Joshua Catron has two problems. The first is that he lost his years-long contract to rent boats and bikes to visitors at Denver parks.
The second is that he needs a new home for his fleet, including 42 swan boats and dozens of bicycles. Catron owns the local franchise of Wheel Fun Rentals, which has been doing business in Washington Park and City Park for more than 20 years.
Starting this spring, the city government will take over the rental operations. Catron said the city’s decision not to renew its contract came out of nowhere.
“There was no reason to believe at the beginning of the season that we weren't going to get the contract renewed,” Catron said.
The boats and bikes have been a popular amenity each spring and summer. But his success may have also been its downfall — the city may see this as a way to cut into its budget deficit.
“It's no surprise that Denver's budget is not doing well, and so they saw this as an opportunity to increase their revenues, which doesn't make a lot of sense to me,” he said.
It’s the latest in a series of decisions by Denver Parks and Recreation that have upset local businesses and community groups. The city department in recent months evicted a popular nonprofit that addresses food insecurity and stopped renting pool space to private groups, including a queer swim team it has partnered with for three decades. Both reported receiving short notice from the city, forcing them to scramble.
The decision comes as Denver looks to make money on its own.
Catron was told he needed to vacate equipment from city storage by mid-February, dashing his plans for the next season. He had already paid his seasonal staff an end-of-season bonus for last year and invested money in new bicycles and parts.
“Since we got the non-renewal, they're likely just going to end up in the trash,” he said of the parts. He still was looking for a long-term solution for his boats and bicycles.
Catron — a teacher who initially took on managing Wheel Fun Rentals as a side gig before he took over as franchise majority owner — said he’s dipping into his personal savings to remove and store the company’s boats and bikes. He said the breakup would have been easier with more notice, or if the city agreed to buy his equipment.
The justification he was given for the contract expiration was that the city wanted to take over what they saw as a successful venture, he said. Catron was a concessionaire, paying to rent public space for his business.
Parks officials defended the change, saying it was standard practice to review and evaluate contracts.
“DPR did not issue a new RFP as it now has the capacity and internal expertise to offer a suite of services to engage Denver visitors and residents in outdoor activities. DPR’s mission remains focused on being good stewards of the city’s public parks and recreation centers, and this decision aligns with the broader goal to ensure resources are directed toward services and initiatives that deliver the greatest value to our residents,” wrote spokesperson Stephane Figueroa.
Ultimately, Catron said the business will be a drop in the bucket for Denver. He told KDVR the business made less than $500,000 in annual revenue. The parks and recreation department has a $85.5 million budget for 2026, funded partially by tens of millions of dollars from a voter-approved sales tax.
The city's budget doesn't detail how much it will spend to take over the rental programs.
Catron questioned whether the city will be able to turn a profit in the immediate future, especially since Wheel Fun is no longer paying sales tax or rent.
“I think we've paid $700,000 in rent over the years,” he said. “We've paid $500,000 in sales taxes and all of that with no investment from the city.”
Catron said the city will face challenges.
Catron warned that the city will have to handle liability for injuries and figure out how to manage a staff of 30 people. But the parks department is jumping in with two feet.
While details are scant for the spring rental plans, the parks department has bought some eye-catching new boats — with designs including a swan, a duck and a truly haunting dragon.
