📋 Parks & Recreation Committee

Parks and Recreation Committee

📅 December 15, 2025 📍 Council Chambers, 2nd floor, City Hall, 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA (also streamed live)

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Meeting Summary

The Parks and Recreation Committee received two major updates on December 15th, advancing key recreational infrastructure initiatives as the city continues to address community demands for improved indoor recreation facilities and expanded park services. The committee reviewed comprehensive community feedback from the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan update, which gathered input from over 2,000 residents through surveys, open houses, and focus groups. Staff presented findings that consistently highlighted the need for indoor recreation facilities, particularly aquatics and a recreation center, as the top priority for addressing winter weather limitations on outdoor activities. The committee also approved an amended lease agreement with Whatcom Sports and Recreation for the Bellingham Sportsplex, restructuring maintenance responsibilities and ensuring continued operation through 2028. This agreement represents a significant shift in the city's approach to the facility, with the city now taking responsibility for exterior maintenance while WSR handles interior operations. The move comes after the city has invested approximately $3.5 million in building envelope improvements including roof, HVAC, and electrical upgrades. Both items reflect the city's evolving strategy for recreational infrastructure, with the PROS Plan highlighting community demand for year-round recreation options and the Sportsplex lease ensuring continued operation of a key indoor facility while the city pursues broader indoor recreation planning through the civic athletic complex master plan expected in 2026.

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Study Guide

### 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 ---