City of Shoreline
Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Arts Plan

What is in a PROSA Plan?

When adopted, the PROSA plan will include:

• City and regional demographics, trends, and resources
• Summary and assessment of current City parks, facilities, events, art, and recreation programs
• Environmental reviews and studies
• Review and analysis of community needs and wants
• New list of priorities informed by community input

What type of decisions does the PROSA Plan guide?

• Buying land for parks and natural areas
• Developing new recreation facilities
• Offering recreation and cultural programs and events
• How best to maintain parks, natural spaces, and facilities
• Where and what public art should look like in our community

What is in the current PROS Plan?

The existing 2017–2023 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan focused on 11 Strategic Action Initiatives (SAIs) as a road map for future action. The SAIs contain the priorities voiced by Shoreline residents during an extensive public engagement process in 2016.

Through a separate process, the City also developed a public arts plan between 2017 and 2022. More information about that plan is available here.

The updated PROSA Plan will include public art as a key element within the larger parks and recreation planning context.

Strategic Action Initiatives

1. Build a community/aquatics center

   Goal: In 2019, Shoreline City Council put “Proposition 1” on the ballot for voters to decide whether to fund a Community/Aquatics Center and Parks Improvement Bond. Although 54% of the voters supported the measure, it failed to meet the required 60% approval rate to pass.

   Status: The City continues to work with neighboring communities to explore opportunities to develop a regional facility.

2. Expand opportunities to connect with nature

   Goal: Based on community interest, the City set a goal that by 2023, 35% of programming would include a nature-based element.

   Status: In 2019, we reached a rate of 22%. However, due to the COVID pandemic, we shifted to support families through Remote Learning Camps and virtually-based special events. As we begin to expand our offerings, we will focus again on reaching that 35% goal.

3. Expand Recreation Facility Opportunities

   Goal: We specified several types of recreation facilities, such as sports courts, play equipment, and a paved loop path, that would help meet community needs.

   Status: Items, such as new play areas, splash pads, paved loop trails, and sport courts, are funded through the successful 2021 “Proposition 1: Park Improvement Bond” and are currently in design. We have made other capital investments, including resurfacing and adding pickleball lines at multiple tennis courts and adding a portable sports court at Richmond Highlands Park.

4. Serve the full spectrum of aging adult recreation needs

   Goal: Develop a strategic plan by 2019 for meeting aging adult recreation needs.

   Status: In 2018, the City Council adopted a Shoreline Aging Adult Services Strategy, which outlines how the community at large can support our aging residents. We also expanded programs, such as pickleball, adult trips, Shoreline WALKS, table tennis, and adult volleyball.

5. Support diverse communities

   Goal: Participation in Shoreline-sponsored events reflects the diversity of the community.

   Status: Since 2017, the City has initiated Juneteenth, El Día de los Muertos, and PRIDE celebrations, as well as a Lantern Festival celebrating the Lunar New Year. We are also working with a consultant team with expertise in equitable community engagement to help ensure broader participation in the PROSA Plan update.

6. Enhance placemaking through public art

   Goal: Install at least one significant permanent piece by 2019, three permanent smaller pieces of public art by 2023, and provide temporary graphic or performing arts annually in Shoreline neighborhoods.

   Status: In early 2021, the City unveiled “Soundshell” in the Park at Town Center. Thanks to a generous donation, we placed another permanent piece there in 2021, entitled “Big Red.” Three smaller, permanent pieces were also added to the City’s collection in 2022. We continue to display multiple temporary exhibits and pieces in parks and public facilities.

7. Ensure adequate park land for future generations

   Goal: Add five acres of new park lands by 2023 and 20 additional acres by 2030.

   Status: Since 2017, the City added or is in process of adding 3.19 acres of park lands. Another 3.07 acres of Seattle City Light-owned land will add to our total acres of park lands. Though we reached our goal, we will continue to work towards the national standard of 9.9 acres per 1,000 residents.

8. Maintain, enhance, and protect the urban forest

   Goal: Restore 10 acres of degraded forest land.

   Status: The City successfully doubled our goal with 22 acres currently undergoing restoration. We have established partnerships with Forterra, Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust (carbon off-set), EarthCorps, and NW Native Plant Stewards to help us care for our urban forests. We are also working with Restoration Analytics & Design on a GIS Pilot tree inventory and will update the Urban Forest Strategic Plan in 2023.

9. Enhance walkability in and around parks

   Goal: Create two miles of new nature trails and two miles of enhanced pedestrian access to parks by 2023.

   Status: Since 2017, we have created 2.6 miles of new trails at Hamlin, Twin Ponds, Southwoods, and Kruckeberg Botanical Garden. The 2018 voter-approved ballot measure to fund sidewalk improvements and the City’s Sidewalk Prioritization Plan have made it possible to improve access to parks for people walking and rolling.

10. Secure sustainable funding

    Goal: All programs, facilities, and initiatives are funded with an appropriate mix of fund sources.

    Status: Since 2017, our funding sources have expanded and now include Park Impact Fees, Municipal Art Fund, Conservation Futures Tax, a voter-approved bond, and multiple grants.

11. Ensure administrative excellence

    Goal: Attain certification from the Commission for the Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA).

    Status: In 2019, the City of Shoreline Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department became only the third agency in Washington to attain CAPRA certification. Only one percent of agencies nationwide have met this standard for best management practices for parks and recreation agencies.