2017 Parks & Recreation Annual Report

Pierce County Parks & Recreation

Annual Report 2017

PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2018

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DIRECTOR’S LETTER The National Parks and Recreation motto is “Everyone Deserves a Great Park.”

Of course, we believe in that motto here in Pierce County, where we fill the space between the mountain and the sea with amazing places to relax and play.

I was humbled to take on the leadership of the department in 2017 knowing that I was inheriting a 60-year legacy of providing programs and places that, simply put, help make people happy. Our mission includes three important elements: ++ We connect people to nature for its many benefits – fresh air, relaxation, reflection, appreciation of our natural resources, quiet companionship and amazing views – and the inspiration to slow down and experience the beauty that is iconic of the Pacific Northwest. ++ We provide people the places they need to live healthy lifestyles. Our trails and playgrounds and programs get us out and about, off the couch and out of the house. Whether it is walking, hiking, biking, playing or competing, parks are perfect for getting the exercise our body needs to combat stress, a poor diet and other risks and realities of chronic disease. Play never feels like a workout even though every muscle, including the brain, benefits from the competition, exertion and perspiration! ++ We also create vibrant community spaces that give people a chance to interact, enjoy and appreciate each other through play, activities and education. When people join a team or class they are connected socially with new friends that they can walk a mile with or learn to dance next to.

Through the design of parks and programs, young and old play together and people find commonality in their leisure pursuits. True to the very philosophy of public parks and recreation is the idea that all people – no matter their gender, age, income level, ability or anything else – should have access to programs, facilities, places and spaces that make their lives and communities great. By providing affordable and accessible options, we bring people together where fun and memories happen.

So, for less than $40 a year-per-resident, Pierce County Parks & Recreation inspires and enables our residents to live healthy, happy lives. This report shares our story of how we are doing just that.

Sincerely,

Roxanne Miles Director, Parks and Recreation

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

2017 YEAR IN REVIEW

The Parks and Recreation Services inventory includes 44 sites on 5,261 acres of parkland.

TOTAL ACRES

1.3 Million

1,058 Regional Parks 373 Developed County Parks 429 Undeveloped County Parks

Trail and park users

110 Local Parks 186 Special Use Facilities 2540 Resource Conservancy Parks 548 Linear Parks & Trails

$42,734,260

14 Unclasified Sites

Total park funding

74,685

184,030

19,648

Total rounds of golf at

People visited Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park

Registered for recreation programs

Chambers Bay Golf Course, Lake Spanaway Golf Course, and Fort Steilacoom Golf Course

15.5%

14,154 Park volunteer hours

General Fund expenditure by activity type Total expenditures: $7,556,950

Administration $1,170,260

51.3%

33.2% Recreation $2,509,440

Parks Maintenance & Operations $3,877,250

PARK INVENTORY REGIONAL PARKS Park

Site Acreage

Chambers Creek Regional Park Chambers Bay Golf Course

340.5

Chambers Creek Properties

185.0

Chambers Creek Canyon

204.8

Spanaway Regional Park Bresemann Forest Lake Spanaway Golf Course

The Parks and Recreation Services inventory includes 44 sites on 5,261 acres of parkland Pierce County is located in west central Washington, in the south Puget Sound region.

It encompasses approximately 1,800 square miles, of which 1,670 square miles is land and 130 square miles (7.2%) is water. Pierce County has a land area larger than the State of Rhode Island at 1,545 square miles. The County landscape varies widely, from the summit of Mount Rainier at 14,411 feet, to the steep foothills of the Cascades, to the rolling uplands, flat plains, and shores of the Puget Sound. Although Pierce County ranks 23rd in size out of Washington’s 39 counties, its 2017 population made it the fourth most densely populated county in Washington State.

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2018

65.9 128.8

Spanaway Park

88.9

Sprinker Recreation Center

44.1

Subtotal

1,058

DEVELOPED COUNTY PARKS Ashford County Park

84.0

Frontier Park

71.4

Heritage Recreation Center

46.9

Meridian Habitat Park

35.7

North Lake Tapps Park

Subtotal

135.2

373.2

UNDEVELOPED COUNTY PARKS Buckley-Bonney Lake Cross Property

80.0 64.0

Orangegate

146.6

Rimrock

139.3

Subtotal

429.9

Total

803.1

LOCAL PARKS Park

UNCLASSIFIED SITES Total Acreage

Dawson Playfield

5.1

Gonyea Playfield

12.4

Hopp Farm (Undeveloped)

38.8

Lidford Playfield

9.8

Mayfair Playfield

4.6

South Hill Community Park

Subtotal

39.6

110.3

SPECIAL USE FACILITIES 81.9

Herron Point (Undeveloped)

0.3

Lakewood Community Center

3.7

Purdy Sand Spit

64.0

Riverside Park

36.1

Subtotal

186

RESOURCE CONSERVANCY PARKS 109.0

Buckley Forestland Preserve

221.0

Carbon River Valley

488.3

Devils Head

94.1

Fairfax Properties

1,080.0

Fairfax Town Site

155.5

Lake Tapps Habitat

17.5

Nisqually River Interpretive Center

68.5

Parkland Habitat Puget Creek Beach Seeley Lake Park South Pierce Wetland Swan Creek Park

Subtotal

4.9

Total Acreage

Wales Property

2.5

Subtotal

2.5

CEMETERIES 265 Ave E Cemetery

6.3

Lake Tapps Pioneer Cemetery

1.0

Old Settlers Cemetery

4.2

Roy Cemetery

0.3

Subtotal

Fort Steilacoom Golf Course

100 Acre Woods

Property

GRAND TOTAL

11.8 5,260.6

PC Parks maintains, programs and operates these sites with the following employees: 9 ADMINISTRATION 5 PLANNING & RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP 37 PARKS 25 RECREATION

1.9 46.0 156.4 97.3

2540.4

LINEAR PARKS AND TRAILS Developed Linear Parks/Trails Foothills Trail Nathan Chapman Memorial Trail Puyallup River Levee Trail

