Parks and Recreation Committee

**Nicole Oliver, on the PROS Plan timing:** "We see this as a fairly clear vision of what our priority should be in the next 20 years." **Peter Gill, on community survey response:** "We got over 2,000 responses, which was really great for a parks survey. We got 78% completion rate, and we added 500 people to our pros-plan mailing list." **Peter Gill, on indoor recreation demand:** "We heard loud and clear many, many times. The winter weather makes recreation difficult for many people and we need more year-round options covered recreation and year-round fields where people can play even after it rains." **Nicole Oliver, on Sportsplex facility value:** "To replace it would be unbelievably expensive and we really believe that that building in our city center and our civic athletic complex master plan is gonna be key to providing some other indoor recreation opportunities in the future." **Nicole Oliver, on maintenance responsibility shift:** "It's too much of an asset, it's too import

## Meeting Overview The Bellingham Parks and Recreation Committee met Sunday, December 15, 2025, in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Committee Chair Edwin H. "Skip" Williams presided, with committee members Hannah Stone and Jace Cotton in attendance. Councilmembers Lilliquist and Anderson joined remotely via Zoom, with Anderson participating despite not being a committee member. The 45-minute meeting focused on two primary items: an update on the comprehensive Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan (PROS Plan) rewrite, and approval of an amended lease agreement for the Bellingham Sportsplex. This meeting showcased the extensive community engagement process that has shaped Bellingham's next generation of parks planning, while also addressing the practical challenges of maintaining critical recreational infrastructure through public-private partnerships. ## Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan Update The centerpiece of the meeting was a comprehensive presentation on the PROS Plan update, led by Parks and Recreation Director Nicole Oliver and her team. Oliver provided context, noting that they had successfully integrated a parks chapter into the Bellingham Plan, completing the policy framework alongside the comprehensive plan update. "It's been great to have Peter Gill, our park planning and development coordinator working on this. He's a really fantastic planner," Oliver said, emphasizing the collaborative approach with Design and Development Manager Lane Potter. The planning process has run parallel to the civic athletic complex master planning, creating synergies between the two efforts. "It's been really interesting to be talking to the community and engaging with the community on parks and seeing a lot of the different ways that different groups have different priorities and yet there's themes that are coming through from both planning efforts," Oliver explained. ### Accomplishments from the Current Plan Lane Potter highlighted significant achievements from the 2020 PROS Plan, demonstrating that the department had completed or was underway on most planned projects. Major accomplishments included the acquisition and opening of Little Squalicum Park to the public, extensive restoration work at the 100 Acre Wood to protect natural resources and restore hydrology, completion of the Sunset Pond Loop Trail, and development of new parks including Northern Lights Park in the Cordata neighborhood through a partnership with private developers. The department also completed several playground replacements, conducted a recreational needs assessment, performed a Lake Padden Recreation Assessment, master planned the Hundred Acre Woods, and made significant land acquisitions for trail connectivity. Notable acquisitions included properties along the Squalcom Creek corridor and the former DNR Dewey Valley properties, ensuring contiguous open space and trail connectivity. ### Extensive Community Engagement Peter Gill, Park Planning and Development Coordinator, detailed the comprehensive public outreach conducted throughout 2025. The engagement process included a community survey that garnered over 2,000 responses with a 78% completion rate, adding 500 people to the PROS plan mailing list. "We got over 2,000 responses, which was really great for a parks survey," Gill noted. The outreach strategy deliberately targeted underrepresented groups through five focus group meetings. From the Latino community, staff heard about parks serving as cultural hubs with music, merchants, and food associated with events. The Hmong community emphasized the need for language interpretation for basic classes like swimming and walking opportunities for elders, particularly during winter months and in parks near the north and east sides of town. The Adaptive Inclusive Organizations focus group identified needs for improved signage to understand accessibility, distances to points of interest, better trail surfacing, ADA signage, more inclusive playgrounds, adaptive aquatic programs, and adaptive