation.

Thank you. I'm Jessica Anderson, the

urban ecology supervisor with Denver Parks And Recreation. Good morning, everyone. I am Kristen Beard, design construction supervisor with Parks and Recreation.

So as I mentioned, we we have 19 on call contracts that will be presented as an action item. In addition, we will be presenting 10 ecology contracts to you all. Those are running about a week behind, and so we wanna make sure to be able to present them. Those are not on action. So those you will not be voting on today. Today for the agenda, we will be talking about on calls, what how we use them, the reason that that they're a good thing, and we will provide some background on these contracts and how they will work.

I will be kicking off the purpose and the use of our on call contracts in relate in relation to the design and construction or the landscape architecture and related design services. You know, some of the benefits on our on call contracts, it provides a list of consultants that are preapproved with experience and knowledge of the DPR standards and park focused design teams. It condenses timelines and provides more efficient pro project starts. It produces procurement or reduces procurement timelines in supportive of all small business and reduces proposal generation. We also encumber funds on a ongoing and as needed basis.

Also, our selection process is very competitive. It follows the formal RFP process, and it's public public issued through BIDNET. We also have selection committees consisting of at least five internal subject matter experts. And it does follow the selection rating criteria and evaluations. And I think that is it.

Utilizing on calls through mini bid processes, we have a procurement committee set up within the planning design and construction teams. It's a group of internal management level subject matter experts that review scope, details, and scale of the project to ensure that we provide equitable opportunities for all firms to propose on projects. So the committee actively monitors workloads across all firms, provides oversight without slowing delivery processes, and prevents disproportionate allocation to one consultant. So we wanna just make sure that we're being very equitable as we're distributing all the work among all of the on call consultants. As funding is available, projects are approved, they're presented to a select group of consultant firms.

And, you know, we we do have a formal bid process for three or more firms if the anticipated budget is a $150,000 or more. Next one. Okay. The on call contracts are that are being presented today. We have 19 total contracts for the on call landscape architecture planning design and related services contract.

They'll be utilized for citywide and specific site specific vision planning, community engagement, and parks and trails design. And then also, Jessica will be providing more information on the future council consideration.

Yes. Thank you. So as Jesus mentioned, our ecological contracts are about a week or so behind, so they are not an action item today. But we wanted to present to give you the full picture of these services. The RFPs went out at about the same time.

So this is for our restoration ecological and technical services contract, contract, which will utilize we will utilize citywide and for site specific ecological restoration, our landscape transformation program. So removing bluegrass and replacing with native landscapes, our natural resource inventory and analysis projects, monitoring, natural resource planning and design, aquatic resource management, wildlife management, and some environmental site assessment and remediation projects. So I'll continue to present those first, first, and then I'll hand it back to Kristen with the action item today. So our restoration contracts, we received 19 proposals when we put this out to RFP through BidNet, and we've selected 10 firms. Five of those firms are new to this on call contract list with the city.

Each contract has a maximum capacity of $3,000,000 over a four year period with the option for one year extension. This is the exact same capacity and number of firms as our previous restoration on call list that was issued in 2022. This list does not have a specific DISBO goal due to the specialized specialized expertise and limited firms in the region that provide these types of services. However, many of these firms do meet MEBYWEBI and small business enterprise requirements or have sub consultants that do. So while they don't have the goal, they're still doing a lot for our small business community.

And our 10 selected firms include Alotera Restoration Services, Biohabitats, Elite Industries, ERO Resources, Resources, GEI GEI Consultants, Consultants, HMI, HMI, Land Tech Contractors, Matrix Design Group, Marigent, and Stand Tech Consultant Services. And the typical scope and service kind of example projects that this on call list of firms has performed in the past and likely will in the future include maintenance district specific weed management support contracts and site specific restoration scopes of work. This includes our habitat connectivity study that we are wrapping up now. We previously did a turf grass study throughout the city, and we have our landscape tape topology dataset. This group also performs some of our landscape transformation projects.

Some of the current ones include City Of Takayama Park in Cherry Creek, Roseman Park in South Denver, and our Quebec medians that I know you've all heard of. This list has also contributed to our Sloan's Lake environmental assessment. So working on lake management across the city and then habitat specific improvements such as the Duck Lake cormorant nest platforms at City Park and Prairie Dog and beaver management support throughout the city. And with that, I'll hand it back to Kristen to elaborate on the landscape architecture design contracts.

Thank you, Jessica. So for the on call landscape architecture design related services action item, we received 28 proposals and we have 19 consultant firms that are wanting to be selected. There are 14 consultants for the MWBE pool, and we also have five consultants for this specific SBE pool. Within those two pools, we have four new contractors that will be new to DPR. Within the MWBE group, it is a 2,500,000 contract capacity.

We also have a $1,500,000 contract capacity for the SBE pool. The larger capacities for the MWBE group are to deliver DPR capital program and bond projects. It is really set up to deliver higher work order order limits due to more impactful projects. And both pools will have a four year contract term with one year extension option. The selected consulting firms for the MWBE is Civitas, DHM Design Corporation, Dick Studios, Hoard Copland Mach, Livable City Studios, Matrix Design Group, Mundus Bishop, Norris Design, RBI, Planning Landscape Architecture, Sasaki Associates, Architecture, Stream Landscape Architecture, The Arcitera Group, Valerian, and Wink Associates.

For the SPE firms, it's End Dub Design, Flow Design Collaborative, Goodbee and Associates, Studio Campo, and Studio Super Bloom. In regards to the DS BO, the MWBE goal for all contracts for the main pool, each contract within this pool has a MWBE participation requirement of at least 20%. For the SPE, the small business enterprise, they have a SPE contractor self performance requirement of 30%. So the idea behind the SPE enterprise is to build the next generation for parks design and consultants. So we're really trying to make sure that they have the ability to be able to self perform and not needing to have to comply with the MWBE requirement.

This really helps bring them up into understanding park standards and being able to eventually, hopefully, become a MWBE. The scopes and services examples. We have system wide planning and park specific master planning efforts. We have design of new or renovating of existing parks and DPR assets such as courts, fields, playgrounds, picnic facilities, walkways, and associated landscapes and irrigation systems. Improvements and upgrades to system wide assets for regional trails, greenway systems, bridges, and medians.

It's also going to support mountain parks and natural areas improvements for trailheads and trails, roadways, parking, historic structures. It also will help support deferred maintenance and other repairs to parks and recreation facilities. So we are requesting for council approval for the 14 on call MWBE contracts for landscape architecture planning and design and related services, and also for five of the on call for the SBE contracts.

And then council member bridge, just one quick point of clarification. These will be skipping next week's mayor council. So if it is moved out committee, you will see them on the floor next Monday on the thirteenth is is when they would be on the floor. That's more due to the time sensitivity on these and making sure that we're able to transition any projects before our contracts are out. I will also say if we get to questions, I forgot to say that we do have other members of Denver Parks and Recreation here in case we are unable to to respond. We have our director of planning, design, construction, Gordon Robertson, and several from his team that that are here.

Great. Thank you so much. Wonderful. Well, we'll start with councilman Hines in the queue.

Thank you. And I agree this is my favorite committee currently

meeting. Dang.

