1993: By order of the District Court, County of Delta, State of Colorado, and after voter election, the North Fork Pool, Park and Recreation District was created on April 28, 1993 with an initial mill levy of 1.444 mills.  This order is the culimination of a series of events. A swimming pool committee, formed in 1992, determined there was a need for a swimming pool in the North Fork area. Jack Overton was one of the members of that committee who took the steps necessary to put a proposition for a pool on the 1993 voting ballot. 

1994: NFPPRD Board of Directors navigates site selection for pool and approves District expense to provide a pool bus for Paonia, Hotchkiss and Crawford to expand accessibility to the pool, once constructed. The free pool bus continues to present day. Gabor and Ilona Horvath donated 8 acres of land for the pool. 

1995: Associated Pools broke gound in April. The Horvath's donation along with the procurement of grants and significant community contributions provided funding for the pool and bath house construction.

The main pool officially opened on July 12th, 1995 with Jatrice Cowan as the first Pool Manager. The first swimming lessons were conducted on August 7th, 1995 with a total of 198 students taught for the 1995 season. 

1997: Pool Concession stand constructed with first Concessionare offers treats to pool patrons. A generous donation by Monty and Sara

Rekdahl allows the Board to initiate plans to add a Therapy Pool and Wading pool. NFPPRD takes on the management of the local skatepark. Part time position of District Administrator created and offered to Jatrice Cowan. Pool season May 26 - Sept 1 with daily admission cost of $1 for a child. 

1998: Associated Pools completes construction of Therapy and Wading pool which open for use for the summer season.

Upgrades to the skatepark continue. NFPPRD submits an application for a grant which is awarded to construct the Hotchkiss High School Track. Pool season May 25 - Sept 7 with daily admission cost of $1 for a child.

1999: Shade shelter is constructed and landscaping added to the area around the pool. 

 2000: The reach of NFPPRD expands from the original goal of constructing a swimming pool. Discussions begin with local community members to build soccer and baseball/softball fields by the pool, potentially expanding the original 8 acre parcel donated by the Horvath family. NFPPRD's administration of the Apple Valley tennis courts is also discussed.

Hotchkiss High School track is competed. 

Construction of High School Track

Completed High School Track

The Kid's Kingdom Playground, built in partnership with the North Fork Community Montessori School (now the Nature Connection) is completed. DeBrucing (TABOR Amendment) added to the November election for the District (ballot measure did not pass). Pool season May 29 - Sept 4 with daily admission cost of $1 for a child. 

2001: A tally is completed with 3500+ swimming lessons conducted, 2500+ water aerobics classes completed and 35K admissions to the pool since opening in 1995. NFPPRD enters into contract to purchase 20 acres of land with an option to purchase an additional 35.6 acres with Horvath family. Plans begin and funding explored to construct soccer and baseball/softball fields on the new 'North Fork Sports Complex.' NFPPRD pays to resurface the Apply Valley Tennis Courts in Paonia. Pool season May 29 - Sept 4 with daily admission cost of $1 for a child. 

2002: Phase I of development of Sports Complex gets underway with purchasing 20 additional acres of land from the Horvath family. A 5-year option to purchase and additional 36 acres was included in the May 31st closing documents. Fund raising, an environmental statement, a land survey, soil testing, project development and many other tasks were undertaken. The name adopted for the Sports Complex 'Crossroads,' with the tag line 'Where the North Fork Valley Plays,' were adopted. Esther Koontz takes over as District Administrator in August. Pool season May 27 - Sept 2 with daily admission cost of $1 for a child. 

2003: Engineering drawings for the excavation of Crossroads were presented and approved. NFPPRD was called upon to consider several proposals including, annexing Somerset into the District's boundaries, taking over maintenance for the 'Dust Bowl' fields and the North Fork River Improvement (NFRIA) project. Pool season May 26 - Sept 1 with daily admission cost of $1 for a child. 

2004: NFPPRD presents the option to de-Bruce (related to TABOR amendment) and return the mill levy to the original 1.44 mills as it had decreased to .893 over time. NFPPRD participates in a GOCO grant submission to obtain playground equipment for the Crawford K-8 school, which was not awarded that year. The Board initiates plans to construct a District Office, with a concession stand and public restrooms as the soccer fields and parking for Phase I of Crossroads development near completion. Hotchkiss Youth Soccer Association (HYSA) donates funding and in-kind service to support completion of the soccern fields. The District develops a web page to help inform the community about the Recreation District. Pool season May 24 - Sept 6 with daily admission cost of $1 for a child. 

2005: The steps necessary to acquire funding and complete the purchase of 36 acres for Phase II of Crossroads are taken. A group of citizens from Paonia approach NFPPRD with the goal of facilitating conversations about recreational opportunities available to citizens of Paonia. The perceived needs expressed included a gym facility, a swimming pool, a community center, adult basketball, volleyball, summer softball and ultimate frisbee, ice skating, improved skatepark, and many others. A pumphouse is constructed. NFPPRD engaged in a renewable lease with the Town of Paonia governing the Paonia Skatepark. Pool season May 30 - Sept 5 with daily admission cost of $2 for a child. 