equipment for taller and adult users. Particularly notable was the young adult demographic, which comprises 23% of Bellingham's population—10% higher than national benchmarks. "They're arguably probably the most active group we have in town as well," Gill observed. This group emphasized free events, biking facilities including bike repair stations on trails, outdoor workout equipment, top rope climbing opportunities, and less crowded swimming beaches. ### Community Priorities and Geographic Patterns The comprehensive feedback revealed clear patterns across Bellingham's five geographic sectors. Trails emerged as the top priority, with specific requests for connections like Lake Padden to Whatcom Falls, an overwater walkway, and improved wayfinding. Access to nature, completing street trees, and connecting to beaches and water were also high priorities. Infrastructure needs included restrooms, lighting (especially for winter use), parking in certain areas, and accessible signage. Popular current uses included concerts in the park, outdoor movies, races, outdoor sports leagues, water access, biking, and family activities with kids and pets. The most glaring deficiency was indoor recreation, particularly aquatics and a recreation center. "The winter weather makes recreation difficult for many people and we need more year-round options," Gill summarized, noting requests for covered recreation and year-round fields that remain playable after rain. Geographic analysis revealed specific local needs: additional parks and walkability on the north side, community gardens and parking issues on the east side, lack of sidewalks and bike lanes in the Samish neighborhood, and requests for more street trees in central and southern areas. ### Implementation Framework The new PROS Plan will organize around seven prioritization goals: connection, play, partnerships, system resilience, conservation, equity, and design. Projects satisfying all seven goals receive higher priority than those addressing only one or two. This represents a more sophisticated approach to project prioritization, incorporating both policy alignment and quantitative analysis through computer modeling. The plan structure divides into topic-specific chapters, allowing readers to focus on particular areas of interest. Chapters 3-6 will cover parks, trails, recreation programs, and open spaces respectively, each functioning as "a plan within a plan" with public feedback, current inventory, recommendations, and priorities. ## Sportsplex Lease Agreement The committee's second major item addressed the amended and restated lease agreement with Whatcom Sports and Recreation (WSR) for the Bellingham Sportsplex. Director Oliver provided extensive background on this evolving relationship, noting that the City Council had surplused the building in May 2019 with the intention of selling it to WSR. "They no longer want to do that," Oliver explained, detailing how the city has since invested approximately $3.5 million in building envelope improvements including a new roof, mechanical ventilation improvements, and electrical upgrades. The city is also pursuing grants for roof structural upgrades to allow solar panel installation, which would finally address the failed interior ceiling insulation that users frequently complain about. ### Revised Responsibility Structure The new three-year lease fundamentally restructures maintenance responsibilities. "The biggest changes we're actually taking responsibility for the outside and WSR is taking responsibility for the inside," Oliver explained. Previously, WSR had responsibility for the entire building, which proved overwhelming for the organization. "It was too much of a asset it's too important of a recreation asset and and we've waited too long to do some really much needed repairs," Oliver acknowledged. The COVID pandemic created additional financial strain, but Oliver expressed confidence in WSR's ability to meet the new payment schedule of $24,000 monthly plus leasehold tax. The agreement includes installation of a separate electrical meter, requiring WSR to pay their exact electricity usage rather than having it bundled with the civic complex. "I've heard that it's quite a bit more that they're paying," Oliver noted. ### Strategic Integration The Sportsplex now plays a crucial role in the city's broader recreation strategy. With bond obligations scheduled to be paid off by the end of 2028, the city plans to evaluate the tenancy arrangement and potentially extend into a different type of lease agreement. The facility's integration with the civic athletic complex master plan positions it as key to providing future indoor recreation opportunities. Oliver emphasized improved partnership through staff involvement: "We fully infiltrated their board. Melissa's now on their board is on multiple committees and we are really, there's some kind of changing approach." This enhanced collaboration aims to address longstanding community concerns about facility conditions while building toward a stronger committed relationship. ### Council