Citywide Park District
In 2011, City Council created a City-wide Park District as a way to help fund deferred park maintenance to our infrastructure and improve our ongoing park maintenance in the future. The park district generates approximately $1.9 million annually. Our top needs were identified through a city-wide statistically valid citizen survey, discussions with major park user groups (Billings Little League, Amend Park Development Council, Billings Softball Association, and Billings Tennis Association), the Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Board and the Billings Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Department staff. According to our Department’s 2017 Comprehensive Plan, we will have to replace approximate $22,542,500 worth of park amenities over the next 10 years to maintain current level of services. The fund is also used to leverage additional funding (matching funds) in the form of grants and donations for capital projects.
Over the past years we have been able to leverage an additional $860,000 (grants and donations) for capital projects:
- Hawthorne Park playground equipment replacement $125,000
- Rose Park playground equipment replacement $150,000
- South Park playground equipment replacement $75,000
- Yellowstone Kelly Interpretive Site $510,000
Upcoming Projects
Replacement of Rose Park Playground Equipment ($270,000)
Replacement of 4 Tennis Courts at Central Park ($500,000) – Awaiting notification of Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grant Application
Lillis Park Playground Replacement ($300,000)
Terry Park Playground Replacement ($300,000)
