2026 Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces (PROS) Plan adopted
Published on February 09, 2026
The PROS Plan is a comprehensive, community-informed roadmap that will guide how the City plans, invests in, and cares for its parks and open spaces over the next 20 years.
It establishes shared goals, policies, and priorities to ensure equitable access to parks and recreation, support healthy and active lifestyles, protect and restore natural resources, and strategically invest in facilities and services that meet the needs of a growing and changing community. The plan also positions Renton to remain eligible for critical state and federal grant funding that supports future park and recreation projects.
Congratulations to the city’s Parks and Recreation Department on this achievement! Developing a plan at this scale takes time, thoughtful planning, and strong collaborative teamwork.
Staff from across the Department contributed valuable insights and expertise, participated in surveys and workshops, engaged directly with the community, and consistently championed the mission of fostering a connected, active, and welcoming Renton.
A special thank you to the more than 5,000 community members who helped shape the PROS Plan. Their input will continue to guide parks, recreation programs, and open spaces for years to come. Parks and Recreation staff are eager to begin implementing the plan’s vision across Renton’s parks, facilities, and programs, so stay tuned as concepts move from vision to action.
This PROS Plan was developed with support from BERK Consulting and MxM Landscape Architecture.
What is a PROS Plan?
Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces are essential to Renton’s vibrant and healthy future. Every six years, the Parks and Recreation Department works with the community, partners, and stakeholders to update Renton's PROS Plan.
This PROS Plan:
- Assesses the current condition of city park facilities, programs, and open spaces Incorporates community input and feedback
- Identifies service gaps and unmet needs
- Proposes strategies, projects, and programs to address those gaps
These strategies, along with a capital improvement plan, form the foundation of the PROS Plan and guide future investments and decision making.
The previous PROS plan, updated in 2020, helped deliver many improvements the community enjoys today, including bridge and structural repairs at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, major renovations at Kiwanis Park and Philip Arnold Park, park master plans for Northeast Renton Park and Cleveland Richardson Park, strategic land acquisitions, and dozens of other park and facility projects citywide.
For the 2026 update, the Department aimed to align the Plan with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) framework, incorporating open spaces, along with prioritizing their three strategic pillars:
- Health, wellness, and quality of life
- Equitable access
- Environmental resilience and stewardship
These pillars helped guide the 2026 Plan’s framework principles, goals, and objectives while ensuring it reflects national best practices grounded in Renton’s local context.
As a key part of the city’s planning framework, the PROS Plan serves as a sub-plan to the City of Renton Comprehensive Plan and complements numerous other adopted master plans including the Bicycle and Trails Master Plan, and many others.
Together, these plans help ensure coordinated investments and a shared vision for Renton’s future.
Why do we need a PROS Plan?
The city currently manages 58 park sites totaling more than 1,300 acres and welcomes more than 2.6 million visitors each year.
As Renton’s population grows and changes, so do the opportunities and challenges associated with sustaining parks and programs that meet evolving community needs.
The Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan plays a critical role in shaping Renton’s park and recreation system. The City updates the plan every six years for three key reasons.
- Maintain eligibility for state funding. An adopted PROS Plan no more than six years old is required to remain eligible for Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) grants, a key source of funding for park and recreation projects across the state.
- Align community priorities and needs. Regular updates allow the city to assess park conditions, access, and service levels while engaging residents and partners, ensuring planning reflects current community priorities.
- Provide a roadmap for decision-making. The PROS Plan identifies priority projects, programs, and strategies that guide City investments, budget development, grant applications, and future recreation initiatives.
Listening and meeting residents where they are
Community engagement was a cornerstone of the PROS Plan effort, ensuring that city staff heard directly from the residents and visitors who use and value Renton’s parks and recreation services.
Outreach efforts included more than 30 events, a community survey, a park rating interactive map tool, engagement through community-based organizations, schools, faith groups, and nonprofits, and presentations to city boards and commissions.
A citywide survey conducted in mid-2025 also included questions related parks and recreation.
Between March and September 2025, more than 5,000 residents engaged with the planning effort, including:
- 573 survey respondents
- 586 interactive map comments
- Thousands of conversations at community events
The Department connected with residents at events such as Renton River Days, pop-ups in parks, school and neighborhood celebrations, the King County Library System Family Fun Days and Summer Meals Program, Safety Fest, and Liberty Skatepark events.
Recommendations and priorities for the future
Drawing on community input, staff insights and expertise, and data-driven analysis, the PROS Plan establishes clear priorities to guide investment and decision-making over the next 20 years.
- Advance equitable access by prioritizing improvements in underserved areas and closing gaps in access to parks, trails, and recreation opportunities.
- Reinvest in existing parks and facilities, focusing on maintenance, safety, accessibility, and upgrades to aging infrastructure, courts, fields, restrooms, and other facilities.
- Strengthen park and trail connections by improving existing trail conditions and completing key links between neighborhoods, parks, and destinations.
- Protect and enhance natural areas through habitat restoration, urban forest health, and climate-resilient stewardship practices.
- Modernize recreation programs and amenities to reflect changing community needs and make participation easier through improved systems and communication.
- Use data to guide decisions, with ongoing monitoring to ensure investments deliver meaningful and equitable community benefit.
Together, these priorities provide a clear, actionable roadmap, helping move ideas from planning to implementation while supporting a healthy, inclusive, and sustainable park and recreation system for all Renton residents.