Discussion and Approval The committee discussion revealed practical concerns about the arrangement. Councilmember Stone inquired about continued deferred maintenance costs, with Oliver explaining that recent major investments had addressed core infrastructure needs. The only significant future projects would be storm water system upgrades if the building footprint expands. Councilmember Anderson sought clarification about utility responsibilities, confirming that WSR pays all their own utilities while the city handles external infrastructure connections. Questions also arose about grounds maintenance, with Oliver explaining that WSR maintains landscaping around their building and immediate parking area while the city handles the larger parking lot where park materials are stored. Stone pressed on payment reliability given past difficulties, with Oliver expressing confidence based on WSR's payback of accumulated debt and the post-COVID recovery. The facility's importance to the community and integration with future recreation plans justified the revised partnership structure. Councilmember Cotton moved to recommend approval of the amended and restated lease agreement, which the committee unanimously approved for forwarding to the full council. ## Closing & What's Ahead The committee meeting concluded with both agenda items successfully addressed. The PROS Plan update demonstrated the extensive community engagement process and established a clear timeline for completion, with a draft expected for public review in January 2026 and Planning Commission consideration in February, followed by full plan approval by April 2026. The Sportsplex lease agreement represented a pragmatic solution to maintaining critical recreational infrastructure while addressing past challenges through revised responsibility structures and enhanced partnership approaches. Both items reflected the Parks and Recreation Department's commitment to responsive community engagement and sustainable facility management. Chair Williams noted that the PROS Plan presentation was for information and discussion only, with no vote required at this stage. The committee will receive the completed plan for formal consideration in March 2026, positioning Bellingham's parks system for the next 20 years of community recreation needs. The meeting demonstrated effective municipal governance, combining long-term strategic planning with practical problem-solving to serve Bellingham's diverse recreational needs while maintaining fiscal responsibility and community accountability.

### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Committee met on December 15, 2025, to receive two major updates: a comprehensive report on the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan development and approval of a new lease agreement with Whatcom Sports and Recreation for the Bellingham Sportsplex. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan:** A comprehensive planning document that guides the Parks and Recreation Department's work plan, budget priorities, and 20-year planning horizon. Required to be updated every six years to maintain eligibility for state funding grants. **Civic Athletic Complex Master Plan:** A parallel planning effort being conducted alongside the PROS plan to address community needs for indoor recreation facilities, particularly aquatics and recreation centers. **Park Impact Fees:** Fees charged to new development to help fund parks and recreation infrastructure needed to serve new residents. State law recently changed requirements from housing type-based to square footage-based calculations. **Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO):** State agency that provides grants for park acquisitions, development, and capital projects. The city currently has about $1.5 million in grants from this source. **Whatcom Sports and Recreation (WSR):** Non-profit organization that operates the Bellingham Sportsplex under lease from the city. **Surplus Property:** When the city declares a property no longer needed for municipal purposes, making it available for sale or alternative use. **Focus Groups:** Targeted community engagement sessions with specific demographic groups that were underrepresented in the general community survey, including Latino community, Hmong community, adaptive/inclusive organizations, and young adults. **Condition Assessment Ranking:** A new systematic evaluation of all parks' physical conditions to help prioritize maintenance and capital improvement needs. