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NDDA approves art project

Christopher Kelley
Posted 4/21/23

The Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) met on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at 6 p.m. to hear an update from Town Staff on the financial impact of Nederdays, to select an artist for a new

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NDDA approves art project

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The Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) met on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at 6 p.m. to hear an update from Town Staff on the financial impact of Nederdays, to select an artist for a new 615 square foot mural, and to discuss the proposal of funding design plans for a mountain bike pump track in Chipeta Park.

Town Administrator Dr. Miranda Fisher provided the NDDA with requested information regarding the March event Nederdays. Fisher provided results from a survey released to businesses, as well as an itemized financial report that detailed how the $8,500 in special event funding granted by the NDDA was spent.

Eleven Nederland businesses completed the survey, which asked business owners for their thoughts and opinions on the Nederdays event. It also asked how many customers they had over the weekend, and how much revenue was made in comparison to the same weekend, March 24 and 25, 2022.

Several businesses, including Augustina’s Winery, O’Neil Rocky Mountain Art, and New Moon Bakery, reported a moderate increase in sales compared to last year, while Very Nice Brewing Company reported having more than doubled their sales from last year. However other businesses, especially those on East 1st Street, such as Decent Bagel, Rustic Moose, and Wings of Lace, reported a slower than average weekend with less revenue made compared to last year.

Some business owners suggested advertising to a wider range in order to attract more out-of-towners, while others specified that they preferred keeping the event focused on locals. Other suggestions for the next Nederdays included refraining from closing down East 1st Street, moving the event to a central location as opposed to spreading out through town, and planning more indoor events.

Of the $8,500 budget granted to the organizers of Nederdays to fund the event, a total of $6,953.75 was spent. The Barn Dance event and Silent Disco each cost $850 to put together, while the Ice Sculptures, which were being crafted at different locations throughout Nederland during the course of Nederdays, cost $1,850 in materials and prize money. A total of $1,028.50 was spent on advertising for the event, with an additional $129.38 for the hosting of the official Nederdays website.

The NDDA were tasked with deciding whether or not to commit funds towards the 20% match required from the Town of Nederland for applying for $321,367.50 from the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant. The funds, if awarded to Nederland, would fund the replacement of the rock and sand sidewalks on Snyder Street, 2nd Street, and East Street.

The Nederland Board of Trustees (BOT) approved applying for the TAP grant within their Consent Agenda during their meeting on April 4. Town Staff is requesting that the NDDA fully fund the $64,273.50 match, as well as provide a letter of support which will be added to the final application for the TAP grant, due April 21, 2023.

After discussing the role of the NDDA in the implementation of the original NedPeds sidewalk project, to which they contributed $365,000, Board members generally agreed to provide 50% of the match, splitting the cost with the Town of Nederland. However, there was mention of asking for a higher amount from the TAP grant which would raise the amount of the required match.

Several board members desired for the project to involve an improvement and replacement of the sidewalks, as opposed to replacing the rocks and sand with cement back to street level. The concern was to create a delineation between the sidewalk and the roads in order to dissuade parking on sidewalk areas. The additional construction involved in recreating the sidewalks would require the Town to ask for a higher amount from the TAP grant.

The NDDA voted to approve drafting a letter of support for the Town of Nederland to send along with the application to the TAP grant, as well as committed to providing 50% of the required match. The amount of the match depends on the final determined amount being asked for from the TAP grant, which will be decided by April 21, 2023. The NDDA will have to decide at a later date whether to fund their portion of the match through a 2023 supplemental budget or within their 2024 budget.

Board members heard from the Public Art Committee concerning approval of the selected artist and alternate artist for the 615 square foot mural to be painted on the west-facing wall of the Mountain People’s Co-op building. Of the seven applicants, local artist Jessica Moon Bernstein was chosen, with artists Sophia Ramierez and David Sockrider tied for the alternate position.

Bernstein works with a diverse range of mediums, including paint, collage, metal, and found objects, and focuses on using her art to spread awareness about environmental issues. Bernstein earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado, worked for the US Peace Corps and United Nations, and was awarded an art residency at Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass, Colorado. Her work has been featured across Colorado, the country, and the world as her mural titled “Rise Up” is featured on the US Embassy in Beijing.

Bernstein’s plans for the Mountain People’s Co-op mural is to feature the mountains of the Indian Peaks and include the artistic symbols of the Ute and Arapaho, as well as portraits of Chief Ourey and/or his wife Chipeta. Bernstein envisions a “semi-abstract” mural, featuring bright, vibrant colors and “organic and geometric shapes.”

