WRPA Honors 2026 Awards Recipients at Annual Conference

The Washington Recreation & Park Association (WRPA) proudly recognized outstanding professionals, agencies, and programs during the 2026 WRPA Awards Ceremony held at the WRPA Annual Conference.

Each year, the WRPA Awards Program celebrates excellence in parks and recreation throughout Washington State, honoring individuals and organizations whose leadership, innovation, service, and dedication positively impact their communities and the profession.

 The Recreation and Conservation Office is seeking comments on proposed changes to the Manual 3: Acquisition Projects. These changes relate to appraisal waivers and noxious weed control cost limits.

Background and proposed changes can be found in the Public Comment Package.

Are you interested in expanding recreational opportunities in your community? Don’t miss our upcoming Grant Application Webinar focused on the Planning for Recreation Access program. This session is designed to guide applicants through the grant process, helping ensure your proposal is strong and complete.

Date & Time:
May 13, 2026, 9:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join AASLH this April for webinars and an online summit designed for history professionals. Learn how to attract new audiences with walking tours on April 2, explore core issues in the history field starting April 8, and dive into workforce insights at the Stronger Workforce Summit on April 13–14. Engage with expert panels, practical strategies, and interactive discussions to strengthen your institution and the field.

At NRPA, we believe parks and recreation is at the heart of every community. Environmental values translate into everyday practice, and local governments model responsible stewardship. Park and recreation agencies are trusted community spaces serving as living laboratories that provide the ideal venue for recycling education and for modeling responsible resource stewardship.

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Welcoming New WRPA Board Members

Each year, we welcome new members to the WRPA Board of Directors at the Annual Conference & Tradeshow. The Board of Directors is the governing body of our association and is responsible for the supervision, control, and direction of WRPA. These Board members are elected by you, the members, during an annual election.

The following WRPA members have been elected to join the board:

Parks and recreation departments do more than provide services. They strengthen communities, improve public health, support youth development, and create gathering spaces that build connection.

For your consumption. On Thursday, the BEA released the latest national and state by state economic data on outdoor recreation. Attached is their WA State report and the link below is where you can find national data. Some interesting numbers and some key indicators of which stakeholder groups we are missing in the Big Tent. A few of which we spoke about earlier this week.

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The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is inviting public input on proposed updates to Manual 9: Boating Facilities Program. The proposed changes include revisions to grant limits for local agencies, worksite request limits for multi-site projects, and other policy updates aimed at improving alignment and clarity.

A detailed overview of the background and proposed revisions is available in the Public Comment Package. Stakeholders are encouraged to review the materials and share feedback by submitting comments through the online comment form.

The Washington Recreation and Park Association (WRPA) is actively monitoring state legislative activity aroundEngrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5814 (ESSB 5814) and related House bills that impact the application of Washington’s tax laws, including those affecting services that may intersect with the parks and recreation sector.

ESSB 5814 is part of Washington State’s broader tax and revenue package and includes changes to how certain services are classified and taxed. WRPA is tracking thestatus, implementation timelines, and agency guidance related to this legislation, including any impacts to parks, recreation, and special purpose districts. We are also monitoringrelated House bills and companion legislation connected to ESSB 5814 as they move through the legislative process.

LISC Puget Sound, in partnership with the Seattle Seahawks, is accepting applications for the 2026 NFL Foundation Grassroots Program. This grant supports the renovation of sports fields in low- and moderate-income communities across Washington state.

Passionate Professional: Rick Bruya

For more than 30 years, Rick Bruya dedicated his career to creating safe, positive youth sports programs for families in Auburn, Washington. A Recreation Coordinator and longtime Certified Youth Sports Administrator, he is retiring Dec. 31 after joining the City of Auburn in 1992.

Parks and recreation are essential to the fabric of communities across the country, and new data makes that clearer than ever.

