City of Federal Way
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan
A web-friendly version of Federal Way’s adopted 2019 plan for parks, recreation, trails, open space, and community facilities.
Overview
The PROS Plan is Federal Way’s long-range guide for how the City maintains, improves, and expands its parks, recreation programs, trails, open spaces, and community facilities. It updates the assumptions used for park planning, helps the City stay eligible for grants, aligns parks planning with state and local requirements, and informs the Capital Improvement Program.
The plan emphasizes both near-term priorities and long-range community needs. It also recognizes that parks and recreation support quality of life in many ways, from health and social connection to environmental protection, economic value, and access for youth, families, seniors, and residents across a diverse community.
What this plan does
- Summarizes the existing park, trail, open space, and recreation system
- Measures current and projected level of service
- Identifies gaps, priorities, and future opportunities
- Establishes goals, policies, and implementation actions
- Supports grant applications, budgeting, and capital planning
Plan objectives
- Provide community-defined direction for parks, open spaces, and programs
- Maintain funding eligibility for grants and outside support
- Ensure consistency with state and local planning requirements
- Respond to opportunities as they arise
- Guide effective management of parks, recreation, and open spaces
Accomplishments since the 2013 plan
- Acquired 38.33 acres in the West Hylebos area
- Constructed Town Square Park, the Panther Lake Trail, the PAEC, and a maintenance building at Celebration Park
- Replaced playgrounds at Adelaide Park and Steel Lake Park Funland
- Completed outdoor improvements at the Federal Way Community Center and multiple repairs to trails, paths, lighting, and drainage
- Started updates to the Dumas Bay Centre Marketing and Business Plan
Quick highlights
Community parks are a strength
Federal Way exceeds its adopted level of service for community parks and offers a strong network of larger parks with sports fields, trails, picnic areas, public art, spray features, and gathering spaces.
Neighborhood parks need attention
Public input and level-of-service analysis both point to a need for additional investment in neighborhood parks, especially safety, visibility, upgrades, and park identity.
Connectivity is a major priority
The plan identifies walking and biking connections as one of the clearest future needs, with a focus on safe, signed, ADA-conscious routes that connect neighborhoods, schools, parks, and destinations.
Community profile
Federal Way sits between Seattle and Tacoma and includes city limits plus the Potential Annexation Area east of I-5 for long-range planning purposes. The plan notes that the city’s population was estimated at 92,859 in 2015 and is projected to grow beyond 100,000 residents by 2031.
Population snapshot
- Average household size: 2.7
- Median household income: $55,673
- Foreign-born residents: 22%
- Median age: 35.8
- Residents 19 and under: about 27%
- Residents 65 and older: about 12%
Natural setting
Federal Way’s hills, lakes, streams, wetlands, shoreline, and forested areas are a major part of the city’s identity. The plan highlights the Hylebos Creek, Lower Puget Sound, and Mill Creek drainage basins, along with eight miles of shoreline and views of Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, and Mount Rainier.
Why this matters for parks planning
- An aging population and a large youth population create demand for both active and passive recreation
- More multifamily housing increases the importance of shared public open space and walkable access
- The city’s diversity means parks and recreation should reflect a wide range of cultures, ages, interests, and ability levels
- Natural systems are both recreational assets and environmental resources that need protection
Community voice
Public outreach helped shape the plan from the beginning. The process included stakeholder meetings, focus groups, an open house, surveys, commission review, and public hearings. The City reports that nearly 700 voices were heard during development of the plan.
How input was gathered
- 640 total survey responses from residents and users
- Three stakeholder meetings
- Two focus group meetings
- Community open house
- Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission, and City Council review
What people said
- Walking was the most frequent activity in city parks
- Residents would rather improve existing facilities than focus first on acquiring new park land
- Youth and teen programs ranked high for future recreation funding emphasis
- Music, outdoor activities, and environmental activities drew strong interest for future programming
- The quarterly brochure and Community Center were the main ways people learned about programs
Core values and vision
The plan’s recommendations are grounded in a vision of Federal Way as a safe, attractive, and diverse community with linked parks, open spaces, walking routes, gathering places, and recreation opportunities that strengthen quality of life while protecting natural resources.
