Vision Implementation Goals & Values

As the county’s population increases and becomes more racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse, gaps are increasing between users and the recreational facilities and services that parks and recreation offers. The 21st century parks vision implementation project builds upon these county-wide goals:

• ​Strengthen individual, family and community health, safety, and well-being through effective safety-net services, innovative programming, prevention and early intervention and environmental stewardship.
• Cultivate economic prosperity and invest in neighborhoods with concentrated financial poverty through proactive leadership and inclusive initiatives that engage all communities in decisions about our future.

And these strategic priorities:

• Resilience: Building Capacity to Respond, Adapt and Thrive Under Changing Conditions​
• Residents First: Effective, Efficient and Accessible Operations
• Advancing Racial and Health Equity and Shared Community Power

Engagement core values

Parks & Recreation has committed to honoring the core values of the International Association for Public Participation. 

In all engagement efforts, community engagement:

1. Is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process.
2. Includes the promise that the public's contribution will influence the decision. 
3. Promotes sustainable decisions by recognizing and communicating the needs and interests of all participants, including decision makers. 
4. Seeks out and facilitates the involvement of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision. 
5. Seeks input from participants in designing how they participate. 
6. Provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful way. 
7. Communicates to participants how their input affected the decision.