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Edwin "Skip" Williams | Committee Chair | | Hannah Stone | Committee Member | | Jace Cotton | Committee Member | | Dan Anderson | City Councilmember (non-committee member) | | Nicole Oliver | Director of Parks and Recreation | | Lane Potter | Design and Development Manager | | Peter Gill | Park Planning and Development Coordinator | | Melissa Bianconi | Parks and Recreation staff member | | Alan Mariner | City staff | | Ali Tyshe | President, Whatcom Sports and Recreation Board | ### Background Context The PROS Plan update represents a major rewrite and reorganization of the city's parks planning document, building on successful completion of most projects from the 2020 plan. The community has expressed strong demand for indoor recreation facilities, particularly aquatics and year-round programming, which the winter climate makes essential. This demand is being addressed through the parallel civic athletic complex master planning process. The Sportsplex lease represents a significant shift in the city-WSR relationship. Originally declared surplus in 2019 with intention for WSR to purchase, the city has since invested $3.5 million in building envelope improvements and now views the facility as integral to future recreation planning. The new lease clarifies maintenance responsibilities, with the city taking over exterior/structural maintenance while WSR handles interior operations. ### What Happened — The Short Version Parks staff presented results from extensive community engagement on the PROS plan, including over 2,000 survey responses, four neighborhood open houses, and focus groups with underrepresented communities. The biggest themes were desire for indoor recreation facilities, better trail connections, and improved basic amenities like restrooms and lighting. Staff outlined a prioritization framework based on seven goals and expects to present the draft plan to Planning Commission in February 2026. The committee then approved a new three-year lease with Whatcom Sports and Recreation for the Sportsplex, featuring $24,000 monthly payments plus utilities, with clarified maintenance responsibilities splitting exterior (city) from interior (WSR) upkeep. ### What to Watch Next - Draft PROS Plan public release in January 2026 - Planning Commission review in February 2026 - Final PROS Plan consideration by City Council in March 2026 ---

**Q:** How often must the PROS Plan be updated to maintain state grant eligibility? **A:** Every six years, as required by the Recreation and Conservation Office. **Q:** How many people responded to the Parks and Recreation community survey? **A:** Over 2,000 people, with a 78% completion rate. **Q:** What was the top-ranked budget priority in the community survey? **A:** Maintenance activities for existing parks and facilities. **Q:** Which demographic group makes up 23% of Bellingham's population? **A:** Young adults aged 20-29, which is 10% higher than national benchmarks. **Q:** How much has the city invested in Sportsplex building envelope improvements since 2019? **A:** Approximately $3.5 million for roof, HVAC, and electrical upgrades. **Q:** What is the monthly lease payment under the new Sportsplex agreement? **A:** $24,000 per month plus leasehold tax and utilities. **Q:** When were the Bellingham Sportsplex building bonds originally set to be paid off? **A:** By the end of 2028, if WSR makes on-time lease payments. **Q:** How many open houses were held across different neighborhoods for PROS Plan input? **A:** Four open houses in Cordata, Fairhaven, Bellingham High School, and Lodell Donovan. **Q:** What major trail connection was frequently requested by community members? **A:** Connecting Lake Padden to Whatcom Falls, including an overwater walkway. **Q:** When does the Parks Department expect to bring the final PROS Plan to City Council? **A:** March 2026, after Planning Commission review in February. **Q:** What type of recreation facilities were identified as the biggest community need? **A:** Indoor recreation facilities, particularly aquatics and a recreation center. **Q:** How many of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meetings in 2025 involved the PROS Plan? **A:** 10 out of 11 meetings included PROS plan updates and discussions. **Q:** What maintenance responsibility division was established in the new Sportsplex lease? **A:** City handles exterior and structural maintenance; WSR handles interior maintenance and operations. **Q:** What grant is the city pursuing for additional Sportsplex improvements? **A:** A grant for roof structural upgrades to allow solar panel installation. **Q:** How many focus groups were conducted with specific demographic communities? **A:** Five focus groups with Latino, Hmong, adaptive/inclusive, young adult, and other targeted communities. **Q:** What new assessment tool is being introduced in the PROS Plan? **A:** A condition assessment ranking of all parks to prioritize maintenance needs. **Q:** When was the Bellingham Sportsplex originally declared surplus property? **A:** May 2019, with original intention for WSR to purchase the building. **Q:** What are the seven goals used to prioritize PROS Plan projects? **A:** Connection, play, partnerships, system resilience, conservation, equity, and design. **Q:** What percentage of current PROS Plan projects have been completed or are underway? **A:** Most or all projects from the 2020 plan have been completed or are in progress. **Q:** What major change in state law affects park impact fees? **A:** Fees must now be based on square footage rather than housing type categories. ---