Parks and open space vision
Federal Way’s landscape of hills, lakes, views, and shoreline is intended to be experienced through a connected network of parks, open space, gathering places, trails, facilities, and programs. The plan calls for beautiful, innovative, and safe public spaces, stronger connections between parks and destinations, vibrant city center gathering places, and open spaces that support ecology, public access, and environmental education.
1. Improve existing facilities
Maintain high standards for capital improvement, level of service, and maintenance across community parks, neighborhood parks, trails, open spaces, and recreation facilities.
2. Connect the city with trails
Prioritize land acquisition and trail planning that link parks, neighborhoods, schools, and recreation facilities through walking and biking routes.
3. Retain and improve open spaces
Protect ecological value, habitat, water quality, and natural character while allowing appropriate low-impact public access and education.
4. Improve perceptions of safety
Use CPTED principles such as visibility, access control, and clear ownership cues to make parks and open spaces feel safer and more welcoming.
5. Build community through programming
Encourage volunteerism, neighborhood gathering, and programming that brings people together across ages, backgrounds, and interests.
6. Strengthen partnerships
Continue working with schools, agencies, health partners, service clubs, and businesses to expand programs, events, and shared facilities.
7. Serve a diverse population
Provide varied recreation opportunities and facilities that reflect Federal Way’s evolving demographics, interests, cultures, and ability levels.
Parks, trails, and open space inventory
The plan organizes Federal Way’s system into five categories. Together, the citywide inventory totals 1,311.94 acres. City-owned properties within city limits account for about 1,056.49 acres, including approximately 620.33 acres in developed parks and 436.16 acres in undeveloped open space.
| Category | Acres | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Regional Parks | 255.45 | Larger destination parks and facilities that draw visitors from beyond Federal Way. |
| Community Parks | 489.70 | Larger community-serving parks, often with athletic fields and a broad mix of active and passive recreation. |
| Neighborhood Parks | 108.05 | Smaller local parks with play equipment, picnic areas, trails, lawns, and some courts or informal recreation spaces. |
| Open Space | 436.16 | Natural lands and future open space areas that support habitat, scenery, education, and passive recreation. |
| Linear Parks / Trails | 22.58 | Walking and biking corridors that often follow utilities, ravines, stream corridors, or other long linear routes. |
What stands out
- Community park acreage is one of the city’s biggest strengths
- Open space is a major part of the system and helps define Federal Way’s character
- Neighborhood parks are fewer in total acreage and need targeted reinvestment
- Trail mileage exists across many parks, but system connectivity remains a challenge
Notable regional facilities
The broader system also includes regional destinations not owned by the City, such as Dash Point State Park and the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center. The Aquatic Center is described as a world-class venue that hosts major competitions and public swim opportunities.
Level of service snapshot
- Regional parks: barely meets the current standard when regional facilities are counted within city limits
- Community parks: exceeds the adopted level of service by 216.86 acres
- Neighborhood parks: currently short by 57.60 acres
- Open space: currently exceeds the adopted level of service by 65.89 acres
- Trails: currently short by about 7.42 miles
Recreation programs and demand
The Community Center is a major hub for recreation services. The plan describes a broad mix of youth, adult, senior, aquatics, inclusive recreation, arts, cultural, camp, and fitness offerings, while also noting the role of non-city providers in meeting community demand.
Youth and teen programs
Youth summer day camp operates at capacity at 160 children and seasonal camps are popular throughout the year. The plan also notes strong interest in teen programming and suggests this is an area for continued review.
Aquatics and inclusive recreation
Community Center aquatics include swim instruction, water exercise, and pool parties, while inclusive recreation programs support people with and without disabilities through life skills, social opportunities, sports, and events.
Senior services
Senior programming includes wellness classes, trips, pickleball, tai chi, softball, meals, and support services. Meals on Wheels was serving roughly 300 to 350 individuals per year at the time of the plan.
Programming demand and outreach insights
- About 32% of survey respondents were active in City recreation programs
- Common barriers included not knowing what was offered, time, cost, child care, and transportation
- Special events, arts and crafts, camps, dance, and theater arts were among the most-used programs and classes
- Survey respondents wanted more emphasis on children and teen programs
- The plan also calls for culturally responsive programming and outreach to underrepresented groups
Needs and opportunities
The needs assessment combines public input, inventory data, level-of-service analysis, and observations about growth, access, and park condition. The biggest opportunities center on neighborhood parks, trail connections, open space management, gathering places, and service to a growing and diverse population.
