GOLDENPARKS and RECREATIONDEPARTMENT

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Golden Parks and Recreation Department has put together the following facts and information about the City of Golden to prepare potential interns for the goals, opportunities and responsibilities of the City of Golden Parks and Recreation Internship Program.

CITY OF GOLDEN

Located 10 miles due west of Denver, Colorado at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Golden is uniquely separated from the metro area by Table Mountain. The quiet community of 18,000 people is dedicated to a diverse and professional Parks and Recreation Department.

The City Charter provides for a Council-Manager form of government. The executive power is vested in the City Council who appoints the City Manager to run the daily affairs of the city. The support of citizens, elected officials and a dedicated staff has resulted in Golden becoming the first Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) Accredited municipality in Colorado. Golden Parks and Recreation was also honored as a 2010 Gold Medal Award Winner. The Gold Medal Award honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition.For more information, visit

Golden Parks and Recreation is a small, but diverse department employing approximately 42 full-time employees and up to 300 part-time and seasonal staff. The Golden Parks and Recreation internship experience will provide an opportunity for exposure to several unique areas of the profession from recreation programming to managing the Golden Cemetery.

VISION

Golden will be recognized as a national leader in the provision of high quality parks, trails and recreation facilities.

MISSION

To promote and provide safe and comprehensive community facilities, programs, and services that will enrich the quality of life for all residents and visitors.

COMMUNITY CENTER

The Golden Community Center, a74,000 square foot building after a 2007 renovation, offers programs for the Golden community from older adults, teens, and tots, to swimmers, weight lifters and artisans. The two-story structure features the Front Porch lounge for older adult drop-in and programmed activities, and indoor playground, a birthday party room, a six lane lap pool, a leisure pool and sauna, two dance/fitness rooms, a full fitness area including free weight and cardiovascular sections, a climbing and bouldering wall, a large gym with two courts and an elevated track, craft and meeting rooms, an indoor playground plus a 3,702 square foot Community room highlighted by a catering kitchen and outside deck.

RECREATION

Golden provides youth, adult and senior programs all year for residents and visitors. The Golden Community Center is the site for classes including arts /crafts, fitness, dance, aerobics, educational classes, athletics, aquatic classes, climbing, programs for older adults, a state licensed preschool and day camp programand much more. Outdoor recreation programs offered by the department include adult softball and volleyball leagues, youth tennis lessons and tennis teams and youth summer track.

The Recreation Division actively participates in the Colorado Association for Recreational Athletics (C.A.R.A.), a branch of the ColoradoParks and Recreation Association (C.P.R.A.) professional organization. Over 100 recreational opportunities are available to the citizens of Golden along with another estimated 12,000 non-residents that the Golden Recreation Department serves. The Recreation Division circulates more than 23,000 quarterly brochures in and around the Golden area.

PARKS

The City of Golden plays host to 253 of acres of parkland, 24 miles of trails and 402 acres of open space. The system of parks includes pocket parks, neighborhood parks, a community park and trail systems. The parks include the latest innovations in park design, athletic fields, tennis courts, volleyball courts, ponds, fountains and automated irrigation systems.

At an elevation of 5,600 feet above sea level, winter, spring, summer and fall each offer a variety of activities to enjoy.

The Parks Division strivesto deliver efficient, diversified and adaptable service to conserve a natural foothills urban setting. This year-round environment must be fun, safe, clean and usable to provide a quality experience for the park user.

FORESTRY

The Forestry Division of the Parks and Recreation Department is committed to the health and maintenance of over 10,000 trees including the City’s right-of-way trees (those within 10' of the curb on all City streets) as well as the care of trees in all City parks and public areas. The goal is to add to the long-term health as well as the population of the urban forest. The City Forester is responsible for administering the City's right-of-way tree maintenance program, among other duties. Citizens can expect to see tree care operations on busy streets such as Ford, Washington and Jackson as some of the City's older trees are given much needed attention. These efforts will include some removals of hazardous trees in poor condition, trimming of many others and replacements of those removed. This work is all part of a focus on keeping the City's older trees healthy and beautifying Golden streets.

