Seattle Parks and Recreation is busy developing a financial plan to further our vision of supporting Healthy People, a Healthy Environment, and Strong Communities, which includes building up community, sustaining parks, and bringing affordable and supportive recreation opportunities across our city.
In 2014, Seattle voters approved the Seattle Park District. With these funds, Seattle Parks and Recreation is able to:
- maintain more parks more frequently, with enhanced maintenance where needed
- provide low-cost recreation programs, free drop-in programs, and add to our scholarship fund
- develop 14 new parks, and renovate play areas and fields
- restore over a thousand acres of urban forest
- make critical repairs to community centers and pools
- make dozens of accessibility improvements to our restrooms, pathways, and facilities
- and put on hundreds of community events across our city.
We have been investing these dollars back into parks and communities for the last six years, and it’s time to propose a plan for the next six years of investment. As we look to the next Park District funding cycle, it is evident that much of the funding and programming supported by the initial six-year cycle is now embedded in the way we serve the public and our proposed budget for the next Park District cycle will reflect this.
This past summer, we began a strategic planning process where we talked to over 10,000 community members about the future of Seattle’s parks and recreation facilities. We used that input to develop a plan that further commits our department to using our resources to create equity in our city through our investments in creating a healthy environment, supporting healthy lifestyles, and uplifting and strengthening our communities. The Park District budget will support these commitments.
As our city has grown over the last six years, inequities have been exacerbated and there are still unmet community needs. But we also have many opportunities to build partnerships and change the way we do things. Discussions about our next six-year budget will focus on addressing community needs in a way that first serves those impacted by racism and inequity, and second seeks innovative and collaborative ways to make our parks, recreation facilities, and events serve the people who visit, live, and work in Seattle.
Read about Park District Planning in these languages:
There are lots of ways to join the discussion in building the next six-year budget:
- Attend one of our public meetings. Click here to learn more.
- Email us at PDplanning@seattle.gov
- Visit our website here.
- Attend and give public testimony at an upcoming Park District Oversight/Park Board Committee Meeting, February 2020 through May 2020. Dates here.
Thank you and please expect to hear more from us soon,
Jesús Aguirre
Superintendent, Seattle Parks and Recreation