And so you said there's some time sensitivity. Can you help explain what the time sensitivity is? Absolutely. I can

take that question. So our our

I'm sorry. Can I just interrupt for one second? I need to apologize to council president. He is online, and I forgot to acknowledge her and go to the council members online in the just wanted to acknowledge that. Go ahead.

No worries. Thank you, councilman. Just to answer that question in relation to the sensitivity of the timeliness of this, our existing on call contracts, they are expiring in June. And so we wanna make sure that our new existing or the new proposed contracts are executed and fully able to be used so there's no gap with producing and moving work forward for to support both our c CIP projects, legacy, and also the bond projects.

Got it. Thank you. The other kind of thanks to another agency, I have gotten a newfound bit of reservation on on call contracts that the on call amounts are at most 2 and a half million, or was there some that were 3,000,000? Yeah. So the the size of the contracts give me less pause than than, you know, if they were $30,000,000 or I don't know why I pulled that number out other than those are a lot of the amounts of dotty uncalled contracts.

Contracts. Yeah. But but I see as I as I mentioned to to another agency, the things that are operational in nature, like, we should mow the lawn until we, you know, replace bluegrass with native vegetation. We have to do, you know, a sprinkler repair and and whatnot. And so those items that are operational in nature, I don't have any concern with, you know, with on call contracts, but I see in slide five and and then again in one of the in slides that there you're also some of these contracts are for citywide and site specific vision planning.

Contracts that are kinda strategic in nature, there's one example, Congress Park had a public process to determine how to do some modification in Congress Park. The public process included some pickleball courts. And after the process wrapped up, there was a decision made not to do pickleball courts that wasn't, you know, part of the the public process. And so, hopefully, we stakeholder everything in our city because everyone, you know, at the table is funded by taxpayer dollars and and all the work that we do, including all the on call contracts are paid for with taxpayer dollars. And so we wanna make sure that we include the community.

So perhaps you could tell me a little bit more about what site wide and specific vision planning are are part of these on call contracts. And and I'm sorry, one other thing. By saying yes to on call contracts, city council is removing its own ability to to to weigh in on contracts that are over $500,000 or $500,000 and over. So that's, you know, if we're if we are voting to remove our our oversight, I'd like to understand a little bit more why. Thank you.

That's a great question. So for the site specific vision planning or citywide, you know, specific projects, that kind of more aligns with, for example, Park Hill framework planning. We knew that we needed to do kind of a overview, a framework, a vision plan of what is this new park going to be. So that that specific project and contract utilized our on calls for or one of the one of the on calls that's on on the current master on call list to produce that work. For other site specific vision planning, we're really understanding what other park projects that will be needing kind of, like, a more higher level vision plan.

I believe Hirshorn Park is one that's on the bond list as well that we are hoping to utilize the on calls to support that.

And would those be more than $500,000 in those vision plans anyway, or would they be, like, Park Hill Park, people said yes, not not trying to

Don't be shady.

No. No.

No. We

should get rid of that part. You know, that's we have a fair amount of bond.

We have a bunch

of bond funding for for Park Hill Park and but

Herschel Park,

I think, was the one you mentioned. Maybe maybe that vision process wouldn't be $500,000. I don't I don't know. You I'm I'm not as familiar with all the park system as probably parks is.

Yeah. We we anticipate that we would be able to utilize our on calls for those specific vision planning because we're hoping, we're envisioning, and anticipating that budget amount would be less than $500,000.

Okay. Alright. Thank you. Thank you, committee chair.

Thank you. We'll go next in the queue is councilman Lewis.

Oh, thank you so much. Councilman Hines got a few of my questions, but I I was curious. Do you all have a timeline of the projects? Like, if you have these this number of on call contracts, how you were going to be using the specific prod or the specific contracts for specific projects? So if it's CIP, if it's bond, what it might be for the on con on call call on call contracts.

Yeah. We we utilize the on calls to support, you know, a variation of, you know, funded driven projects. So it can be bond, CIP, legacy, and, really, those can run concurrently. So we often have two or three that are going out to request for a proposal for our design consultants to provide a proposal on. And so I think that the timing of it, we we kind of take them as they come up. Okay. And then as soon as our project managers and planners do have capacity to take more on as well.

So how do you arrive at the number of on call contracts that you all bring before council? Is it based on, like, a long term plan, the the parsing out of projects or time lining out of projects in order to determine, like, I need 19 on call contracts in order to be able to deal with the next six years?

Yes. Yep. Great great question. Yes. So our existing on calls that we have now, we have 13 on calls for the FWBE pool, and we have five for the SBE pool.

So we're only increasing it one extra firm, but we're also increasing the term a year longer and also acknowledging that we've the bond just also passed. And so we're also anticipating we're gonna get more projects through the bond and also through the CIP. So we're trying to kind of balance that. We did take into consideration how much of the capacity was used in this last on call. And we we had enough capacity to kind of gather or be able to support the additional projects that we anticipate for the next four years.

So if you add one, is it going to be enough capacity to support all of the bond projects moving forward? Yeah. Yeah.

Mhmm.

Okay. And then do each one of these on call contractors have subcontractors? I I just looked at Wink Correct. Only. Yes. And they had, like, nine listed. Is that pretty common for Yes. Okay. Yeah. Okay.

And the reason being is because they are landscape architecture prime. And so if we have specific community engagement consultants that were like, hey, we have a robust community group that we would want some additional support with, their sub consultants can be able to provide those services. Or if they have specialties in irrigation design or landscape transformations, things like that, we're able to have a robust team to take on the whole project.

Got it. And then restoration, is that like the part or the pool in Watson's district? Is that restoration? When you all mentioned restoration in your presentation, you say ecological restoration. Is that

So when I example. I was talking about restoration, I'm referring to ecological restoration. So landscape weed management, landscape restoration. Like Quebec? Like Quebec. Yes.

That's what

I'm okay.

Thank you. So so not structures, not traditional pool amenity restoration. That would be through our that could potentially be through the design construction on calls.

Mhmm. So the the last question is just about Quebec. When when do we fix that, the medians on Quebec?

It is still under establishment for the this summer. We still have establishment and maintenance funding with that contractor, so they are still doing weed management. These projects can take three to five years before they're fully established. So we continue to ask for patience as this looks more like our

It's just my constituents just don't share

that same joy with me. Thank you. Those are my only questions.

Thank you so much, councilwoman Lewis. Councilwoman Romero Campbell.

Thank you. Thank you, madam chair, and thank you for the presentation. You actually touched on a few of my questions, so that's great.

What did I ask?

I guess the finer point on the next tranche of projects, where would we see the projects that are coming up next? It's not just all bond projects. Is it in the strategic plan, or is there a way that we could see what is coming down the pike?

Great question. I believe that we do produce, like, a quarterly report on, like, how on calls and our current contracts are being utilized. And I am not sure, Jesus, I don't know if you have more information on when the last one was shared or when we're gonna be able to post the next.

So I think that might be two two separate questions. The report that we produce are for the on call capacity and what was used for the previous quarter. I think council member, if I'm understanding correctly, what you would like to see is a list of projects that will be used within the on call. Mhmm. Yeah.

