Widefield Parks & Recreation

What Widefield Parks & Recreation does

Widefield Parks & Recreation (WPR) is a department of Widefield School District 3, a public school district in El Paso County, Colorado, that provides community recreation services to residents of the Widefield/Security area in Colorado Springs. Founded approximately in 1980 and serving the community for over 45 years, WPR operates from a single campus at 755 Aspen Drive housing a 65,000 sq. ft. recreation center (opened July 2023), a year-round aquatics center with a 6-lane pool, gymnasium, fitness areas, preschool classrooms, and outdoor facilities including splash pad, pavilions, and walking trails. Service offerings span memberships (youth at $25/month, adult at $30/month, senior at $25/month, family at $60/month for WSD3 residents), daily admissions, swim lessons, youth and adult sports leagues, fitness classes and personal training, licensed preschool (including free Colorado Universal Preschool for 4-year-olds), Camp WPR summer day camp, facility rentals, and community events such as Movies in the Park.

WPR has no proprietary technology; its operations are run on third-party platforms including rec1.com (registration and program management), GroupExPro (fitness class scheduling), TeamSideline (sports league management), CivicRec (facility rental booking), Peachjar (digital flyer distribution), and Finalsite (website CMS). Revenue is not publicly disclosed but comes from membership subscriptions, daily admission fees, program registration fees, facility rentals, and donations, supplemented by annual $1 million general fund transfers from the school district that also service the $19 million in certificates of participation debt used to fund the recreation center. Customer segments include youth and families, working-age adults, seniors (with free memberships through Silver Sneakers, Renew Active, and One Pass), adult sports participants, and preschool-age children. Distribution is exclusively local and physical, with a 7-member Advisory Board and partnerships with Children's Hospital Colorado, Highroots Wellness, Kids on Bikes, Woodland Wanderers, and Security Public Library extending the program ecosystem.

Name

Widefield Parks & Recreation

Legal name

Widefield School District 3 Parks & Recreation

Website

https://parksandrec.wsd3.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Widefield Parks & Recreation is a public school district department operating a 65,000 sq. ft. recreation center, aquatics center, sports leagues, fitness programs, and licensed preschool for Widefield School District 3 residents in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Recreation Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Campus Recreation Centers & Fitness Facilities Operations (EDALAIAD)

Keywords

• Community recreation services
• Aquatics programs
• Youth sports leagues
• Fitness center memberships
• Licensed preschool programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Monthly and annual memberships providing access to the 65,000 sq. ft. recreation center and aquatics center. Memberships are tiered by residency status (WSD3 residents vs. non-residents) and category (youth, adult, senior, family). Monthly memberships require auto-debit from card on file; annual memberships are paid in full.
2. Daily Admission Fees: Pay-per-visit access to recreation center and pool facilities for non-members. Rates vary by age category (youth, adult, senior).
3. Program Registration Fees: Fees for structured programs including swim lessons, youth and adult sports leagues, preschool, summer camps (Camp WPR), fitness classes, and aquatic programs. Private swim lessons charged at $20 per half-hour.
4. Facility Rentals: Rental revenue from meeting rooms, pavilions, outdoor courts and fields, and pool party packages. Contact-based pricing through CivicRec platform.
5. Brick Garden Donations: Customized bricks sold at $75-$125 to contribute to the Aaron Gutierrez Scholarship Fund. Proceeds support financial assistance for community members to participate in recreation programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Widefield Parks & Recreation delivers community recreation services through a 65,000 sq. ft. Recreation Center and an Aquatics Center, providing memberships, daily admissions, swim lessons, fitness classes, youth and adult sports leagues, licensed preschool, summer day camps, community events, and facility rentals to residents of Widefield School District 3 and the broader Colorado Springs area. Programming is segmented by age and interest, with residency-based pricing favoring WSD3 residents and free memberships offered through Silver Sneakers, Renew Active, and One Pass.

