Parks director tells commissioners restoration, culturally specific programs are expanding amid funding limits

Director McCabe told the Budget Committee that Parks & Recreation tracks culturally specific engagement sessions, acres restored and culturally specific facilitated programs as measures tied to the county’s Climate Equity Action Plan and resident‑centered priorities. "Providing access to parks and recreation facilities and resources is really about improving the quality of life," McCabe said, and listed recent projects that included renovated Battle Creek Waterpark and Manitoba Ridge Golf Course reopenings.

McCabe said the county has restored just under 1,500 acres and that about 4,600 acres are eligible for restoration; parks staff have secured roughly $4,300,000 in non‑county restoration funds since 2011 and partner with watershed districts and nonprofits. Commissioners asked how engagement sessions are counted and whether attendance/demographics are tracked; McCabe said some activities are pop‑up and self‑reported and that demographic collection is uneven but that staff will follow up with planning teams for better data. Commissioners also discussed fee structures for residents vs. nonresidents, use of grants for maintenance, and equity in siting investments across neighborhoods.