To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Through: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
From: Jeff Brauer, Director of Parks and Recreation
Title
Resolution Approving the Castle Rock Parks and Recreation Department 2025-2027 Strategic Plan
Body
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Executive Summary
Approval is requested for a Resolution Approving the Town of Castle Rock Parks and Recreation Department Strategic Plan. The plan sets near-term priorities to sustain and enhance the Town’s system of 25 parks, more than 4,000 acres of open space, 104 miles of trails, two full-service recreation facilities, five pools, and Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course. The direction of the plan is guided by Town Council’s vision and by the community’s vision reflected in recent community survey results. It aligns with the Town’s 2030 Comprehensive Master Plan and the department’s master plan.
The 2025-2027 Strategic Plan builds upon the Town’s long-standing commitment to thoughtful growth, fiscal responsibility and community character. It establishes a forward-looking framework for three years, focusing on proactive planning, infrastructure investment and resident well-being. The plan aligns with the Town’s vision of preserving Castle Rock’s unique identity while preparing for future population, infrastructure and economic demands.
The plan also provides a clear framework to guide budget priorities and resource allocation across the department’s supporting funding mechanisms. By aligning operational and capital initiatives with sustainable funding sources-including sales and use tax revenues, user fees, enterprise operations, grants and impact fees-the plan ensures continued investment in quality facilities, trail connections, open space stewardship and community programming. This disciplined approach reinforces the Town’s commitment to fiscal responsibility while meeting growing community needs.
The department’s proven track record demonstrates its capacity to deliver on strategic priorities. Recent achievements such as the Lost Canyon Ranch open space acquisition, construction of Emerald Park, renovation of Butterfield Crossing Park featuring the inclusive Possibilities Playground, the renovation of Centennial Park, completion of the Front Range Trail in Castle Rock, and continued enhancements to the Recreation Center, MAC, Cantril School and Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course, exemplify effective planning and execution. Together, these accomplishments position the department to successfully implement the 2025-2027 Strategic Plan and continue providing exceptional parks, recreation and open space experiences for residents.
The following section highlights the plan’s featured projects and goals that will shape the next three years of community investment and progress by division:
Parks, Open Space and Trails
• Activate Lost Canyon Ranch Open Space - provide public access in 2026
• Complete the design and construction of the Industrial Tributary Trail, connecting downtown Castle Rock to Philip S. Miller Park
• Officially open the Santa Fe Quarry Trail to the public in the Red Hawk
• In partnership with Douglas County, execute the Cobblestone/Macanta Open Space master plan including trails, trailheads and signage
• In partnership with Castle Rock Water, restore The Grange fishing pond
Recreation
• Construct and activate the Castle Rock Sports Development Center
• Implement lifecycle improvements at the Recreation Center and Miller Activity Complex, including track resurfacing, HVAC improvements, locker room renovations, pool mechanical upgrades, toddler area and flooring replacements, enhanced pool lighting and back-up boiler installation
• At Cantril School, rehabilitate the parking lot, renovate the gym and auditorium, complete a grounds master plan, replace the windows and the 1890s building roof, and expand arts and enrichment programming (including pottery kilns and equipment)
• Build on the success of community events such as the Summer Concert Series, Western Heritage Cattle Drive and the Castle Rock Trail Festival - expand programming partnerships and cultural offerings, enhance event experiences through improved logistics and engagement and continue fostering a strong sense of community identity and connection through recreation
Park Maintenance and Operations
• Implement ADA transition plan fixes, expand the use of security cameras and complete LED light conversions across parks
• Complete Rock Park access/rock scaling solutions
• Fully deploy Cartegraph for asset management
• Continue the 5 year court resurfacing cycle as needed
• Hire and deploy an additional staff to assist with the management of Lost Canyon Ranch Open Space
Golf - Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course
• Replace the irrigation main station and booster pumps
• Complete parking lot repairs
• Lease new lithium battery golf cart fleet
• Maintain Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary designation
• Retire remaining debt in 2027
Administration
• Maintain CAPRA accreditation by submitting annual reports, preparing for the five-year review and updating key departmental policies
• Define key performance indicators for each division and launch dynamic monthly dashboards that meet HB 21-1110 accessibility standards; transition maps, planning documents and other media to accessible formats
• Develop a grants and awards pipeline by identifying funding opportunities, preparing competitive applications with complete budgets and timelines and submitting departmental award applications to elevate visibility and secure external funding
• Expand customer-facing technology through greater use of AllTrails for alerts and closures, deployment of TRAFx counters for visitation data, analysis of events through Placer.AI and enhanced social-media presence via Facebook and Instagram
Notification and Outreach Efforts
Public engagement was a key component in developing the 2025-2027 Strategic Plan. The process began with internal workshops across all Parks and Recreation divisions to identify operational needs and improvement opportunities. Staff then incorporated extensive community input gathered through the 2023 and 2025 Community Surveys and additional online questionnaires, which provided insight into residents’ priorities, satisfaction levels and emerging recreation needs. Additional feedback came from user satisfaction surveys, stakeholder discussions and public meetings. Together, this feedback guided the refinement of the plan’s goals and measurable objectives to ensure alignment with community expectations and the Town’s 2030 Comprehensive Master Plan. The final draft reflects both staff expertise and the community’s collective vision for the future of Castle Rock’s parks, recreation, trails and open space system.
Budget Impact
There is no direct budget impact associated with the adoption of the strategic plan. The item is limited to the presentation and acknowledgment of the plan. Individual projects and initiatives outlined in the plan will be incorporated into the Town’s annual budget process and presented to Town Council for approval as part of future budget actions.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommend approving the Resolution as introduced by title.
Proposed Motion
“I move to approve the Resolution as introduced by title.”
Alternate Motions
“I move to approve the resolution, with the following conditions:” (list conditions)
“I move to continue this item to the Town Council meeting on [date], at [time].”
Attachments
Resolution
Strategic Plan