So I don't know if there is a a full list. I know recently we were doing CIP briefings with all council members on projects that are ongoing for 2026 and what is being considered into 2027. I don't know if that's an exhaustive list of projects. That would be something that we could follow-up on and and make sure that, you know, if we have a list of those projects that are gonna be used, that we are able to provide that for you.

Okay. Great. That would be wonderful. I appreciate that. And then also would and my next part to that, specifically to my district. When you mentioned trails, there's a lot of work and a lot of, I think, momentum around the High Line Canal and just wanting to know if there would be additional connection or would a subcontractor be used to help design in collectors with, like, the High Line Conservancy and Arapahoe County, the High Line Canal?

I can take that question. Councilmember, good question. Right now, the current trail projects that are under design with Highline Canal Conservancy and Arapahoe County are going through our landscape architecture on calls. So the firm supporting that current design process is through these on calls. Okay.

Good. I wanna make I wanna make sure we're still moving forward with the Highline Canal, and I think that related to that, we also have you know, we just got put into stage one, you know, water restrictions or to drought. Are all of these on call contractors also taking into consideration? Like, is there are you going to expedite some of the water use? So if it's the landscape transformation, I mean, is there is there something else that's going hand in hand with the current drought that we are experiencing?

Yep. That's a great question. We do have a water conservation group that works directly with Denver Water. And so they are understanding kind of what our restrictions or limitations are, especially when we are proposing new projects. So there was discussion of potentially having a waiver kind of put in place just so we understand that we do get the support of full establishment for all of the the native conversions and and different landscapes that are gonna be put put in and installed for these projects. But, yeah, we we don't know all of the information, but we can definitely provide more once we know.

Okay. And then I think just more than anything, it's as these I know that I'm just thinking of the CIP conversation that we had specific to the projects. Some of them are trails. Some of it is, you know, playground restoration. And thank you for the tarp that did get put up, I think, in this last week at Hampton Heights Park.

That was big win. Just saying. Big win. So a shade tarp was this was a big deal. But I think that the what we're finding is is that there's a lot of trails, a lot of parks, a lot of the landscape transformation, the medians, all of those pieces are just really coming fast and furious in District 4. And so hopefully, of these projects or these subcontractors could be used to make sure that these projects come to completion. Fruition. How about that? Anyway, thank you. Thank you, madam chair.

Alright. Thank you for those questions. And I will say this is a topic we all hear a lot about as council members. People really appreciate the work that you do, and it's very important. Councilman Watson.

Thank you, committee chair. And I'm gonna start my question with giving you the answer that you're gonna provide me and insisting that you will parrot that back. So whether it's you, Jesus, or the director, the answer to my question is going to be yes, council member Watson. In the next thirty days, we'll put this in writing. So I'll ask the question.

Mister away. Smith of Curtis Park Pool, we've had a robust discussion over the last several years, and I applaud Parks and Rec staff and the consultants and everyone for the good work that you've done to make sure we've come to a conclusion that community has informed, community has led, and community has agreed to. For the record, can you, Jesus, or someone else from the team share that, yes, we are on track with Mestizo Curtis Park to begin implementing based on the last schedule that was provided. It's a little bit longer than the 2027 date within the bond. So someone I would love for someone to say that yes on Mike.

So Gordon, I'm looking at you with a side eye. So if it's someone's gonna stand up and say yes. So we're gonna wait. We're not gonna wait this meeting till

someone does. What what is the exact question?

The question is that we're gonna move on the current schedule for execution of Mestiza Curtis Park based on the schedule was that was last communicated. It won't be 2027, it'll be 2028. My question to you is, is that still a yes? You have to sit in the mic and introduce yourself.

Good morning. Gordon Robertson, director of Park Planning, Design and Construction. The answer is yes, Councilman Watson.

And the follow-up question to that is that we were looking at larger budget. We don't need to go into the specific numbers, but that larger budget also impacts for kind of the calculation for the arts and venues piece that follows this, which we're beginning discussions. Has that larger budget been solidified as to what that approximation is? And will we, in the next thirty days, be able to communicate that out in writing to community so we can begin the calculation clear calculation for arts and venue spending?

That work

is underway, council Watson.

So that's it. Yes?

Thirty days. Well, you give me a timeline.

We will get that information out to you as soon as we have it. It is being worked on. We do anticipate to have the full funding. Yep. Exactly where those dollars are coming from is maybe not yet been fully decided, but we will get that to you.

I'll let you squirm on that, but I wanna make sure we are clear because this has been robust, great community process. I wanna put a close on that and move to the next step. And this is related because it's bond related, so basing our presentation. Thank you, Gordon. Thank you. Jesus, the other questions.

Thank you, councilman Watson. Now I know all the outreach we've been needing in District 7. So that is something that I wanted to highlight. You know, there's been a few park projects. 1 Platte Park was a bond project, and Asperger And Park has been on the design list for a long time. There hasn't been any movement or outreach on what that design could look like. Could you let me know where we're at, when we can expect those projects to get started. And one of the quest yeah. We'll start there.

Good questions. I will start with Platt Park. So Platt Park was on the approved bond list. So we are working with the bond team strategizing what project manager is going to be taking that on and really solidifying those timelines. So hopefully, within the next couple weeks, more information will be presented to the council and community. It relates to Aspergan Park, that is one of the projects that is the next one to assign to one of our project managers. So we are working on getting that assigned in the next month or two.

Okay. Great. And then previously, with councilwoman Romero Campbell's question about the trail currently being worked on, you said that is part of these contracts. However, these contracts are not approved yet. So how is it being worked on but yet still part of these contracts?

We do have existing on call contracts that are currently executed. They do not expire until June. And so any new park project requests or work orders that are gonna be being able to utilize some of our consulting services, that will assume to be on this new on call.

Okay. So currently, if there is an assignment, it's off of those contracts. And that can go past June, right, one of the subcontracts under the on call contract?

Correct. Yep. And so we are working with our contracts team to understand the duration of how long the existing contracts that are on our on call currently can extend through. But those will continue until that

work is completed. Great. And I really do appreciate you speaking to the small business aspect and the minority women business enterprises. That's really important to see that we're uplifting, and I appreciate especially that there's new businesses that you're adding to the repertoire. I think that's also extremely important. And just to clarify, when we talk about these, it's 2,500,000.0 per contract and 1,500,000.0 per SBE contract. Yes. And those are subcontractors, or those are the primary contractors on these? Those are the primary contractors. Okay. Great. And so when we look at this dollar amount and how many years are these for? Four years? Four years. What these projects are only funded through the budget process.

Correct? So that's what they're capped at, not the dollar amount that we are seeing in front of us today. Correct. And and the funding sources for those, like you mentioned, are variety from some are bond funded, some may be general fund, and some may be special revenue fund. Is that the case? Correct. And you don't have any kind of breakdown of what that looks like because we really don't know. Right? Correct. Great. I appreciate that. For the RFP process, is that a 100% managed by DPR? Yes. Okay. I'm I just going through all the questions I were done, but you answered some while you were going through it.

So I appreciate that. For these contracts, are they designed and built, or is that a whole another RFP process that will have to come for the actual construction of the it's called landscaping, but I'm also curious, does it include playground design?

So the current on call that we're speaking of is for the landscape architecture design and related services. So the construction implementation, that's gonna be a different on call that will be presented closer to September.