CLEAR CREEK RV PARK

The Golden Parks and Recreation Department also runs a beautiful RV park along Clear Creek at the base of Clear Creek Canyon, with 22 spaces providing full hook-ups and another 14 spaces for individuals wanting to “rough it.” The RV Park hosts over 3,000 visitors each year. It offers a relaxed country-like setting within walking distance of historic downtown Golden. The R.V. park is open year-round, equipped with 22 full hook-ups, 2 electric & water, 7 50-amp electric only, 2 tent & 2 dry campsites, computer hook-up available for e-mail, large clean restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, and a dump station. Join us for a quiet seclusion along the banks of Clear Creek. The park is located just 20 minutes from downtown Denver with easy access to Central City and Black Hawk.

GOLDEN CEMETERY

Also under the Golden Parks and Recreation Department is a 60-acre cemetery maintained and supervised by two full time staff members. The Golden Cemetery has had many capital improvement projects in recent years and continues to be a first class facility which serves as the final resting place for many Golden residents. The GoldenCemetery, located at 755 Ulysses Street, has been owned and operated by the City of Golden since 1873. Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the cemetery maintains the character of Golden's rich history. Historic notables buried here include Capt. George West. West was one of the founders of Golden and also founded the Colorado Transcript newspaper in 1866. This newspaper, now known as the Golden Transcript, is still in publication today. SethLake, builder of the Astor House Hotel in 1867, is also buried in the GoldenCemetery. Another resident of Golden Cemetery, Captain E. L. Berthoud, with famed mountain man Jim Bridger as his guide, discovered "BerthoudPass" in 1861. Many other pioneers and characters of the early west are at rest in GoldenCemetery.

THE SPLASH @ FOSSIL TRACE

The Splash at Fossil Trace was one piece of a large project known as The Recreation Campus. It was made possible by the approval of a bond referendum. The Splash is the largest water park in Jefferson County and the only of its kind in the west metro area. It attracts water-goers from all other mountain regions. The Splash includes 180 foot and 151 foot water slides, a 25-meter lap pool, activity pool with fountains, a large sandbox, a splash pad and a 500 gallon dump bucket. The Splash employs approximately 60 staff seasonally.

The City decided to offer resident, non-resident and JeffersonCounty resident admission rates when the Splash opened in the summer of 2002. The JeffersonCounty rate allowed county residents to enjoy Splash for a reduced rate over non-residents. The community has celebrated the water park since its commencement. Splash averages over 600 visitors per day and continues to increase year after year. Splash was awarded has been placed in the Top Five Best Places for Families in Colorado for several yearsby Kids Pages Magazine.

FOSSIL TRACE GOLF CLUB

Also a part of the Recreation Campus Project, the City of Golden openedthe award-winning Fossil Trace Golf Club for play in July of 2003.

The par 72 layout rests at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and features several holes routed through an abandoned clay pit mine. The design of the golf course of 6,868 yards comes with the variation of swamp wetlands, flood-protection retention ponds, a former dump ground for fly ash and an old clay mine site. The views are majestic, the course is unique, and the club house beautiful. There simply is not another public course like this in the Denver Metro area, let alone Colorado.

One very unique feature, hence the name, are the fossil tracks found on the site. Located within a five-acre strip of clay pits off U.S. Highway 6 near Golden High School, Fossil Trace Golf Club also features the 65 million-year-old tracks of a duckbilled Hadrosaurs, a carnivorous dinosaur called Theropods, and the track of a Triceratops. The discovery also includesthe only print of a crocodile-like reptile known as Champosaurs, and the first tracks everfound in the U.S. of horned dinosaurs known as ceratopsians. Also found were fossil remains ofdeciduous leaves theropods, ancient logs, and palm fronds.

GOLDEN HISTORY MUSEUMS

The most recent addition to the Golden Parks and Recreation Department, the Golden History Museums and staff began working for the City of Golden in July, 2010. The museum transition from non-profit operation to City operation allowed the City to maximize resources to make the museums more efficient while increasing opportunities for the community to enjoy them.

The Golden History Center was founded in 1938 as a joint project of the Jefferson County Commissioners and the Works Progress Administration – a program of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Located at 923 10th Street, the Golden History Center hosts changing exhibits, special events and programs for adults and children.

