Boulder proposes ending free recreation access for low-income residents

Boulder residents who currently qualify for free access to city recreation facilities would have to pay 25% of the cost next year under proposed changes to Parks and Recreation’s financial aid program.

The proposed cuts would also shorten Scott Carpenter Pool’s season by four weeks, reduce indoor pool hours, offer fewer drop-in fitness classes and eliminate child care at East Boulder Community Center.

The changes are part of the city’s proposed 2027 budget, which seeks to close a projected $6.3 million General Fund gap.

Planned changes for Parks and Recreation in 2027 include reducing the number of drop-in fitness classes. The city said the reductions are based on participation, time of day and overlap with other offerings. Nonresidents currently pay a 15% premium for fitness classes. The premium would increase to 20% next year. 

In addition to shortening Scott Carpenter Pool’s season, the proposal would reduce indoor pool hours before Memorial Day and after Labor Day, when the city says use is lower.

“While people love it, the visitation does not equal what it costs to actually operate the facility,” said Ali Rhodes, director of Parks and Recreation, referring to Scott Carpenter Pool.

The child watch program at the East Boulder Community Center, which offers child care while a parent or guardian uses the facility, would be eliminated. The service would remain available at the North Boulder Rec Center. 

Qualifying low-income residents currently receive free access to city rec facilities. Under the proposal, the city would cover 75% of the cost in 2027, leaving participants to pay the remaining 25%. A 50% discount of up to $500 per year for certain rec programs for low-income residents would continue. 

Parks and Recreation, which relies heavily on sales tax revenue and service charges, has seen revenue remain mostly flat since 2014, while labor, utility and equipment costs have risen, according to city officials. The department is also facing increased use of its financial aid program without a sustainable funding source to meet growing demand, according to a recent city staff memo. The department provided about $930,000 in financial aid in 2025, covering approximately 77,000 facility visits. Subsidy costs are projected to reach $1.2 million in 2026. 

Parks and Recreation’s proposed budget for 2027 is $37.1 million, which would be used to maintain 86 parks and plazas, 42 playgrounds, three rec centers and 1,800 acres of natural areas. That is up slightly from $36.5 million in 2026. 

Rhodes has warned that 2027 reductions will be noticeable, in part because the department has already exhausted savings that do not affect services. 

The department is already struggling to operate Spruce Pool, with no city funding allocated beyond 2027. The pool is beloved by local swimmers who prefer a calmer, less competitive environment, but draws fewer visitors and therefore less revenue than the larger Scott Carpenter Pool. 

The department is not planning any significant changes to rec center or pool passes for city residents. Last year, the city began charging residents more for passes that provide access to both rec centers and pools. Previously, a single pass included access to both. 

Jackson Hite, senior manager of business services for Parks and Recreation, said visitation has flattened in 2026 compared with 2025 and 2024. Projected visitation growth for 2028 also appears to be “modest,” Hite said. 

A proposed bond measure, headed to Boulder’s ballot this November, could indirectly relieve pressure on Parks and Recreation’s budget. The measure, known as the Recreation and Safety Bond, would allow Boulder to borrow $400 million to tackle the city’s maintenance backlog. The debt would be repaid through an annual property tax. The measure does not specify exactly how the money would be spent, but the city has said it intends to use the funds for projects such as the $65 million replacement of the South Boulder Rec Center and $72 million for maintenance at the North Boulder Rec Center and relocation of the West Age Well Center.

While funds from the measure cannot be used for day-to-day operations, Rhodes expects that addressing the maintenance backlog would create more flexibility for existing funds. 

“We do expect to see some efficiency in the operating budgets because of the significant amount we are spending on reactive repair,” Rhodes said. According to city staff, Boulder spends $11 per square foot to maintain deteriorating buildings, compared with an industry standard of $5 per square foot to maintain buildings in good condition.