Staff presents the Commission's P.A.R.C.C. Plan to Council

After months of extensive public input, the Parks, Trails, and Rec. Department presented a rough draft of their new comprehensive 6-year plan to City Council.

Probably, one of the most significant changes proposed are new standards for "levels of service" (LOS). In past years, levels of service focused on obtaining state agency funding for new parks and redevelopment. Planning will be designed more for function and need than grant funding applications.

This go-around, Carolyn Hope and Craig Larsen of Parks & Recreation proposed adding new functional "levels of service'" called-- Walkability, Density, Capacity, Demand and Use. Including the functional parameters will help the City prioritize and allocate City Park & Rec (and Art) resources. Impacts on the City from the "outside uses" of Marymoor Park, school fields, 60-Acres, Willows Golf, businesses, Sammamish river cycling and others can be more easily reckoned.

The foundation of the Plan is extensive public input from: three public meeting workshops, online & phone surveys, citizen advisory committees, and other opportunities. A few of the more enlightening findings from the study are, as follows:

1. The number one activity in parks was reported as: walking. #2 activity was unorganized sports or play, #3 relaxing (birding, meditating, reading). Organized sports were listed at the bottom third for Park activity Could this "surprise" be attributed to use at school fields, 60 Acres, and Marymoor Park, Willows Run?
2. The number one "future park use" requested was Mountain bike parks and trails.
3. The trail type most requested was soft surface trails, preferably single track. 73% of all respondents from all ages wished for soft surface! 27% wanted paved.
4. A Leisure Aquatic Center was the most requested Rec. facility. (Lap pool, shallow rehab/fitness pool, splash pool for kids).
5. A performance center for theatre (vs. concerts) was in demand.
6. As for Rec. programs, Aquatics and Nature were at the top of the list.
7. 52% of citizens drive to city parks!
8. 60% want more trails; 63% use a City park at least once/week.
9. Only 15% or 25% (depending on survey interpretation) said NO to funding by a park bond levy. Fees for use were popular.

Park & Trails commissioners deliberated thoroughly on what to call the Park plan. PRO Plan or PARCC Plan? Which acronym sounds good to you? Please comment below? I'll note their meaning under "comments".
CONTACT: ParksAndTrailsCommission@redmond.gov or Park's Chair hmyers@redmond.gov