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Originally published in Athletic Business

Revitalizing Community Recreation Through Design & Innovation

In partnership with Counsilman-Hunsaker, Essenza Architecture helped lead a comprehensive renovation of the Sundance Hills Swim and Tennis Club, creating a more accessible, functional, and beautiful outdoor aquatic environment for the Sundance Hills Metropolitan District.

The renovation project focused on extending the life of the pool and amenities by 10 to 25 years — all while enhancing the visitor experience and improving the facility’s overall design and operations.

Renovation Scope: Upgrades for Longevity and Community Use

The transformation included:

• Resurfacing all three pools with new plaster and waterline tile

• Replacement of skimmers and starting blocks

• New stair entry to the dive pool for easier access

• Redesigned entry experience to improve circulation and service for guests

The design team balanced ambitious goals with fiscal responsibility, delivering impactful upgrades without exceeding the district’s budget.

New Aquatic Features & ADA Enhancements

A centerpiece of the renovation was the addition of a 750-square-foot wading pool with zero-depth entry, water jets, and an ADA-accessible stair entry, offering a safer and more inclusive play environment for young swimmers and families.

The 1,350-square-foot dive pool was also upgraded with 1- and 3-meter diving boards, and now includes six 25-yard lanes for competitive and recreational use.

To support safety and compliance, the project added:

• Modern mechanical equipment

• ADA lifts

• Updated aquatic safety systems

Design Approach & Project Delivery

Despite tight budget parameters, the team succeeded by using smart design strategies such as “add-alternates” and streamlined submittal processes — ensuring the highest quality outcomes without compromise. The result is a refreshed, high-performing aquatic facility that serves the Sundance Hills community today and for years to come.

“This project reflects our ongoing commitment to create meaningful, accessible spaces that elevate community recreation,” said Christa Plaza, President of Essenza Architecture.

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Project Partners

• Architecture & Design: Essenza Architecture

• Aquatic Design: Counsilman-Hunsaker

• Client: Sundance Hills Metropolitan District

This article was adapted from content originally published in Athletic Business. Used with permission or fair use where applicable.

 

Recognition by the Colorado Parks & Recreation Association

Essenza Architecture is thrilled to announce that the Westminster Swim & Fitness Center, operated by the City of Westminster’s Parks, Recreation and Libraries, has been honored with the 2024 Columbine Award for Renovated Facility Design by the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA)! The Columbine Awards recognize outstanding achievements in parks and recreation throughout the state; CPRA presents the awards at the annual association conference and trade show, which took place in Keystone this year.

Overview: A Vision Realized Through Collaboration

After nearly five decades of serving the Westminster community, the Westminster Swim & Fitness Center has undergone a transformative $6 million renovation — reimagined to meet the evolving needs of residents while honoring its legacy as a hub for wellness, recreation, and connection.

Over the past 3.5 years, the City of Westminster partnered with Essenza Architecture, Mark Young Construction, and a passionate team of City leaders and staff to bring this vision to life. With enthusiastic support from local residents, the center has been modernized into an inclusive, accessible, and future-ready facility — earning the prestigious 2024 Columbine Award for Facility Renovation from the Colorado Parks & Recreation Association.

This revitalized space reflects more than just upgraded finishes — it represents a collective commitment to creating safer, more dynamic environments for public health, leisure, and community engagement. Enhancements focused on accessibility, guest and staff safety, energy efficiency, and flexible programming that better supports the city’s growing population.

“Throughout the project, the team demonstrated an unwavering dedication to working within our budget and offering creative and practical designs,” said Dana Kester, Facilities & Projects Coordinator for the City of Westminster. Alongside Kira Kloser, Recreation Facilities Superintendent, and Deb Larson, Recreation Supervisor, Kester collaborated closely with the Essenza Architecture team to ensure the final design met the City’s goals, schedule, and budget — without compromising quality or vision.

The successful renovation was celebrated at a grand re-opening in mid-September, welcoming the community back into a reinvigorated space that balances modern design with timeless functionality.

Key Design Enhancements and Architectural Features

The transformation of the Westminster Swim & Fitness Center is a testament to the power of collaboration and intentional design. Through a strong partnership between the City of Westminster, Essenza Architecture, and Mark Young Construction, the project team worked hand-in-hand to deliver cost-effective, high-impact solutions that modernized the facility from the inside out.

The reimagined center now features:

• State-of-the-art weight and cardio rooms equipped with new selectorized machines, free weights, and functional training zones

• Modern rubber athletic flooring that enhances performance and safety

• A spacious community room for group programs and special events

• Upgraded lighting and daylighting strategies that create a vibrant, naturally illuminated interior

• Contemporary finishes and materials that provide a clean, cohesive, and inviting aesthetic

Innovative design moves replaced outdated elements and reallocated space for greater functionality. Old railings were replaced with open cable railings, providing clear sightlines to the pool and multiple levels—enhancing both safety and visual connection. Previously underutilized spaces, like racquetball courts, were reimagined as expanded fitness areas featuring acoustic paneling, artificial LED lighting, and natural daylight, resulting in open, energizing workout environments.

A new second-floor infill introduced a multi-purpose meeting room with a kitchenette, offering flexible rental space for community events, staff meetings, and team functions. One of the center’s most unique additions is a color-changing training room with white and ambient lighting that overlooks the pool, creating a memorable atmosphere for special events and workshops.

Accessibility improvements were another central focus of the renovation. The lobby was relocated to the main level, and automatic sliding doors now connect the building to both the north and south parking lots. Inside, the expanded lobby includes a redesigned front desk, casual seating areas for games and conversation, and improved guest circulation. A new elevator ensures access to all floors, supporting a more inclusive and equitable experience for every visitor.