Subtotal

529.3 1.6 1.5

532.4

Undeveloped Linear Parks/Trails Ohop Trail Extension Half Dollar Park

Subtotal Total

13.7 2.4

16.1 548.5 PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2018

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BUDGET PARKS RELATED FUNDS Fund

Amount

General Fund

$7,556,950

Golf Courses

$2,036,390

Paths & Trails

$832,840

Chambers Creek Regional Park & Golf Courses

$9,692,850

Pierce County Fair

$192,780

Operating Funds

$20,311,810

Parks Sales Tax

$4,138,490

Conservation Futures

$4,924,320

Dual- Focus Capital/Operating

$9,062,810

Parks Impact Fees

$613,390

Parks Second REET

Construction Revenue

$2,185,970

$2,799,360

Paths & Trails Construction

$3,653,610

Parks Construction

$3,397,510

Conservation Futures Construction

Half of the Parks & Recreation resources are associated with operating the park system, of which golf makes up the largest single line of business.

$3,509,160

Construction Project Funds

$10,560,280

Total Parks Funding

$42,734,260

Almost 20% of the Parks budget is related to the Conservation Futures Program and 30% is associated with capital project funding.

This report details how both the operating funds as well as the capital funding were spent and the return on investment.

The 2017 budget was 82% cost recovery with $37M in revenues and $45M of expenditures planned, requiring the use of $8.4M of fund balance. The department ended the year achieving 100%+ in revenues, and using $41M in expenditure authority, a savings of $4M. Much of that savings was capital project savings needed to be carried over into 2018 for project completion.

A supplemental budget request of $500,000 for Chambers Bay Golf Course and $400,000 for Fort Steilacoom and Lake Spanaway Golf Courses were authorized in December 2017 due to shortage in revenue collection; other funds were maintained within budget targets.

PC Parks leverages public resources to bring additional services to the community.

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

PERFORMANCE MEASURES & INDICATORS Upon adoption of the 2017 budget, the following performance indicators were approved for the department:

GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE

BY ACTIVITY TYPE: ++ A dministration (Resource Stewardship and Department Leadership) – 1,170,260 or 15.5% ++ P arks Maintenance & Operations – 3,877,250 or 51.3% ++ Recreation – 2,509,440 or 33.2% Total expenditures: $7,556,950

The General Fund allocation to the Department is $5,477,870. The department raises $2,079,080 in revenue, primarily through Recreation services, to cover costs of service provision to the community. This is done through fees and charges, primarily rental rates, and alternative funding strategies. The general fund cost recovery rate is 27.5%, well above the 25% industry benchmark. Some paths and trails funding, conservation futures funding and parks sales tax are used for general operations.

PARKS & RECREATION ALTERNATIVE FUNDING Type

2016

Program Grants

29,900

34,177

2017

Advertising & Sponsorships

47,045

44,550

Partnered Contributions

321,280

338,046

In-Kind Donations

275,804

280,978

Volunteer Service Value

198,305

181,209

Total

872,334

878,960

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HIGHLIGHTS AND MAJOR ACTIVITIES PC Parks maintains and programs 13 dynamic locations for the residents of Pierce County and visitors to the region.

Chamber Creek Regional Park

ACTIVITY NUMBERS: Leisure Classes Adult Leisure Classes Youth Leisure Classes Special Events Kite Festival CB Challenge 5K Mom/Son Dance Short Term Rentals ESB Room Rentals Field/Meadow Rentals Passive Trail Usage

PC Parks assumed operations of this regional gem in July of 2011, when management was transferred from Public Works/Sewer Utilities.

The 185-acre park includes: two miles of beach, two open space meadows, two soccer fields, 4 miles of paved trails, children’s play equipment, off-leash dog park, picnic areas, and meeting/ event space at the Environmental Services Building. The park flows into a 205 acre canyon and has a 340 acre 18-hole championship golf course and driving range on site.

Walking, special events, and all forms of recreation are popular, taking advantage of the waterfront views and open space.

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

481 790

2,781 200 121

52,280 50,300 209,250

The impact of community partnerships should be noted as an important contribution to the park’s success. Working collaboratively with community organizations, local businesses and neighboring municipalities has added great value.

Examples of these include a partnership with Kemper Sports offering children’s cooking classes and catering services, securing the support of the Chambers Creek Foundation for the Chambers Bay 5K run/walk, Cinema on the Sound and Kite Festival, and donations from Whole Foods Market to our Mystery Dinner series, Santa Breakfast and Sunset Yoga events.

In addition, the University Place Soccer Club, Public Works’ Environmental Educators, and Kidz Love Soccer partnered with the department to offer children’s camps and clinics throughout the year.

Chambers Bay Golf Course

The staff also worked in concert with University Place School District and the Washington Interscholastic and Athletic Association to host invitational and qualifying cross-country meets.

The park has also attracted the interest of nonprofit organizations to host charity walk/run events along our paved trail. These include the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Fight the Flu Foundation and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

New events and programs were added in 2017 and were well-received by the public: Our first ever children’s festival, Kidz Kraze, included field games, bounce houses, and partner booths featuring free painting sessions, birdhouse building, origami making and more.

Community partners included Pierce College, Home Depot, the YMCA and Boy Scouts of America. Over 600 children and their families were in attendance.

In addition, a partnership with a local yoga studio to offer an outdoor yoga and music event in the meadow was a success, garnering about 80 registrants. Whole Foods, Brew Dr. Kombucha and Tuladhara Yoga served as collaborators.

COST RECOVERY 15% MAINTENANCE FTES 3 COST PER ACRE $2,352 EXPENDITURES $1,287,958 # SERVED 316,203

This premier destination championship course was home to the 2015 US Open. Weather resulted in a reduction in rounds and revenue in 2017 from 2015 and 2016 levels. 85% of projected revenue was earned for the year. Strategies were employed to improve range, pro shop, food and beverage, and merchandising income to off-set the lower number of rounds of play and reduction of greens fee revenue.

