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AGENDA
Town Hall 551 Hot Springs Blvd Combined Parks and Recreation Advisory Meeting
Pagosa Spring, CO 81147 March 5, 2026 @ 5:30 PM
REMOTE PARTICIPATION
Join Zoom Meeting By Computer - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84044198435
Dial by Phone - 1-669-900-6833 US - Meeting ID: 840 4419 8435
A Zoom link is made available. The Town cannot guarantee internet service or online broadcasting.
Remote participation is at the risk of attendees. The meeting will continue in person regardless of the broadcast capability.
I. CALL TREE BOARD MEETING TO ORDER
II. BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Arbor Day Celebration April 24, 2026
III. PUBLIC COMMENT
IV. ADJOURNMENT (Next meeting June 4, 2026, 5:30PM)
V. CALL COMBINED PARKS & REC. ADVISORY BOARD MEETING TO ORDER
VI. BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Bio-Blitz (Amanda)
VII. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (November 13, 2025)
1. Approval minutes November 13, 2025
VIII. DEPARTMENT REPORT
1. Parks and Recreation Staff Briefs
IX. LETTERS OF SUPPORT
1. Tourism Grant
Public comment and agenda comment item sign-up sheets are available at the meeting
Copies of proposed Ordinances and Resolutions are available to the public from the Town Clerk
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2. Fishing is Fun Grant
X. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. 2026 Projects
XI. NEW BUSINESS
1. PARC
2. Board Status
XII. PUBLIC COMMENT
XIII. NEXT MEETING (June 4, 2026) AT 5:30 PM
XIV. ADJOURNMENT
Public comment and agenda comment item sign-up sheets are available at the meeting
Copies of proposed Ordinances and Resolutions are available to the public from the Town Clerk
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AGENDA BRIEF
MEETING: Combined Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
FROM:
PROJECT: Bio-Blitz (Amanda)
ACTION:
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
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MINUTES
Town Hall - 551 Hot Springs Blvd. Combined Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 November 13, 2025 @ 5:30 PM
A regular meeting of the Combined Parks & Recreation Advisory Board was called to order on November 13, 2025, at
5:30 PM in the Town Hall - 551 Hot Springs Blvd..
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Larry Lynch, Mike Musgrove, Chantelle Jordan, and Roxanne Rickert
COMMISIONERS ABSENT: Council Member deGraaf, Sally High, Jenny Highum, and Kevin Metzler
1. REMOTE PARTICIPATION – A zoom link is made available, however the Town does not and cannot
guarantee internet service or online broadcasting. Remote attendance is at the risk of the attendee as
the public meeting will continue in person regardless of the Town's broadcast capability.
Join Zoom Meeting By Computer - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85778600489
Dial by Phone - 1-669-900-6833 US - Meeting ID: 857 7860 0489
1 CALL TREE BOARD MEETING TO ORDER – A regular Tree Board meeting was called to order on November 13,
2025, at 5:30 pm in 551 Hot Springs Blvd- Town Hall.
2 BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS Darren Lewis – Parks and Rec have applied again to the tree city USA , this is
renewed every year and signed off by mayor. Anticipate no problems.
Park trees purchased; 14 new trees planted, 12 additional from Main St project replanted at Yamaguchi Park
and athletic field. 90% have survived transplant. Four have been removed that died.
Board Member Larry Lynch commented on the clean up on Res Hill and pointed out that there are still some
stacks left that need to be chipped. Parks and Rec Director Darren Lewis explained that parks staff did some
mitigation and the SW Conservation Core also assisted with the handwork and that's where the stack came
from. This will be chipped.
No further announcements
3 PUBLIC COMMENT – There are no public comments.
4 ADJOURNMENT – Meeting adjourned at 5:33 PM
5 NEXT BOARD MEETING MARCH 5, 2026 AT 5:30 PM
6 CALL COMBINED PARKS AND RECREATION MEETING TO ORDER – A regular Combined Park and Recreation
Board meeting was called to order on November 13, 2025, at 5:33 pm in the 551 Hot Springs Blvd-Town Hall
7 PUBLIC COMMENT – No public comments
8 APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a) Approval of the August 7, 2025 Meeting Minutes
b) Board Member Musgrove informed the board that an amendment to correct the August 7th minutes to
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Combined Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
November 13, 2025
delete Jenna Waite-Gannon to be removed from the absent roll call as she is no longer commissioner.