RCO is reaching out to let you know we are considering changes to the $14mil Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle grant program available to local Agencies.  This program funds the development of new, or maintenance of existing “backcountry” recreation areas such as trails, campgrounds, hunting-fishing areas, day use sites, boat launches etc.  It also funds ORV parks and law enforcement operations in backcountry areas.

The changes in this document would be implemented in 2026.

The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) will host a series of webinars on February 11, 2026, to start the application cycle for 2026-27. If you are thinking about applying for a grant for your outdoor recreation or conservation project, mark your calendar now.

This report examines the economic impact of outdoor recreation alongside the value of ecosystem services provided by recreation-supporting lands. It explores participation, spending, community benefits, and environmental considerations, while highlighting both the opportunities and challenges communities face in growing outdoor recreation economies.

Read the Full Report

The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is seeking public comment on proposed changes to the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program’s Manual 10b: Habitat Conservation Account. These changes relate to intent language and evaluation criteria for both the Critical Habitat and Natural Areas funding categories.

Background and proposed changes can be reviewed in the Public Comment Package. Comments can be submitted by completing this web form and will be accepted until11:59 p.m. on December 15, 2025.

After several days of ballot returns, statewide voter turnout stands at 39%. Democrats prevailed in all contested legislative races against Republican opponents, and in the two Democrat-versus-Democrat contests, the more progressive candidates prevailed.

The only change since the initial election report below is that Rep. Edwin Obras will prevail in the 33rdLD House seat. While Kevin Schilling (Burien Mayor) – running as a more moderate Democrat – led on election night, Rep. Obras (D) picked up the late ballot count and will return to Olympia next year.

Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office updated their Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation in Washington State, and the findings confirm that Washington’s outdoors continue to be a major economic driver for the state.

The report estimates that more than $25.2 billion is spent annually in Washington on recreation trips and equipment. Spending on lodging, equipment, and permits generates additional economic activity because local businesses purchase supplies and services, and their employees spend their wages locally. Altogether, this spending contributes 2.4 percent to the state’s economic production (gross domestic product).

The first round of Washington election results were released around 8:00pm. last night, providing preliminary results for the November general election. Ballots will continue to be counted throughout the week, and several key races remain too close to call, however Democratic candidates are trending to prevail. In Washington, voter turnout is trending low, with 21.31% of ballots counted as of this morning. Counties will certify results on November 25, followed by statewide certification by the Secretary of State in early December. Below are the initial results of the nine legislative races:

• 5th LD – Senate (Hunt v. Magendanz): Appointed Senator Victoria Hunt (D) leads Republican Chad Magendanz 54.54% to 45.34%.
• 26th LD – Senate (Krishnadasan v. Caldier): Appointed Senator Deborah Krishnadasan (D) leads with 52.66% of the vote over her challenger and House seatmate Rep. Michelle Caldier (R), who has 47.26%.
• 33rd LD – Senate (Orwall): Appointed Senator Tina Orwall (D) ran unopposed and will retain her senate seat.
• 34th LD – Senate (Alvarado): Appointed Senator Emily Alvarado (D) ran unopposed and will retain her senate seat.
• 48th LD – Senate (Slatter v. Walen): Appointed Senator Vandana Slatter (D) is leading with 55.9% over her opponent and seatmate in the House, Rep. Amy Walen (D) who has 42.29%.
• 33rd LD – House (Obras v. Schilling): Appointed Rep. Edwin Obras (D) is trailing Democratic challenger Kevin Schilling by 358 votes. Obras has 47.26% of the vote compared to Schilling’s 50.19% currently.
• 34th LD – House (Thomas): Appointed Rep. Brianna Thomas (D) ran unopposed and will retain her House seat.
• 41st LD – House (Zahn v. Whitney): Appointed Rep. Janice Zahn (D) leads Republican challenger John Whitney with 69.42% of the vote compared to Whitney’s 30.43%.
• 48th LD – House (Salahuddin v. Ellis): Appointed Rep. Osman Salahuddin (D) leads Republican Dennis Ellis with 68.24% of the vote over Ellis’ 31.58%.

The next election update will happen on Wednesday, November 5.