Course revenue was $5,701,807, 93% of the $6,146,806 earned in 2016. Food and Beverage revenue was $1,815,158; 89% of target Adjustments were made to lower costs, saving 7.7% or $483,741.

PC Parks & Kemper Sports Management have been working on strategies to address course conditions following, and those improvements are being well-received by the public and United States Golf Association officials. The 7th, 10th and 13th holes were re-sodded in 2017. The holes will play to alternate greens until March, 2018.

The re-sodding of greens is meant to expedite consistency in the texture, performance and visual appeal of the greens, attracting future events. The department opted to postpone the US Amateur 4-Ball from 2019 until 2021 in order to improve the remaining putting greens in 2018.

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COST RECOVERY MEMBERSHIPS

COST PER ACRE

MAINTENANCE & (CONTRACTED OPERATIONS

84% 552 $14,082

EXPENDITURES $7,010,708 (INCLUDING DEBT)

# SERVED

30,808

Spanaway Regional Park

IN 2017 – ACTIVITY NUMBERS: Sports Leagues Youth T-ball Special Events Woof Woof Walk Fantasy Lights Walk Fantasy Lights Drive Short Term Rentals Field Rentals Picnic Shelter Rentals Gatekeeping Summer Gatekeeping Passive Trail Usage

Towering Douglas fir trees watch over 89 acres of beautiful park land adjacent to Spanaway Lake.

The park includes two swimming beaches, a boat launch, a fishing pier, numerous restroom facilities, 5 picnic shelters, children’s play equipment, a 3-mile paved trail system, softball fields, basketball courts, and several thousand feet of accessible shoreline along Spanaway Lake.

1,210

75 5,407 184,517

1,700 21,688

91,281 71,250

The park is host to numerous public/private events and activities including Outrigger Canoe Races, Hydroplane Races, large military and company picnics, car shows, walks, runs and scavenger hunts. It is also one of only two freshwater beaches in our system and is extremely popular on hot summer days. Lake Spanaway is open year-round for fishing and the public boat launch and fishing pier are heavily used. In 2017 we produced the 23rd annual Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park. It is considered the largest drive-through display of holiday lights in the Northwest and drew 28,240 vehicles and over 185,000 spectators during the 40 night event.

The park is also the operational base for the Park’s maintenance staff, servicing local athletic playfields and smaller parks in the area.

COST RECOVERY 56% MAINTENANCE FTES 4.8 COST PER ACRE $10,432 EXPENDITURES $928,438 # SERVED 377,913 9|

PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

Sprinker Recreation Center

Sprinker Recreation Center is a regional indoor and outdoor sports complex that serves all ages and abilities. The multi-purpose center at Sprinker is 74,100 square feet and includes a “state of the art” NHL regulation size ice skating arena, four indoor tennis courts, and a variety of meeting and banquet rooms. The outdoor facilities at Sprinker include six newly renovated outdoor tennis courts, basketball courts, lighted softball/ baseball fields, playground, climbing rock, and a skate park. This regional park hosts a wide variety of sporting events that draw from all over the Pacific Northwest region. Each year athletes travel to Sprinker and take part in figure skating, ice hockey, softball, baseball, tennis and climbing events that are hosted by local partners and athletic organizations. The meeting room spaces are utilized for meetings, receptions, birthday parties, and leisure classes. Sprinker offers weekly classes in yoga, puppy/dog obedience, karate, gymnastics, belly dancing, ballet, and engineering for kids. In addition, the facility hosts community groups such as religious organizations, Weight Watchers and Sheriff testing.

IN 2017 – ACTIVITY NUMBERS: Camp Programs Sports Camps

4,843

Leisure Classes Adult Leisure Classes Youth Leisure Classes Birthday Parties

639 4,532 2,124

Sports Leagues Youth Leagues Adult Leagues

18,915 17,674

Sports Programs Tennis Ice Skating Hockey Skateboarding Figure Skating

18,550 39,290 7,963 7,103 20,219

Special Events Youth/Family Events Crafters Creations Dances/Parties Ice Show Car Show Skating Competitions

14,020 1,200 853 1,468 2,925 629

Short Term Rentals Field Rentals Room Rentals

18,960 15,907

Long Term Rentals Imagination School NW Tennis

2,466 25,455

Whether walking through the trails of our 66- acre Bresemann Forest, playing at the children’s playground, or riding the massive skate park, this sports complex has something for everyone.

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Groups and organizations often choose Sprinker due to ample parking and breadth of amenities for spectators and competitors. Sprinker regularly hosts the 555 Military Brigade and their families for an all-day celebration that draws well over 1000 participants. Cross Revolution Cyclocross Association considers Sprinker the perfect location for a leg of their race series which draws over 500 cyclists from all over the region. The unique combination of open space and activities here at Sprinker is a rare find.

Greater Seattle Hockey, Pacific Northwest Tennis and others ensure we have the best recreation opportunities and instruction for our patrons. Whether our Pierce County residents are looking for a fun public ice skating session or a casual walk in the park, Sprinker has something for everyone.

The staff members at Sprinker put together some of the best special events to entertain and engage our Pierce County community. Events such as Touch a Truck, Mobile Food Fest, Junk-inthe-Trunk, Sprinker Classic Car and Truck Show, Reflections on Ice, Holiday Crafter’s Creations, Movies in the Park and Winterfest are annual staples and some of the most beloved by our Pierce County citizens.

(maintenance also supports the 44 acre campus and 66 acre Bresemann Forest)

Sprinker offered “Freezin Fridays” each Friday evening in the ice rink at Sprinker Recreation Center. The rink is transformed into a teen party with an on-ice DJ and EFX Lighting. This new program has increased attendance on Friday evenings by 30%.

