Rebecca Dunn, Chair  
Michael Smith, Vice Chair  
Dan Ahrens  
Parks and Recreation Commission  
Meeting Minutes  
Scott Dowis  
Jessica Kallweit  
Melissa Lindsay  
Karly Morkes  
Wednesday, November 20, 2024  
5:00 PM  
Cantril School  
312 Cantril St.  
Castle Rock, CO 80104  
Note: This meeting is open to the public. Three or more Council members may also attend this meeting, during  
which the items listed herein will be discussed. If you are unable to access any portion of these materials due to a  
disability as defined under Colorado House Bill 21-1110, please call us at 303-663-4440, email the Town’s  
accessibility team at accessibility@CRgov.com or submit an accommodation request form at  
CRgov.com/A11yRequest.  
TIMES SHOWN ARE APPROXIMATE AND MAY BE ADJUSTED DUE TO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.  
CALL TO ORDER  
ADDITIONS/DELETIONS/MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA  
The meeting was called to order by Chair Rebecca Dunn at approximately 5:02  
p.m. Staff in attendance included Jeff Brauer, Jeff Smullen, Mike Kilman, Brian  
Peterson, Bob Maloney, Jennifer Martin, Maia Yates, Dan Wahl, Marne Hansen,  
Arissa Pacheco and Becca Schnorr. Various members of the Town's Teen  
Advisory Group were also present.  
3 - Chair Rebecca Dunn, Commissioner Dan Ahrens, and Commissioner Melissa Lindsay  
Present  
4 -  
Not Present  
Commissioner Michael Smith, Commissioner Scott Dowis, Commissioner Jessica Kallweit,  
and Commissioner Karly Morkes  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
DURING THIS TIME, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AND STAFF  
ON ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA. COMMENTS SHOULD BE LIMITED TO NO MORE THAN FOUR  
(4) MINUTES.  
None.  
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING  
PRC 2024-013  
Approval of the Minutes  
Approval of the minutes from the October meeting was deferred to approval in  
December due to a lack of quorum in attendance.  
AGENDA ITEMS  
PRC 2024-014  
December Meeting Date Change  
Staff proposed moving the regular meeting of the December Parks and Recreation  
Commission from Wednesday, Dec. 18 to Wednesday, Dec. 11 to allow Red  
Hawk Ridge Golf Course to host. Dan Ahrens commented that he would be unable  
to attend the rescheduled date, and Rebecca Dunn and Melissa Lindsay both  
confirmed their ability to reschedule. Staff would assess schedules and the  
availability of the additional members not present to determine a date and confirm  
soon.  
PRC 2024-015  
Teen Advisory Group Update  
Teen Advisory Group (TAG) Coordinator, Arissa Pacheco, and various members  
of the organization presented an overview of their upcoming efforts to commission  
members and staff. TAG helps local teens in 7th through 12th grades play an  
active role in planning and carrying out Parks and Recreation activities for the  
community's youth. TAG currently consists of ten students from Castle View High  
School, Colorado Early Colleges and Academy Charter School, who meet monthly  
to work on community service projects and events. Throughout the 2024-2025  
school year, TAG will assist with Spooktacular, the Giving Tree, Reindeer Games,  
Story Tellers and S'mores, the Winter Ball, the Earth Day volunteer event, the  
Therapeutic Recreation spring dance and the Kindness Rock Garden at Butterfield  
Crossing Park.  
PRC 2024-016  
Rueter-Hess Reservoir Recreation Update  
Outdoor Coordinator, Marne Hansen, serves as Staff Liaison to the Rueter-Hess  
Recreation Advisory Board, and provided an update on current happenings at the  
reservoir to commission members and staff. Owned and managed by the Parker  
Water and Sanitation District, Rueter-Hess Reservoir sits northeast of Castle  
Rock just one mile east of the I-25 at the Castle Pines Parkway exit. While the top  
priority is maintaining water quality, the district has established the Rueter-Hess  
Recreation Authority, which now sits under Douglas County, to plan and oversee  
the site's recreational opportunities. The authority is composed of appointed  
representatives from the Town of Castle Rock, Town of Parker, City of Lone Tree,  
City of Castle Pines, Douglas County and the Parker Water and Sanitation District.  
