Civic Area Phase 2 Youth Input
2025 Youth Engagements: Babies through Teens
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In 2025, Growing Up Boulder partnered with the City of Boulder to support Boulder’s Civic Area Phase 2 community engagement. Between February and November 2025, Growing Up Boulder conducted a robust engagement process, involving 271 young people across five age groups—from infants to high school seniors—plus 83 adults (parents, caregivers, and teachers). This comprehensive effort reveals a clear vision for transforming Boulder's Civic Area Phase 2 into a vibrant, multi-generational community hub that serves diverse developmental needs while fostering connection, creativity, and inclusion.
Across all age groups, participants consistently prioritized spaces that balance active recreation with comfortable gathering areas, emphasize affordability and accessibility, integrate natural elements, and provide unique experiences not currently available in Boulder. Key findings reveal strong demand for adventure-based play elements, nature-integrated learning spaces, affordable food options, creative construction opportunities, and safe, well-lit areas that extend usability beyond daylight hours. Read the report to learn more. |
2024 Youth Engagement: Boulder High School's National Art Honor Society Students
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Since 2012, children and youth have been requesting similar themes for the Civic Area: nature (blue and green spaces), places to hang out, and arts and cultural expression. Boulder High National Art Honor Society students recommend these things and more: they want a safe, welcoming place that’s litter-free where they can connect with others, spaces designed specifically for teens in mind, and opportunities to create and display art. As artists, they are connecting to the space as high school students and as artists. They’re interested in the aesthetics of space–how the Civic Area space could look like in the future for everyone. They see potential for using the Civic Area to showcase artwork for local artists of all ages. They also expressed strong support for resourcing our unhoused population and for the area to have robust programming for community members of all ages and abilities. Teen artists view the Civic Area as having great potential but lacking key elements necessary for full activation of the space for all residents. These priorities reflect a broader vision of the Civic Area as a safe, inclusive, and culturally rich space that fosters community interaction and celebrates diversity. Click here to read the report.
“My favorite part of the project was getting kids OUT THERE to reimagine something they might feel they have no say in. Meeting with the variety of folks from the city was really great.” –Boulder High School Teacher |