Neighborhood parks
The city is currently below its adopted level of service for neighborhood parks. The plan recommends reinvestment focused on safety, visibility, flexibility, identity, and stronger neighborhood-level gathering spaces.
Trails and walkability
The city needs additional trail mileage and stronger connectivity. Future improvements should prioritize safe, signed, ADA-conscious links between parks, schools, the City Center, and neighborhood destinations.
Open space stewardship
Open spaces are a major asset, but they need active management, invasive species control, habitat protection, and a clear balance between ecological function and public access.
Gathering places and activation
Celebration Park, Town Square Park, and Steel Lake Park already function as community destinations. The plan sees potential to create more gathering places, especially in the City Center and selected neighborhood parks.
Equity and diverse programming
Future programming should reflect the city’s age mix, cultural diversity, and varying ability levels, with more support for youth, teens, cultural events, and programs that help residents stay active and connected.
Staffing and long-term maintenance
The plan notes that maintaining strong service levels with a smaller staffing ratio than peer cities is difficult over time. To meet future demand, facility investment should be paired with staffing and maintenance capacity.
Goals and policies
The adopted goals and policies are organized around five major action areas. Expand each section below for a web summary of the plan direction.
1. Improve existing facilities and provide for multiple functions in parks
This section focuses on improving the system the City already has, with special attention to active facilities, neighborhood park function, safety, park activation, maintenance, financing, outreach, and partnerships.
Community parks
- Improve recreation fields to NRPA standards
- Update the Steel Lake Park master plan
- Reassess Lakota Park and Sacajawea Park master plans
- Balance passive and active uses within community parks
- Create a master plan for Brooklake reuse and repurposing
Neighborhood parks
- Improve safety, visibility, usability, appeal, and identity
- Broaden the role of neighborhood parks to include gathering, passive use, and special functions where appropriate
- Preserve informal play opportunities and unprogrammed space
Activation, maintenance, outreach, and partnerships
- Use consistent signage, furnishings, landscaping, and visibility improvements
- Integrate CPTED principles and track crime and vandalism over time
- Study financing tools such as impact fees and budget adequate operations funding
- Continue wayfinding, mapping, publicity, surveys, and educational messaging
- Coordinate with schools, Public Works, Community Development, and health partners
Property strategy
- Be ready to act on strategic acquisition opportunities
- Prioritize growth areas and deficiency areas for future parks
- Evaluate use of other public lands and transition planning for PAA parks
- Consider surplusing lands that do not serve the system well, with proceeds reinvested into existing facilities
2. Create community gathering places and destinations
This section centers on citywide and neighborhood places that can host events, create identity, support social connection, and offer multiple uses throughout the year.
City Center and higher-density areas
- Actively develop a plan for community gathering places in the City Center
- Work with Community Development to create development standards that reserve space for parks and plazas
- Encourage mini-parks and gardens near multifamily development
Neighborhood gathering places
- Designate selected neighborhood parks as gathering places where appropriate
- Explore expanded public use in the BPA trail corridor, including ideas like off-leash areas or community gardens when feasible
Special use parks
- Design special use facilities such as plazas, community gardens, skate parks, and off-leash areas to meet demand while minimizing impacts to neighbors
3. Retain and improve open spaces
This section treats open space as both a public amenity and an environmental responsibility, supporting habitat, water quality, scenic character, education, and carefully managed access.
Environmentally sensitive areas
- Manage open space for long-term ecosystem health and biodiversity
- Protect ecologically sensitive areas from degradation
- Target restoration work in significant areas such as the Hylebos Creek Basin and Puget Sound waterfront tributaries
- Preserve historic and cultural resources found in parks and open spaces
Environmental education
- Partner with local groups to lead tours and interpretive experiences
- Add interpretive signage in places such as West Hylebos Wetlands, Panther Lake, Poverty Bay, Spring Valley, and Fisher’s Pond
- Partner with schools on learning landscape opportunities such as gardens and nurseries
Private and shoreline open space
- Explore incentive-based preservation tools for private open spaces
- Improve public access to existing shoreline properties
- Study shoreline access at unopened street ends and possible water trail connections
- Coordinate with state agencies to promote shoreline access
Open space management
- Prepare an open space management plan
- Use native vegetation where possible and control invasive species
- Preserve wildlife corridors, habitat value, and water quality
- Support low-impact public access where safe and appropriate
4. Develop a walking and biking community
This section recognizes walking as one of the city’s most common recreation activities and calls for a stronger non-motorized network that works for both everyday movement and recreation.