Okay. So there's current on calls for construction then that are expiring when? In September. Okay. So you're coming right when they're expiring?

Well, a little bit before. We don't have the timeline set up yet. We're we're going to be issuing that out for public RFP in the next week or so, I believe. Okay. And then

the other question around the design, is this strictly plants when we talk about landscaping, or is it also playgrounds and anything else that a park

may need? To answer that question, yes. Sorry. I didn't answer it before. It covers all of the trails, plants, playgrounds, tennis courts, fields, anything that's more of the horizontal park

scope of work that we typically see. Great. And then you also mentioned maintenance districts. And so that should be funded by the maintenance district. So is this just a service we're providing to the maintenance district and then they then pay us for, or can you clarify that piece for me? Okay.

That might have came from my presentation on the restoration ecological on calls of I mentioned having district weed management contracts. So that provides support to our open space team and our operations team to make sure we're managing all statewide listed noxious weeds. So that means hiring contractors to help us do some of that management. Most of that comes out of the operating budget that each district has assigned.

That the maintenance district has assigned. Yes. Okay.

So it's it's supporting the maintenance of the parks.

And that money gets paid back to the city, or how does that work?

So it's it's our operating districts. So it's it's DPRs. Yes.

It's not like maintenance district or anything like that.

No. It it is the the the dollars that are specific to our operations. Mhmm. And then it is pulled from theirs depending on how much is needed be between them, so of the six districts.

And what I I would like to see a list, and you can send this after, of what the nauseous weeds that we are treating are. Just very curious around what that what that is. And you mentioned how much capacity was used previously. How much capacity of the previous tranche of these contracts was used?

We don't have that specific information as of yet.

We calling me. Yeah. I don't know if we will have the exact numbers, but we'll follow-up and and get you what what has been spent down on on the capacity for the previous on calls.

Great. And then lastly, I just wanna uplift. I had a similar question to councilwoman Diana Romero Campbell around, obviously, the drought conditions and how we're taking that into account when you think of landscaping. The first thing I think about how I'm landscaping my yard this year is gonna be different than how I've landscaped it in the past. And so I love to hear more follow on how we're thinking about integrating those drought conditions into some of this, even thinking about, for example, Asbury Park.

It's almost all grass. Probably not a great use of water. And how are we thinking of I know we're working on that on a on some level, but I think for, you know, my district just thinking about Houston Lake Park right now being completely empty, people are really upset about that. And then we have all of this grass. It's kinda not adding up at the moment, and it seems like something we need to urgently address rather than in the next ten years, we're gonna do better. So I just wanna continue to uplift that. So thank you for bringing that up, council member O'Kimmel. And that's all we have. So thank you so much for this work. Really excited. Do I have a motion to move these forward?

So moved.

Second. Moved by councilman Lewis, second by councilman Heinz. I'm not sure if you're on this committee, but any opposed? Out loud. Great. You. So we can go to the next presentation.

Thank you.

Love you.

Yes. Thank you, both. I

had to recheck.

Thank

you. And then I will be presenting on the Globeville Community Center lease agreement. I do wanna let you know that we do have Denver property and operation leadership here. We have our real estate director here in case there are any specific questions for real estate. The selected vendor, Denver Dream Center, is also here in case you all have any questions for them, And then a partner that they are working with to staff the community center, Global First, is also here in case you all have any questions for them or anything that we're unable to respond to as an agency.

So we are here to for council resolution twenty six zero four seven six, which is a use agreement between the city of Denver and Denver Dream Center for $90,000 and for three years to occupy and program the Globeville Recreation Center, the former Globeville Recreation Center, in Council District 9 at 4496 Grant Street. Denver Parks and Recreation operates 30 recreation centers throughout all the city. You are able to see through the map where those recreation centers are In that small little red square where I 70 and I 25 meet is where this Globeville recreation center is in the Globeville neighborhood. So just to give you some direction, there are quite a bit of recreation centers in that area, and this will be one that if this contract is approved will also be online to be used by community members. Some history in 2010 due to capacity, there were three recreation centers that were removed from management by Denver Parks and Recreation and were actually managed by a third party, so separate vendors.

Since then, two of these recreation centers have come back. Two operations through Denver Parks and Recreation, that's Johnson in North Of I 70 in Globeville, and then in Far Southwest Denver, have College View. Those are now back online, and they've been for several different years. GloVille has maintained as a recreation center that we have programmed through a third party. It is also important to note that the agreement that was with the previous vendor ended in the 2025, and so that's why we started this RFP process.

The RFP process, we had used the 2017 RFP as a basis for this current one. That one had a lot of community input in it, and so we wanted to make sure that that was moved on and still used for this RFP to make sure that there was still community insight into what how the center would be programmed and what vendor we would be looking at. You could see how the RFP was written. One of the most important aspects for this RFP was access and utilization of the center, making sure that it's open for community members to be able to go in and use it, offering a wide variety of programs that everyone could use. The actual RFP was published on July 1.

Similarly, it was publicly available through our BidNet process. The it closed on 08/28/2025. There were three responses, and those responses were were scored by council staff that included recreation directors and administrative staff looking at those and scoring them on the criteria written by the RFP. The selected vendor is Denver Dream Center. They are a local nonprofit that has fifteen years of experience doing high impact work in all ages, abilities, and backgrounds throughout out Denver.

Their current headquarters is in the 5 Point in the 5 Points neighborhood. They're really good about offering wraparound services to address immediate needs and also work with people for long term needs. Annually, they serve about 50,000 people through their programming and have served 1,000,000 meals since 2018. They're really community centric, have a lot of strong partnerships both with very high level entities and very grassroots. And as I had mentioned earlier, one of the potential partners that's really focused in the Cloverdale neighborhood is here as they are working together to be able to program this recreation center to meet the needs of that neighborhood.

The actual agreements of the term, so the center will that they will have access to the center for three years. There is a rent payment that that they will be paying to the city. You could see the amounts. In total, it comes out to $90,000 for the the three years. They did put an escalator every year adding some additional rent that that they will be paying.

During their proposal, at their proposal they had about ninety five hours of programming available at that recreation center. That's a lot of hours. That is comparable to some of our regional recreation centers as far as programming. Additionally to the extensive hours that they have during the week, they will they are open seven days a week with extended hours on weekends to make sure that you have a place to be on Fridays and Saturday nights. And, of course, the programming that they are offering is really meant to utilize the the space for a number of things.

Right? So they really laid out programming almost hour by hour from 7AM to to when they're open to closure, some nights at 8PM, others at ten. So they really have laid out how they're gonna program the space to make it accessible for all in this neighborhood. As you can see, they really focus on the youth adult in senior programming or active older adults as we we say in Denver Parks and Recreation. You can see that they really try to focus on what is needed for those groups.

And they plan it throughout the day so that the center is constantly having people come in and out, families are able to enjoy. And so they're really programming the space for everyone in the community with the type of programs that that they're having. I'll leave this slide here for a bit since I know there's quite a bit of information for for everything that that they are offering. Our staff, since the tenant move out, has been hard at work to get the rec the community center back up to a standard where we could bring in a new tenant. We are confident that the center is is now ready.

