City News
This is news from the city of Boulder, about the city or any of its departments
Boulder offers vets a free 90-day rec pass
May 17th
Boulder Parks and Recreation launches recreation pass program for veterans and active duty military personnel
The Boulder Parks and Recreation Department will offer a special recreation facility pass program for veterans, active duty and reservist military personnel beginning Monday, May 21. Boulder City Councilmember Tim Plass proposed the program, which was approved by City Council on May 15.
The program includes a one-time, free, 90-day recreation facility pass for post-9/11 veterans who are City of Boulder residents. It also offers a 25 percent discount on annual passes for all military personnel and veterans who reside in the City of Boulder or Boulder County. The program is not retroactive for current pass holders. The passes provide entry to all three city recreation centers, two outdoor pools and the Boulder Reservoir.
“We are honored to offer this program and provide an opportunity for returning veterans and other service personnel to participate in health and fitness programs in our local community,” said Alice Guthrie, recreation superintendent for the Parks and Recreation Department.
To qualify, applicants must have served in one of the following branches of service, identified by the Department of Defense:
● Army
● Navy
● Air Force
● Marines
● Coast Guard
● National Guard
● Merchant Marines
To receive the free 90-day recreation pass, applicants must go to the Parks and Recreation administrative offices at 3198 Broadway Ave. and show a DD-214 form with separation date and a photo ID. To receive the 25 percent discount, applicants must bring either a DD-214 form, valid Veterans ID from the Veterans Affairs Office or valid Active Duty or Reservist ID to one of the three city recreation centers (North Boulder Recreation Center at 3170 Broadway Ave., East Boulder Community Center at 5660 Sioux Drive or South Boulder Recreation Center at 1360 Gillaspie Drive).
The Parks and Recreation Department also offers veterans a variety of therapeutic recreation programs through the EXPAND (EXciting Programs, Adventures and New Dimensions) program.
For more information on the veterans and active duty military personnel facility pass program, visit www.BoulderParks-Rec.org.
Clothing still required at former nudie lake, however
May 15th
On-trail leash restrictions lifted at Coot Lake
Wetland closure still in effect
The temporary on-trail leash restrictions put in place for wildlife protection and nesting birds surrounding the wetland west of Coot Lake are lifted, as of Wednesday, May 16, 2012. While the wetland area itself remains closed to all activity, the trail is now under the standard Voice and Sight Control regulation. Violation of city of Boulder wildlife closure area may result in a summons by enforcement personnel.
At their March meeting, members of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board recommended that staff review the status of the nesting season on May 15, and if no nesting activity was confirmed at Coot Lake, then the leash restrictions would be reviewed and potentially lifted.
As the season is still early for some species nesting such as American bitterns, monitoring reports have indicated that there have been few sightings of Northern harrier that also use wetlands as nesting areas. Staff and nearly 22 raptor monitor volunteers will continue to monitor this and other areas for potential nesting sites as the season progresses.
The Parks and Recreation Department wishes to thank the general public for compliance of wildlife related restrictions to help promote healthy and functioning habitat areas. Wetland habitat around the Boulder area supports a wide diversity of wildlife species as well as exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities throughout the year.
For more information, please contact Matt Claussen, urban resources manager, 303-413-7258.
Boulder water festival for students to be held on Wednesday
May 14th
20th annual Boulder Water Festival teaches students how to conserve and protect water
More than 1,100 4th and 5th grade students from 45 classrooms in 17 Boulder area schools will participate in the 20th annual Boulder Water Festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16, at the University Memorial Center (UMC) on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus, 1669 Euclid Ave.
The nationally recognized water festival engages local students in hands-on activities about where Boulder’s drinking water comes from and how to protect and conserve this valuable natural resource. Students attend a series of classes to discover the geography, history, and science of water; explore the Boulder Creek watershed and its geology; and study the animals and plants that rely on water for survival.
Participating classes also complete the “Operation: Water Festival” program, a standards-based series of pre-festival classroom learning activities. The program provides a complete teacher’s packet featuring lesson guides, student worksheets and trivia questions for each water topic. Topics include fundamental water awareness, conservation, pollution prevention and flooding. Student “Water Agents” receive a certificate upon completion of the classroom activities.
A key benefit of the “Operation: Water Festival” materials is a take-home book for families. The book encourages students to work with family members to complete activities related to local water resources, conservation and protection.
“Students really have a complete learning experience,” said Samantha Messier, science director for the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD). “This provides a great learning tool to help students learn about one of our most important natural resources in Colorado.”
The Boulder Water Festival will commemorate its 20th anniversary as part of the statewide celebration of 2012, The Year of Water in Colorado. Nearly 19,000 BVSD and Boulder area students have participated in the festival since its inception in 1992.
Festival sponsors include the City of Boulder, the Keep it Clean Partnership, Northern Water, the UMC, CU Boulder’s Office of Community Relations and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
For more information, contact Curry Rosato, City of Boulder watershed outreach coordinator, at 303-829-9316.
