Marked for success: parks and recreation were a key selling point in Renton, Wash.'s successful outreach campaign - et

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.

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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.

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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.