The iconic Astor House Museum was built in 1867 and functioned as a boarding house and hotel for over a hundred years. When it faced the wrecking ball in 1973, a group of concerned citizens banded together to save the historic structure. Today, visitors to the Astor House can see how it might have looked when German immigrant Ida Goetze operated the boarding house at the turn of the 20th century.
Whereas the Astor House Museum presents a glimpse of Golden’s early city life, Clear Creek History Park interprets rural homestead life. In the 19th century, small ranches and farms dotted the canyons and mountains surrounding Golden. The historic structures at Clear Creek History Park were relocated from Golden Gate Canyon (15 miles northwest of downtown Golden) to their present site in 1994. Today, visitors can stroll through the park and peek in the windows to imagine how life might have been for those early settlers. In the summer and during special events, the buildings are open to explore. Costumed interpreters demonstrate important 19th century skills such as blacksmithing, weaving, and cooking on a wood-burning stove.

INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

The purpose of the Golden Parks and Recreation Internship Program is to provide students with the opportunity to apply their academic skills and knowledge to the practical experience daily operations. Under the assistance of supervisory staff, an intern will have exposure to several Divisions within the Department with a focus on the Division that meets their goals. (i.e. a Recreation Major will work primarily in the Recreation Division with some exposure to overall City and Department operation)

In selecting your internship location please keep in mind the goals you wish to obtain. Golden is a small city, while interning for our municipal parks and recreation department, you will experience and learn many facets of local government and how it functions. The goal of staff is to expose you to a meaningful and practical learning experience that will benefit both the intern and theDepartment.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Potential learning opportunities:

  • Budget Preparation
  • Programming
  • Event planning
  • Marketing/Promotions
  • Brochure creation
  • RecTrac/Webtrac Software
  • Scheduling
  • Parcs Software
  • Cartegraph Software
  • Program oversight to include instruction and coaching
  • Revenue/cost recovery reports
  • Purchasing
  • Employee recruitment
  • Guest Services
  • Payroll
  • Maintenance
  • Equipment use
  • Sales
  • Facility operation

STUDENT INTERN GUIDELINES

The GoldenParks and Recreation Department takes pride in presenting itself to the public in a professional manner. We provide quality programs to our citizens and expect the same from our student interns. The Golden Parks and Recreation Department expects an incoming intern to be enthusiastic and to present a professional attitude.

Expectations of the intern are as follows, but not limited to:

  • Attendance at required meetings
  • Assist in the production of a brochure
  • Create news releases, flyers, social media/web content
  • Familiarization with office operating procedures
  • Aide in construction of a budget
  • Familiarization of all program/service area assigned
  • Major written project
  • Completion of written requirements byuniversity or college
  • Regular meetings with Internship Coordinator
  • Evaluation of internship
  • Familiarization with some maintenance procedures
  • Facility scheduling
  • Assistance with a Special Event
  • Other areas as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Affiliation with a college or university
  • Ability to follow written, demonstrated, and oral directions
  • Ability to instruct and lead individuals or groups
  • Knowledge of basic computer programs, use of office machines
  • Ability to work independently
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, participants and the public
  • Ability to take initiative, ask questions, perform tasks and lead participants

BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION

  • Interns are hired with the City of Golden for minimum wage
  • Interns may use the Golden Community Center on any working day
  • Interns are eligible for mileage reimbursement when using their own vehicles to transport themselves to and from work sites

Interns are expected to dress appropriately, conduct themselves in a professional manner, be punctual, and complete all given tasks within the required time period in a quality manner.

Interns should be prepared to work comparable hours to their professional colleagues. (Weekends, evenings). We are looking for interns who feel they can help improve our programs while experiencing a meaningful learning experience themselves. We are open to new ideas and welcome innovations.

HOW TO APPLY

Complete an application online at

Should you be selected for an interview, please be prepared to provide the following:

College Transcript (up to date, copy is fine)

Resume

One letter of recommendation from your college/university advisor or professor

College or University Internship Requirements

Supplemental Questions

What are your desired outcomes of an internship with Golden Parks and Recreation?

List 5 goals you would like to attain during your internship experience

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Summarize any work experience you’ve had to date in parks and recreation.

What professional tools do you hope to develop through your internship experience with Golden Parks and Recreation?

What Division within the Golden Parks and Recreation Department are you most excited to work with and why?

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