9 DEPARTMENT REPORT – Halloween Hootenanny event success- 23 non-profits participated in passing out
candy at their booths.
Festival of Trees is Dec 5th, 20 full tree slots. Auction raises money for their non-profit organizations,
successful event in past.
September Geo artwork finished and looks great.
Recreation- Finishing up basketball 7-9, 10-12 boys basketball registration open, ends 3rd week of Dec to start
in January.
Games will be 5PM or 5:30PM start time.
No questions at this time.
10 UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a) 2026 Budget Darren Lewis
2026 Budget approved at last town council meeting.
Some projects having to be rescheduled due to the flood.
1) The Bike park construction is being moved to Spring 2026.
2) Sealing Town Park and River Center paths moved to next year and any funds left over in the budget
for sealing of trails will be used at the Walmart area trail.
3) Three outdoor workout equipment pieces left to be installed at Yamaguchi Park.
4) Moving irrigation system at Yamaguchi Park and replacing the system with new system. Existing
placement will be flattened to create a pedestrian enjoyment area. No vehicular access directly to river
and a gate will be installed to prevent vehicles entering. Parking in area will still available.
Board member Roxanne Rickert questioned what is wrong with the current system.
Director Lewis stated that the current system is old and we are teaming up with the school district to
remedy irrigation issues and to split 50/50 in total cost and future preventative maintenance. Rickert
questioned how the irrigation schedule would work between all of the needed areas. Lewis explained
that the school will irrigate more during the day and the town would irrigate during off hours mainly at
night.
5) Pedestrian bridges have experienced issues with the floods and have caused river bank erosion. The
banks need maintenance to ensure re-stabilization to build back up the washed away areas.
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Combined Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
November 13, 2025
6) Additional maintenance for River Center pond dredging due to flood now both ponds need it. Need
to find additional funds to cover the cost of additional pond maintenance.
7) Boat ramp at Yamaguchi South Project pushed to 2026. Contractor will be booked working on other
areas of the river prior to the boat ramp installation.
8) More mitigation on Reservoir Hill, east side of hill near Tractor supply. Improving parking and
mitigation in 2026. This area still needs ideas on what direction to go with this new area.
Board Member Mike Musgrove questioned the size of this new area. Lewis explained the
space behind Tractor Supply and to the base of the hill. Musgrove questioned if the Town is trying to
acquire the rest of Reservoir Hill. Lewis stated that the town is but is in the pre-grant phase. With hopes
of acquiring over 300 acres with a 25% match campaign in regards to raise a couple million dollars. This
is a conservative grant no buildings and solely for park expansion. Musgrove commented that this
would be double what we currently have assess to. Lewis stated that there is currently 491 acres for
sale but the grant covers 75% forestry and a section of 300 acres that qualifies for the grant. Rickert
questioned if there is any other interested parties. Lewis stated that this is unknown at this time. The
layout of the 300 acres would be parceled from the top across the from current property line down to
Mill Creek. Lynch stated that he believes that a good portion of the creek would be included.
9) Pickleball courts; Pickleball users would like windscreen around the courts, west and south fencing.
40k project. Pickleball Club will cover $25k of that quoted amount. The county and town would split
the other 15k. Rickert questioned if there would be any youth pickleball programed offered in the
future. Lewis stated that there are lessons available but no youth official programs yet.
10) Lynch commented that there is a PARC update meeting open house at the Community Center Dec
11. He mentions to have some of the park planning brought up at this open house to get community
involvement. Forest Service for bike trails; Coyote Hill, Chris Mountain areas.
Lewis stated that there is a positive outlook to how PARC can be used in the future. Amanda the Parks
and Rec supervisor is very involved in this.
b) Project Update Darren Lewis
Parks and Rec Director Darren Lewis stated that most project updates have been stated in the
unfinished business section.
Board member Larry Lynch brought up the successful Skate park fundraiser phase 3. Skaters Collation
fundraiser was held at Motel SoCo and they raised $3k. Ongoing events to raise money for the re-
envisioning for changes in the future. Lewis stated that repairs to the existing skate park will be a spring
project.
