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Talk Local with Englewood: Renew & Recreate · Talk Local with Englewood

• 0:16
  SPEAKER_01: Well, welcome to the first Talk of Anglewood.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: This is a new podcast for the City of Englewood.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Tim Dodd.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: I'm the interim city manager.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: I'll be hosting these.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's part of our overall strategy to engage with the community using a variety of media.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: And so this is a chance for us to sit down with the people behind the projects and the programs that we have going on in the city.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: By my last count, we have about 230 programs and projects.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: So a lot going on.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm very excited that today, for my first ever guest, is Gina Oberding, who's the Capital Projects Manager in our Parks Rec Library and Golf Department.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: And Gina was hired a couple years ago, I think, a year and a half ago.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: May of 2025.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: May of 2025.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: So coming up on two years, I'm rounding up a bit, of course, to really manage some really key and important projects involving parks and recreation.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_01: So Gina, thanks for being here.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for having me.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: It's really quite an honor to be the first guest on this podcast.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: And so today we're going to talk a little bit about how we got here with some projects.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: We're going to talk about the planning behind the projects, kind of talk about community engagement, and then we're going to talk about what's next.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_01: So to kick us off, Gina, talking about how we got here, start from the beginning.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_01: Where did these projects come from?
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: And what were some of the needs we were trying to address?
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: So this city's parks and rec division has had a master plan for many years.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: Well, as we all know, those plans need to be updated.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: And so in 2023, the city and a lot of leadership took on thinking, rethinking about what do our parks and recreation facilities really need for a vibrant city.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: And so a new plan was created and adopted by city council in 2023.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: And part of that was the recognition of we need funds to do this work.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: And so the city put together a proposal to go out for a bond.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: And so in 2024, they put on the ballot a bond for$41.5 million to renovate 10 different facilities and parks in the city of Englewood.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: And so our taxpayer said yes to a very important revitalization of eight parks, the rec center and Pirates Cove Water Park.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: Cool.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_01: And so obviously, we I will at some point have a whole podcast on municipal finance and budgeting.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: So that's not this.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_01: But for those who may be a little curious, what is a bond in the context of what you described?
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: But it is critical to have some funds up front to do this work.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: And so we had asked our taxpayers, would you be willing to, anyone that's a property owner owner, would you be willing to contribute some tax dollars to purchase a bond so that we can use the this money to renovate these parks?
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: And so this money is taxpayer money, and it greatly appreciated that taxpayers said yes.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Our city council said yes, the Parks and Rut Commission said yes.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: We all knew that this was a critical part to just rethinking how our city lives, how we enjoy community, how we gather.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: And so we said yes to a giant chunk of money that um is really going to do some really special things for the city.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: Cool, and thinking about, you know, you mentioned the Parks Master Plan, you mentioned some community engagement.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_01: Just talk to me a little bit about like what are some of the high high-level themes going back a couple years, going back right before the bond, in terms of what was the community looking for?
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_01: Like, were they looking for aquatic opportunities?
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: Were they looking for playgrounds?
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what were some of the high-level thoughts that came from the community?
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: It is a great question because community was kind of number one in this.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: What does the community want?
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: What do we need?
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: In addition to what did what are we seeing from our parks that are causing us a little heartache, some more maintenance, some more operational dollars and time.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: And so the community said to us, we want some new features, we want some updated features, we want to see native plants and drought-tolerant plants, we want to see things that are accessible.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: People come to our parks with a stroller or a walker, or someone might you know be using a cane.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: How do we make these parks more accessible for everybody?
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: And how do we activate parts of these parks that are really kind of quiet and bring new things, bring new age groups to the park and new features?
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: So the community had a huge role in contributing to what do these parks need?
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: And then we've we surveyed a bunch of community members and we said, what are you looking for?
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: So we gathered community input from a variety of ways to say, what can we do with these parks?
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_01: Cool.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: And so now, you know, having talked a little bit about how we got here, I'd like to learn a little bit more about you and the and what you bring to the city and like what your day-to-day, if you can describe like a day in the life of Gina, it might be hard because I'm sure every day is a bit different.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_01: What does that look like?