Partnerships are extremely important to the success of Sprinker. We work with youth and adult athletic organizations such as the Ice Skating Institute, Tacoma Youth Hockey, the Lakewood Winter Club,

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

COST RECOVERY MAINTENANCE FTES COST PER SQ. FOOT

37% 6.16 $15

EXPENDITURES $2,576,399 # SERVED 255,735

Lake Spanaway & Ft. Steilacoom Golf Courses

Fort Steilacoom Golf Course is managed by PC Parks on 81.9 acres of land leased from the State of Washington. The nine-hole course provided 11,757 golf rounds and 433 foot golf rounds in 2017. The course earned 71% of its budgeted revenues and spent 99% of its budgeted expenditures, even after trimming expenditures throughout the year. Revenue per round was $13.91 in 2017; revenues would need to be $23.00 per round for the course to cost recover.

Given the low rates of play and the annual subsidy requirement at this course, a decision was made to re-purpose the course in 2018.

COST RECOVERY 80% MAINTENANCE FTES 1.5 COST PER ACRE $3,439 EXPENDITURES $281,679 # ROUNDS 12,190

Lake Spanaway Golf Course is a 128.8 acre classic course that appeals to novice and competitive players in the region. From the old growth Douglas firs that line every fairway to the well placed bunkers and large greens, Lake Spanaway is truly a wonderful golf experience, with growing appeal. Lake Spanaway has a reputation as one of the driest, most playable public courses in the area. The course, which receives dry-ject treatment and regular sanding is home to a men’s and women’s club and volunteer crew of course marshalls. The total revenue per round was $37.91 in 2017, with the overall cost per round of $47.31. Course received $105,000 in subsidy to operate in 2017. Equipment replacements and clubhouse improvements will be required in 2018.

COST RECOVERY 93% MAINTENANCE FTES 5.6 COST PER ACRE $11,640 EXPENDITURES $1,499,229 # ROUNDS 31,687

Heritage Regional Recreation Center Including the Athletic Complex, South Hill ParkAnd the Nathan Chapman Trail Heritage Recreation Center is a popular, tournament level sports complex that boasts baseball, soccer and multi-purpose fields. It is located in the South Hill Community between Rogers High School and Zeiger Elementary

School. The 88-acre park is the result of a partnership between the Puyallup School District, which owns the land, and Pierce County which developed, operates and maintains the facilities.

The 1.6 mile Nathan Chapman Trail links Heritage Recreation Center to South Hill Park. The complex includes a lighted baseball field, four lighted softball fields, six soccer fields, a children’s play area, and nearly 500 parking spaces available for major special events and tournaments.

IN 2017 – ACTIVITY NUMBERS: Camp Programs Challenger Soccer Sports Leagues Adult Slowpitch

280

24,560

Special Events Movies In the Park No Sun Fun Run Short Term Rentals Field Rentals Passive Trail Usage

300 370

54,800 73,500

Heritage Recreation Center continues to be one of the most sought after sports venues in the Tacoma-Pierce County area. Weekend tournament usage commenced the end of February and ran through mid-October.

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Tournaments consisted of adult slowpitch, youth baseball, girls Fastpitch, soccer, ultimate Frisbee and grass volleyball. Tournament play ranged from recreation leagues to WIAA sponsored events. Heritage was host to the SPSL, WIAA, USSSA, GSL, Special Olympics, Dakine and Reach Volleyball Organizations.

COST RECOVERY 46% MAINTENANCE FTES 4.92 COST PER ACRE $15,336 EXPENDITURES $754,446 # SERVED 153,810

Meridian Habitat Park & Community Center

This 36-acre park includes a 15,509 square foot community center with a large meeting space suitable for hosting events and activities. The site also includes wooded areas, open grassy areas, a nature playground, wetlands, a pond and a variety of wildlife habitat.

ACTIVITY NUMBERS: Leisure Classes Adult Leisure Classes Youth Leisure Classes

3,517 692

Companionship/Special Companionship Classes

120

Special Events Movies/Concerts Dances/Parties

1,176 205

Short Term Rentals Field Rentals Room Rentals

300 14,535

Long Term Rentals Outdoor Food Bank

10,139

Meridian Habitat Park & Community Center is no longer the quiet unknown gem of South Hill Puyallup. 2017 brought new amenities to the site with the installation of a restroom building and an update to the grounds and entrance area of the center. Rental numbers continue to rise as the public has begun to recognize the unique features the site has to offer. Car shows, family reunions, weddings, and corporate parties found Meridian Habitat to be an ideal location for their functions. The Recreation division continues to offer free family events that draw the public into the park as well, which is needed in this unincorporated area of the County.

COST RECOVERY 15% MAINTENANCE FTES .85 COST PER ACRE $7,791 COST PER SQ FT $34 EXPENDITURES $531,850 # SERVED 30,746

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

Frontier County Park

ACTIVITY NUMBERS:

Frontier County Park is home to many uses, including the Pierce County Fair. This majestic complex is 71 acres filled with wooded and turf areas. It is a rustic park true to its name that invites the local community to play and guests to enjoy many of the unique features of the park – like the equestrian arena with stables and the quarter-midget race track. Several rental facilities are available at the park, including meeting rooms, stalls, playfields, and picnic shelters.

Camp Programs Sports Camps

360

Leisure Classes Adult Leisure Classes Youth Leisure Classes

6,643 2,790

Companionship/Special Companionship Classes

382

Special Events Movies/Concerts Dances/Parties Barnyard Sale

200 290 800

Frontier Park continues to be one of the most heavily booked parks because of its diversity.

Where else can you bring your horse, peruse hot rods at a car show, have a family picnic, walk through some amazing wooded areas and stop for some fun on the ADA accessible playground all in one visit? Rentals grew in 2017. The unique rustic facility hosted weddings, baby showers, corporate meetings and functions, birthday parties, celebrations of life and continuous weekly rentals by local groups and businesses.

Community classes and family events such as the daddy daughter dance, the “barnyard” sale, gross out Olympics and movies in the park helped give local residents a place to connect and recreate.

Frontier Park is definitely an iconic feature for the South Hill/Graham community.

Short Term Rentals Field Rentals Room Rentals Picnic Shelter Rentals

3,640 27,445 10,405

Long Term Rentals Highland Games Pierce County Fair Quarter Midget Track

2,273 17,400 4,475

COST RECOVERY 59% MAINTENANCE FTES 2.33 COST PER ACRE $6,759 EXPENDITURES $801,868 # SERVED 77,103

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Ashford County Park

North Lake Tapps Park

Located along SR706, Ashford County Park is a wonderful addition to the Ashford community and a welcome rest stop for travelers to Mount Rainier National Park. This 84-acre park opened in 2010 and includes an ADA accessible children’s play area, restrooms, 2.5 miles of paved/unpaved trail, open lawn, and parking. The park’s centerpiece is a 55,000-square foot outdoor amphitheater for community events.

North Lake Tapps County Park is our most popular fresh water access park. In addition to attracting picnickers, sunbathers, and swimmers on warm days throughout the summer, it also hosts one of the only two public boat launches on the lake. This popular swimming, boating and picnicking park sits on 135 acres and boasts nearly 10,000 lineal feet of waterfront access.

The lake is a popular location for fishing for tiger musky, smallmouth bass, carp, yellow perch, and rainbow trout. The park offers spectacular views of Mount Rainier and has 3 miles of trails through the forest and along the shore.

Ashford County Park has become a very popular location for families to spend part of their day playing on the playground equipment, walking on the trails, picnicking or just passively playing on the open lawn. It is also heavily used by travelers heading to and from Mount Rainier National Park which is just a few miles away. The park also equipped with a beautiful outdoor amphitheater which can be used for concerts, and community events. Due to the location and size of the property, Parks works with on-site camp hosts and a caretaker to help manage the site.

COST RECOVERY 0% MAINTENANCE FTES .1 COST PER ACRE $409 EXPENDITURES $34,403 # SERVED 16,200

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

IN 2017 – ACTIVITY NUMBERS: Gatekeeping Summer Gatekeeping

48,000

The annual “Splashtacular” event hosted by the East Pierce Fire and Rescue Department educates families with fun activities that teach the importance of cold water safety. During other times of the year the park is used by trail walkers, bird watchers, dog walkers, and fisherman.

COST RECOVERY 46% MAINTENANCE FTES 1.18 COST PER ACRE $2,307 EXPENDITURES $329,505 # SERVED 48,000 (GATE)

Foothills National Regional Trail

The Foothills Trail sits atop a historic railroad bed and snakes through the river valley southeast of Tacoma. This 21-mile-long trail (19 continuous miles between East Puyallup Trailhead and the city of Buckley) is a popular commuter route and recreational destination for bicyclists, while hikers enjoy shorter, more manageable segments of the trail. One of the most scenic sections for the unobstructed views of nearby Mt. Rainier begins in Orting and follows the Carbon River upstream through farmland and forest. The Foothills Trail is a 12-foot wide non-motorized asphalt trail / linear park suitable for bicycles, walking, in-line skates and wheel chairs. It also has a soft shoulder path for equestrians.

In partnership with the Foothills Rails to Trails Coalition, the annual Rainier to Ruston Ultra Relay was held June 3, National Trails Day, and attracted over 1,200 runners. Some participants ran the entire 51-mile route while others formed relay teams. The race began near the entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park and ended at Ruston Way in Tacoma. All paved sections on the Foothills Trail were used for the event as participants made their way to Tacoma. In addition to this event in 2017, the trail was host to 13 other running, walking or biking events including our own Foothills Dash 5K & 10K Fun Run. Construction of the long-awaited section of trail between South Prairie and Buckley was completed in November, and a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony occured May of 2018.

COST RECOVERY 2% MAINTENANCE FTES 2.15 COST PER ACRE $850 EXPENDITURES $23,233 # SERVED 181,712

Lakewood Community Center

IN 2017 – ACTIVITY NUMBERS: Special Events Foothills Dash Short Term Rentals Trail Rentals Passive Trail Usage

350

3,350 178,500 The Lakewood Community Center is home to the department’s administrative offices and offers many activities, programs and services for local

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and regional residents. The 34,000-sq. ft. Center features a collegiate-sized gymnasium and meeting rooms, is host to the Lakewood Senior Activity Center, and provides outdoor access to the 48-acre Seeley Lake Park and Trail.

IN 2017 – ACTIVITY NUMBERS: Camp Programs Basketball Camp

70

Leisure Classes Adult Leisure Classes Youth Leisure Classes Adult Trips

1,466 675 330

Companionship/Special Companionship Classes Camp Pierce Club Pierce Camp Lots of Fun

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The demand for gym usage at the Lakewood Community Center was on the rise in 2017, especially after the completion of the floor resurfacing project. The facility is host to the largest public pickleball and badminton programs in the area, along with Jazzercise, Semi-pro basketball, high school basketball and volleyball, youth basketball, birthday parties, family movie nights, a wide variety of private group sports rentals, and an annual crafters creations event hosted each November. The meeting rooms are well used for classes and functions. LCC is the home base for Club Pierce, the Adult Trips program and Youth Sports Administration.

COST RECOVERY

22%

(14% with administration) 714 836 390 1,300

MAINTENANCE FTES COST SQ FT EXPENDITURES

2.51 $12

$1,654,540

FOR SITE

$1,074,188 FOR ADMIN

Sports Programs Pickleball Badminton

8,515 632

Special Events Family Movie Nights Crafter’s Creations

185 2,120

Short Term Rentals Gymnasium Rentals Room Rentals Equipment Rentals

50,400 17,740 12

Long Term Rentals Lakewood Senior Center

1,710

PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

# SERVED

92,775

PARK MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS

With little fanfare, division staff quietly go about their business keeping the gates open, lights on, utilities functioning, equipment serviced, the parks secure, vegetation healthy, the grass mowed, the garbage hauled away, the rest rooms and picnic shelters cleaned, the fields lined, the putting greens manicured, the miles of trails brushed back, the recreation programs supported, the public served, and projects completed.

