COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — There is now a breakdown of all the cost-saving measures happening at Colorado Springs parks to counter this year's $3.1 million budget cut.
Staffing, facilities and maintenance are all part of the $3.1 million of budget cuts happening at Colorado Springs parks.
Some of the fun is also going away.
The popular Julie Penrose Fountain, where kids like to come play in the water during the summer, will remain dry through the year to save between $40,000 to $50,000,
"Reductions are now going to be seen and felt, if you will," said Kim King, the interim parks director.
Parks leaders feel the pain explaining their plan tries to minimize impact while also laying out significant cost-saving cuts.
A large number of bathroom facilities and port-o-potties are part of the cuts.
They won't be open in small and medium parks but will be available at the city's largest and most visited parks.
"We've got a list of some of those that will not be open this year. Again, that's $100,000 of cost savings," said Eric Becker, the Colorado Springs Parks maintenance director.
The budget for fixes and maintenance at playgrounds is another major cut.
"That's going to be reduced down to about half of what I'd normally be able to provide, so down to about $100,000," Becker said.
In just the first six weeks of the year, tens of thousands have already been needed to counter vandalism.
It is a budget item that likely won't make it through the year.
"I have about half as much money as I spent last year, $75,000 set aside to address some of these things," Becker said.
Every park with grass or turf in the city feels the pinch.
The grass will not be greener from one park to another because fertilizing happens a lot less.
"We typically do at least two. Some of our sports complexes receive a little bit more. We'll be reducing that number down to just one this year," Becker said.
$50,000 to $100,000 at a time means a long list of reductions to meet a multi-million dollar budget cut.
The $3.1 million this year is in addition to some trimming that happened the two years previous.
With those years combined, the total cuts to parks programs approach $4 million.
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