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Combined Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
November 13, 2025
11 NEW BUSINESS
a) Parks Flood Update Darren Lewis
Parks:
River Center, Cottons Hole, Town Park and Centennial parks got hit the hardest during the flood. Lots of
debris, landscaping and mulch have been washed away. The park staff have been working hard to get it
all back together.
No seasonal help this year but parks now have an additional full time employee. This has helped with
the clean up. SW Conservation Core came to help with the clean up for a week. They worked on
Apache Trail, Cottons Hole, along the river walk near Tequila's clearing banks and debris.
Apache Trail was completely washed out. Rockridge trail had significant damage on the shoulder of the
river. Concrete sidewalk was undamaged, and a contractor will be out to repair the area to original
condition. Actively working to clean up and return to preflood conditions areas including but not limited
to debris pile clean up and bolder re-placement.
Cost to do these things is also a concern as the process to acquire funds is a process. Claims have been
submitted to insurance and FEMA.
Board Member Chantelle Jordan questioned what the loss from semi-permanent fixtures such
as tables, benches etc. Lewis stated that many were found that had been relocated by the flood waters
but the ones that were not are in the process of replacement. 4 Benches and 1 picnic table have been
ordered for now. Some are buried in silt along the banks that need to still be dug out. Professionals will
be hired to retrieve in the river and stabilize the banks. Urgency is the key as high waters arise in the
spring. All of town staff is working hard to do what needs to be done including but not limited to grant
applications.
Member Musgrove commented on the clean up of the silt at the Cottons Hole Park and how
well the tethered structures did holding up. Lewis stated that the areas where the structures were lost
or uprooted is due to the loss of the entire bank.
Musgrove stated the change in river path behind the Malt Shop being split in two sections
with a gravel bar. Lewis stated that this will be corrected in the future to help prevent flooding in the
future. Lynch stated that West Fork river has changed and shifted several hundred feet.
Member Ricket questioned if we need to get a study done for dangerous waves created by
the movement of boulders. Lewis stated that the contractor that did the wave initially will be coming
back in to correct the damage done and make sure everything is stable again. Rickert responded if we
have emergency funds for things like this. Lewis stated that we do have reserves but not at the scale of
the damaged assessed.
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Combined Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
November 13, 2025
Member Rickert asked if the town has considered changing the lodging tax from 4.9 to 6 %
Director Lewis stated that he does not have any comment as it is outside of Parks and Rec. If Parks and
Rec is a part of the funds that can be used with the proposed tax raise then he would have future
comments on the subject.
Town has 85% of parks in the county. Parks and Rec is doing their best to upkeep the areas and need to
figure out how to fund in the future.
Member Musgrove questioned the trails on Reservoir Hill washed out leaving ruts. Lewis
stated the Dust2 may be assisting these corrections.
Member Lynch stated that there were some downed trees on Reservoir Hill as well. Lewis
stated that one of the trees has since been removed and the other may have been moved outside of the
parks staff.
Member Musgrove stated Salida has a modular pump track (for the skate park) and
questioned if this would be a good option instead of the permanent concrete option. Lewis will look
into this but stated that the cost of upgrades like these would still need to be in a form of a grant for
fund assistance.
b) Park Name Darren Lewis
Lewis stated that himself and Kyle Rickert have went in front of town council based off of the feedback,
they liked Maiku Park, "Maiku" means hello/welcome in the Southern Ute Language. They looked at
"Gateway River Park", although most popular, it was determined that they don't know if that will always
be the gateway to Pagosa and that it may expand. They would like to pursue Maiku Park. Kyle is talking
with the Southern Ute Tribe for the permission to use the name for the park. As of now there is no
name for the new park area. The name does not stop the progress of the completion.
12 PUBLIC COMMENT – No Comments
13 NEXT MEETING March 5, 2026 AT 5:30 PM
14 ADJOURNMENT – Meeting adjourned at 6:16PM by Musgrove
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AGENDA BRIEF
MEETING: Combined Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
FROM:
PROJECT: Parks and Recreation Staff Briefs
ACTION:
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
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Recreation Brief:
In January,885 community members participated in our free program offerings,
including yoga, dance, drop-in volleyball, open gym, and various pickleball sessions.
We will have two new fitness classes starting up in February, and hope to see even
more community members take advantage of our Community Center classes.
Youth Sports & Registration
The 10–12 Boys Basketball season is heating up with some exciting, close games.
Registration is now open for Instructional Volleyball (ages 7–9) and Volleyball League
play (ages 10–12). Sign up by mid-February, and play begins in March!
The Town of Pagosa Springs was awarded the Forest Restoration and Wildfire Risk
Mitigation (FRWRM) Grant on February 11. Staff leveraged $8,500 from the 2026
budget to support Fuels and Forest Health projects as well as Capacity Building efforts.
This award provides a total of $42,211.80 in funding, which will advance wildfire
mitigation and forest health initiatives and support the development of a comprehensive
10-year management plan for Reservoir Hill.
Parks Brief:
Due to the limited snowfall and warm weather this season, the Parks Department has
been able to complete maintenance throughout all parks while advancing several key
projects.
In addition to our ongoing flower program, we are exploring a partnership with the GGP
to start more flower seedlings and potentially host educational workshops on trees and
flowers. We have also been working to improve the appearance of the Apache and Hot
Springs lots, which now includes a new picnic bench.
Along the riverwalk below the one-way parking area, staff are restoring the space near
the "Hippy Dips." We have utilized mulch from flooding debris to cover bare, rocky areas
and have added picnic benches along the river’s edge.
In coordination with the Sanitation Department, we have cleared the Lagoon area to
prepare for grading at the potential Multi-Use Pavilion site and the future river debris
pile. Mulching of this debris is scheduled for late spring or early summer.
At South Pagosa Park, staff removed the dilapidated chain-link fencing around the
concrete pad and cleaned the area. We are currently researching options to repair the
cracked slab and are considering adding artwork designed for children ages 3-5.
Additionally, we are working with the Recreation Supervisor to secure grants for sand to
improve the volleyball courts.
Staff from both the Recreation and Parks Departments have begun mapping the
boundaries of our town parks. Over the coming months, we will continue mapping
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utilities and landscapes. We are also exploring options for the future Skyrocket
Trailhead on Reservoir Hill.
Finally, we are updating the Colorado Tree View mapping points for the Pagosa Springs
area. While the CSFS initially mapped our parks several years ago, we are now adding
new trees and documenting changes resulting from the Highway 160 project. We are
also re-grading the area behind the Senior Center parking lot to eliminate a safety
hazard and will assist the Facilities Department with installing handicap signage in that
location.
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December 9, 2025
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
6060 Broadway
Denver, CO 80216
Re: Fishing is Fun Grant
To whom it may concern:
The Parks and Recreation Board supports the Town of Pagosa Springs’ application to the Colorado
Parks and Wildlife Fishing is Fun Grant program to help fund critical restoration work following the
October 2025 flooding.
The 2025 flood—considered to be a 25- to 30-year event—brought extremely high-water levels that
caused major sediment buildup, severe erosion, widespread debris deposits, and substantial
damage throughout the community. Among the areas most affected were the fishing ponds behind
the River Center and the adjacent stretch of the San Juan River. These locations are heavily used by
local residents and visitors alike for fishing and provide aquatic habitat. Both areas have previously
benefited from the Fishing is Fun grant funding, and this support is once again essential for
repairing the significant damage caused by the flooding.
The Parks and Recreation Board recognizes that the long-term health of our watershed is central to
maintaining high-quality angling opportunities. Fishing is an important part of our community’s
outdoor culture and local tourism economy, and protecting these resources remains one of our
highest priorities.
The Pagosa Springs Parks and Recreation Board strongly supports this project and views the Fishing
is Fun Grant as a vital resource in our community’s overall flood-recovery efforts. We also
understand the time-sensitive nature of completing this work to restore safe, accessible, and high-
quality angling opportunities for Pagosa Springs, Archuleta County, and the broader region.
Thank you,
Mike Musgrove
Town of Pagosa Springs Parks and Recreation Board - Chair
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AGENDA BRIEF
MEETING: Combined Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
FROM:
PROJECT: PARC
ACTION:
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
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[PAGE 15]
AGENDA BRIEF
MEETING: Combined Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
FROM:
PROJECT: Board Status
ACTION:
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
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