Greetings!

The WRPA E-news is distributed twice a month to our total membership. Its our tool for providing timely news and information you need regarding current events, grants, training, and great ideas to add value to your work day.

Happy Park & Recreation Month!
Get Wild

July is here and NRPA is excited that so many of you are taking advantage of the "Get Wild!" park and recreation month materials.  View and share this brand new video that introduces our wild and wacky cardinal mascot showing the valuable benefits of parks and recreation.  More 

Department of Revenue Meeting

10:00am Friday, July 13 Metro Parks Tacoma

Join us to meet Kristine Rompa, Tax Policy Specialist, our new point of contact at DOR who is taking over league fees and issues and determinations on how charges for various amusement and recreational activities are taxable. Pre-planning meeting scheduled for Monday July 9 at 2:00pm  More

Mid Year Conference & Trade Show

Friday November 9, 2012
Everett, WA 

The Washington Recreation & Park Association Mid Year Conference & Trade Show is our premiere fall training attracting over 200 park and recreation professionals.  Register by Friday August 3, 2012 to be included in the raffle.  One complimentary 2013 Annual Conference & Trade Show full conference registration. ($269 value) Vancouver, WA; One Night Deluxe Accommodation at the Tulalip Resort Casino PLUS a $60 Dinning Credit! ($289 value) Marysville, WA. Preliminary session information is now posted.

Certified Playground Safety Institue
August 15-17, 2012 - Bellevue WA 

This course is the most comprehensive training program on playground
hazard identification and risk management methods offered anywhere.
Advanced reading and fifteen hours of training from nationally known
playground safety experts will prepare participants to "sit" for the
Certified Playground Safety Institute Examination offered at the
culmination of the certification course.  More/Register  

Summer Issue

This issue features our award recipients, our district representatives, and introduces our new "How do you recreate?" spotlight.  More

On the Move

The City of Vancouver and Clark County announce the appointment of Laura Hudson as Interim Director of Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation, effective immediately. Hudson, who has more than 20 years of public and private management experience, served as Vancouver's Long Range Planning Manager before becoming the city's Community and Economic Development Director in May 2010. Hudson succeeds Peter Mayer, who left the Director's post last week to become Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Director of the Snohomish Health District. More

Mark Hickok has been appointed Manager of the City of Redmond Recreation Division. Mark has been the acting manager for the last eight months, and had been the assistant manager of the division for the previous 3 years. 

Call For Nominations

Facility Section Awards

The Facility Services Section will present three awards at the WRPA Mid-Year: Customer Service Award; Outstanding Professional Award; and Innovative Facility Practice Award. Nominations are accepted at the WRPA Office through September 28, 2012.  More

Land Water Conservation Fund

Call to Action

Alll indications are that we are facing a similar situation to last year where your advocacy efforts were instrumental in helping to secure an increase in State Assistance funding when overall funding for LWCF, like many federal programs, was cut.  As the NRPA Public Policy team meets with Hill staff we are continually reminded of the need for Congressional offices to hear from their constituents.  More 

What Does the Transportation Bill Mean for Safe Routes to School?

New blog on the impact specific to Safe Routes to School
This week, Congress is voting on a new two-year transportation bill, called MAP-21, that will make significant changes to federal transportation policy that negatively impact bicycling and walking programs. More 

CPRP Connection

NRPA 

CPRP Connection - NRPA has created a Connect group for Certified Park and Recreation Professionals.  The CPRP Connection is a forum for discussion, sharing knowledge, and posing questions unique to the needs and interests of the group. Participants can choose to respond to email listservs, post discussion forums within the group or opt for daily digests of group activity. More

Special Grants Program

2012 Supplemental Capital Budget 

This $12M grant program is split into $6m economic development and $6M community revitalization. The criteria on the community revitalization side include a project's ability to make communities more ped-bike friendly and to enhance in-city recreation. WRPA worked on this in conjunction with the "Jobs Package" enacted by the Legislature. The application cycle is likely to start end of July with CERB offering a webinar early August.  More

Quick View of Upcoming Training

Visit our registration page for more information on all these trainings.

• August 15-17: Certified Playground Safety Instructor
• November 9: Mid Year Conference & Trade Show 
• November 14-16: Certified Playground Safety Instructor - save the date

Brit Kramer, CPRP, CAE

Executive Director 

Washington Recreation & Park Association

Upcoming Section Meetings

We believe ALL kids are created equal

At Landscape Structures, we're creating play environments where all children and their families can play together, regardless of their abilities.

Northwest Playground Equipment, Inc.
is located in beautiful downtown Issaquah in Washington State.

We serve Washington, Oregon, Northern Idaho, Montana and Alaska.

Upcoming WRPA Executive Board Meetings

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