Bellingham PROS Plan
Bellingham, WA · 2025
Client: City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation
Location: Bellingham, WA
Year: 2025
CP Role: Prime consultant; visual communications and engagement lead, with GreenWorks as subconsultant
Practice Area: Environment + Sustainability
Team: Irene Kim, Principal-in-Charge; Angélica Martínez Sulvarán, Project Manager; Finley Heeb, Design and Engagement Coordinator; Pauline Ruegg; Lydia Ness
The Challenge
Bellingham updates its parks plan every six years. The 2025 update had to address climate change, growth, and equitable access, and City staff wanted residents who rarely take part to be heard.
Our Approach
We started with a brand, because people join a process they recognize, and built the outreach around it with templates, infographics, videos, and mailers. We summarized the City's survey of 2,005 residents, then ran open houses and focus groups with people the survey had missed, from university students to the Sikh and Punjabi community. A Spanish-speaking planner on our team adapted materials for cultural context.
Outcome
City Council adopted the plan in May 2026. It shifts the City from expanding the park system toward improving the parks it has and moves toward an indoor recreation center.
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