Product overview

Widefield Parks & Recreation operates as a unified municipal recreation department under Widefield School District 3, offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs and facilities. The core offering centers on the 65,000 sq. ft. WPR Recreation Center (opened July 2023), which provides access to fitness facilities, gymnasium, and serves as the hub for most programs. The department's offerings span aquatics (Aquatics Center with 6-lane pool and splash pad), fitness (group fitness classes, personal training), sports (youth and adult leagues), licensed childcare (Preschool programs and Camp WPR summer day camp), community events (Movies in the Park, Holiday Tree Lighting), and facility rentals. Registration and scheduling are managed through third-party platforms including rec1 and GroupExPro. The organization operates from 755 Aspen Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80911.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WPR Recreation Center A 65,000 sq. ft. recreation facility featuring a 3-court gymnasium, suspended indoor walking track, two group fitness rooms, cardio and weight training areas, outdoor fitness patio, children's center, locker rooms, and administrative offices. Membership and daily admission include access to both the recreation center and aquatics center.
• Aquatics Center Year-round aquatic facility featuring a 6-lane indoor pool with diving well, climbing wall, outdoor splash pad, two outdoor baby pools, and group fitness/event room. Provides lap swim, open swim, and aquatic programs.
• Recreation Center Memberships Monthly and annual memberships providing access to the 65,000 sq. ft. WPR Recreation Center and Aquatics Center. Tiered by residency status (WSD3 residents vs. non-residents) and category (youth, adult, senior, family). Monthly memberships require auto-debit from card on file; annual memberships are paid in full. Free memberships through Silver Sneakers, Renew Active, and One Pass.
• Swim Lessons Learn-to-swim program for children ages 3 to 16, teaching aquatic and safety skills in logical progression. Includes youth swim lessons, Aquatots parent/child classes for ages 6 months to 3 years, and private lessons for all ages and abilities at $20 per half-hour.
• Aquatic Programs Specialized aquatic offerings including DIY Pool Party Packs for birthday celebrations, Lifeguard Training certification courses, Night Owlz Friday night childcare with pool access, and Swim Stroke Clinics for competitive swimmers.
• Fitness Programs Comprehensive fitness offerings including group fitness classes (Barre, Bungee, Cycling, Dance Fitness, Group Strength, POUND, Step Aerobics, Water Aerobics, Yoga/Tai-Chi, ZUMBA), personal training packages, small group training, fitness consultations, orientation to fitness area, and intro to weights classes.
• Fitness in the Park Free outdoor fitness classes at Pi-Ute Park on Saturdays at 10am, featuring yoga, Mixxedfit, Power Vinyasa, and SHiNE Dance. No registration required.
• Youth Sports Sport programs for children emphasizing fun, sportsmanship, and skill development. Offerings include tennis, baseball, softball, t-ball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, and flag football for kids as young as 4 years old.
• Adult Sports Recreational and competitive adult sports leagues including Cornhole, Pickleball, Softball, Kickball, and Volleyball. Open to adults 18 years and older who have graduated high school.
• Preschool Programs Licensed preschool programs including 3-year-old preschool (T/Th or W/F mornings at $120-$130/month) and 4-year-old Universal Preschool (UPK) free through Colorado Universal Preschool program. Located at 755 Aspen Drive.
• Camp WPR Summer Day Camp Six-week summer day camp for 1st-5th graders featuring weekly themes, field trips, arts & crafts, open gym, swimming, and weekly movies. Runs Tuesday-Friday, 9am-3pm, $160 per camper per week.
• Community Events Free community events including Movies in the Park (monthly outdoor movie screenings), Trunk or Treat & Movie in the Park, Monster Smash Workout Days, Tracy Vsetecka Memorial Walk, and Holiday Tree Lighting celebration.
• Facility Rentals Rental options include meeting rooms at WPR (max 4 hours with tables/chairs, kitchen, AV available), outdoor pavilions at WPR main campus or community parks (April-October, max 4 hours), and fields/courts. Contact Guest Services for meeting rooms and pavilions, Sports Department for fields.
• Child Watch Non-licensed childcare service for children 6 months to 11 years, available to adult members for maximum 90 minutes per day. $5/month membership fee. Available Mon-Fri 3:45pm-7:45pm, Sat 8am-12pm, Sun 10am-2pm.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving Widefield/Security area for over 45 years, impacting thousands of community members
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Children's Hospital ColoradominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's Hospital Colorado has partnered with Widefield Parks & Recreation's Youth Sports Program to provide concussion and sports injury resources to staff, coaches, and parents. Resources include concussion program information, concussion care guidelines, concussion assessment materials, and sports injury prevention resources including 'The 11+' manual.
• Highroots Wellness & ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHighroots Wellness & Consulting provides free health education classes at Widefield Parks & Recreation on topics regarding ways to improve overall health. Classes are held 6:30-7:30pm and are open to all community members on a first-come, first-served basis with no registration required.
• Kids on BikesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKids on Bikes partners with Widefield Parks and Rec to provide a free cycling program for middle and high school students (grades 6th-12th). The program provides bikes and helmets to participants, who can keep equipment free on the last day if they don't own a bike. Community rides, bike skills review, and basic bike mechanics are covered. Contact: Jess Verplank at [email protected].
• Woodland WanderersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWoodland Wanderers partners with Widefield Parks and Recreation for the Annual Tracy Vsetecka Memorial Walk, a non-competitive walking event held in honor of Tracy Vsetecka, a former Widefield School District principal. The event includes a community bike ride and opportunity to donate to the Tracy Vsetecka Scholarship Fund.
• Security Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecurity Public Library partners with Widefield Parks & Recreation for preschool programs. Children in the 3-year-old preschool have weekly visits to Security Public Library for Story Time. Library is part of the WSD3 school district website navigation alongside Widefield Parks & Rec.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Planet Fitness: National budget fitness chain with Colorado Springs locations. Competes primarily for the value-conscious adult membership segment at lower price points than WPR's adult tier, drawing away price-sensitive residents.
• VASA Fitness: Regional mid-market fitness chain with multiple Colorado Springs locations offering group fitness, pools, childcare, and family memberships. Directly competes on price and family programming against WPR's adult and family membership tiers.
• Life Time Fitness: National luxury fitness operator with a Colorado Springs location offering extensive fitness floors, group fitness, indoor and outdoor pools, family programming, and kids' activities. Competes for adult and family memberships with significantly larger amenity footprint.

