Executive Director’s Message

As we look into 2023 and finalize the updates for our comprehensive plan, there’s a lot to be excited about. A MESSAGE FROM THE

Executive Director

During the last year, while planning for updates to our 20-year comprehensive plan, we heard from thousands of community members about what you want to see next from Willamalane. Through these conversations, surveys, and listening sessions, you’ve given us all the answers to the test. Now it’s my job to lead the district to ensure we meet the needs of our community. To be in the best position to build on what we have and what you have come to expect from us, we sought national accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). This accreditation signifies an organization’s overall quality of operations, management, and service to the community are aligned with industry best practices set by CAPRA and the National Recreation and Park Association. Out of more than 10,000 eligible organizations in the United States, just 196 agencies are CAPRA accredited. CAPRA required Willamalane staff to go through a two-year period of reviewing and updating the district’s processes, procedures, management practices, and community services standards. This process made us a more robust park and

Executive Director Michael Wargo at the grand opening of Arrow Park. recreation agency and an even greater asset to Springfield. In addition to earning CAPRA accreditation, we added a new park, several new multi-use trails, outdoor fitness amenities, and so many new programs and classes. We developed vision statements to guide and focus our work; we will be continuously improving engagement, service levels, and the health and well-being of our employees. We’ve reinvented hiring models, secured new funding from private sponsorships and public grants, and implemented new initiatives to better serve our community and meet the demands for exceptional park and recreation experiences. We had record-setting attendance at special events, including Haunted Hayride and concerts at Sounds like Summer. Over the last year, Willamalane has taken steps to become more fiduciarily responsible despite challenges such as rising costs of goods and services, supply chain issues, and labor force shortages. As you will see in the financial report section (pages 22–23), Willamalane continues to be a good steward of the money we have been trusted with. We have secured additional funding to offset deficiencies. This has allowed us to deliver parks and recreation at the level you deserve and stay within operating budgets. As we look into 2023 and finalize the updates for our comprehensive plan, there’s a lot to be excited about. Read all about it in the pages ahead, subscribe to email newsletters, follow our social media channels, and explore our website. We are honored to be an important part of what makes this community special and will continue to deliver what Springfield needs most. Michael Wargo

Team Springfield

Team Springfield is a unique collaboration between Willamalane, the City of Springfield, Springfield Public Schools, and Springfield Utility Board. This group shares ideas and resources to solve problems and make Springfield a great place to work, live, and play. Formed in 1991, Team Springfield has partnered on a variety of projects to better the Springfield community. Some projects have been large development projects like the construction of Springfield jail and the completion of the Mill Race Path. In recent years, this group has evolved to problem-solve for the greater good of the community. Here are some notable projects that Team Springfield tackled together in 2022. • Created respite shelters for the community during inclement weather, especially during times of hazardous air quality. • Secured federal funding to support the 42nd Street Levee project (City of

Springfield), a new cosmetology program (Springfield Public Schools), Dorris

Ranch orchard replacement (Willamalane), wildfire prevention (Willamalane), and student mobile technology lab (Willamalane). In total, these projects brought about $1 million to Springfield over a two-year period. • Hosted community events like Light of Liberty and Sounds Like Summer at

Island Park. • Coordinated diversity, equity, and inclusion training and communication. • Provided free summer programming and 1PASSes for more than 3,800

Springfield Public School students. • Supported the development of Shana’s Trail at Willamalane Park. In 2022, Willamalane kicked off a project to update its Park and Recreation Comprehensive Plan, a 20-year plan for the future of parks, facilities, and recreation programs. This plan prioritizes projects and guides Willamalane’s staff in how to serve the community best. All summer long, Willamalane asked community members what they wanted from parks and recreation in Springfield. Community members shared their feedback at events, on Willamalane’s website, in focus groups, at town halls, and through an in-depth survey. In total, Willamalane connected with more than 3,800 people, and all the collected feedback will serve as the foundation for the updated comprehensive plan. Now, it’s time to put the community’s feedback into action! Willamalane is working with BerryDunn, a consulting firm, to use this information to make recommendations to Willamalane’s Board of Directors and staff and deliver a new comprehensive plan by June 2023. Your feedback is an essential part of this process, and by sharing your ideas, you did an incredible service to the Springfield community. In 2023, stay tuned for updates and more information about this project. You can also follow updates and share your ideas at willamalane.org/future.

Representatives of Team Springfield and others at the dedication ceremony for Shana’s Trail at Willamalane Park. Community members shared their feedback at 22 different events last summer.

Planning for the Future