Ben Page, Des Moines parks and recreation director, told the City Council at its Sept. 29 work session that the department’s mission is “helping Des Moines live well, play hard, and protect the Earth.” He said the department manages 92 parks, 70-plus miles of trails, 20 aquatic facilities and seven service lines on an $18,400,000 operating budget that returns about $4,500,000 in revenue.

The update stressed heavy public use and volunteer support. “In 2024 alone, 5,317 volunteers donated 33,699 hours of service, valued at over $1,100,000,” Jenny Richmond, assistant director, said. Richmond and Page described a 15‑year volunteer tally of roughly 52,000 unduplicated volunteers and said Friends of Des Moines Parks and the Parks and Recreation Board are major funders and advocates.

The department reported user counts and program data that exceed pre‑pandemic levels. Page cited golf participation at about 130,000 rounds a year and said pools received enough visits last year that “we would have filled up the Iowa football and Iowa State football stadiums both.” Mike Ault, parks manager, said trail counters recorded 3,300,000 trips in 2024 with daily peaks above 9,000 users.

The recreation division described programs aimed at equitable access. “Camp remains free due to many generous partnerships,” Janice Steele, recreation manager, said, summarizing free summer camps that provide breakfast, lunch, swim lessons and enrichment at five sites chosen for economic need. Steele also noted that the city will open its first indoor pool at the Rygaard Community Recreation Center in 2026.

Daniel Calvert, development and planning administrator, framed the planning division as the department’s project delivery arm: “Our team is often referred to as the Swiss Army knife,” he said, and highlighted $17.5 million in grants and $7.6 million in private donations the division secured in recent years. Calvert said planning staff have applied for more than 75 grants and that volunteer construction work saved the city nearly $300,000 in contracted construction costs over the last five years.

Officials described program details and recent changes: the department reported 71 full‑time staff, 39 year‑round part‑time staff and more than 300 seasonal positions; operations now count 92 parks after a recent inventory and classification review; the department manages six pools, four splash pools, 18 spraygrounds and three community golf courses run by a contractor; and greenhouse production yields roughly 320,000 annual plants per year.

Page and staff outlined engagement tools and new analytics. The department is onboarding a City Data AI parks module to measure park and cemetery visits and amenity‑level use from anonymized mobile data; Page said the tool will help match maintenance and permitting to actual use. Richmond cited resident survey results showing 77 percent satisfaction with park location and 72 percent with overall quality.

Council members applauded staff and volunteers and asked about communication channels and the parks recount. Page said the department uses social media, a “before you go” text alert system, the department call center and on‑site outreach. He said the updated count of 92 parks added smaller dedicated parcels and previously recorded but undeveloped gifts of land.

The presentation listed funding partners and scholarship donors, including Friends of Des Moines Parks, Variety — the Children’s Charity, and an American Red Cross Centennial program that provided training and $11,500 for scholarships. Officials emphasized that many projects use a mix of CIP funds, grants, private donations and volunteer labor.

No formal motions or votes were taken during the briefing; council discussion was limited to questions and commendations. Staff said they will return with more detailed data products and a planned workshop on the City Data AI tool.

For council reference, staff distributed an activities guide, trail maps and an annual report and offered to provide follow‑up reports on text‑alert subscription numbers and the detailed park inventory.

Less urgent items included scheduled facility renovations and volunteer recognition details; the presentation closed without formal council direction other than requests for the City Data AI briefing and the text‑alert usage report.