Mark(et)ed for success: parks and recreation were a key selling point in Renton, Wash.'s successful outreach campaign.

Did you know ..." statements like the ones to the left highlighting the city's parks and recreational services were the centerpiece of Renton, Wash.'s innovative, award-winning and highly successful community marketing campaign.

Renton, a city of just more than 50,000 located on the south shore of Lake Washington, historically had an image of being a blue-collar suburb of Seattle, and was known chiefly as the home of Boeing 737 and 757 airplanes. Indeed, as recently as 1992, 60 percent of the city's employees worked for the Boeing Company.

Understanding the importance of diversifying the city's employment base, city leaders recognized the need to develop a new image and brand identity that would market the community's assets: parks, recreational opportunities, high-quality schools, affordable housing, amenities, higher, education, public safety; health and medical care. They took a unique approach by forming a collaborative partnership with key community stakeholders, including the Chamber of Commerce, a technical college, the school district, a hospital and the hotel industry. These partners pooled their resources to develop a branded message ("Renton. Ahead of the Curve") and a marketing campaign to collectively market the Renton community, recruit high-quality companies and diversify Renton's employment base.

Primacy of Parks

Renton's marketing campaign has been an overwhelming success. New investments are being made, the employment base is diversifying and people are choosing to locate their businesses and families in the community. The campaign has received national recognition, not only for its effectiveness, but also for the unique collaboration and partnership among community stakeholders. These recognitions include three awards from the City-County Communications and Marketing Association--the President's Award, the Savvy Award and the Silver Circle Award--and a Promotional Gold Award from the National Council for Urban Economic Development.

Crucial to the success of the marketing campaign has been the city leaders' understanding that well-designed and maintained parks, along with high-quality recreational programs, are a key element to the quality of life and the marketability of a community. Marketing materials continually showcase pictures of the beautiful Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, the Cedar River Trail, the Black River Riparian Forest, the Senior Activity Center and the Renton Community Center. Featured in the annual community calendar are scenes of windsurfers on the sparkling waters of Lake Washington, men engrossed in a spirited game of bocce ball at the Senior Activity Center and teens enjoying the new skate park, as well as a map showing all of the city's parks, trails and recreational facilities. Radio and newspaper ads highlighting the city's parks and amenities proclaim "Renton--A Fun Place to Be!" Obviously, Renton fully understands the benefits of parks and recreation.

The need for the city to diversify its economic base has never been more clearly demonstrated than during the past year. In earlier recessions, when Boeing production took a downturn, city government needed to cut back as well. However, in 2002, when Boeing laid off thousands of workers from the Renton plant and Washington State experienced the second-highest unemployment rate in the nation, Renton's tax base remained stable. In fact, the city was able to fund several significant capital projects, of which parks and recreation were given a high priority. A $6.4 million fund balance at the end of 2001 was used to fully fund. Veterans Memorial Park and a new family aquatic center. These projects were fhnded while the city maintained 8 percent in reserves, lowered the property tax rate and held utility rates steady for the sixth consecutive year.

Discover the Benefits

Now as in the past, Renton has placed a high priority on providing the best recreational facilities and programs. In an annual survey sponsored by a local newspaper, the 190-acre Maplewood Golf Course is consistently chosen as the area's favorite course. The River Rock Grill and Ale House, located at the golf course, received the 2002 Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator. The Renton Community Center, Senior Activity Center and two neighborhood centers offer more than 200 leisure classes and special events each quarter.

Year-round sports programs are available for all ages and levels of skill and abilities. Outdoor recreation programs take advantage of the abundant natural resources by offering skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, sailing, kayaking, river rafting, rock climbing, swimming, boating and mountain biking. More than 10,000 boats are launched from the Coulon Beach boat launch each year. The Cascade Canoe and Kayak Center offers year-round paddling courses and boat rentals at the city's boathouse. Cultural arts programs can be enjoyed at the city's 310-seat performing arts center throughout the year, or in the parks during the warm summer months. The annual summer teen musical presents a high-quality musical production featuring local students. Tennis leagues, camps, lessons and workshops for youth, teens and adults are offered in conjunction with the United States Tennis Association.

The list continues: More than 50,000 people take part in the city's annual week-long Renton River Days festival each July. An active special-populations group of 76 to 150 participants enjoy weekly sports, social and high-adventure outdoor programs. The Community Center's weight room logs 39,000 visits annually. Sports camps focusing on soccer, baseball, basketball, roller hockey, flag football and golf for children ages 4 to 14 are offered through the Skyhawks Sports Camps organization each summer. Swimming is available at two beaches on Lake Washington, which are staffed with lifeguards during the summer months.

More than 400 senior citizens participate in programs at the Senior Activity Center every day. When not in use for recreation programming, the Community Center and Senior Activity Center are highly sought-after sites for weddings and other events, owing to their attractive design and high standard of maintenance. Poll after poll reveals that the citizens rate the parks and recreation programs as one of the best things about living in Renton.

Mindful Maintenance

The city has been equally visionary in acquiring, developing and maintaining its parks, trails and open spaces. The 92-acre Black River Riparian Forest, located on the Springbrook Trail System, is one of the city's premier open space and habitat areas. More than 91 species of flora and fauna (including bald eagles, 33 species of mammals and 53 species of riparian plant life) and an active heron rookery make this a favorite bird-watching site. The National Audubon Society has recognized the city's and several volunteer organizations' commitment to this habitat area.

The Cedar River Trail is part of the Cedar River Greenway, which extends from the south shore of Lake Washington and winds east along the Cedar River 4.5 miles to city limits. The trail also connects to the King County trail system for an additional 22 miles. Renton's Cedar River Greenway includes seven developed parks totaling 133 acres, the Maplewood Golf Course, the Renton Senior Activity Center, the Renton Community Center, a library constructed over the river and an additional 237 acres of open space. Amenities include a paved multiuse trail, soft surface hiking trails, an over-water boat rental facility, skate park, picnic areas, beach area, playgrounds and organized sports facilities, including soccer fields and ball fields. The city has been committed to making this greenway vision a reality for nearly 40 years.

The 55-acre Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park is the city's premier park. Acquisition and development spanned 30 years, with the final phase of construction completed in 198% This park provides public access to 1.5 miles of Lake Washington shoreline, and includes more than 76,000 shrubs, 16,000 water plants, 1,500 trees and 5 acres of sod installed as part of the final phase of construction. Amenities include two restaurants, a supervised swimming beach, an 8-lane boat launch facility, picnic shelters, tennis and volleyball courts, fishing docks, over-water walks and viewing/picnic sites, a nature island and a signed interpretive walk. Future plans include connecting this park to the Cedar River Trail.

Renton knows what it takes to be successful in today's highly competitive economic climate. To that end, city and community leaders developed a market strategy and brand identity that recruited new companies, diversified the employment base and encouraged people to relocate to the area. The leaders realized that the city's parks, trails and recreational programs top the list of the city's marketable amenities, and continue to make them a funding priority. The result is a city that truly understands how parks and recreation are integral to its future financial success.

Did you know:

* Renton has 26 developed parks, an 18-hole public golf course, 10.5 miles of trails and 665 acres of open space for passive and active recreation?

* Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, a stunning 55-acre park, has nearly 1.5 miles of Lake Washington waterfront and more than 1.5 million visitors a year?

* Clam Lights, sponsored by Ivar's Acres of Clams restaurant, provides a dazzling display of thousands of lights each holiday season at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park?

* The Renton Parks and Recreation Divisions were the first on the West Coast to be accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies?