HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board Study Session 02-24-2009
Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, February 24,
2009
Minutes of a Regular meeting of the TOWN BOARD STUDY SESSION
of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held at
Town Hall in Room 130 in said Town of Estes Park on the 24th day of
February, 2009.
Board: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Levine, Trustees
Blackhurst, Eisenlauer, Ericson, Homeier and Miller
Attending: All
Also Attending: Town Administrator Halburnt, Deputy Town Administrator
Richardson, Town Attorney White, Directors Pickering,
McFarland and Zurn, Mgr. Winslow and Town Clerk
Williamson
Absent: None
Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 5:10 p.m.
STANLEY PARK FAIRGROUNDS MASTER PLAN.
Town Administrator Halburnt reviewed the history of improvements at the fairgrounds.
She reviewed the construction cost and financing options for the completion of a 60,000
square foot multi-use facility with hockey ice, landscaping, parking lot and storm water
drainage. The estimated cost of the project is $5.8 million. The Town could fund $3.8
million by the end of 2010 and fund the balance with SOPA earmark, Vehicle
Replacement Fund, naming rights or financing (EPURA bonding).
Trustee Miller suggested the Board consider a smaller multi-use event center and a
separate livestock barn for a total estimated cost of $3.2 million. The Town could build
both facilities with the cash on hand this year and plan for a future barn and/or indoor
arena within the next two years.
Mgr. Winslow stated the fairgrounds needs the ability to house up to 500 horses during
the equestrian season. The current design for the multi-use facility would not meet all
the needs and would be supplemented with current barn capacity. However, the new
multi-use facility would allow the old stall barns to be demoed for the proposed
Performing Art Theater. Stand alone stall barns would not be needed until the
fairgrounds booked a winter event. Dir. Pickering affirmed the equestrian user group’s
number one concern for the fairgrounds was the footing in the arenas followed by the
housing of the animals. The fairground has lost shows because the facility does not
have an indoor arena, and therefore, would be a higher priority for the fairground over
stall barns. A multi-use barn could be used in the off-season to bring hobby shows and
other trade shows to the community, and therefore, help the local economy during the
off-season.
Mayor Pro Tem Levine stated the Board should move forward with the Master Plan and
would not be in favor of changes if they would delay the project. Trustee Ericson
commented timing is important and the project needs to move forward with the facility
that would improve the local economy.
After further discussion, the Board agreed to the following next steps:
• Event Center
o Approximately 30,000 sq. ft.
Town Board Study Session – February 24, 2009 – Page 2
o Temporary stalls during the summer.
o Winter uses to include walking track, tennis courts, trade shows,
restrooms, office space, storage, lobby, concessions, hobby shows, no
hockey ice.
o Staff to develop program and design RFP.
o Use local contractors when possible.
• Enclose Arena #5
o Indoor arena.
o New arena mix.
o Seating.
• Stall Barn
o Barn would be permanent livestock barn.
Staff would organize a field trip to review the current layout and proposed locations for
the new facilities at the Stanley fairgrounds and a trip to the Greeley facility (Island
Grove).
There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 6:45 p.m.
Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk