The City of Yakima wants to hear from the community about Parks and Recreation facilities and programs.

A survey designed to provide guidance and direction for City of Yakima parks facilities and recreation programs over the next decade should be arriving in mailboxes this week. The 2021 community survey, which is being sent to 5,000 randomly-selected households throughout the city, is a key part of the information that will ultimately be used to update the Parks and Recreation Division’s Comprehensive Plan.

The survey is available online at 2021 Community Survey | Yakima Parks and Recreation

September 1^st, 2021 is the deadline to submit the survey. As incentive, coupons for free swims at Franklin Pool, a free round of golf at Fisher Park Golf Course and punch cards for free activities at the Harman Center are included in the survey packet.

“The comprehensive plan helps us determine how best to use our resources to provide the kinds of facilities and programs that the community wants most,” said Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson.  “The survey is an excellent way to gather feedback, whether it’s positive or negative, that will lead us to craft a plan that will serve us well for the next 10 years.”

The survey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete. The four page survey is available in English and Spanish. Participants will be asked to provide information ranging from when, why, and how they use City parks to optional demographic data. The survey also provides opportunities to rate parks facilities and recreation programs, evaluate Parks and Recreation Division customer service and to share new ideas.

“We’re confident the survey will give us a broad perspective about how the community feels when it comes to parks and recreation,” said Wilkinson.  “That information is absolutely invaluable to us as we make decisions that will affect how we spend taxpayer dollars in the next decade.”

The survey is required in conjunction with the Yakima Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Master Plan in order for the City to be eligible for grant funds through the Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office.

Wilkinson said all work on the survey is conducted by City staff. “That saves the Parks and Recreation budget a lot of money,” he said.

Staff outreach includes in-person surveys at the Franklin Park Summer Sunset Concert series on July 9^th, Downtown Yakima Farmers Market on July 11^th and July 18^th, as well as Viva La Musica concerts at Miller Park (July 11^th and July 18^th) and Martin Luther King Jr. Park (August 1^st and August 8^th). Staff will distribute free golf, swim and Harman Center punch cards while conducting the in-person surveys.

Visit Yakima Parks and Recreation for more about Yakima Parks and Recreation.