2006: Soccer play on the new fields! Pool season May 29 - Sept 4 with daily admission cost of $2.50 for a child. 

2007: The North Fork River Improvement Association (NFRIA) continues to lobby NFPPRD to take on the the management of the 19 acre Paonia River Park. Delta County Memorial Hospital pediatric rehab unit is using the pool for physical therapy on Mondays with a discount of half-price admission. Pool season May 28 - Sept 3 with daily admission cost of $2.50 for a child. 

2008: Considerations of NFPPRD taking over the deed for the River park from NFRIA are halted due to liability and cost concerns. Representatives from CAWS (Citizens for Animal Welfare and Shelter) approach NFPPRD to request construction of a dog park at Crossroads. Due to rising requests for services and increasing operating costs, requesting an increase to the mill levy was considered for the November election but eventually postponed until a future date.  Hotchkiss Home Plate (combined Hotchkiss softball and baseball leagues) would like to use 'to be constructed' ball fields at Crossroads for their program. NFPPRD is granted an Absolute Water Decree for Crossroads Spring. Pool season May 26 - Sept 1 with daily admission cost of $2.50 for a child. 

2009: The potential risks combining children and dogs puts the idea of creating a dog park at Crossroads Park on hold.  The need for a Master Plan, to support grant submissions and clarify NFPPRD goals to the community is highlighted and development of the plan initiated. Pool season May 25 - Sept 7 with daily admission cost of $2.50 for a child. 

2010: A grant submission was completed but awarded to obtain solar power for the District. Work on a Master Plan got underway along with further recognition of an increased mill levy. A consistent issue with funding is while grants may be available to fund the initial outlay for a project, funds required to maintain and operate assets or programs most typically do not come from grants. Boulders are donated to add to the parking lots. Roberts Rules of Order adopted for conducting Board Meetings. Pool season May 31 - Sept 6 with daily admission cost of $2.50 for a child. 

2011: Community outreach to publicize the District's Master Plan was conducted. Pool season May 30 - Sept 5 with daily admission cost of $3.00 for a child. 

2012: The pool boiler and heater were replaced. A summer lunch program was a great success. NFPPRD submits a grant application to GOCO to replace the Apple Valley Tennis Courts. Pool season May 28 - Sept 3 with daily admission cost of $3.00 for a child. 

2013: Bids for work on the Apple Valley Tennis Courts are solicited and the work completed in July. A $2000 grant is received from Cocker Kids' Foundation for swim lessons for the 2013 season.  Pool season May 27 - Sept 2 with daily admission cost of $3.00 for a child. 

2014: Pickleball court lines are added to the Paonia Skatepark. Jay Canode steps forward with a willingness to complete fund raising in order to create a Master Plan for a new skatepark. The pool bathhouse roof is replaced. Pool season May 26 - Sept 1 with daily admission cost of $3.00 for a child. 

2015: Lenore Cambria replaces Esther Koontz as District Administrator. The aging Kids Kingdom Playground is assessed and a decision made to remove it. The Board approves an expense to add pickleball court lines to the Apple Valley Tennis Courts in 2016. The pool's steel sand filtration system is replaced by a fiberglass sand filtration system. Pool season May 25 - Sept 7 with daily admission cost of $3.00 for a child. 

2016: A new CO2 chlorination system and water chemistry controllers are installed to increase reliability and reduce operating costs. Hotchkiss Home Plate approaches the Rec District with the proposal of adding ballfields to Crossroads Park. Multiple steps are identified as necessary before atttempts to obtain funding can be initiated. Members of the community propose adding a bike trail surrounding Crossroads Park and add a pump track in the area the Kids Kingdom Playground was located. Pool season May 30 - Sept 5 with daily admission cost of $3.00 for a child. 

2017: Work on the new pump track is underway assisted with a grant from Colorado Health Foundation and partnership with Nature Connection. Submissions for various grant applications for the ballfields, including finalizing an MOU between NFPPRD and Hotchkiss Home Plate occur. Pool season May 29 - Sept 4 with daily admission cost of $3.00 for a child. 

Steve and Leah constructing pumptrack

Trailbuilders

Constructing the weatherport adjacent to soccer and ballfields

Lenore Cambria atop the new Balance Logs

2018: GOCO awards NFPPRD a $350K for the ballfields.  DOLA awards $415K for the ballfields. Daniels awards $75K for the ballfields. Work on the pump track and mountain bike trails is completed.  A climbing boulder, balance logs and WeatherPort picnic structure added adjacent to pump track. A mill levy increase is added to the November ballot and the voters pass it! Judy Coyle initiates the North Fork Pool school programming. Pool season May 28 - Sept 3 with daily admission cost of $4.00 for a child. 

2019: Groundbreaking for ballfields takes place. El Pomar and Gates Foundation award grant for ballfields! Don and Shirley Ochs donate $10K to the Rec District. Roberts Family increases their prior donation by an additional $1K. Mesa Engineering takes on Project Management for ballfield construction. Lenore Cambria manages bid requests, contract awards, timelines and general contractor duties. NFPPRD and Jay Canode explore a partnership with the Town of Paonia to develop and submit a grant application to expand the Paonia Skatepark. The collection of bike trails is named Crossroads Trails.  Crawford Chamber of Commerce names NFPPRD Non-profit of the Year for 2019. Pool season May 27 - Sept 2 with daily admission cost of $4.00 for a child. 

