1. ECONOMIC BENEFITS:
- Ability to build better facilities than if a municipality funds alone.
- Retain more tax dollars on weekends by keeping citizens in Morgan County.
- 76% of corporate executives say quality-of-life factors are “very important” or “important” in their site location decisions. These include outdoor and recreational assets. (National Recreation & Parks Association, May 2018)
- A district can work closely with economic development organizations for recreation-focused projects.
2. EXPANDED FACILITIES
- Relieves the burden of supporting recreation facilities alone.
- Current funding models project ability to fund facilities or upgrades to current facilities in Brush, Fort Morgan, and Wiggins.
- Diversified funding sources create more opportunities.
3. EXPANDED PROGRAMMING
- A recreation district will fund more full and part time positions than cities can fund. Great programming starts with great recreation staff. More staff will be able to create more programming.
- A unified registration system and improved publicity will lead to bigger leagues.
4. TAKE ON REGIONAL PROJECTS
- A recreation district is the perfect vehicle to build regional trails systems and grow other outdoor recreation opportunities for locals and tourists.
5. A VOICE FOR UNINCORPORATED COUNTY RESIDENTS
- The recreation district will have two board members who represent unincorporated county residents. These families will be formally part of the organization’s planning and programming for the first time.
6. IMPROVE HEALTH
- Innovative rural recreation will bring health and well-being within reach of more children and adults. This is especially important due to the high rates of chronic disease in Morgan County.
7. IT WORKS.
- Communities across Colorado have used a recreation district model to make recreation accessible, sustainable, and affordable for residents.
- Eaton
- Milliken
- Montrose
- Cañon City
- Grand Lake