Direct peers

• City of Manitou Springs Parks & Recreation: Small municipal recreation department serving Manitou Springs, immediately west of Colorado Springs. Operates community pool, parks, and recreation programs under a similar public-sector model at smaller scale.
• YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region: Nonprofit community recreation organization operating in the Colorado Springs market with fitness facilities, swim lessons, youth sports, preschool, and summer camps. Most direct comparable in mission, programming mix, and pricing structure to Widefield Parks & Recreation.
• Harrison School District 2 Community Recreation: School district-affiliated community recreation provider in southern Colorado Springs serving an El Paso County catchment adjacent to WSD3. Operates similar recreation center, aquatics, youth sports, and preschool programming under an almost identical governance structure.
• Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services: Municipal parks and recreation department serving the broader Colorado Springs area with recreation centers, pools, sports leagues, and community programs. Overlapping geographic catchment and nearly identical operating model as a public-sector peer.
• City of Fountain Parks & Recreation: Adjacent municipal recreation department serving Fountain, Colorado (southeast of Widefield in El Paso County). Provides comparable recreation programming including aquatics, sports leagues, and community events for a similar suburban community catchment.

Regional players

• El Paso County Community Services Department: County-level parks and recreation operator managing regional parks, trails, and recreation facilities across El Paso County. Sits above WPR in geographic scope but does not directly compete in the local WSD3 catchment.

Emerging players

• JCC of Colorado Springs: Community-center organization offering fitness, aquatics, youth programs, summer camps, and cultural programming in Colorado Springs. Overlapping programming and member base with WPR though operating under a different community charter.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WidefieldParksAndRec
• Instagraminstagram.com/widefieldparksandrec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/widefield-parks-&-recreation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Widefield Parks & Recreation