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Tim, my uh my title is project manager, and I was thrilled to be able to apply for this job because I'm an Inglewood citizen.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: I've lived here for 15 years, and I have been on the Inglewood Public Library Board.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: I had done some volunteer work with Inglewood Schools, and this opportunity came up for me to serve as the project manager for this Parks and Rec Bond.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I applied for it, and thank you for saying yes to me because I saw an opportunity for me to really do something for the city that I've been wanting to do.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: And my day-to-day is managing these 10 projects.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: What does that mean?
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going out to our facilities, I'm overseeing our contracts, I'm overseeing the construction companies doing this work, I'm working with our Parks and Rec team to design some of this work, working with the architects we've hired to design the work, and just making sure that we are staying on budget and making sure that we're staying on time.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Part of this bond is interesting because what we agreed to is within three years, 85% of this work needs to be done.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: So we purchased this bond in April 2025, and so we need to be 85% of done with these projects by April of 2028.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm gonna do my best to um make our citizens proud that we have done that.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: We have stayed within the budget and that we are on track.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: Cool.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so I'll let's talk a little bit about kind of where we're at right now, and so we're kind of in this phase where we're moving right from all planning to actually execution in some cases, but also planning.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, what are some of the things that have been completed so far that residents can see to date?
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: So we finished Cushing Park in January of this year, 2026, and very close to finishing Emerson Park, which is a small pocket park neighborhood, kind of feels like it's in your backyard.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: We added a couple play feet natural play features, some new landscaping.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: We left a lot of the green space there too, because people do use it for soccer and football and other things.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: But those that project will be done here in the next couple weeks.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: So we are you know really excited to have the second bond project almost completed.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: Well, congratulations.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I think you know, we were talking about before the show something that I really loved about this whole process is that to me it's a balance of what I would call signature parks, like the big regional draw parks, but also uh like Emerson Park, the neighborhood parks that really are used by the people that live in that area.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_01: So I think it's been a great balance.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but to that point, you know, talking about Emerson and Cushing, what are you hearing so far?
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_01: So I know you're you're working hard here at the Civic Center some days, but you're also out there.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_01: I know you you live in the community, as you mentioned.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_01: So when you're just walking around talking to people, what's some of the feedback you're getting about those two projects?
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: Quite positive feedback, actually.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: And and we've asked a lot of community members, what are you thinking about this?
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: At Emerson Park in particular, they host a Fourth of July party, and we were able to finish enough of that project for them to have their Fourth of July party at that park.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: And so we've heard some very positive comments about it just being lovely, more drought-tolerant plants, some new trees, and then those couple play equipment.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: And people have continued to talk about how welcoming the park is.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: It feels very vibrant, but it also is small enough that it feels still community.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: So we've heard great things about that.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: And then at Cushing Park, we've heard some nice comments about activating part of the park that really was kind of nothing.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_00: There were kind of weeds there, it was kind of on a hill.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: That's where the new dog park is.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't even know that I saw that as a potential for a new dog park.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: But now that it's there, I can't not see it.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's really wonderful to see um community using these parks.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and obviously, like any, you know, we're I think we're moving pretty quickly on a lot of these projects, but capital projects take time by the definition of that, and so sometimes things shift while the project is going on.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_01: Have there been any surprises or things that you learn that you've learned or yeah, as you kind of walk through those projects?
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I kind of chuckle because one of uh the biggest learning opportunities for everyone has been stormwater.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: We all know that when it we get a torrential downpour, what happens to the water?
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: And oftentimes in these parks it just sits there or it moves along its way, but there's such volume that it's flooding the streets.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: So one of our biggest learning was at Miller Field.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: Miller in that area is very flat, and so the water doesn't have a place to go.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: And so we've had to work very closely with the stormwater division here at the city to say what do we do with this water?
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: When it comes into the park, do we hold it, do we pipe it somewhere else?
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: You know, there's a variety of things that happen when it when it rains.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: So we're preparing for at Miller Field in particular, either a 25-year storm, a 50-year storm, or a hundred-year flood.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: And those are some pretty big storms.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, we want to make sure that the water gets to a place where it can be safely either stored and moved along or can move along safely.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that's been the biggest thing for me is working very closely with our stormwater division to say how can we plan for a 25-year flood.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: So Miller Field is the biggest one.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: What's exciting about that is you will eventually see a bioretention pond.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's going to be a beautiful looking area, but it really its goal or the purpose of it is to retain that water.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: And then it will slowly seep into the ground and go through the piping system and go to the stormwater.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_01: That's one of the things, Gina, I really appreciate about what you bring to the city is obviously, you know, your title, your department that you work in is focused on parks and rec.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: But really, these projects touch a lot of other things.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: And so you work really closely, as you mentioned, with utilities, with stormwater, with public works, with finance, with many other departments to make sure that everything is lined up and that the goals that we have for our recreation program also align with goals for stormwater and things like that.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: We're not going to call it a tangent, but if I can go on a little side quest for a second.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_01: So you mentioned Miller Field.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, Miller Field is the field for those who may not know, right across the street on a Lottie, I think, um, from the police station.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and it has a really interesting history.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_01: Do you mind just for a minute or two kind of sharing who Denny Miller was and the importance of the naming of the field after him?