The NDDA approved Bernstein as the selected artist for the mural project and voted for the Public Art Committee to decide the final tie-breaker between the two choices for alternate artist, Ramierez and Sockrider.

Board members engaged in a discussion concerning the Public Art Committee’s proposal to collaborate with TEENS Inc. and the Mountain Forum for Youth to artfully decorate six to eight picnic tables which are to be placed behind The Deli. The area will be beautified by Nederland youth and highlighted as a seasonal gathering and picnicking spot.

The Public Art Committee is asking to utilize $6,540 from their 2023 budget to fund the project, which includes $1,200 for materials, $1,500 for an overseeing artist, and $3,840 in artist compensation, which amounts to $480 per table for eight tables.

Carrie Evans of the Public Art Committee spoke with the NDDA about the importance of collaborative projects with the youth that affects and improves the town as a whole. Evans also detailed how fliers marked with QR codes to direct interested artists to register for the project will be displayed at TEENS Inc., Nederland High School, and Peak to Peak area libraries and community centers.

Board members were greatly in support of the project and approved a motion to make the Discussion Item an Action Item in order to vote unanimously to approve the project and the use of $6,540 from the Public Art Committee’s 2023 budget.

Vice Chair of Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board (PROSAB) Sam Ovett and Trustee Jesse Seavers led the NDDA in a discussion regarding the proposed Chipeta Park Pump Track project. The estimated 10,000 to 15,000 square foot track is being considered to be built between the parking lot and the basketball court in Chipeta Park.

The proposed concrete track would be constructed by American Ramp Company (ARC) at an estimated cost of anywhere between $250,000 and $500,000. Seavers is asking the NDDA to provide $15,000 to fund preliminary designs and construction specifications from ARC, which would allow for further fundraising opportunities for the project.

The project received unanimous votes of recommendation from the PROSAB on March 16, and from the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) on March 23. Ovett and Seavers also provided survey results featuring over 170 residents who stated their approval of the Chipeta Park Pump Track project.

Board members asked about the possibility of losing emergency vehicle access into the park and/or any trees in the planned construction area, to which Ovett and Seavers assured that both the tree coverage and vehicle access would remain.

Ovett and Seavers also addressed concerns of safety in relation to snow and ice on the pump track and in relation to properly separating the pump track from other pedestrian access points to the rest of the park. Snow and ice can be removed by the rider at their discretion if they were so inclined to do so. It was also noted that a fence or an overall buffer zone between pedestrian areas and the pump track can be designed.

Seavers mentioned that the preliminary design process with ARC would include public engagement and allow for discussion on different designs that could be scalable to the Town’s desired budget for the project. Shifting areas of difficulty can be added and placed onto desired areas on the design plan in order to alleviate safety issues between differently skilled riders.

The question was raised of whether or not the Chipeta Park Pump Track project would show enough of an economic benefit to the Central Business District in order to constitute funding it as an NDDA project. BOT liaison to the NDDA Trustee Tania Corvalan, along with members of the public during public comment, stated that parents and bike enthusiasts do patronize local businesses when visiting pump tracks and other recreational parks.

Some board members felt that $15,000 was a small amount to pay towards making a $500,000 project a reality. Others felt that it was premature to fund such an amount when there was still a desire for more information on the project, such as more thorough designs and site plans of the proposed track, environmental impact considerations, and approval from residents and businesses neighboring Chipeta Park.

A motion was made and seconded to move the Discussion Item to an Action Item, which was approved. The NDDA voted to support the project, but could not agree on whether or not to approve funding the preliminary designs from ARC. A motion was made and seconded to deny the funding, though the motion was denied. A final motion was made to approve up to $10,000 to fund design plans from ARC for a pump track at Chipeta Park, which was seconded and approved.

The NDDA discussed whether or not they desired to implement a cap on special event funding of $1,000 permitted per applicant per event for the rest of 2023. Board members also discussed the possibility of scheduling their meeting in May for the vote of approval or denial on all summer event applications for funding, and their meeting in August to review all fall and winter event applications.

Some board members desired not to add more provisions and to instead be more supportive of local events, though with the budget for the rest of 2023 for special events at $8,000, the NDDA opted to move the Discussion Item to an Action Item and approved the $1,000 cap on special event funding, as well as approved the May and August meetings for reviewing of all special event funding applications for the rest of 2023.

The Nederland Downtown Development Authority meets the second Wednesday of every month. Their next scheduled meeting is for Wednesday, May 10, 2023, and will be held online as well as in person at the Nederland Community Center. For more information go to: https:// townofnederland.colorado.gov/downtown-development-authority.