Delivering for our Community
Public parks and recreation spaces and services are crucial for the health of our community, as social isolation and lack of physical and outdoor experiences negatively impact the mental, emotional and physical health of Tacoma community members.
Washingtonians spend an average of 56 days a year recreating outdoors. Of all the places where they go, local parks are the most visited. Local parks support social equity and access to nature and healthy spaces in proximity to one’s home. In fact, local parks are an equal-access destination and experience for all segments of society regardless of personal income, racial makeup, religion, or sexual orientation. Parks and outdoor recreation environments provide some of the lowest cost, most effective public health interventions available in our communities.
We know there’s much more to be done and we acknowledge there’s racism within public parks and recreation. We have committed to reshaping our discourse and agenda so we all actively engage in anti-racist work, particularly anti-black and minority racism.
The 2025 Parks Tacoma legislative agenda promotes policy and system level changes with the District to move beyond equity only and undo racist structures, including reimagining community safety. The agenda seeks opportunities to strengthen community safety, improve public health, support children, youth & families, and increase resiliency. In addition, we will strive to transform toxic land, increase wildlife conservation and outdoor wellness, and support safe recreational and active transportation networks.
2025 Legislative AgendaChild Care Regulations
In 2024, Parks Tacoma helped facilitate a workgroup of child care providers and regulators with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) to review challenging portions of the regulatory process and identify solutions. The result of their work is a report called “School-Age Child Care Regulations – Recommendations for Improvement.”
Read the reportContact Us
Hunter T. George
Policy & Government Relations Officer
[email protected]