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: Denny Miller was a student, a 12-year-old student here in Englewood, and his family was here for quite some time.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I believe it was back in the 1950s, like 51 perhaps, in which unfortunately he died of meningitis.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: And they his family wanted to do something to honor him, and he was a baseball player.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: And so they said, can we dedicate this field, this baseball field, a large plot of land, for a baseball park?
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: And so since 1951, this park has been named the Denny Miller Memorial Field.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: And we're going to continue to honor that with our renovation and have some new things in that park that honor who Denny Miller was and his love of baseball.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: So that project in particular will have new playground, new splash pad, uh new stage, and then we're going to still have a baseball field and a softball field in memory of Denny Miller.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_01: That's great.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_01: And um I learned recently, I think it might have been someone from his um maybe his sister's family or someone from his family who wrote a book about him.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's neat.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't recall the title of it, but it is a nice memory for him and his family who had their roots here in Englewood, and how lucky are we to continue to honor that memory of him and his family.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, thanks for going on that side quest with me.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so we talked a little bit about, you know, Emerson and Cushing and projects that have been completed or are close to be completed, but we also have several projects like the Rec Center renovations that we get a lot of questions on, Pirates Cove that we get a lot of questions on.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: Let's talk now a little bit about what's going on.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_01: So maybe share some of the ongoing projects with us.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, let's start with Pirates Cove water park.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_00: People love Pirates Cove.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: It is a hot attraction in the summer.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: And Pirates Cove is getting renovation on the east side of the park.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: The competitive pool has recently been completely torn out, and that side of the park and pool will be a lounge pool.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll be a little bit more casual.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: There'll be in-pool seating, there'll be a waterfall, there'll be some water walking kind of features.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: We will still have a deep end because we have a very dedicated deep water exercise class that uses our deep um the deep water pools.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: But the features will allow more people to use that pool more casually.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_00: And so that whole area will be a new lounge area, and then we're adding two new slides.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: So there are currently three slides at on the west side of the park, those will stay, but we're gonna add two more slides.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: And what's neat about these two additional slides is one of them is a multi-passenger inner tube slide.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: So you and a friend can grab an inner tube and sit front and back and go down that together.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: So we're looking forward to kind of just bringing in perhaps some new energy to that side of the park.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: The other two areas of the park, the kids lagoon area and the lazy river, will not change.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: Only this east side will change with these new features.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_00: So if you drive by on Bellevue, Bellevue Park is you can see all the giant equipment there, and um the pool's gone.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: So they're gonna be building a new pool here soon.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: And then the other one that's fairly active as far as on our recreation side is the Inglewood Rec Center.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: So if you use the Inglewood Rec Center, you will notice that the pool is empty and the west side of the rec center is going to be getting some new features and some upgrades.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_00: So currently the Inglewood Rec Center is open.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: Come use it anytime.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: The gym's open, the cardio room is open, um, you know, the zone room is open, so come use the Inglewood Rec Center.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: What is being what is closed and what is being remodeled is the um locker rooms.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_00: So we have very aged locker rooms that have seen some use, and so those are being ripped out.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: We are going to um revitalize those.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: We're bringing what is the family locker room up front so that we will have a family or universal space.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: Anyone can use that space.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: We will have that space, a women's locker room, and the men's locker room.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_00: So these new locker rooms will look modern.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they don't look or function very modernly right now, so we're looking forward to that.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: And then the pool is gonna largely stay the same.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_00: It is getting a couple of cosmetic upgrades like the green tile around the pool.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: But the pool deck where you walk is cracked and it pools and it just needs some love and has not been resurfaced for many, many years.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: So we the um deck where you walk will get a new service.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: And then we are expanding the west side of the rec center to add a hot tub and a cold plunge.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: People have been asking for a hot tub for a long time, and we are thrilled that this bond money can be used to give people what they've been asking for.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: So come and use the the hot tub and the and the cold plunge.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_01: And cold plunges are becoming more and more common and very yes, yeah.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_00: So we're really gonna give the rec center a facelift in that way.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_01: Well, going back to Pirates Go for a second, I just want to make sure that the and I hope I get the colors right, but the famous slides on the other side, the purple, orange, and yellow, those aren't going anywhere, right?
