Colorado Springs will be closing Meadows Park Community Center in the next month and cutting 38 employees immediately in order to reduce the city's budget heading into 2026.
Mayor Yemi Mobolade announced the series of cuts Friday afternoon to address what is projected to be a $31 million shortfall in the city's upcoming budget.
"These measures will ensure we are delivering for residents while also committing ourselves to fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget. This city has been doing government efficiency for years, it's not new to us," Mobolade said.
Government Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade, City Council discuss public safety needs in 2026 city budget Brennen Kauffman brennen.kauffman@gazette.com
Meadows Park Community Center is one of four community centers run by the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department. Parks Director Britt Haley said in a statement the center was chosen because of "declining programming" and the other options available in the area south of downtown Colorado Springs.
"Closing a long-standing community center is never easy, and we understand the emotional connection many residents have to Meadows Park," Haley said.
The Meadows Park closure is expected to save the city around $775,000, according to the announcement.
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The 38 jobs being cut accounts for around 1% of the city workforce. City spokesperson Max D'Onofrio said the cuts would include the seven current staff members at Meadows Park Community Center. The other jobs would be eliminated from a variety of departments, though a list was not immediately available Friday.
The remaining city employees will have to take five unpaid furlough days over the course of 2026 and will not receive pay increases for cost-of-living or performance metrics. The announcement said that neither the jobs cuts nor the furlough days will affect Colorado Springs Police Department officers or other public safety roles.
A further $14.7 million in savings will come from either delaying planned capital projects or consolidating the city's vehicle fleet and facilities maintenance, according to the announcement.
The cuts for the 2026 budget are in addition to the previous limitations Colorado Springs announced to address the $11 million shortfall in the current budget. City departments were asked in June to reduce their expenses by 3.5% for the rest of 2025 as sales tax revenue slowed down.
"This is in preparation for budget savings next year. It's a combination of the economy not going as well but also cost increases," D'Onofrio said.
Mobolade will present the official 2026 budget proposal to the Colorado Springs City Council on October 6.
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