Boulder's city planners are turning to the public to help steer the future of the city's indoor recreation facilities, focusing on improving energy efficiency and updating aging infrastructure. The Future of Recreation Centers project, introduced last year by city staff, is currently in the process of gathering community feedback through a detailed questionnaire. This initiative comes as Boulder aims to not only preserve but enhance these vital community hubs as they face the challenges of time and a growing demand for sustainable, resource-efficient operations.

Last year's outreach showed that Boulder residents see their recreation centers as crucial to the city's well-being, the follow-up questionnaire is an effort to prioritize what upgrades and programs should come next, although there is an acknowledgment that there's only so much money to go around, and tough decisions may have to be made. BPR Director Ali Rhodes emphasized the importance of community feedback, "Recreation centers are critical community wellness hubs. We must ensure that Boulder can serve the community into the future by addressing aging infrastructure and improving their energy efficiency," Rhodes said, as per the City of Boulder, encouraging residents to share their opinions and help support the city's health and well-being while aligning with Boulder's environmental objectives.

Part of the sustainability initiative includes a deep energy retrofit at the East Boulder Community Center (EBCC), identified as one of the city's top energy consumers due to its dated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. The center's structural soundness, however, makes it a prime candidate for an overhaul aimed at significantly reducing energy use. Input from the community questionnaire is intended to help prioritize not just energy upgrades but also other improvements to support the most valued indoor recreation activities. The retrofit and corresponding renovations are scheduled to begin two years from now, in 2026.

The fate of the South Boulder Recreation Center (SBRC) is also up for discussion, as community feedback from the project's questionnaire will inform what functions it can continue to perform effectively as part of the city's indoor recreation program, SBRC has been deemed beyond the point of cost-effective repairs or renovations. The feedback will not only shape the design and function of the funded projects like the EBCC retrofit but will alternatively affect longer-term financial planning and potential funding mechanisms to ensure ongoing investment into Boulder's recreation facilities. City officials urge residents to participate and subscribe to email updates on the Future of Recreation Centers project for up-to-date information and opportunities for feedback.