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, those are staying, and then we're adding two new blue ones.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: And um, our staff got to pick those colors.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: So we're pretty excited that we gotta contribute in that way.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we'll have to figure out a methodology for lining people up because in the other one it's all about uh yeah, yeah, which are the colors.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, um, so now I just want to kind of look ahead, right?
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_01: So we've looked at kind of where you know where we were, how we got there, what were going on.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_01: And as we look ahead, what are some of the big milestones that you know you mentioned?
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_01: So I assuming Pirates Cove will open for the season next year with new features.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um the rec center will be opening, I shouldn't say opening, it's it's open.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but the new features there will be done in a few months, or um w we'll give it some time.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_00: But we expect that both um the rec center and Pirates Cove will be open in the summer.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_01: Cool.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: I guess I was jumping ahead by a few months and that like next season.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, what are some other big milestones that residents can can see coming up?
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_00: Well, we are super excited that Bellevue Park will be seeing some changes.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: So Bellevue Park is a very special park.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: People call it airplane park.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_00: With this bond, the community said yes to some upgrades.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_00: So, as part of this bond, and what we've done is we've done a feasibility study.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_00: That means we've hired a consultant to take a look at what um the park is and we identified some things that need to be done.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_00: Specifically talking about Bellevue Park Farm.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_00: The farm is in a FEMA floodplain, which means we didn't know that this was in the updated floodplain map earlier, early on, but we realized it and realized, oh, we cannot make changes to the farm when it's in the FEMA floodplain.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: So we will be building a brand new farm in very close proximity to the current barn.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: And that project's gonna probably start in the spring.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_00: With that project, it will be that's gonna be probably one of the most challenging projects because um we can't build anything in that FEMA floodway, and so we have to bring in a bunch of dirt and put everything up in a space that is safe.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna keep the old barn for storage, but we're adding that barn to a space and we will have a new spot for the petting zoo, which is super exciting.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: At Bellevue Park, as you might know, the train is also a super popular um feature.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: The train will not be modified at all.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: The train is gonna stay where it is and it will be in close proximity to the new barn so that you buy your ticket at the farm and then you could can go down and ride the train.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_00: So we're really looking forward to Bellevue Park seeing the changes with the farm.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_00: There's gonna be some other upgrades, but as far as the bond goes, those are some upgrades with at Bellevue Park.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: We're really excited about.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I want to make a plug for the farm and train because you know, as things cost more and it's hard to kind of find, you know, affordable family-friendly activities, it's one of the few that's left in the area.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_01: And it's the train is super cool.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_01: I've seen people of all ages go on it.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, the farm, I think, is really neat compared to some other um small farms and petties news that I've gone to where the animals are in different areas, so they kind of let the animals all commingle for the most part, unless some are uh causing some problems.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_01: But it's really a great experience, I think, for families to go there.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: And we appreciate that, Tim, because you're right, it is affordable.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's three dollars for a ticket, like you know, and I've ridden the train before, it's so fun.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so it's wonderful, wonderful memories had at Bellevue Park.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I think you kind of touched on this, but you know, kind of as we kind of get to the end of this session, um, reflecting on all the things you're going and working on.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: I know it's hard for you to pick one or two, but looking forward, like what are what are one or two of the things uh about the whole renew and recreate project that you think you're just like really excited about?
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_01: That you think about when you're energized coming to work in the morning, what are like the one or two like we're doing this for the community things you want to share?
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it is hard to pick because we're getting a new restroom at Northwest Greenbelt and a new half basketball court.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: That's what the community asked for.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: We're really excited about that.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: As I mentioned, we're really excited about Miller Park because right now it's just a baseball field and we're gonna be adding some new features.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_00: One of the parks that I have not yet mentioned that I'm particularly excited about is Bard Park.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: Bard Park is near Charles Hay World School.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: And what we've decided to do with that space is to create an arboretum.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_00: An arboretum is an outdoor living museum that helps to educate about trees and woody shrubs.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_00: And this will be Inglewood's first arboretum.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's a place where we can educate others on what trees are natural to Colorado or what should I be planting?
