Low Cost or Free Recreational Opportunities

Increase community ownership, involvement in, and use of public facilities by establishing Adopt-A-Park Volunteer Program. Increase opportunities for play by building Frisbee Golf/”activity courses” and providing covered recreation facilities in selected parks. Explore establishing community center(s) and intramural sports programs throughout Marysville.

Increase community ownership of, involvement in, and use of public facilities by establishing Adopt-A-Park Volunteer Program:

Actions
• Share action plan with Marysville Parks and Recreation’s Board of Directors and Snohomish County Parks and Recreation Board of Directors.
• Work with the Marysville Parks and Recreation Department to improve community participation in park/trail planning process that involves neighbors and community in determining park and trail elements, design in planning process, and strategies to support park maintenance.
• Research “adopt-a-park” programs to determine best practices for successful implementation in Marysville.
• Inventory existing parks and facilities to identify pilot sites for volunteer program, including school facilities used for recreation.
• Explore roles of union workers vs. roles of "adopt-a-park" volunteers.
• Develop and implement a work plan to involve neighborhoods and community service organizations to "adopt a park."
• Set "measures of success" criteria and evaluate.
• Evaluate volunteer needs and experiences.

Partners

Parks and Recreation Director, City Council Representatives, Businesses, Service Clubs (Kiwanis, Soroptimist, Rotary, Scouts, Camp Fire), Schools and clubs (Key Club, Leadership, DECA, Honor Society), Churches, Law Enforcement, Public Works Committee (advises city council on transportation issues), YMCA, Youth Sports Leagues.

Short Term Measures
• Meeting with Parks and Recreation Boards completed.
• Strategies to increase community participation in park planning/maintenance identified and implemented.
• "Adopt a Park" Work Group established.
• Best practices and model "Adopt a Park" programs are identified.
• Assessments of local parks are completed.
• Best practice model(s) selected for implementation in Marysville.
• Partnership with unions established, roles of park stewards and union employees clearly defined.
• Community parks, or sections of parks, are adopted by neighborhood and community service organizations.
• Evaluation of "measures of success" completed.
• Volunteer evaluation and feedback collected and implemented.

Long Term Measures
• Every Marysville Park is adopted
• Increase in park usage for both maintenance and recreation purposes.

Increase opportunities for play by building Frisbee Golf/”activity courses” and providing covered recreation facilities in selected parks:

Actions
• Meet with city and county Parks and Board of Recreation Directors to discuss setting up a Frisbee Golf/ "activity course" in parks and providing covered recreation facilities.
• Identify other communities who have successfully created "activity courses" in parks and develop list of best practice models/strategies.
• Research possibility of building equipment sheds in parks.
• Identify policies and procedures that would support activity courses and year-around playground use.
• Identify one park to implement one or more best practice models/strategies for activity courses.
• Identify one playground to implement one or more best practice models/strategies for covered recreation.
• Evaluate use of new activity course and playground.
• Develop "parks legend" for Marysville parks (e.g. which park suited for which activities).

Partners

Parks and Recreation (city and county), Law Enforcement, Community members, Snohomish Health District, Schools, and other physical activity advocates.

Short Term Measures
• Meeting with Parks and Recreation Directors held.
• Successful Frisbee Golf /"activity course" models identified.
• Decision made on park equipment sheds. If sheds to be built, plan in place for where and how.
• Policies and procedures for establishing activity courses/covered parks identified and implemented.
• Frisbee Golf Course/"activity course" in one community park built.
• Remodel/build one playground with new covered supports.
• Evaluation of both projects complete.
• "Parks Legend" in place for some Marysville parks

Long Term Measures
• Increased participation in collaborative community process with city and other partners is the norm for new parks.
• Several parks offer different activity courses.
• Community playgrounds support year-around use.
• "Parks Legend" available in multiple media formats, every Marysville park included.

Research best practices for establishing a community center(s):

Actions
• TBD

Partners

TBD

Short Term Measures
• TBD

Long Term Measures
• TBD

Establish intramural sports programs in schools and worksites:

Actions
• Meet with Parks Foundation Planning Committee (501(c)3) to identify needs, timeline, process, and role of community members in establishing a Parks Foundation.
• Establish a work group to focus on intramural sports in Marysville.
• Research and identify successful city/school/worksite-sponsored intramural sports programs in other communities.
• Assess barriers to participating in sports/physical activity for people of all ages.
• Identify options for drop-in play and organized sports programs.
• Coordinate school PE curriculum and technical assistance to teachers around intramural offerings.
• Design and promote an intramural sports program.
• Obtain participant feedback.

Partners

Existing private recreational centers, Chamber of Commerce, Parks and Recreation Director, Businesses, Churches, YMCA, Youth Sports Leagues, Service Clubs, Schools.

Short Term Measures
• Meeting with Parks Foundation Committee completed.
• Intramural work group formed and meetings scheduled/completed.
• Model intramural sports programs identified.
• Assessments of barriers to participating in sports/physical activity completed.
• Options for drop-in play and organized sports programs selected.
• Meeting with school district physical activity professionals completed with established plan to teach to intramural offerings.
• Implement an intramural league in one school.
• Implement one intramural league with worksites.
• Participant feedback obtained and implemented.

Long Term Measures
• Intramural leagues established for Marysville worksites.
• Intramural leagues established in all middle, junior high, and high schools.
• Planning for parks, schools, and communities incorporates need for more activity/multi-use spaces.

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