Walking system and routes
- Coordinate park planning with the Non-Motorized Transportation Plan
- Identify park routes to schools and pursue Safe Routes to Schools funding
- Connect Celebration Park and Steel Lake Park through City Center pedestrian improvements
- Expand the West Hylebos Wetlands trail system and improve bike connections
Walking program and wayfinding
- Create neighborhood walking routes that link parks and open spaces
- Develop digital and physical walking maps
- Install distinct wayfinding signage and explore adopt-a-route sponsorships
5. Provide a balance of services for a diverse population
This section focuses on programming, events, recreation access, active living, and arts and culture that reflect Federal Way’s diverse and changing community.
Social interaction and events
- Support a broader variety of cultural events and festivals
- Partner with homeowner, community, and cultural organizations
- Expand outreach to underrepresented sectors of the community
Sports and recreation
- Provide varied sports opportunities, including child, young adult, female, and co-ed leagues
- Accommodate special user groups
- Work with the Youth Commission to address teen recreation demand
- Consider scholarships and co-sponsorships for sports groups and recreation programs
Active living, arts, and culture
- Promote walking, biking, and physical activity
- Stay responsive to changing demographic and programming trends
- Coordinate with other recreation and cultural providers so needs are met across ages, incomes, backgrounds, and abilities
Implementation
The implementation chapter connects policy direction to project phasing, capital planning, and funding strategy. Proposed improvements were grouped into near-term (2019-2020), mid-term (2021-2022), long-term (2023-2024), and additional projects to pursue when grant funding becomes available.
Priority project types
The project list includes athletic field upgrades, playground replacements, shelters, trail repairs, wayfinding, lighting, security improvements, parking lot work, Community Center repairs, and master planning for sites such as Brooklake and Fisher Pond.
Examples from the list
Proposed projects include upgrades at Celebration, Lakota, Sacajawea, Saghalie, Steel Lake, Town Square, and West Hylebos, as well as improvements at neighborhood parks including Adelaide, Laurelwood, Olympic View, Palisades, and Wildwood.
How priorities are updated
The Parks Commission reviews the project list and capital priorities, and the City can revisit the list as needs change, opportunities emerge, or funding sources shift.
Implementation themes
- Community parks: field upgrades, lighting, parking, shelters, restrooms, and master plan implementation
- Neighborhood parks: picnic areas, courts, entrances, shelters, and trail repairs
- Playgrounds: replacement and improvement at multiple parks
- Trails: repairs, wayfinding, and fitness additions
- Facilities: Brooklake planning, FWCC roof and pool-related repairs, and site improvements
- System-wide: monument signs, wayfinding, parking lot LED lighting, and security cameras
Potential funding sources
- City General Fund
- Capital Project Fund - Parks
- Real Estate Excise Tax (REET)
- Voter-approved bonds and levies
- Councilmanic bonds
- Developer mitigation fees
- Grants, especially through the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO)
- Annexation and transfer opportunities
- Path and Trails Reserve Fund
- Dumas Bay Centre Fund
- Potential future impact fees, if analyzed and adopted
How the City can evaluate unplanned acquisitions or projects
The plan provides criteria for evaluating acquisition, development, or renovation opportunities that arise outside the identified project list. Key questions include whether the project fills a major system gap, addresses health or safety conditions, has realistic funding and operations support, avoids future negative impacts if delayed, and implements adopted plans.
Appendices
The appendices contain the detailed reference material behind the plan. The summaries on this page are designed to make the plan easier to navigate, but the appendices remain the best source for full inventories, assessment matrices, and survey backup.
Appendix A
Park and Open Space Inventory and Assessment
Appendix B
Athletics Facilities Needs Assessment
Appendix C
Park and Open Space Evaluation Matrices
Appendix D
Public Participation Results
For full park-by-park details, athletic facility analysis, evaluation criteria, and raw public input materials, use the downloadable PDF.
View the full plan (PDF)
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