In addition to the 13 premier locations used by the community, PC Parks maintains 30 other properties including cemeteries, rental homes, local playfields like Gonyea and Mayfair, urban parks like Dawson, and several partials being held for future development.

The PC Park system is 5,145 acres, 2,431 acres of which are nature conservancy lands that are responsive maintenance programs. The other 2,714 acres are either highly developed or on scheduled maintenance programs receiving routine and preventative services. Thirty-seven parks employees service these lands.

++ Average of 73 acres per FTE ++ $10,206,896 total costs ++ A verage parks division costs per developed/ maintained acre $3,761 The Parks division uses a three-tiered level of service (low, medium and high) based on the degree to which the public accesses a park. Most of the service goes into our 13 developed primary locations that offer programs and events in addition to passive use opportunities.

Parks staff maintain the grounds, provide event support, schedule monthly, seasonal and annual preventative repair and replacement, and are the custodians of the park sites.

Park care is divided into four geographic regions: (1) Spanaway and Mid-County (2) Chambers Creek/Lakewood/UP/Steilacoom (3) Puyallup Valley/Plateau/Sumner-BonneyLake/ Buckley (4) S.Hill/Graham/Bethel

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PARK IMPROVEMENTS Improvements are made throughout the Park system each year. Projects identified through the Capital Facilities Program are managed by the Resource Stewardship Division. The Parks Division addresses additional preservation, renovation, improvements and maintenance projects.

++ A sphalt repair, coating and lot striping at South Hill Community Park. ++ C lean, repair and paint siding on Lake Spanaway Golf Course Clubhouse. ++ C lean and restripe parking lot at Lake Spanaway Golf Course. ++ R eplacement of carpet in the Sprinker Tennis Center. ++ C lean and seal all exterior brick at Sprinker Recreation Center. ++ C lean and verathane entrance beams at Sprinker Recreation Center. ++ I nstallation of new water fountain at Lake Tapps North Park. ++ I nstallation of bench on Nathan Chapman Trail.

Planned Maintenance & Trade Program 21 projects were slated for the Planned Maintenance Program in 2017. These projects are performed by a 2-person PMP crew with assistance from an in-house electrician, in-house carpenter, contractors and Park Specialists who care for individual park sites.

2017 PROJECTS THAT WERE COMPLETED: ++ F oothills Trailhead bathroom and shelter wash, paint and repair at three locations.

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++ S urface coating repair and resealing, as well as play equipment replacement at Frontier playground.

PROJECTS DEFERRED TO 2018: ++ G ymnasium Men’s and Women’s Locker/Restroom remodel at Lakewood Community Center. ++ S occer netting replacement on four fields at Heritage Recreation Center. ++ Meridian Habitat Shop roof repair. ++ H opp Farm roof repair (deferred pending decision to re-rent the house). ++ C lean seal interior brick at Sprinker Recreation Center.

++ A dd automatic locks at McMillin and Puyallup Trailheads.

Total work hours:

++ R e-roof of bathroom B at Lake Spanaway Park.

Total cost of all projects:

PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

4,000 $362,275.49

Capital Project Completion

($525,000), 2nd REET ($1,293,982.30), General Fund ($2,700,022), Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax for Trails ($250,000), Grants $1,850,467.30).

Grants were 26.6% of the revenues used to perform capital projects in 2017.

Foothills Trail South Prairie to Buckley; including Switchback Bridge Replacement Planning for parks includes a 15-year view of needs, as well as a scheduled out 6-year program of improvements.

Improvements are scheduled based on need, resources and policy decisions. The amount of Park Impact Fees collected grew in 2017, allowing for the department to assume a more aggressive design and development program. Park Impact Fees are used to bring new capacity to the park system through 1) expanding the regional trail system, 2) adding new features in existing parks and 3) adding parks in urbanizing areas of the county.

The final Foothills Trail connections were made between South Prairie and the City of Buckley with the completion of approximately 2.5 miles of trail and the replacement of a bridge damaged in storms of 2015. The trail now provides a seamless ride or walk from the City of Puyallup through farmland and along the rivers until reaching the City of Buckley at the 19 mile mark.

Meridian Habitat Park Courtyard & Restroom

18 projects were scheduled for 2017.

Some projects were in the design phase, while other projects were completed in 2017.

Parks Construction Fund: $3,597,510 budgeted $3,330,652.47 actual expended

Path and Trails Fund $6,153,610 budgeted $3,480,319.50 actual expended $2,500,000 transfer in of General Fund and repayment of interfund loan for Foothills Trail Construction in 2015-2017.

Revenue profile: $6,961,327.64 Parks Sales Tax ($341,858.83), Park Impact Fees

Major development continued at Meridian Habitat Park located at the corner of 144th and SR161.

This park now has play areas for children and pre-teens, and boasts a new net climber for kids of all ages. In 2017, a new courtyard and restroom were constructed. The park also has nature play areas and cribbage benches funded by 1% for art.

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Cross Park Design

ADA Transition Plan Development and Implementation The ADA Transition Plan looks at all park and trail facilities and determines what projects are necessary to meet the American’s with Disabilities Act. Over 2000 corrections were identified throughout the park system. Parks will begin constructing corrections in 2018 and complete all work within the required 10 year timeframe.

Parks moved toward completion of the design and bid documents for the Stan and Joan Cross Park located in Frederickson. Public outreach, grants, fundraising continued through 2017 and 2018. The park will begin construction in 2019 and will have a small community center converted from former barns, a playground, trails and open lawn areas.

Heritage Soccer Field & Baseball Field Turf Replacements One of the soccer fields at Heritage Complex will receive new artificial turf in 2018 along with a replacement of artificial turf infield on a baseball field. Both of the new fields will be comprised of Envirofill, which is an acrylic coated silica. The project will be constructed in 2019.

