County wil increase recenter fes begining on March 1
$9 and $10, depending on
the user’s age and whether
they live in the county.
The cost for one-month,
three-month and annual
passes also will increase for
the remainder of the year,
depending on the user’s age
and residency status.
the rec center’s website and
newsletter.
director said she sought rate
increases to help offset the
reduced income and make
the facility more “self-sus-
tainable.”
For 2024, Chisholm said
the center had eliminated
$100,00 in line-item pur-
chases, reduced its part-
time staff, and made other
cuts. She noted that utilities
for the building are estimat-
ed at $230,000 this year.
“It’s been really hard on us,”
she commented. “We’ve
been through a lot of ups
and downs. I don’t know
about the future.”
Senior Reporter
Originally, Chisholm
planned to discontinue sell-
ing annual passes. However,
she said she would follow
the commissioners’ recom-
mendations to continue the
program after they sug-
gested the passes should
contain a line, “hours and
days subject to change.”
The fees for some Gilpin
Community Center pro-
grams will rise by $1 or
more starting on March 1.
She noted that many
insurance providers sup-
port Silver Sneakers and
other programs that pay for
seniors to use the rec center.
In addition, the non-profit
Friends of Gilpin Com-
munity Center offers Heart
Fund “scholarships” to help
residents who can’t afford
to pay for rec center passes
and sports equipment.
By a 2-1 vote, the Gilpin
Board of County Commis-
sioners approved several
increases for the community
center at their meeting on
Tuesday, Feb. 13. The dis-
cussion brought on a larger
topic – the future of the rec
center in 2025 and beyond
– into the spotlight during
the meeting, too.
Prices for childcare for
kids graded K-5 also will
rise, depending on whether
the children are attending
full-day or after-school pro-
grams. The registration fee
for the program will be $30,
a $5 increase. Those partici-
pating in field trips will be
charged $66, compared to
the current $55. Parks and
Recreation Director Gabri-
elle Chisholm said the new
rates will be available on
Commissioner Marie
Mornis voted against the
increases after her motion
– to freeze the fees this year
– failed to get a second.
Hollingsworth said the old
mill levy means that casinos
will pay about $700,000
less this year than if the
property tax had remained
in effect. Currently, the cen-
ter will continue operating
for the remainder of 2024.
“I don’t have a crystal ball
[to predict the future],” said
the commissioner, who gave
Chisholm kudos for seeking
sponsorships and additional
funding for the facility.
Chisholm said Gilpin’s
rates continue to be lower
than those in other counties.
After county voters rejected
a special millage levy in
November to finance some
of the rec center’s costs, the
Mornis said county lead-
ers should discuss the rec
center beyond the current
year, noting the county’s
budget paid for the facil-
ity from when it opened in
2002 until the pandemic
struck in 2020. At that time,
the voters passed a three-
year 2.56\ mill levy to fund
the rec center. The money
comes from the county gen-
eral fund and user fees.
Commissioners Susan
Berumen and Sandy Hol-
lingsworth voted to increase
daily drop-in fees by $1 for
residents and non-residents.
Punch cards for 10 admis-
sions will increase between
Replied Mornis, “I’m a lot
more optimistic about the
future.” She recommended
that county leaders meet
to discuss the rec center
operations for its long-term
future.
Jefferson Academy
enrollment
With Jefferson County
Schools closing the Coal
Creek Canyon building
this year, parents have
organized a group that
will run the school as part
of the Jefferson Academy
system, a private academy
for preschool children and
those in grades kindergar-
ten through eighth.
This year, Gilpin County’s
budget has allocated ap-
proximately $2.7 million for
the rec center, including $1
million for capital repairs.
The recently ended mill levy
resulted in the center receiv-
ing $1.1 million less in 2024
compared to 2023. County
leaders said approximately
$600,000 remaining from
the rec center’s budget last
year will help defray the
costs this year. When ap-
proving the 2024 budget,
the county commissioners
reduced the operating days
for the rec center from five
to four days.
BRIEFS
BRIEFS
Berumen said the rec
center fees hadn’t increased
for more than three years,
adding many senior citizens
don’t have to pay for meals
and programs there. “I don’t
think there’s anything that’s
free,” she remarked.
The school is accept-
ing information from
parents who are interested
in enrolling children for
the upcoming year. It will
serve families in the Coal
Creek Canyon area and
beyond in Gilpin, Jefferson
and Boulder counties.
U.S. Forest Service continues pile burns
Seeing smoke in Gilpin County? The USFS is asking residents not to report it to
authorities because most of the smoke is coming from piles being burned north of
Central City and in the vicinity of the Gross Reservoir near Pinecliffe.
For information on the
rec center and Heart Fund
grants available through
the Friends of Gilpin Com-
munity Center, visit www.
gilpincommunitycenter.
org.
The Forest Service said there has been an uptick in 911 calls to the Gilpin County
Sheriff’s Department. During burning, USFS partners from The Nature Conser-
vancy, Timberline Fire Protection District and Lefthand Fire Protection District
have been observing the burns. The service reports that the area has adequate snow
cover, and there are no holding concerns. Resources remain on scene until the piles
have burned down.