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um how can I bring in some color?
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: To my yard and direct people to that park to kind of see the different options they have.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_00: We worked closely with Charles Hay World School's fifth grade STEAM class and kind of talked with them, those kids, about what do you think of this?
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: You know, how would you redesign this?
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_00: And it was a really neat collaboration with that school.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think for me, Bard Park will be a really special place to just go and have some nice time to walk through the new trails.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: Kids can get to school on a new bridge that we're building there.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_00: It will just be a really special kind, you know, kind of liven up what is right now a park that is used, but not maybe used to its full extent.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_00: So we hope to bring, you know, neighborhood nights there and some of the different um Englewood events.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_00: But that it will take time for the trees to grow.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: But that's one of the parks in particular that I'm excited about.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_01: Great.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_01: And as we look forward, I mean obviously when you think about measuring success, right?
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_01: That term, uh, people think about you know metrics, right?
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_01: Like the number of people who visit, those things were all important.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_01: But if you were, you know, let's say 20 years from now, right, you're coming back and you're reflecting on it, what does uh what does success look like to you?
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, you're good.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_00: That's a great question.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: When we were putting these this master plan together, and when we went to City Council and we worked with the Parks and Rec Commission, our team said we we do have some goals for this.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_00: And so in 20 years, I think we will see that these parks are have withstood their um, you know, there's some longevity to it, right?
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_00: We want to add money now that can be loved for a long time.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: We want to see a bunch of these parks activated.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_00: And that's that's one thing that we know will happen.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_00: Community will use these parks.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: Sustainability is another one in which we are very being very thoughtful about things we plant that can withstand the variety of temperatures and weather that Colorado experiences.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_00: And we are working with the Sustainability Commission and getting their feedback on how can, you know, what can we do?
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_00: And so we've been working with them.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_00: So I think having some sustainability would mean success for us, and seeing these things withstand our harsh temperatures.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: And then finally, I would say, you know, having a lot of these parks that provide accessibility in a variety of ways to a variety of different users means success for us.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: You know, how do people use these parks?
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_00: Whether it's someone that, you know, that has children or someone that might be in a wheelchair.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: We want to bring people to our community and be very welcoming.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: And so we want to have a variety of users at these parks.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_00: I think that will mean success if we see people using our parks in those ways.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, as you were talking, Gina, I was reflecting on the city's vision statement, which is advancing our community together.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_01: And you just described exactly how this project is advancing our community together.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, great.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_01: So, last questions.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, how can people stay involved?
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_01: How can they stay on top of what's going on with this project?
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_01: And I hear there's a big event happening October 17th that unfortunately I will be out of town for, but would love to hear about that too.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_00: People can stay involved in a variety of ways.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_00: We have a website, Renew and Recreate, in which all 10 of these projects are listed.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: And you can sign up to get emails or updates from each of those individual parks.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: We also add articles in the quarterly newsletter that is sent to you in the mail.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: So take a look at that.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_00: And then we do a bunch on social media, of course.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and we're doing trying to reach out to neighborhood groups.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_00: Each kind of neighborhood has a neighborhood leader, and so making sure that those groups get personal invites to things or making sure that they feel informed.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: And then coming up on October 17th, which is a Saturday at 10 a.m., we're gonna do a coffee ribbon cutting at Emerson Park as the second bond project that will be completed.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: So we do look forward to inviting people to that, just enjoying what that park is, exploring that park if you haven't been in that area, part of town.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then we can chat.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_00: We can chat about any concerns you have about the projects.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_00: I'm always open ears to let's talk about these things.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: And then I try to attend the like neighborhood nights and different events throughout the city where people can find more information about this project, all of our recreation projects, and all of our parks projects.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_01: Cool.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you, Gina.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_01: Congratulations on being my first guest on the Talk Local with Englewood podcast.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, hopefully, we'll have you back.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see how it goes.
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_01: But we hope to have more sessions talking about a variety of things we're going on in the city.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_01: Tim Dodd, Interim City Manager, here with Jonah Gina Oberding from our Parks Rec Library and Golf Department.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_01: And thank you all for listening.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_01: Have a good day.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for having me.