Additional Projects ++ C ompletion of the Chambers Creek Master Plan ++ C lose out of Sprinker Recreation Center Roof replacement. ++ Sprinker Recreation Center HVAC system ++ I nstallation of new dehumifier system at Sprinker Recreation Center. ++ Scoped Fantasy Light Storage Shed ++ Scoped Spanaway Shop Roof replacement ++ C ommunity process to determine Dawson Tennis Court Refurbishment or substitute project. ++ P urchased a trail property between Wilkeson and Carbonado ++ D esigned Swan Creek Bridge Replacement; a partnership project with Metro Parks Tacoma. ++ D elivered new park signage package, integrating design into upcoming projects. ++ W orked with Public Works to draft an alternate route at High Cedars entrance to relieve pedestrian, bicycle and motorist conflict.

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

CONSERVATION AND NATURAL LAND STEWARDSHIP Conservation Futures

Land Stewardship

As of December 31, 2017 the Conservation Futures staff completed a total of three property purchases from the 2015 adopted list including: Manke Acquisition Phase II for KeyPen Parks, South Hill 100 Acre Woods for Pierce County Parks and Ford Farm for PCC Farmland Trust.

Eight properties and 1080 acres were approved for purchase. Two properties were withdrawn and ultimately 890 acres were conserved.

Natural areas and forests are in need of attention and diversification for health and safety. Many trees throughout the system are suffering from diseases. Resource Stewardship has been addressing these issues beginning with the parks most utilized and heavily forested such as Spanaway Park. In 2017, approximately 60 trees were removed from Spanaway Park and the remainder were identified, tagged and placed into Asset Management for future monitoring. We also removed trees along the Foothills Trail and Meridian Habitat Park.

2017 was also an application year and 13 applications were reviewed and scored by the Conservation Futures Advisory Board.

Nine projects are anticipated to be funded in 2018-2019.

Parkland Prairie continued with restoration and education plans as volunteers consistently assisted Parks staff throughout the year in removing invasive plants and planting a variety of native prairie species. A one-half mile trail was constructed and in 2018 an educational kiosk and interpretive signage will be constructed.

RECREATION SERVICES the community and establishing Pierce County traditions. Events such as the ever popular Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park and the annual Kite Festival at Chambers Creek Regional Park are two examples of the Division’s continued success.

The Recreation Services Division focuses on inspiring active lifestyles, creating connections in

Recreation Services received two Program Excellence Spotlight Awards from the Washington Recreation and Parks Association: In the Cultural Competency Category for Camp Pierce and Club Pierce programs. In the

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Marketing and Outreach category for the Mobile Food Fest.

PC Parks offers a wide variety of recreation programs for diverse age groups and interests.

Programs vary seasonally, ranging from athletic leagues to special events to day camps. We offer general services as well as specific programs to meet the needs of seniors, teens, pre-school age children and individuals disabilities. Recreation programs are provided in seven major areas: Special Events and Activities; Youth Sports and Recreation; Adult Sports and Recreation; Ice Arena Activities; Golf; Specialized Programs; and Volunteer Programs.

Golf activities are offered at Chambers Bay Regional Park, Fort Steilacoom and Lake Spanaway Golf Courses. Ice Arena activities are hosted at Sprinker Recreation Center. This section will focus on the other five categories.

Special Events & Activities ++ F antasy Lights at Spanaway Park attracted 184,030 spectators that drove through the event in 28,240 vehicles. ++ 2 7 food truck vendors from Pierce and King County flocked to Sprinker Recreation Center for Pierce County’s 3rd annual Mobile Food Fest on Saturday, August 25th. Due to the popularity of the event last year we moved the event from the parking lot to ballfields 1 & 2 this year to allow for more parking. We also brought in the mobile stage and had three different bands. Over 6,500 hungry fest goers attended. ++ H osted two “Daddy/Daughter” and one “Mother/Son” Dances with over 600 participants. ++ A lmost 4,000 people attended a fun-filled day at Chambers Creek Regional Park on Saturday, August 5th to celebrate the return of the Kite Festival. The event

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

included amazing kite demonstrations, family kite flying, food trucks, face painting and bounce houses. ++ T hree Junk in the Trunk events were held in the Sprinker parking lot with over 240 vendors and thousands of treasure hunters. ++ T he Foothills Rails to Trails Coalition hosted the Rainier to Ruston Ultra Relay on National Trails Day – June 4th on the Foothills Trail and attracted over 1,200 runners. ++ A third Eco Explorers Adventure Camp was added this summer for 5-8 year olds at Chambers Creek Regional Park. ++ T he Tacoma Inboard Racing Association in cooperation with the American Power Boat Association hosted the Yapachino Memorial Hydroplane Regatta, September 9-10 on Lake Spanaway. This National event offered competitive racing in four different boat classes including: Vintage, Sport C, Inboard, and GPS95. Each day all boats raced in 5 lap heats on the one mile course. Participants entered the races from all over the United States and the event drew over 1,500 spectators. ++ O ver 3,000 “Kids of all ages” were able to explore 31 different big trucks and other vehicles at the 10th annual Touch A Truck event held in the Sprinker Recreation Center parking lot on Saturday, September 9th. ++ A lmost 1,000 people attended the two movies offered free to the public at Chambers Creek Regional Park in the Central Meadow. An additional 1,150 attended Movies in the Park at Meridian Habitat Park and Sprinker Recreation Center. ++ T he first annual Kidz Kraze event was held free of charge at the North Meadow of Chambers Creek Regional Park and organized by one of our summer recreation interns along with our program staff members. Over 650 people attended the activities that were designed for kids, ages 3-12. The event is expected to double in size in 2018 and will be moved to the Central Meadow.

Adult Sports and Recreation Our Adult Men’s, Women’s and Co-Rec Summer and Fall Slow-pitch leagues attracted 185 teams which continues to be the largest leagues in Pierce County.

Baseball, Softball and Soccer Tournaments were booked 30 out of the 31 available weekends between March and September at Heritage Recreation Center.

Youth Sports and Recreation Approximately 800 youth participated on 76 teams, benefiting from recreational sports play.

