City officials invite you to get involved this year as we plan for the future of Bellingham parks, open space and trails. Surveys, open houses, public meetings and other activities are opportunities for you to learn more about our parks, brainstorm about facilities and services, and help set our community’s direction for the future.
The City of Bellingham is updating its Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan, a six-year plan that becomes part of the city’s Comprehensive Plan. The plan will analyze the supply, demand and need for park and recreation services and facilities within Bellingham city limits and urban growth area.
Bellingham is home to 34 parks, 65 miles of trails and over 2,000 acres of open space. In 2007, the Parks and Recreation Department hosted or co-sponsored numerous events and activities that served an estimated 1 million participants.
Bellingham Parks and Recreation Director Paul Leuthold said these numbers climb each year as our community grows. Some community and neighborhood representatives say we need more parks in various areas of the city; others seek additional programs to serve our diverse and growing population. Other parks users tell us they want increased maintenance, expanded playgrounds and new services.
Bellingham’s world class parks, trails, open spaces, and the recreational opportunities available in them, are the crown jewels of our community, Leuthold says. This planning process, and the important community discussions that shape this plan’s direction, are essential to making sure that we maintain and enhance our community’s parks and recreation assets.
City officials will look at these wishes and others throughout the next few months and present recommendations for parks services and facilities that respond to the community’s needs. City officials expect to complete a draft Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan by May 2008 and present it to the Planning Commission and City Council for review and public hearings, with final plan approval expected by the end of the year.
Once it is approved by City Council, the city’s Comprehensive Plan will be amended to include the new Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan.
Updated: Mar 19, 2008
