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Posts for Parks and Recreation Facilities

A Scenic Soak: Navigating the Rise of Mobile Saunas Along Public Waterfronts

March 26, 2026  by  Lisa Pool
Category:  Parks and Recreation Facilities

With cold plunging trending as the newest health kick, mobile saunas have been popping up along Washington waterfronts. What do local governments need to know about waterfront regulations, health and safety requirements, and possible permitting options?

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Ready for Kick Off? Washington Prepares to Welcome the Beautiful Game in 2026

September 15, 2025  by  Flannary Collins
Category:  Parks and Recreation Facilities ,  Streets and Sidewalks ,  World Cup 2026

With an estimated six billion viewers worldwide, the FIFA World Cup 2026TM is coming to the U.S., with Seattle hosting six games next summer. How can cities take advantage of the recently passed HB 1515 to build lively gathering spaces for soccer fans across the state?

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Changes to Sales and Use Tax for Public Facilities in Rural Counties

November 20, 2024  by  Cheryl Grant
Category:  Parks and Recreation Facilities ,  Sales and Use Taxes

Since its inception in 1997, revenue from the Rural Counties Public Facilities Sales Tax has primarily been used for economic development purposes, but there have been a few recent legislative changes clarifying how the funds can be used.

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People practice kung fu in small Seattle park

Shared Spaces – Tips to Balance Use of Public Facilities

November 18, 2024  by  Steve Gross
Category:  Parks and Recreation Facilities ,  Inclusive Communities

Public facilities are, by their nature, open to the public. But agencies should consider some ground rules to make sure anyone using those facilities treats other users with courtesy. Here are some things to consider.

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Kids at Vancouver's Esther Short Park

The Importance of Public Space to Downtown Revitalization

April 3, 2024  by  Steve Butler
Category:  Design ,  Parks and Recreation Facilities ,  Downtown Revitalization Series

When looking to revitalize their downtowns, cities and towns can focus on innovative strategies to draw visitors in, such as adding attractive, safe, and enjoyable parks, plazas, and open spaces, or offering programming/recreational activities in existing public spaces.

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Empty outdoor public swimming pool waiting for swimmers

Ballot Measure Highlights from the August 2023 Primary Election

August 21, 2023  by  Steve Hawley
Category:  Annexation ,  Parks and Recreation Facilities ,  Ballot Measures ,  Special Districts ,  Property Taxes

Primary elections generally see some ballot measures succeed and some fail across the state. This past August, libraries, rec centers, and fire districts fared well, but public hospital districts saw mixed success. And, as always,  levy lid lift measures achieved mixed results.

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