Strategic Planning
2020-2032 Strategic Plan
In 2018-2019, Seattle Parks and Recreation connected with community and partners to engage in a holistic strategic planning process to reflect on our challenges, our successes, who we are serving, and who we are missing. These conversations focused on thinking big about what our city might need in the next 12-13 years and how to establish a strategic direction that drives SPR's work toward meeting those needs. The result of this two-year planning effort is SPR's 2020-2032 Strategic Plan. Read the Strategic Plan
The appendix to this plan lists a summary of public engagement methods and outcomes supporting the development of this plan as well as all the feedback received as part of this outreach. In total, over 10,000 people provided input through this process. Read Appendix II
2022-2024 Action Plan
After release of the Strategic Plan in March 2020, Seattle experienced dramatic disruption: a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, a reckoning with our racist past and present, economic downturn, and increasing impacts of climate change.
To support the community in response to these crises, and to recognize the need to focus on recovery, in 2021 SPR re-engaged with communities we serve about how their needs have shifted to help shape our short-term budget priorities and operations. SPR sought to refine our understanding of community needs and priorities, particularly for communities who were disproportionately impacted by these crises. Read a summary of SPR’s community engagement activities
The outcome of this engagement effort is SPR’s 2022-2024 Action Plan, which identifies areas of focus and implementation steps that advance many of the long-range priorities outlined in the 2020-2032 Strategic Plan. This engagement and action planning work directly impacted the development of funding priorities for Cycle 2 of the Seattle Park District. Read the Action Plan Executive Summary
More Information
Planning is ongoing at Seattle Parks and Recreation. Planning for capital projects is underway year-round, and those meetings center on design and site issues such as ADA access for projects including play areas, community centers, and athletic fields. SPR also develops long-range plans that ask questions such as how much parkland is needed for Seattle's population, what types of recreation facilities are needed, and what projects are a high priority for funding. As a result of long-range planning efforts, SPR has achieved many accomplishments in the recent past, including:
- Replaced Rainier Beach Community Center and Pool
- Increased summer activity camp program access with scholarships in central and southeast Seattle
- Provided over 4,000 scholarships for licensed childcare programs, recreational programming, and donations
- Enrolled thousands of acres of urban forest in restoration through the Green Seattle Partnership
- Offered programs for all ages
- Hosted the "Big Day of Play" community event every summer, including an all-virtual event in 2020
- Improved our ADA access to SPR facilities and programs
- Reduced the backlog of major maintenance needs by completing projects that included renovated and/or replaced park comfort stations, play areas, and converted athletic fields to synthetic turf for year-round play
- Increased opportunities for gardening and healthy food education by developing Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Beacon Food Forest
- Continued acquisition of additional parcels to expand our open space system, including additions to existing natural areas and greenbelts
SPR has conducted numerous plans over the past several years, each of which included outreach to park and recreation users and generated recommendations, goals, and policies that informed the development of the Strategic Plan. Some of the major plans and evaluations conducted since 2014 include:
2014: Parks Legacy Plan
2016: Community Center Strategic Plan
2016: Recreation Demand Study
2017: People, Dogs & Parks Plan
2017: Parks and Open Space Plan
2017: Soft Surface Trails Management Plan
2017: Green Seattle Partnership Strategic Plan Update
2018: City of Seattle Legislative Department Recreation Division Evaluation