If this agreement is to be approved, Denver Dream Center is ready to move in. We have the the space ready to have a tenant move in. You could see some of the pictures and some of the work that that they did. The previous tenant did leave it in in good condition, but there were things that would needed to be improved to make sure that that those improvements are something that the new tenant did not have to take care of. Finally, we're here for approval of council resolution zero four seven one for the use of Globeville, the former Globeville Recreation Center on an agreement with the city and county of Denver and Denver Dream Center for $90,000 and three years a three year term.

And with that, we will take any questions.

Thank you so much, Jesus.

No

problem. We will start with fine District 9. Come on now. Councilman Watson.

Thank you so much, committee chair. Thank you so much, Jesus and DPR staff. I know this has been a lengthy ongoing discussion with community and with some freight ends, quite frankly, community members with some concerns about the contracting process, the community process before. I know Jesus that you participated in the RFP process. Can you describe why the the community informed process that that was done in 2017 was not duplicated during this process? What was kind of the thinking within DPR for simply leveraging the outcomes but not duplicating the steps that we're taking in 2017.

So as I mentioned, we did use that as a basis. Also, we felt comfortable since this was not something new that that was taking place, it was something that we had previously done and move forward. I think if it was gonna be a completely new process similar to some of our other previous recreation centers that I had mentioned in Johnson and College View, we would have done a more robust more robust community engagement process. But because this was something of a continuing programming, we we decided to keep it because we don't know we we don't know who is gonna apply. Right?

It could have been that simply the previous vendor would have applied, and so they are already meeting what the community is asking for. In this particular RFP, as it progressed, we did have different applications that need to be scored, And so that's why, because it wasn't a new process. It was a continuing process, and, you know, we didn't know who was gonna apply. So we were really using that basis of the community input that we had received previously.

And and I would say as the council member for that neighborhood, the council member for District 9, not having this same process as 2017 created what felt from community. And as they've communicated very clearly to me, that that was a miss. There was an opportunity because it was a robust and very contentious community process back in 2017 to begin with to for DPR to not take that step, I think we could have reduced a lot of the questions community members have if they were informed and part of the RFP process, process, and we've done this throughout different projects within Global. And so I consider that to have been a mess, and I'm sure that with you, Jesus, shared up with the director. I'm gonna ask on director Clark, I have a question for you.

If this is to move to the floor and if this is to be approved, this contract, three year contract, are you and DPR able to commit? Because this is a three year contract that within kind of the horizon of this contract, I'm gonna throw out a timeline because I have no idea what your review timeline is. Let's say within one point five years, within the first year or closer to the second year. Before you begin another RFP process after the third year, would you you and DPR commit that you would engage with a similar community informed process as you did in 2017 and not just simply derive data from this experience that you've just had.

Thank you, counsel. Joel McLart, executive director, Denver Parks and Recreation. And and, yeah, thank you for that feedback. I think that the team was well intentioned and and followed the process that we have in terms of are we pivoting as the RFP already been set by community for continuation of service even if the RFP never dictates who the provider is. And so I think that was all well intentioned but hear you loud and clear and we'd be happy to commit to over the course of this term looking at what that process looks like with community, like we did more similar to 'seventeen for the next renewal period. And I think that would also give us the opportunity to say what has changed since 2017 is does the community want different stuff in that RFP versus a continuation of that RFP itself. Okay.

Thank you, director Clark. Committee chair, I've got three more questions. I don't wanna monopolize. May I ask those questions? Alright. So the first curiosity wasn't fully described. And since you're here, director Clark, I'll ask. And obviously, Jesus, please jump in. There are three centers that were third party managed led. There's only one left, GloVille rec center. Why is that? Why is Globeville Rec Center the only remaining out of the initial three in which this program began?

Yeah. I think John might be better able to answer that question over the years. What's happened, I think it's different in each case. When I was in the 6,000 seat, I was more closely involved with College View. That was something the community had asked for years was for it to come back in.

Where that had pivoted in terms of what was being provided was away from youth sports and away from some of those things that the community wanted back. And so that was a conversation as budget had evolved from when that decision was made about what was being offered, who was able to offer that, and was the department best situated again to do that. But it was a totally different conversation, I believe, at at Johnson and at College View and at Globeville in terms of what the community wants are and is it truly a traditional recreation center. Are there other recreation centers nearby? We also have a uniqueness in this area with the number of these centers that in close proximity versus some of those other places that also dictates that, and some of those more community center uses versus recreation center uses.

And that's helpful. I know John has some detail, I don't know if I I I wanna go that deep. My question is specific. It's my understanding that the global rec center is actually a dedicated space and dedicated land to parks. Can you explain that? Is the the center itself dedicated as a a park use or if you are I see Lisa is here as well. Can describe what the the the actual space is?

That's an interesting situation similar maybe to Carl Madison rec center a little bit in that there isn't really a park. Carlsbadison has a little bit of a dog park adjacent, but it's really a stand alone center. But the land underneath it is designated parkland. So that part that is something that stays with DPR unless there is a vote of the people to remove it. And so the the that is where we have to first exhaust, you know, kind of that, does the department have the bandwidth, the ability, and the demand for it to be run by us? And if not, then we can open up to community uses on designated parkland, but the but the land itself and the center itself couldn't be sold because the the land underneath it is a designated park.

This as remains with Denver Parks and Rec, and this cannot this building cannot be removed. Correct. Because it's The the building itself, I mean,

I guess you could demolish the building and just have a park there, but you couldn't say, hey, turn the community center over to a to a community operator or or to a private party without going through a vote of the people.

Alright. I have a question for Dream Center and then also for Global First, then I'll stop and go back into the queue to see what my colleague's questions are. So for the Dream Center, pastor B, do you mind coming up? You'll speak in the mic here. Introduce yourself. Can you introduce the Dream Center? And then one specific thing that I want you to highlight as well. I've had community questions, and since your work

that you

do in community is actually it's rooted in a religious belief in Christianity. Just wanna, you know, communicate who you are, what Dream Center is, and how do you work in community, and what impacts, if any, based on kind of your faith traditions, how that impacts the work that you are.

Yes. I'm pastor Mead, the founder and director of the Denver Dream Center. We've been here in Denver now for twentieth years. Dream Center has been around for fourteen years, going on fifteen years of being a nonprofit. Yeah. I mean, it's it's faith based at the root of it, but we're similar to, like, you would say, Volunteers of America, Red Cross, but we're community based. So all the programs we run, whether it's reentry, recovery, community, parks, sports camps, after school. We work with Denver public schools, Denver parks and rec, department of corrections. We focus on the virtues piece. So a rec center is all about sports activities, program opportunities.

We have a separate faith piece that we do in partnership with churches and local faith communities, but the heart of what we do is based on serving the community.

Okay. And we may have follow-up questions, that that's specific. I know that the RFP listed out the the types of efforts within the center, I'll see if we have questions on that and maybe call you back. Did I wanna have a quick question with Becky and with Milo from Global First. If you both don't mind coming up, you can stand at the mic here. Would love for you to introduce yourselves, full names, share a little bit about what Global First is and kind of where you're seeing your coordination with Dream Center as far as providing support to the Global community.

