Dear Bainbridge Island Community,
As we enjoy the summer season, I want to thank you for being part of the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District. Your feedback and involvement are helping shape the future of our parks, facilities, and programs—and your voice continues to be essential.
This summer, we’re working on growing accessibility awareness across the island. The Park District and the City of Bainbridge Island are each developing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plans to guide future accessibility improvements. We’re inviting you to participate in this important effort by taking an anonymous survey, using an interactive map to identify barriers to access, or volunteering for a stakeholder forum.
Learn more and participate.
In another opportunity to share your thoughts, please take a few minutes to complete our Comprehensive Plan Update Survey, open through July 31, if you haven’t yet. This summer, our planning team has been gathering feedback from community members through surveys, open houses, and outreach events. Your ideas will help shape a long-term roadmap for our parks and recreation programs.
Take the survey.
We have 43 incredible youth participants this season as part of the Student Conservation Corps (SCOCO). This also includes SCOCO Neurodiverse participants, who engaged in a meaningful, enriching summer session designed specifically for youth with diverse needs. This inclusive, hands-on program gives teens of all abilities the chance to tackle invasive species and support restoration projects across more than a dozen parks. If you spot the team in their bright green shirts, you’ll see youth employment in action, building stewardship and pride in our island’s natural spaces. We’re deeply grateful to our partners at the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation, Bainbridge Island Land Trust, and the City of Bainbridge Island for making this program possible.
Summer is here, and our parks are busy. Complaints about off-leash dogs are on the rise. Please remember that not all park patrons, and other dogs, are as thrilled to see your dog as you are. Off-leash use is allowed in the designated areas at Strawberry Hill Park and Eagledale Park. Dogs must be on leash on all other park property. Your fellow park patrons will appreciate your responsible dog ownership.
Our summer events are in full swing. From Terry’s Sounds of Summer concert series and Movies in the Park to community celebrations, there’s something for everyone this season. We invite you to join us and make the most of summer on Bainbridge. View the full event calendar.
Thank you for your continued engagement and for helping us build a more accessible, inclusive, and vibrant park system.
Sincerely,
Dan Hamlin
Executive Director
Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District