Attachment 1: Seattle's Parks and Recreation 2011 Development

Kathleen Conner
DPR RCO Development Plan 2011 RES ATT 1
July 25, 2011
Version #1
a closer look at outdoor recreation offerings shall be taken to reflect neighborhood
demographics.
For example, indoor recreation facilities are important most of the year due to Seattle’s
maritime climate, but particularly so in the winter months when basketball and other such
activities are at their peak. Despite the cool weather, outdoor activity is often possible
and year-round demand for soccer fields is high. In good weather periods, peak demand
outstrips supply of picnic facilities, boat ramps, and the like, and shoreline area parks are
often over-crowded. These patterns of use are expected to continue, and there will likely
be a need for increased senior adult recreation programs as the large “baby boom”
population begins to enter their later years.
In general, it is anticipated that there will be increased demand for “close-to-home”
recreation due to the current economy, increased population density, and traffic
congestion that will affect mobility in Seattle. While it is anticipated that many
Seattleites will take advantage of regional recreational attractions in the Olympic and
Cascade Mountains, and other Puget Sound destinations, much of Seattle’s less affluent
population tend to have relatively little access to such amenities due to lack of
transportation, lack of sufficient income, or demands of low-paying jobs. It will be
important to continue to offer an array of park and recreation opportunities that are
affordable and easily accessible to the public.
Public Involvement
The public engagement process for Seattle’s Park and Recreation 2011 Development
Plan was extensive and combined both traditional outreach tools and new tools that were
not widely available in 2006.
For more than 25 years, Seattle has demonstrated its commitment to public engagement
for both comprehensive planning and development planning. One of the most ambitious
efforts was in the development of 37 neighborhood plans between 1994 and 2000, which
involved a number of public meetings and hearings propelled by citizen led groups
throughout Seattle. Many of the recommendations of these plans were included in
Seattle’s Parks and Recreation 2006 Development Plan, along with surveys and focus
groups with many of Seattle’s 38 citizen advisory councils about parks issues and
recreation demands in their communities.
Another major recent planning effort began in 2008 when Seattle Parks embarked upon a
strategic planning process that resulted in the Seattle Parks and Recreation Strategic
Action Plan: 2009-2013. This high-level strategic plan was created to provide an actionoriented
work plan to help preserve and enhance the park system and its programming.
Over 70 public meetings were held to ask the public about their vision for Seattle’s parks
and recreation system. Another unique feature of this outreach was that two all Parks and
Recreation staff meetings were held to get input from the front line staff. In all, nearly
2011 Development Plan
10 ATT 1 to DPR RCO Development Plan 2011 RES