Our parks have a problem.

Seattleites love their parks, trails and green spaces. But our parks lack a consistent, sustainable source of funds to pay for operations, maintenance, rehabilitation, and repair, and the Parks budget is one of the first to be cut when funds are limited. Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation now faces a $25 million shortfall in the annual cost of operating and maintaining the existing parks system. In addition, there is a backlog of major maintenance projects - such as roof replacements, seismic upgrades and forest restoration - already exceeding $200 million. 

The impacts are seen and felt by all of us today: recreational programs have been eliminated, trash cans are overflowing, weeds are taking over, restrooms are closed, and community center hours are restricted. And because of underlying structural problems with the city budget, the problem will only worsen over time if left unaddressed.

The Seattle Parks Foundation and our partners realize the vital importance of coming together to solve this problem. The report Sustaining Seattle’s Parks: A Study of Alternative Strategies to Support Operations and Maintenance of a Great Urban Parks System, prepared for Seattle Parks Foundation and seven nonprofit partners, identifies the problems facing Seattle’s Parks and outlines a range of potential solutions based on a nationwide review of best practices. Finding the right mix of solutions for our parks relies on a broad community dialogue.

Thanks to everybody that filled out the survey! We've recieved a lot of valuable feedback which you can view below. If you are still interested in making your voice heard, please visit our advocacy page regularly to find out about upcoming public events.

See the Survey Results >
Download the Full Report (1.2MB) >
Download the Executive Summary >
Read Press Release>

 

Many Thanks to our Partners:

 

---