Nederland Ice Rink and Tennis Park Improvement Project

Latest Update

Dear Supporters of Nederland Rink and Tennis Park Improvement Plan,

First of all, thank you so much for your support in our quest to improve our park. With your enthusiasm, in the form of pledges and letter writing, along with a lot of positive words of excitement, we are encouraged to move forward in reimagining this wonderful recreational corridor.

Secondly, we are sad to let you know that the Town was not invited to apply for funding for a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant at this time. Their staff asked us to ask YOU, our community, to help us assess the best use of all of the recreational opportunities at the Ice Rink and Tennis Park and for the rest of the Town of Nederland.

Lastly, please fill in this simple survey, to help us understand what YOU would like to see, so we can move forward with your hopes, joined with ours, to make our community spaces meet the needs of our wonderful town.

GOCO Grant Survey: https://forms.gle/tdY7wQBG6hPNFPJ97

Thank you,

Town of Nederland
Parks Recreation Open Space Advisory Board (PROSAB)
Recreational Ice for Nederland Kids (RINK)
Mountain Tennis PickleBall Association (MTPA)

Grant Proposal Summary

The Nederland Ice Rink and Tennis Park was originally developed under a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant in 2005 and, over the last 18 years, has proven to be one of the Town’s most meaningful assets, serving the community as both an ice-skating rink and a tennis/pickleball court. However, after 18 years of use, it has left this facility needing some major revitalization. That is why Nederland is asking GOCO to continue this prior investment and partner with the Town to fundamentally reimagine the Nederland Ice Rink and Tennis Park so that the facility is better able to serve evolving community needs and allow greater connectivity with other nearby recreational opportunities.

What is the Town specifically looking to do?

The Town is seeking GOCO funding to engage in a comprehensive, community-centered redesign of the Nederland Ice Rink and Tennis Park. Instead of addressing the upgrades in a piecemeal fashion, we hope to work with engineers specializing in outdoor recreation designs to ensure that this space is planned, designed, and executed to accommodate these three sports and the needs of community members.

What makes the Nederland Ice Rink and Tennis Park so special?

The experience of recreating in an outdoor facility in the middle of the woods is something people always remember. The open sky, crisp air, and scenic surroundings enhance the overall experience and ties people to the beauty of nature and physical activity. The Town of Nederland is lucky enough to have one of these outdoor facilities in our community. The Nederland Ice Rink and Tennis Park (hereinafter referred to as the “Park”), was originally developed under a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant in 2005 and, over the last 18 years, has proven to be one of the Town’s most meaningful assets. Nederland is now asking GOCO to continue this prior investment and partner with the Town to fundamentally reimagine the Park so that the facility is better able to serve evolving community needs and allow greater connectivity with other nearby recreational opportunities.

The Park is uniquely multifaceted. In the winter, the facility serves as Colorado’s largest outdoor Olympic-sized ice-skating rink, and if you have never experienced the wonders of skating outdoors, it is a must-see. People travel from all over the county to enjoy the magical atmosphere. The rink serves as a community gathering place, bringing people of all ages together, especially through programming such as Friday Night Disco, open recreational skating, learn to skate classes, and hockey programs for adults and youth. During the summer, the boards for the ice-skating rink are moved out to create the larger surface needed to accommodate tennis courts. In Nederland, people of all ages and skill levels are provided the space and ability to play or learn tennis/pickleball in an iconic outdoor setting. Playing on outdoor courts allows people to enjoy the natural environment, and creates a more immersive and enjoyable experience compared to indoor facilities. Regardless of the activity, the Park provides endless opportunities for recreate in nature, connect with friends new and old, and create lasting memories.

Nederland Ice Rink and Tennis Park is a part of the recreational corridor. What's that you ask?

The Park is an especially important asset to Town because it is conveniently nestled in Nederland’s recreational corridor and serves as a key point of connectivity between other nearby recreational assets. Mud Lake, Boulder County Open Space, and Caribou Open Space are just a stone’s throw to the north. The new Wild Bear Nature Center educational site is being constructed across the street, and will include an outdoor amphitheater, a nature playscape, and an interpretive trail. Town Parks, Moose Meadows and Joe Smith Park, are on the east side. Immediately to the south is a Town trail system, which also serves BLM mountain biking trails, a pocket park called Kendall’s Corner, and a small amphitheater-type space utilized by the Nederland Elementary School students as a quiet, reflective location. Given all the amenities in this area, it is no wonder that the Town welcomes thousands of visitors per year to experience everything that is happening in this recreational corridor. The Town is eager to leverage the Park’s popularity and key location to grow the recreational corridor and use it as a foundation for additional recreational assets in the future.

This revitalization of the Nederland Ice Rink and Tennis Park will address some maintenance needs too!

While stakeholders have discussed and drafted some rough designs to reimagine the Park, we are looking to partner with subject-matter experts to comprehensively redesign the space to address some of the challenges at this site. For example, the pickleball courts are set up temporarily, meaning there are no holes drilled for the net size. The rink surface area is also too small to accommodate the tennis courts, which require a north-south orientation because of the sun. Therefore, we would like to develop a separate area at the site for the tennis courts. This would allow us to create a shared space for the ice-skating rink and the pickleball courts that do not require the continual movement of boards, compromising the surface's integrity over time. These boards have been problematic as well because they are heavy, expensive, and require a gasket to be placed under the boards to retain the water during the ice-skating season; however, the gasket is not fail-proof and causes the loss of many gallons of water and the build-up of ice around the facility, which is a safety hazard for the users. We are also looking to build an addition to the permanent structures that house the Zamboni and bathrooms, and replace the temporary sheds, which lack a foundation and complete electrical, with a new space for guests to rent skates, socialize, warm up, and even watch the hockey games from inside. There is a need as well to resign the current parking configuration to maximize the parking area and eliminate the need for people to park on the road. Lastly, we recognize that this facility is currently not ADA-accessible, which we want to change in this redesign. No person should experience any barriers to accessing and participating in outdoor activities. By ensuring ADA accessibility and considering the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities, the Park can provide everyone equal access, opportunities, and enjoyment.

The Nederland Ice Rink and Tennis Park will serve as another community gathering space that is accessible to all!

The community has greatly valued the Park for the last 18 years and would love to see this cherished facility redesigned and redeveloped in a way that will allow more community members to experience the joy recreating among the trees. Not only would this redesign support the effective management of this asset, but it also would allow the Town to enhance community vitality through the continued investment into an asset that truly does bring joy to the community. By fostering a deeper relationship with nature and providing opportunities for leisure and adventure, outdoor recreation contributes to a higher quality of life for individuals and communities. We envision the Park serving as a linchpin with Town’s burgeoning recreational corridor and improving connectivity between the many nearby recreational opportunities. We also recognize that this is an incredible place for our youth to come together with their peers and families to experience the beauty and wonder of outdoor recreation. Sharing outdoor experiences can enhance connections and contribute to a sense of belonging.