This is an exciting time to be a member of our community. The Sunset Empire Park & Recreation District is amid a strategic plan to help align our efforts to best meet the needs of our community, considering the purchase of the Sunset Recreation Center in 2021.

As you likely have heard, the city of Seaside is engaged in a thorough process to update its comprehensive plan, a document that will guide the city through the next 20 to 30 years and cover topics like land use, environmental sustainability, natural resources, public facilities and more.

It is awesome and necessary work, and I commend the city for the efforts they are taking, as well as the outreach that has already been done on the plan. They have already held community meetings, offered survey and interview feedback opportunities and have developed a website (www.seaside2050.com) to inform the community.

These efforts will go a long way toward guiding planning, decisions and strategies for this community. If you’re passionate about having a trail built in your area, more pickleball courts, improving bike paths or sidewalks in your neighborhood, or anything else related to recreation, this is your opportunity to contribute and provide that meaningful perspective.

We are about 9 months through our strategic planning process and the city is just getting going on their own 12 to 18 monthlong process. This seems like as good a time as any to share some of my perspectives on parks and recreation facilities and services, as it may relate to the comprehensive planning process and certainly relates to the livability of our community. I’ll certainly share this information with city staff and elected officials as we move forward. Most of this information comes from a blend of my professional experiences, education and the findings of our national governing body, the National Recreation and Park Association.

According to a 2022 study from the National Recreation and Park Association, about 275 million people in the United States visit a local park or recreation facility at least once per year. The same study showed about 84% of adults take parks and recreation into consideration when choosing a place to live.

We know based on these figures and on data collected by the Sunset Empire Park & Recreation District through the years that physical places for the community to gather, recreate and play are crucial. We have a unique relationship with the city in that they work hard to provide amazing parks like Cartwright, Quatat and Goodman. Meanwhile, Sunset Empire Park & Recreation District works to provide wonderful programs and indoor spaces for our community to take advantage of.

When it comes to comprehensive planning, it is imperative that parks be considered. Ideally, a park, playground, open space or recreation center would be within walking distance to every resident (within a 10-minute walk). I would encourage residents to map out how far it is to their nearest neighborhood park, facility or open space. If it’s further than a 10-minute walk to get there, or if you don’t feel you can safely walk there, provide that feedback to the city for their comprehensive plan. Those details are critical as we all contribute our perspectives to making this community more livable and enjoyable for all.

The most popular park and recreation amenities are (in order): playgrounds, open spaces, trails, fields/courts, pools and recreation/senior centers. How fortunate are we to have all those spaces available to our residents and guests! It’s not every community of less than 10,000 where you can walk or bike on a world-class trail such as the Prom, play ultimate frisbee on a turf field like the one at Broadway Park and swim in the beautiful Sunset Pool, all within roughly a half-mile of each other.

This is your opportunity to speak up and ensure that parks and recreation facilities and programs remain a priority for our community.