Okay. Milo Valdez, lifetime community member, multigenerational community member, president of Global First. This is

Hi. I'm Rebecca Trejo, long time Sorry

for saying

Becky. Sorry. That's what I

call you. She was not

respectful. Got away with calling me that.

Sorry. So I'll call you Rebecca. Sorry.

Long time multigenerational resident and also on the board for Global First.

Share a little bit as to who Global First is and what is the collaboration you're looking for within the community center.

Okay. So GloVeil First is a nonprofit organization. Being that we're from GloVeil, we grew up there our whole lives. We really try to focus on the needs of the community. So we don't necessarily have programs that the community has to come in and be a part of. We tailor make our programming and our resources to what the community needs by knowing them personally. We help a lot of our elders with lighting in their yards so they can see while they're walking. We do rails for them in their restrooms or bedrooms. We help on a number of different things in the community. We've helped some of our members buy clothes in the winter, you know, clothes to stay warm.

So we really try to focus what we do community based and community oriented to serve the needs of the community as they come up because, I mean, they change continuously. As far as the relationship with the Dream Center, we're under the understanding that we'll be providing community space and to do community programming events and also get a chance to even learn from some of the resources they provide, you know, coming in, but more so to have meetings and how make sure that the community has a voice inside of that rec center like it has for many years. Me personally, backstory coming up, Boogie Mondragon had had the rec center open from the eighties to the early nineties. We were in there wrestling, playing all kinds of sports, you know, basketball or soccer. It was closed right around, I wanna say, maybe '93, '94.

And a lot of us in there were kinda kicked out of the rec center, turned to the streets, had to go through some of the hardships of doing that, the hard knocks. It was actually given to the fire department, I wanna say, in the early to mid nineties to where a lot of us didn't have anywhere to go for sports or programming or anything like that. So we actually sat outside while the firefighters played inside. So we know what it's like to have an outside organization come in and occupy the space that really should be for the kids. And, I mean, not just the kids, you know, for the seniors, for young young adults, and and the kids as well.

So we think that it's just important and vital and where our agreement comes in is the understanding that we will have space in the rec center. We will be able to do programming in the rec center, have events, have community meetings, and make sure that that tradition, that boogie and a lot of the community members and leaders from before gets passed on with us still having a space instead of watching outside organization come in and we're kinda begging for space or watching us not even have space while they utilize the space. So that's really the agreement that we're under and understanding that we're under that that's that's gonna be provided by the Dream Center occupying the space, and we look forward to, you know, exercising that with Brian and the Dream Center and utilizing the space like it was when I was a kid. Previous organizations had programming, and this isn't a shot at anyone, but it was to selective audience. And if you don't fall within those programming guidelines, it wasn't open to the community at all.

And we really wanted it. We wanted to be a community rec center. The Globeville Community Rec Center just like it was growing up, a place for the kids to go, you know, adults to go, seniors to go when issues are coming up in the neighborhood that they'd like to address and for us to, you quote on the continuing changes and and address issues coming up in the neighborhood as well.

And and Rebecca, any final thoughts that that you may have?

No. Not really. I wasn't expecting expecting to speak, but

I I know Rebecca and Milo. I appreciate you all. Thank you so much for sharing. I'm gonna hit on bird seed, but I'm gonna turn it

back because I know we have

a queue. I would love to hear your thoughts on the bird seed transition and also the access of the groups that were using the center now for three months. They have not been able to get into the center. So I'll stop here, committee chair, and I'll come back in the queue.

Do you wanna oh, okay.

I was gonna see if anyone else was in the queue.

I think there are a couple people in

the come back. Yeah.

Chance. Councilman is here.

I don't know the answers to the question. I'll ask it. I have a I have a few questions for you, and I'm glad you're here, director Clark. So with Berkeley Collective, my understanding is that CASR that they were on the list for CASR for the promotoras, and they are trusted partners in climate education and outreach. And so I'm just curious how you all considered that as a factor in your selection of the Dream Center with the absence of that expertise.

I don't know if you can speak to what was in the again, we were working off the RFP that came from the community process in 2017 for what should be in this center. That doesn't mean that this will serve every single need for everyone in the community, but I I I'm not sure that their cast the CASLR program was specifically part of the RFP on what our team was reviewing.

No. It wasn't. It was really more about the utilization of the recreation center and making sure that there was programming for for the community. There was a part of the RFP that talked about partnerships. It's, you know, in the in the proposals, they may have spoken about their relationship and what they're working with CASR, that would only be one aspect of all the different criteria that were being scored.

What were the criteria for the scoring?

I don't have that off the top of my head, but that's something we could definitely get for you on what the RFP said and where where the scoring would be.

Okay. Earlier, you mentioned that this was a continuing program, and I'm not sure I understood what you meant by continuing program. What it can you explain that a bit for me?

That we were not gonna stop the programming, that we felt it would be very similar programming. So from what was being done since 2017 Mhmm. We were not gonna go to what director Clark was saying, in a completely different direction, right, where we were gonna change.

Yeah. I think the RFP sets the table for what are we looking for, and that was what was built with community in 2017. It does not say it has to be specifically this vendor by design. Right? The RFP says this is what we want, who all is interested in that, who can provide it, and it's up to those organizations to say, hey, we can we can meet that RFP in the following ways.

So generally, if we were gonna switch that RFP and completely pivot in a different direction and say, hey, actually, there's now a need for something totally different at that center. New RFP means new programming in there that is is just a total departure. That's when we would go circle back with community to say, hey, what do you need? What we're hearing is the reason we think we're needing to pivot that whole RFP. But if the RFP stays the same, we're still looking for the same kind of programming, the same stuff the communities wanted, but it may be that different vendors have a different capacity than they did in in 2017 to step up and provide those, and that the RFP remains the same.

That is when we generally don't go back and include community in that because we're still it's a continuation of that, of what they created in that RFP. Does that make sense? So it's not about there's a individual vendors who are providing programming, but it is about the programmatic approach to what's happening in the center didn't change in that.

No. That that does make sense. It actually brings up two additional questions for me is what was the process in terms of community to build out that RFP, and what is different that the bird seat wasn't bringing to the table that the Dream Center brings to the table in terms of that programming?

Don't know if you wanna talk about the 2017 process. Yeah. I think that's

John would be would be much more knowledgeable.

Good afternoon or good morning, everyone. John Martinez, the deputy executive director. Not quite sure the the question. So in 2017, we did that robust RFP community engagement process because we there was a gap in service in that community. And so we felt it was necessary to bring the community together. So I I made the decision not to go back out to do a robust community. So I take full responsibility for that. Did we miss the mark? Probably. But as Jesus said, we wanted to have that continuation of program like a traditional rec center.

That's what we're looking for. So what Birdsea was providing was arts and cultures and food. What Denver Dream Center is bringing is bringing that plus ninety plus hours of programming, youth sports, partnering with Global First. So it's a different approach.

But not an approach that the community asked for, the one that you made a decision about in absence of community, sounds like.

So we used the 2017 information for that. Again, did we miss the mark to go back out to community? Absolutely. And we're committed to doing this, you know, a year and a half into this new contract, going back out and doing robust. But

at

the time, we didn't feel there was a need to shift from what the current RFP was.

