Seattle Parks and Recreation is requesting public participation as it implements its 2020-32 strategic plan. Input will help SPR identify critical needs and priorities as it plans for the next three years and beyond. Residents should the visit Seattle Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan Implementation online open house at https://sprstrategicplan.infocommunity.org/ to participate.
The purpose of this online open house is to seek community input to inform SPR’s plans for pandemic and economic recovery, responding to climate change and supporting racial equity. Staff want to learn more about what people want to see in their parks, open spaces and community centers in the coming years.
“Our charge as public servants and stewards of this incredible system is to ensure we’re serving our community, especially those with the greatest needs,” Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jesús Aguirre said in a press release. “We can only do that if we have a clear vision for our work, if we’re engaged in authentic and open dialogue with our constituents, and if we are able to articulate our plans for meeting the needs of community. To accomplish this, we need to create an implementation plan that directs the adaptation of our programs, services and amenities to aid in our city’s recovery and meet the needs of our changing city.”
In March 2020, after extensive public input, SPR released an updated strategic plan to guide programming, services and investments from 2020-32. Guided by a new Pathway to Equity, a road map for SPR to play its part in ending institutional and structural racism in Seattle, the plan identified 40 strategies to advance our collective vision. These strategies support a vision of promoting healthy people, a healthy environment and a strong communities while pursuing racial equity and organizational excellence.
“As we look to implement the priorities in our 2020-2032 Strategic Plan, it’s critical to check back in with communities we serve and consider the dramatic change and disruption we’ve faced over the past 18 months through the COVID-19 pandemic, the associated economic downturn, the nationwide racial reckoning, and the increasing impacts of climate change,” Aguirre said in the press release.
This engagement effort to support strategic plan implementation will also inform the next six-year cycle of the voter-approved Seattle Park District, which was put on hold during the pandemic. The Seattle Park District is a sustainable funding source to repair, maintain and restore basic services at the city’s parks, community centers and regional attractions, and provides about 20 percent of SPR’s funding, according to the SPR press release. Originally planned for 2021-26, the next Park District funding cycle will now span 2023-28. SPR will resume this financial planning process in early 2022.
For more information, visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/strategicplan or contact PKS_SprStrategicPlan@seattle.gov.