Collaborative Efforts and Project Team

The success of the Westminster Swim & Fitness Center renovation is rooted in the shared vision and deep collaboration between public leaders, designers, engineers, and builders.

“Bringing this facility back to its full potential and creating more program spaces was such a rewarding experience,” said Christa Plaza, President of Essenza Architecture. “Working with the Parks and Recreation and facilities staff early on in a master plan exercise allowed us to maximize opportunities—like moving the entry to the main floor, creating open fitness spaces, and adding the second-floor community room. Our teamwork with the City of Westminster and the CMGC team at Mark Young Construction allowed us to tackle problem-solving in a positive way.”

From the early planning phases through construction, each partner played a critical role in ensuring the project’s success — creatively addressing design challenges, budget constraints, and evolving community needs.

Project Team

• Architect: Essenza Architecture

• General Contractor (CMGC): Mark Young Construction

• Landscape Architect: Norris Design

• Civil Engineering: MPD Engineering

• Mechanical & Plumbing Engineering: The Ballard Group

• Electrical Engineering: AE Design Group

• Structural Engineering: Martin|Martin Engineering

• Fitness Equipment Procurement: FitLogistix

Together, this multidisciplinary team delivered a thoughtful and future-ready renovation — designed to support inclusive recreation, improved facility programming, and community wellness for years to come.

Thank you, Colorado Parks and Recreation (CPRA), for a fantastic conference and tradeshow! So many laughs, so many connections! A few of our favorite moments:

1. City of Westminster Swim and Fitness Center receiving the Columbine Award for Facility Design Renovation!
2. Lafayette break dancing!
3. Connecting with clients and colleagues with a pop-up bar by the fire in the hotel lobby.
4. Schmoozapalooza
5. The first snow fall

Essenza Architecture is a sponsor of the CPRA annual conference and is dedicated to supporting recreational professionals who provide quality of life to communities across Colorado. CPRA was established in 1951 as the trade association for parks and recreation professionals in Colorado. CPRA has been providing continuing education, professional networking and resources since that time.

Located in the heart of downtown Mead, Colorado, the site of the former pinto bean processing plant dating back to the 1920s is now the location for the Town of Mead’s new 11,500-square-foot Community Center. Essenza Architecture is leading the design and working with Norris Design, providing landscape architecture and placemaking elements.

Architecture for Flexible Community Space

The Center is near the Mead Town Hall and Town Park, adding to the centralized civic area. The building siting and overall site layout reflect the entry location and axis of the historic buildings. Center programming includes a full-size cross-court gymnasium, a flexible multipurpose room, rentable patio space for community events, and dedicated staff offices. The site design supports indoor-outdoor leisure and community programming, including a splash pad/event plaza, seating areas, a rentable patio, walking paths, and a native landscape.

Preserving History in Community Spaces

The new building will incorporate remnant components of the historic bean plant to commemorate its agricultural history, including a large conveyor converted to a light pole and gateway structure and grain bins converted to planters. A custom logo inspired by the Bean Plan has been developed and will be featured throughout the signature site elements on sandblasted stone blocks, planter pots, and signage design.

Construction will begin in the summer of 2024, and in the summer of 2025, the Town of Mead will celebrate the opening of the highly anticipated Center. Impact Fees, a one-time fee imposed by the Town on new development projects, were used to purchase the former bean plant. The collective team conducted a significant community engagement effort to help identify priorities.

Scott Carpenter Park and Pool is a community park located in Boulder, Colorado, that provides a wide variety of recreational facilities, including swimming pools, a skate park, an open turf field, diamond fields, and a space-themed playground in honor of the park’s namesake, astronaut, and aquanaut Scott Carpenter, a former Boulder resident. Over the past several years, the pool facilities
have undergone a major renovation and transformation that represents what was desired most by the community, user groups, and stakeholders. The design team was tasked with creating an iconic, state-of-the-art facility that promotes inclusiveness, accessibility, sustainability, and durability while honoring and nurturing the existing mature trees and established an astronaut theme. We transformed and repurposed the existing building into a low-maintenance, durable facility with a warm mountain feel that reflects the Flatiron formations in the foothills of Boulder.

The renovated facility opened in the summer of 2020 and included a new 50-meter outdoor pool, a double waterslide tower, an 8,000 square foot recreation pool that includes a diving board, jumping platform, drop slide, climbing wall, lazy river, zero depth entry, and an outer-space themed water play feature. In addition to the pools, there is a 2,000-square-foot splash pad featuring a 20-foot-tall rocket ship that ties back to the existing historic rocket ship playground feature. Colorado has only a handful of outdoor 50-meter pools, and this feature certainly makes Scott Carpenter Park a destination for competitive swimmers. The additional fun water amenities provide engaging activities for people of all ages. The heavily renovated bathhouse features durable materials alongside the existing preserved historic brick, an accessible design for all ages, and an undulating curved blue roof mimicking water waves to welcome visitors.

Outdoor design features include shade structures that are scattered throughout the deck in wave-like forms to provide much-needed cover from the Colorado sun. Shower towers are outside each locker room to encourage rinsing off before jumping into the pools. Low retaining walls and grass landscaping are provided in the patron lounging area. The facility offers ample bicycle parking and enlarges paths on all sides of the property, encouraging multi-modal transportation and accommodating increased traffic, an important goal for Boulder.

During COVID, the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation team has been adapting the use of the facility in innovative ways. The 50-meter pool is being used in the 25-meter direction so that more individual lanes are open, and swimmers can be socially distanced, allowing the facility to stay open. At other times of the day, the 50-meter pool is sectioned off into pods where families can swim together.

After several years of design collaboration and community outreach aimed to meet the community’s aquatic and park needs, the renovated facility is a top recreation destination for the City of Boulder and surrounding communities.