2020: Glenda Young adds water Zumba to the water aerobics program. NFPPRD navigates COVID in considering how and if the pool should open for the season as well as the supply chain issues for construction. Spring soccer and baseball are cancelled. The pool operates with a reservation system and careful social distancing both in the bathhouse and pool. Pool use statistics in July illustrated a dramatic, but not unexpected, downswing in pool attendance. Fences, score keeper boxes, spectator benches, dugouts, score boards, irrigation, seed and sod are all underway or in place with use of the ballfields targeted for fall 2021. 

2021: NFPPRD and the community mourn the sudden death of Judy Coyle in January. Her sisters gift the pool with a plaque in Judy's memory as well as $5K in swim lesson scholarships from her estate. NF Ambulance Ambulatory donates costly AED's for ballfields. NFPPRD continues to navigate COVID with guidance to limit pool occupancy to 50-75% of capacity. Efforts to close out all grants and work on the ballfields continues. 

2022: Tony Hawk Foundation, later rebranded to The Skatepark Project, awards a $25 grant for the Paonia Skatepark. Hotchkiss Youth Soccer approaches NFPPRD to explore the Rec District taking over the administration of the soccer program. This request prompts the NFPPRD Board to add a part time Program Coordinator to the Rec District staff. Microburst of weather causes a mudslide directly onto the ballfields, deposting huge quantities of mud into dugouts and flooding the pool and parking lots. Thanks to the support of the Hotchkiss Fire Department and several community members as well as the entire summer pool staff, the pool was ONLY closed for 8 days. Thanks to the quick action on part of the lifeguards, all the pool mechanical equipment was shut down so no damage to costly and hard to replace equipment occurrred. While the ballfields were engineered to move water off the Crossroads property, the microburst simply overwhelmed any existing flood mitigation infrastructure. The NFPPRD is approached by Delta County and Delta School Board members to encourage adding tennis courts to Crossroads Park, despite the existence of tennis courts at the High School. Pool season June 5 - Sept 5 with daily admission cost of $4.00 for a child. 

Pool flooded by microburst in June 2022

Flood damage from microburst in June 2022

Dugouts flooded by microburst in June 2022

Flood waters and silt exiting ballfields from microburst in June 2022

Pool flooded by microburst in June 2022

2023: Stephanie Bureau replaces Lenore Cambria as District Administrator. Lenore's exit is punctuated by well deserved applause and congratulations from throughout the community.

• NFPPD's Program Coordinator manages it's first season of Hotchkiss Youth Soccer, including an on-line registration process.
• The Rec District partners with the Town of Paonia to develop a grant application for a new skatepark which GOCO does not advance. A new consideration for a remodeled skatepark, using funds already raised, is broached with NFPPRD makes contact with Chris Berry of Phantom Concrete, a world renowned skatepark designer and builder. Chris and his team complete the design and construction and a grand opening is well attended on November 11th. 
• Wright Water Engineers completes a contracted flood mitigation report. 
• The updated NFPPRD Master Plan is finalized and published.
• Jake Hartter works with the District to draw up a 3 year action plan for habitat improvements to Crossroads Park land.
• Members of the Crawford Pickleball community approach NFPPRD requesting support to place a pickleball court on the existing basketball courts at Crawford Town Hall. The NFPPRD Board agrees to provide a pickleball net, paddles, balls and a storage trunk with lock.
• The District works with Empowered Energy and Massive Encounters to add a shade structure and solar to the pool area parking lot.
• The Program Coordinator collaborates with The Learning Council and Patrick Liberty of Paonia to create a very successful 1-day Pickleball tournament alongside Picklefest at the Apple Valley Tennis courts Paonia.
• Aquatics Club, a master swim program, is added to the pool offerings.
• New slides replace the aging slides at the pool.
• A Polaris Ranger SP 570 and Kubota L2502HST tractor are purchased to support a variety of grounds projects and on-going maintenance at Crossroads Park. 
• Contracts for the long desired trail between the Fairgrounds, High School and Pool are awarded. The Miners Trail is officially underway!
• Pool season June 3 - Sept 2 with daily admission cost of $5.00 for a child. 

2024:

A year of internal projects including:

• Establishing District policies and procedures to ensure consistency in HR matters, public engagement, affiliate relationships and responsibilities, and District response to requests for new recreation programs or facilities;
• Improvements for flood mitigation;
• Replacement of aging equipment and improved storage.

Loads of fun at the pool and with pickleball including:

• The 2nd Annual Paonia Pickleball tournament;
• A 'Paris Olympics' inspired kids competition encouraging kids at the pool to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals;
• Record attendance for Glenda's renowned water aerobics classes;
• Record ridership on the free pool bus;
• Additional pickleball equipment provided at both Crawford and Paonia courts.

Pool season June 1 - August 31 with daily admission cost of $5.00 for a child.