And again, the the the RFP in 2017 and today both called for that recreational component. In 2017, there wasn't a provider who bid on it who was able to provide all of that. Was this time. And again, just the total number of hours that the center will be open, that somebody from the community can go in, is very expanded. We have a partner in the Dream Center who, again, is bringing in other community partners to provide that full spectrum that was originally envisioned in that RFP that wasn't fully realized.

So it's that same RFP, but when you don't have as many people bidding, you might not get everything out of that RFP. In 2017, BirdSeed was selected as getting the most of those things. But this time, with three different, bids coming in, DreamCenter was selected as being able to provide the most of those things from that RFP of any of the bidders.

Intellectually, I understand. And I think, philosophically, I think there's just a difference in terms of you all saying that you did a community engagement process and then the RFP was then drafted from the back from community. But it sounds like you all didn't have conversations with community that you did to community, and then you ask community, hey. Please love this thing that we are now we are now giving you, which typically happens with black and brown communities, low income communities, that you just tell them what you're going to do, and you don't bring them to the table and ask them what is it that you will actually need.

And, again, that that conversation about what do you need was built into that RFP. That is the same RFP. We have we have now vendors who are able to deliver on a fuller scope of that RFP, which is what the community asked for.

So let me ask a different question and maybe specifically to you. How do you atone for that? You meant you said you missed the mark. So how do you atone for that for the GES community?

So I'm I'm personally from GES community, so I I I

It's great. So you'll know exactly how to answer that.

Yeah. And and, again, when we went out in 2017, we did a very robust community engagement, and the communities was loud and clear what they want. They wanted a traditional recreation center in lieu of the city running it. We didn't have the financial capacity to do at the time. And so when this came up for renewal, that's what we wanted. Right? That's just something that at the community I heard from different community members throughout 2017 from 2017 till today, I've heard from community. We have rec centers there. We knew there was a gap in the Globeville, and so we decided, me personally, I signed off on it. I take full responsibility to use that current RFP to make sure that we didn't have a delayed gap, right, of services.

And so that's where we we landed. And I think, you know, to councilman Watson's point, should we would went back out to a robust community? Would we have the same result? Probably. But yeah. Again, and I take responsibility for that. I'm not I'm not shying from that. But we are committed from learning. Right? I think we're gonna know what Denver Dream Center brings and then, you know, if they miss the mark, then we go back out and do it. And what we're looking at now is bringing more partners in. So it's not just an individual organization. We're looking at Birdseed, Clover First, any other partner that wants to come in, and that's one of the things that the Dream Center does. They're community connectors, and they wanna bring in outside partners because they don't specialize in everything. And so that's what Global is gonna bring in the youth sports piece, right, to come complement the Denver Dream Center.

Yeah. So so moving forward with Global First as well as with the Dream Center, would do you all have plans to have community conversations once the Dream Center and Global First is and maybe this is more specifically to you all and less for you, conversations to be able to start that atonement and that healing and that true partnership with communities.

Absolutely. And I'm gonna be leading that effort. Right? I think that's where growing up in that community, I I I've known Miles since we were kids. You know, I I learned to play basketball at Global Rec Center. So I've actually personally taken on this contract working with the Denver Dream Center, working with Global First, working with the other community leaders to make sure that, you know, this is gonna be a community space where, you know, Global First, the Dream Center, Birdsea, we're all gonna be at the table. Like, how do we meet the community needs? And I think the more resources, the you're better off the greater community benefit for that for Global.

I don't disagree with that. Do you all have a timeline for when you all plan to come together?

So once once this is finalized, right, once we get over this hurdle, the contract's finalized, it's immediately. We're going into community engagement. Alright. We're gonna sit down with the partners, and I'm personally gonna lead that.

Alright. Yeah. I believe you, actually. And I appreciate that you that you came in here and said, we made a mistake, and we gonna do better. Like, that doesn't happen often, and it certainly doesn't happen with the government officials, elected officials even.

So I appreciate your integrity in that moment. The one thing that I will say, and this is for director Clark and you all who will stay much longer than me because, you know, we got elections, is is is if you all when this comes up for bid again, it's it's it's that you can make a commitment to make sure that you all do this differently and that you work with community, ask what they want, and make sure that the folks who are at the table for that decision making are actually folks in GES so that you can have a an outcome that you all can be proud of and that doesn't feel contentious or that isn't contentious?

I I will still be around when this is us.

I won't. That was more for me than

you. Bye.

And and and you have my commitment that I will. But I will make sure that we have a robust community process from day one that we get in the rec center. We have the Denver Dream Center in Globeville first that we're working on that from day one.

Okay. Thank you. And then I oh, good.

I was I was gonna add just one quick note. As far as engagement, I do just wanna say that Denver Dream Center had already built into the proposal to do quite a bit of community engagement. Okay. Even though they're very familiar with the community, I think they wanted to still do a robust engagement process. This was in their proposal even prior to being selected. And so it is something that they had planned. I think because of some of the sensitivity around it, that is where our deputy director said, okay. In addition to what they wanna do, we wanna make sure that DPR is involved in those separate from the conversations that they wanted to have. That way, it is that they know we're working together with them.

I appreciate that. Thank you for that additional information. I just have one more question on comments. And I would and it's it's based on what you just shared. I'd love to hear from Global First as well as the Dream Center about what you all are thinking about in terms of your engagement, and I would also love to hear about your success metrics.

Yeah.

I mean, the the first part is we're we're incredibly community driven. So the partnerships, whether it's DPD, public safety, parks and rec, working with council of Watson, we're off the 21st And Curtis. We're able to mobilize a lot of people. Love referring back to twenty twenty, twenty twenty one. We took on quick opportunities to work with the Denver Nuggets and Crockett Sports. We turned the parking lot into a Friday feed the city. That went for a full year, so actually moved 4,000,000 pounds of food and fed 700,000 But it involved the the community coming together. So we've been meeting with Global First. They gave a proposal of their programs ideas. The hard thing for me is we haven't had a contract.

And so my answer has been, like, I love it, but I can't say yes or no to anything because I don't know when or if it's moving forward.

That's

real. I've been meeting with Birdseed Collective because, again, our heart and we even mentioned if we need to step aside, we're willing to step aside. We want the community to win. And so we've been meeting with Birdseed. Anthony was with me on Saturday. We served quick news for three hours together. And then I got him a block of tickets, and he took a bunch of people to the Rockies game on Sunday. So we're already in partnership. Pat Rodriguez is from Globeville and his family. We've been doing events in Argo Park in Globeville, sending Christmas presents and toys for, what, ten years or so.

So we've been loosely in that community. And so our our goal is we've already got some block parties playing at Argo Park to bring the community together. You know, we'll we'll have sit downs and discussions. We'll meet with people to find out what programs they need. And it's sort of a slow start, so we're not coming in with our programs trying to be a square peg in a round hole.

Oh, thank you. Appreciate it.

Thank you, councilman councilwoman or mayor O'Kimberly.

Thank you, and thank you for the presentation. Actually, you answered my questions. So thank you for the outline of of what it's gonna look like for that engagement and connection back to community. And I also think, you know, John, that commitment to say, okay. How do we go back and and reassess, but make sure that it's a success? And I forgot your name, sir. Brian. Brian. Has to be. I think you said it at the end.

