By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green voters expressed their love for Bowling Green parks at the polls.
With an unofficial result of 3,545 to 1,241, city residents passed the 2-mill replacement levy for the city’s parks and recreation programs by a healthy 74%
Kristin Otley, director of Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department, had hoped that voters who flocked to the parks during COVID would show their support at the polls.
And they did not disappoint.
“Bowling Green supports their parks,” Otley said. “They appreciate that parks enhance the value of their lives.”
And voters realize they get a good value for their tax dollars.
The replacement levy will raise an additional $151,000 annually for parks and recreation.
According to the National Recreation & Park Association, the typical community park system has 9.5 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. Bowling Green exceeds that – with 12.4 acres for every 1,000 residents.
With 393 acres, 11 parks, and the community center, there is a park within 1.5 miles of every resident of the city.
“The 11 parks are always here – 365 days a year. I do think that COVID really brought that to light,” Otley said. “People realized, really realized that parks enhance the quality of life.”
“This is where they can go, where they feel safe,” she said. “We really proved how essential we are. It really solidified that parks and rec services are essential.”
But maintaining those parks takes money.
Thirty percent of the parks and rec revenue comes from fees. “The parks themselves are free,” Otley said.
So when the fees dried up during COVID closures, the parks relied more heavily on property tax revenue. The current property tax levy and the percentage of city income tax dedicated to the parks normally makes up one-third of the parks and recreation revenue.
The Parks and Recreation Department has no expansion or building plans in the next five years – it just wants to preserve what it already has.
“Preserving green space is obviously important,” Otley said. “You can have all the parkland that you want, but if it isn’t maintained, it’s of no value.”
