Dear Community,
On February 13, 2025, we celebrated Chuck Field, former Director of the Bainbridge Island Park & Recreation District, for his incredible role in preserving the Grand Forest. Chuck’s vision, dedication, and hard work were crucial in securing the land from the DNR, ensuring the Grand Forest remains a legacy everyone can enjoy. To recognize his contributions, we’ve named the main loop trail in Grand Forest East the “Chuck Field Memorial Loop Trail.”
Chuck’s efforts laid a foundation for the Park District, and when Terry Lande stepped in as Director, he continued that vital work with passion. Under Terry’s leadership, the Park District expanded programs, launched public campaigns, secured donations, and built key partnerships to grow our park and rec offerings. One of Terry’s significant accomplishments was the establishment of the metro district. He also focused on building a professional, dedicated team and creating a culture prioritizing high-quality services for our community. His involvement in purchasing the Bainbridge Island Recreation Center was his crowning achievement, saving the community millions of dollars.
As we look ahead, we’re building on this rich history and focusing on planning for a bright future. In 2025, we’ll be updating the Park, Recreation, and Open Space Plan, a long-term document is reviewed and updated every six years with input from the community. This plan lays out our parks, facilities, and programs while guiding us as we evaluate the needs and interests of the community. The updated plan will be finalized and state-approved by February 2026, and it will help shape future budgets, service levels, and improvement projects, giving us clear direction for the years to come.
In addition, we’re launching a comprehensive ADA Transition Plan to improve accessibility across all our parks and facilities. With the help of an expert third-party consultant team, this project will focus on addressing physical and programmatic barriers, ensuring that everyone of all ages and abilities can enjoy our spaces. Starting in Spring 2025 and running through 2026, this plan will help us improve the accessibility of parks for all visitors.
We’re also working to improve our online resources to make things easier for you. In April, we’ll roll out a new summer registration system, making it simpler and more user-friendly. Plus, we’re building a new website that will combine the three separate sites we currently use into one streamlined, accessible platform. We expect to launch the new site in fall 2025.
With all these efforts, we’re committed to working with you to shape the future of our community. Your input is vital, and we’re excited to hear your thoughts as we continue to grow and evolve.
Thank you for being such an essential part of this journey. We look forward to hearing from you and working together to build a bright future for Bainbridge Island.
Dan Hamlin,
Executive Director, Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation