About Us
Our goal is to offer enjoyable activities for both residents and tourists in the Estes Valley. We’re dedicated to ensuring that people of all ages can access fun and stimulating experiences at our properties.
Lives Enriched
Our Mission, Vision, and Goals
At the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District, our mission is to enrich lives with quality recreation. Our vision of accomplishing that mission is to facilitate and support healthy, active lifestyles for all ages, abilities and income levels. We strive to be the provider of affordable, fun activities for locals and visitors alike. We pledge to be good stewards of public resources. Our goal is to be the employer of choice in the Estes Valley by providing employee development, empowerment and engagement, in a supportive workplace culture. We will be reliable, effective business partners for the Town of Estes Park, The Estes Park School District and the Bureau of Reclamation. Our finances will be transparent with an eye toward a balanced budget and sustainability. We will be progressive in our planning and execution of operations to improve both quality of experience and efficiency. Our objective is to provide excellent customer service and be responsive to our community’s needs while honoring our commitment to conserve our environment.
Estes Valley Recreation and Park District Details
DISTRICT FORMATION
The Estes Valley Recreation and Park District (EVRPD) is a quasi-municipal corporation called a Special District – a form of local government authorized under state law created for a specific purpose. In our case, that purpose is to serve the park and recreation needs of our constituents. We are not a part of Larimer or Boulder County, but are a separate entity with our own taxing authority. All tax revenue and other funds collected are designated to serve the park and recreational needs of those who live and visit the Estes Valley.The District, originally formed in 1955, was first known as the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Recreation District. In 1985, the District’s name was changed to the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District.
DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
The District encompasses approximately 320 square miles in southwestern Larimer County and northern Boulder County, and includes within its boundaries primarily unincorporated land and the Town of Estes Park. The permanent population of the Recreation District varies between 10,800 and 11,600 in any given year.
District boundaries are generally described as approximately two miles north of Glen Haven (including Glen Haven); one mile east of Drake (including Drake); southeast toward (but not including) Pinewood Springs; two miles south of the Larimer-Boulder County line (including Meeker Park, but not Allenspark); and west to the Continental Divide. See the District Boundary Map for further detail.
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The District is governed by a five-member Board of Directors. The District Board is responsible for the overall management and administration of the affairs of the District. The Directors hold regular meetings and, as needed, special meetings. Information about the Board and Board meetings is available in the Board of Directors section of this Web site. Day-to-day operations of the District are conducted by 32 full-time staff members, led by the Executive Director, Tom Carosello.
Financial Information
Budgetary Basis and Organization
The accounting system for Estes Valley Recreation and Park District is organized as a single enterprise fund, with revenues and expenses further classified into various departments (golf, marina, administration, etc.). The District budgets and reports on a calendar fiscal year. Sources of income include:
- Fees and charges
- Property taxes
- Intergovernmental/grants
- Interest and miscellaneous
Historically, fees and charges have accounted for 55 to 60 percent of total revenues, property taxes approximately 25 percent, and intergovernmental/grant sources about 15 percent. Recently, public funding for recovery from the 2013 flood and passage of a bond election in 2015 for construction of the Estes Valley Community Center have increased the grant and property tax shares.
Personnel costs account for almost two-thirds of operating expenses. Other primary expense categories (about 7 percent each) are operating supplies, facilities and equipment repairs and maintenance, and utilities and fuel.
The District has established a goal to make annual capital and facility improvement investments equivalent to at least 10% of operating expenses. This is accomplished by setting aside a percentage of fees and charges earmarked for facility improvements and leveraging other funding sources as available.
The District also strives to maintain a target operating reserve of at least 25 percent of annual base operating expenses. Maintaining the reserve is achieved by budgeting and meeting cost recovery and return-on-investment goals for each department.