It's it's that community wins. And what are we gonna all do, or what is everybody gonna do to make sure that that happens? I appreciate that. And then for the statements that were being made by Globeville First, I think that partnership and what that vision is and being able to have to think about, like, what the young people need in community is so critically important. And so I just appreciate your involvement and commitment and the work that you've done for community over time.

And then there's a part of me for Southeast Denver District 4, and I look at that map and you see this big void of what that, you know, transferring that. You know, we don't have that in our community. We don't have a we have one rec center on the Far East Side of our community, but we have high community needs on the West Side, and we don't have a place for our young people to go, for our youth to hang out, for organized sports, for I mean, you're almost an embarrassment of of riches of having all of these really strong community based

But

I do. You know? But I but I think it truly, having very strong community based organizations. And, again, not without need, not without cause, but, like, in my mind, I'm thinking, how do we get some of that for, you know, our our communities over in Southeast Denver that are so incredibly isolated and do not have access? So I just wanted to

Can I say something about that?

Sure. We really No. No. Go back. So so what I love when you say that, and I'm hoping part of that answer because it gets my heart excited that we are incredibly community driven. We we mobilize 20 to 25,000 volunteers a year now through through the dreams in high school, sports teams, pro athletes, and it is community coming together. And and our hope honestly is that we can create a model working with council Bill Watson through this that that we can start having discussions of what does it look like to have multiple organizations come together. We would love to be part of that solution in Southeast Denver. My heart's like a quick yes. I can't do it yet. We wanna get this done and I don't know council wants to let me out of District 9, but I

think that's

that's that's the model we're looking for is how do we create this that is replicable to other areas. You know, one of the exciting things for what we're talking about is we have a lot of I guess we're a lot of our Bronco players, and there's great guys. They just wanna have a place to volunteer. And it's not through the organization where the news is there and it's prefabricated, but it's because they wanna be a part of the difference. And now we get to go to communities that get over overlooked, and now they get to connect and hang with pro athletes and be a part of camps. We're doing a big football camp June 13 at Northfield Park. And there's just ways that like, we'd love to be part of that solution.

That's big point.

Thank you so much. Thank you, councilwoman. Councilman Hines.

Thank you, committee chair. I I just wanna thank you for this has been a pretty interesting and exciting, committee meeting. And, mister Martinez, thank you for your vulnerability and and ownership. And, to what council member Lewis said, you know, we don't see that a lot. And and so having, you know, having authentic conversations, which, you know, I I believe these conversations in the last, you know, hour have been authentic.

So that's been that that kind of fills my heart. I mean, it it so it's certainly, I had heard some concerns about the the change in the in the process. I wanna thank you for being here, for showing up, and and I'm feeling really good with with what you've shared. So thank you so much for being here today.

Thank you. Councilman Hines. I did have a couple of questions. I just wanna circle back with what was mentioned about their the goal was not to have a gap in services, but what I'm hearing is that there is a gap in services right now. Is that the case?

Correct. Yeah. Our goal always is to to do, but, obviously, you know, hit some bumps along the way here, and that's why we would love support in getting this approved as soon as possible so that we can get folks in, all these groups collaborating, and get back the doors open to community as soon as possible.

So what happened there? Was it that the old contract ended before this one could start? Is that what's what's happening right now?

Yep. The old contract ended, as you heard, back at the end of last year. Yep. And and there was a gap at us being able to work through all of this and get it in front of you for hope.

Great. I appreciate that. And then my other question was just how much was the previous operator paying for this space?

We can get that for you. I don't don't have it right here, but we can get that for you.

Great. Well, I appreciate my colleague's questions. I know councilman Watson, you wanted to get back in. Do you wanna say some last words before we wrap up?

Just very quickly. I just wanna thank you, madam chair, for for bringing this, discussion. Thank you so much to Milo and Rebecca from Global First for being here. Thank you so much, pastor b, for and the many meetings. This is there have been tons of meetings behind the scenes.

One of the things are that I wanna commit, not just to y'all, but also to Bird Seed Collective is that the agreement that you all are discussing, I will be very much involved in that process to ensure that that agreement is sticky for these three years. And then to Bertsi Collective, Anthony and Kala and folks, we've been in these ongoing dialogues to make sure that they are still a part of this process, Some of the specialties and the work that they have done, which is something they're excellent at, should remain within the center, and I know that I've got commitment from past to be that those would also be integrated. So I wanna thank you all for being here, and thank you, committee chair.

Thank you. And then one one question I did have as well was just in in part of that reengagement in three years or a year and a half, is there gonna be exploration of why is this the only rec center that we're not investing in our own staff and our city running?

We can certainly have that conversation about the resources and about. And I I will say, candidly, sometimes we have community groups, especially when they all come together, who can provide services that we can't, specifically as a parks and rec department, right, that can reach across into some of those other areas that were in that RFP. And so just because it's not in some communities that was not working what what they were offering. I think in other communities, it can be very successful. I think we can absolutely have that conversation with community as well about the pros and cons of the city run. What's that?

What are those services that Parks and Rec doesn't provide that

I I think some of these community groups are are much better about in terms of having space in there to bring community together around the table. Doing some of the work that you heard Global talking about out in people's homes is not a parks and recreation function. While we do participate in a lot of food access, the way that some of these community groups do it, at the scale they do it is much better than we can. We do have, you know, you know, an arts and culture kind of component, but that can be totally different. When it's community run, they can bring all kinds of, other resources, volunteers, donations in a different way than a traditional rec center can.

So I'm not saying that there's there's it is always the right answer one way or the other. I think we have to fully vet what does the community want out of this space, and are we best positioned to do that, or are these community groups better positioned to do that? And we have that model, I think, coming together in West Denver with a true community center as well that's different from rec center. Here, we've got that uniqueness of it's in a designated park, so there's a recreation component, not just a pure community center, but do we get more of the community center pieces of it by engaging with our community partners as the lead on it instead of directly run by the city.

And is that gonna be incorporated into the rec center work that you're doing now? I know you're doing, like, an assessment of rec centers. And I'm curious, then does that open up current rec centers operated by the city where the community wants certain services that the rec center isn't providing to actually move from being a city run rec center to opening up to more community organizations. Is that something you see, or is that gonna be evaluated in that rec center evaluation?

Yeah. We're just at the beginning of that, and we're we're leading with hearing from community about what what do they want from a recreation center and from an access to a recreation center. So this certainly can be conversations that we can have, but that's gonna be community driven on where that goes.

Great. Thank you. I appreciate that. And I think community sometimes gets confused when they're asked for input. If you're asking for a put out a rec center, is that even an option to talk about bringing in new services? Because when I think of a rec center, think of the pools and the sports and other things. But I appreciate that we're asking these questions and figuring out per community what's best. Can I get a motion to move this then to the floor? Great. Councilman Watson? Second. Second by council member Hines. Roll call vote, please.

Madam President Sandoval? Aye. Councilmembers Hines?

Aye. Lewis? Nay.

Romero Campbell?

Aye.

Watson? Aye. Madam Chair Alitres? Aye. Advise.

Thank you. Was there any consent items? There is one item on consent. Nobody has called it off, and that is the case then. We stand adjourned or sit adjourned. Thank you all. Thank you so much for the presentation. Thanks.