Enhancing Lives Through Recreation in Gunnison County
Our Story
Service Plan | Every special district is guided by a formal service plan, a binding agreement between the district and the approving county or municipality. Read MetRec’s.
Vision | To improve our citizens’ quality of life by promoting vital recreation opportunities.
Mission | To provide high-quality over the air TV service and strategic leadership that leverages innovative partnerships to accomplish vital recreation opportunities for our communities.
History
1978
Residents vote to confirm the creation of Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District to fund over-the-air television service. One mill levy on property tax goes into effect district-wide.
2001
The MetRec Board expands the district’s service plan to include parks and recreation services. The Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners approves the amendment. This addition allowed the district to receive and use Colorado Lottery proceeds restricted to parks, open spaces and recreation facilities.
2009
The transition from analog to digital television wraps up.
2016
MetRec begins consistently funding recreation projects through a grant program.
2018
Voters pass Ballot Issue 7D to “de-bruce” the district, allowing MetRec to keep and spend all collected tax revenue. Previously, the district had to refund “excess” revenue as determined by the TABOR formula.
2021
Creation of the North and South Subdistricts.
2022
Voters in the North Subdistrict pass Ballot Issue 6B, increasing funding for capital, nonprofit and community grants. An additional two mill levies go into effect in the North Subdistrict.
2023
The MetRec Recreation Grant Program launches in its current form, funding public and nonprofit Capital, Operations and Community projects. To staff knowledge, MetRec is the only special district in the nation operating such a grant program.
2025
MetRec embarks on the 100% design for the Crested Butte to Crested Butte South Shared Use Path.
Service Area
Funding
The majority of MetRec funding comes from property tax mill levies. One mill generates $1 in taxes for every $1,000 of assessed property value.
One mill across the entire district feeds the General Fund, which covers TV operations, administrative expenses, and recreation spending for the entire district. An additional two mills in the North Subdistrict feed the North Subdistrict budget, which may only go toward recreation in the subdistrict.
About 3.5% of the MetRec budget comes from Colorado Trust Funds, Colorado Lottery proceeds distributed to local governments for the purpose of acquiring and maintaining parks, open space, and recreation facilities.
2026 Budgets
The Team