The reservoir opened to the public for limited recreation in 2017 and has since  
expanded through the installation of an incline challenge hill and trail networks. The  
authority has also launched catch and release fishing. Members of the public are  
invited to register to visit the reservoir to enjoy non-motorized water recreation on  
select days in April through October. Each participating community also hosts  
select Partner Days, and in 2024, Castle Rock offered a free day to residents  
where 100 cars and 130 people took advantage of the water.  
Future recreation plans are still being determined, but could include special use  
permits, catch and keep fishing, windsurfing, expanded trails, movable docks,  
shoreline upgrades and streamlining the entrance process and parking.  
Dan Ahrens asked if only non-motorized boats were allowed entry, and Marne  
confirmed that motorized boats are not currently allowed at the reservoir to meet  
the peaceful and serene principle established by Parker Water and Sanitation to  
guide the property's master plan.  
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT COMMENTS  
Staff provided the following updates to commission members:  
- Town Council approved the necessary contracts to commence the Centennial  
Park Court Replacement Project. Demolition will commence this fall and the goal  
will be to have the courts open to the public for summer use in 2025.  
- Ballot item 2A was approved by voters, which will increase the sales and use tax  
by .2% to fund police and fire personnel.  
- Incumbents were reappointed to continue service on Town Council in districts  
one, two and six, and new member Mark Davis will replace the incumbent from  
district four.  
- A public open house was held on Nov. 12 to continue to gather public input on the  
master planning process of Lost Canyon Ranch Open Space. Over 80 people  
attended the event and several hundred have submitted responses to the online  
survey, which will be available through Dec. 13. Dan Ahrens asked about the type  
of feedback received, and Jeff Smullen confirmed that people continue to express  
concerns related to residential-only access and also noted that many are  
commenting on uses such as mountain biking and rock climbing. Jeff further noted  
that staff are uncertain at this time which uses will be allowed given the  
conservation easement held by the Douglas Land Conservancy. Next steps will  
include gathering the feedback to create a trails plan and master plan to seek  
additional input on next spring.  
- Construction Documents have been completed by the contracted architect for  
the proposed Sports Development Center. Rebecca Dunn asked if the project has  
been approved by Council yet, and Jeff Smullen explained that Confluence  
Companies will likely take the development agreement to Town Council early next  
year, which will mark the next step in the approval process.  
- The Park Operations and Maintenance Division has been working diligently to  
prepare holiday lights for the Town's annual starlighting event all throughout  
Downtown Castle Rock.  
- Heather Rossiter, the department's Special Events Supervisor, will soon be  
leaving to move to Grand Junction with family. The department will soon be  
recruiting to fill Heather's vacancy, as well as hiring a new Sr. Supervisor in  
Athletics.  
- Upcoming events include Starlighting on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 2-6 p.m., the  
Festival Park Starlight Market on select Fridays and Saturdays in December,  
Reindeer Games on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 1-4 pm and Story Tellers and S'mores  
on Dec. 14 from 5-7 p.m.  
COMMISSION COMMENTS  
None.  
TOUR OF CANTRIL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS  
Facilities Supervisor, Dan Wahl, provided members and staff with a tour of recent  
upgrades completed to date at Cantril School. The historic schoolhouse was  
purchased in spring 2023, and staff have worked with contractors to improve ADA  
accessibility throughout the facility, upgrade restrooms, renovate the kitchen for  
improved catering opportunities, renovate various classrooms for expanded art  
and cultural programming, upgrade electrical and install a kiln for pottery.  
Upgrades will continue in phases as budgetary resources allow.  
ADJOURN  
The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:36 p.m.