Today we are pleased to release an Updated 2020-2032 Strategic Plan—our vision for a healthy, thriving, and vibrant park and recreation system—as well as a new 2025-2028 Action Plan. Check them out here.
Updated 2020-2032 Strategic Plan
Our Strategic Plan sets long-term strategies to shape the programs, services, and investments to shape the future of Seattle Parks and Recreation. This isn’t a brand-new plan, but a vital update to the vision we originally published six years ago.
We first released this plan in March 2020 after a year of community engagement. Almost immediately, implementation paused as the City pivoted to pandemic response. Since then, we re-engaged the public, identified new priorities based on lessons learned and worked with elected leaders to adopt the Park District Cycle 2 financial plan. As we approach the mid-way point of Cycle 2 (2023-2028) and the strategic plan (2020-2032), we took the opportunity to update our strategies and actions, ensuring they remain relevant and responsive.
New 2025-2028 Action Plan
To bring our long-term strategies to life, we have identified specific implementation steps for the next three years. This Action Plan reflects current funding levels and responds to emerging community needs. It outlines our Cycle 2 commitments to deliver specific projects and services by the end of 2028. Highlights include:
- Community Centers: Providing 60,000 community center operating hours annually, redeveloping 5 community centers, and performing major maintenance on six others.
- Aquatics for All: Engaging 25,000 participants in swim lessons annually, with free access for low-income youth through Swim Seattle, plus lifeguarding summer beaches and performing major maintenance at 3-4 pools.
- Safe & Clean Spaces: Ongoing daily maintenance of parks and facilities, alongside the renovation or replacement of 33 play areas, 27 restrooms, and six synthetic turf fields.
- New Parks: Delivery of new parks and park expansions, including Smith Cove Phase 1 and many landbank sites.
- Greener Seattle: Planting 50,000 native trees in natural areas and 1,800 large trees in developed parks, while inspecting and maintaining 4,000 trees annually.
- Trails: Maintaining 10 miles of trails annually and restoring 5,000 feet of complex trails
- Park Activation: Providing 12,000 hours of Park Concierge services and 1,500 mobile recreation activations annually.
- Youth & Education: Supporting 4,100 hours of Teen Life Center operations, 4,000 hours of Late Night programs, and 4,500 hours of academic enrichment through Community Learning Centers annually.
Commitment to Transparency
- Coming soon: in addition to this Action Plan, we will publish an Appendix of all our Strategic Commitments—that is, SPR projects and programs for which we have set goals or service levels.
- We will report on our progress with our online financial and performance dashboards and through annual reports.