PC Parks offers introductory opportunities in outdoor soccer, girls volleyball, basketball and baseball (T-ball, coach pitch and fastpitch).

PC Parks promotes early introduction to sports in order for youth to learn sportsmanship, build a healthy, active lifestyle and develop their talents for competitive advancement.

PC Parks also offers venues for tournaments and regional play. Sprinker Recreation Center hosted the West Central District High School Girls Softball tournament with 36 teams in 3A, 2A, & 1A from around Western Washington in May. Over 600 players participated in the two-day tournament that attracted almost 3,000 spectators. Sprinker is the only public facility in the area that has the capacity to have up to eight softball games run at the same time. In addition to the softball tournament, NW Tennis hosted the 3A and 4A West Central District Tennis Championships on the 4 indoor and 6 newly surfaced outdoor tennis courts at Sprinker. In addition we hosted WIAA Boys Baseball playoff games at Heritage Recreation Center and two large high school cross country meets at Chambers Creek Regional Park each with over 1,000 runners.

Specialized Programs & Partnerships Our Companionship program continues to offer a wide variety of activities and events designed for children and young adults of all abilities and skills levels. Camp Lots of Fun was held at Surprise Lake Middle School and celebrated it’s 46th year with 65 campers. Camp Pierce was offered for six consecutive weeks and was designed for young adults, age 21-30, with disabilities. Each week campers learned about public transportation, volunteered as a group at two different community sites, took a field trip, and participated in recreational activities. The success of the camp allowed us to create the Club Pierce program held in non-summer months at the Lakewood Community Center and Meridian Habitat Community Center. This program helps participants enhance their socialization with peers and community members and increase their independence. Over 250 participants attended the “Companionship Carnival” held at Frontier Park in late August.

3,240 total registrations in specialized programming in 2017 supported just under 400 different participants.

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Volunteer & Internship Programs

Mention Awards. Comcast Cares, Tacoma LDS Mission, Rogers High School Key Club and the Conservation Futures Citizen’s Advisory Board all received Outstanding Group Awards.

Our department mentored seven interns in summer 2017 – three in Recreation, three in Resource Stewardship and one in Park Maintenance. Each intern served an average of 290 hours, over 2,000 hours collectively, contributing to important services and business processes while benefiting the student’s education.

In 2017, volunteers provided 14,154 hours of service to our department in a variety of ways including help with: special events & programs, youth sports coaches, golf course marshals, Eagle Scout projects, park beautification and serving on two advisory boards.

On Parks Appreciation Day in April, over 300 community members, including a large group from Comcast, participated and logged in over 1,000 volunteer hours of service at Bresemann Forest, Organgegate and the Purdy Spit.

Volunteer activities included invasive plant removal, litter pick-up, painting benches and tables, and planting native shrubs.

Our Pitch In For Parks program continues to grow and served 20 sites with 726 participants and over 2,000 hours of service.

Our department recognized several individual volunteers and groups at the 2017 Pierce County volunteer Recognition Brunch in March.

Will Alderett, Alan & Jessica Hancock, Jordan Potucek, George Vollmer and a group of Sprinker Car Show Judges all received Honorable

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017

Awards and Public Relations The department applied for and received National Recreation Trails Designation status for the Foothills Trail through the National Park Service.

Customer Transactions Division office staff processed the following Customer transactions: ++ 2,058 facility reservations; ++ O ver 30,000 telephone calls at Lakewood Community Center, Meridian Habitat Park, Sprinker Recreation Center, and Environmental Services Building; ++ 361 league registrations; ++ R egistered 19,648 participants in recreation programs.

PARK PERFORMANCE AT A GLANCE Park Site

Miles

Cost Per Mile CR Target

Foothills National Recreation Trail

21

Acres Chambers Bay Golf Course

-225%

Cost Per Acre CR Target

Service

2% 178,000 event and trail counts (also care for Riverside)

Actual CR

340.5

$14,082

75-100%

185

$2,352

25-50%

15% 316,203 event, program and trail counts

135.

$2307

25-50%

46% 48,000 gate count only; waterfront park

Chambers Creek Regional Park / Canyon 204.8 North Lake Tapps Lake Spanaway Golf Course

$23,233

Actual CR

84% 30,808 rounds

128.8

$11,640

75-100%

Spanaway Park

88.9

$10,432

25-50%

56% 377,913 gate, activity and Fantasy Lights counts

Heritage Recreation Center*, S. Hill Comm Park and N. Chapman Trail

88.1

$15,336

25-50%

46% 153,810 sports, trail and scheduled activities; Cost share with Puyallup School District

84

$409

0-25%

0% 16,200 trail and event counts

Fort Steilacoom Golf Course

81.9

$3,439

75-100%

Frontier Park & Lodge

71.4

$6,759

20-50%

59% 77,103 Fair, program and event counts; no passive counts

Local Parks, Playfields and Habitat (Dawson, Gonyea, Lidford, Mayfair, Parkland Prairie, Swan Creek)

36.8

$6,350

0-25%

0% Maintained as an extension of Spanaway Park, requiring travel; 233,665 costs in 2017; community and partner sport use at Gonyea.

Ashford Park

Center-Based Site

Sq. Ft

Cost Per Sq Ft CR Target

93% 31,687 rounds

80% 12,190 rounds

Actual CR

Service Level

Meridian Habitat Park & Center - 36 acres

15,509

$34

25-50%

15% 30,746 event and program counts; playground opened in 2018

Sprinker Recreation Ctr (with 44.1 acre sports complex and 65.9 Bresemann Forest)

74,100

$15

25-50%

37% 225,735 event, ice, hockey, sports complex and class counts; Bresemann trail counts

Lakewood Community Ctr (with 46 acre Seeley Lake)

34,000

$12

25-50%

22% 92,775 for classes, programs and events

Average Cost Per Acre System Wide

$3,761

Average Acres per Maintenance FTE

73

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PIERCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017