This week's Business Spotlight features PenMet Parks! We're trying something a little different this week by sharing our interview in a Q&A format. The PenMet team had so many wonderful insights about their programs and their impact on our community that we wanted to share their responses in full! We hope to see you at some of their exciting upcoming events this summer and at the Recreation Center, which recently celebrated its first full year of being open!
Q. What does PenMet Parks do, who do you serve, and what inspires your mission?
Our mission is to enhance the quality of life by providing parks and recreation opportunities for our community. Our vision is to be a leader in promoting health and well-being in a thriving community. Our values are stewardship, inspiration, responsibility, collaboration and integrity, and they serve as our guiding light in everything we do.
Q. What sets your business apart, and what is something people might not already know about it?
We are the only metropolitan park district on the Gig Harbor Peninsula. Our District boundaries run from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to the Purdy Bridge and include all of unincorporated Pierce County. Approximately 40,000 people live within these boundaries, however we serve a much larger population. Visitors from across the region come to our parks, enroll in our recreational program offerings and visit the PenMet Parks Recreation Center campus - including playing a round or two of mini golf at our Neighborhood Greens Mini Golf Course. We manage nearly 670 acres of parkland spanning over 50 square miles. This includes 23 parks with 24 miles of trails, eight multi-purpose fields, six saltwater access points, four Washington Water Trail Association locations, and two dog parks. We are focused on creating inclusive places and programs so that everyone can access our exceptional parks and programs. We use our finite resources judiciously to ensure continuity of services, both now and in the future. And we are innovating to find new and better ways to deliver high-quality parks and recreation services in collaboration with our community.
Q. What are your main products or services, and is there a signature offering you are especially known for?
Since its inception when voters approve the formation of the District, PenMet Parks has found innovative and effective ways to meet the needs of the community. We provide vitally important parks and recreation services to our taxpayers and the larger community. We are known for our focus on community, serving everyone from toddlers to seniors with activities, sports and programming aimed at bringing the community together.
Q. Why did you join the Chamber, and how do you stay involved in or support the local community?
We joined the chamber because it is a vital part of our community. We support our local partners, businesses and community sponsors and want to work alongside the leaders in the community to continue to make Gig Harbor stand out as an exceptional place to live, do business and visit.
Q. What do you love most about your work, and can you share a favorite customer story or proud moment?
Whether it's dropping in for pickleball, a weekend pickup basketball game, organized recreation league like Adult Indoor Soccer or cheering on youth teams, we have enjoyed watching the smiling faces that come through the doors of the PenMet Parks Recreation Center in the last year since it opened. Seeing the community experience the center for the first time and return each week to participate in the offerings we provide has been a meaningful experience for us.
Q. What’s next for your business, including any goals, upcoming events, or promotions you would like us to highlight?
We're gearing up for a busy summer season with our summer camps - we still have openings! - and our Summer Concert series.
New this year we're expanding our concerts. They will return to the amphitheater at Sehmel Homestead Park on Wednesdays from 6:30-8 p.m. in July.
Then in August, we're moving them to Fridays at Harborstone Field on the PenMet Parks Recreation Center campus - also from 6:30-8 p.m.
Our final concert of the summer is Aug. 21, which will align with an End of Summer Bash we're planning at the center and our Summer Movie: The Goonies, which will be held on the Harborstone Field lawn starting at 9 p.m.
The Rec Center is also a great place to visit this summer to stay active when it gets warm outside.
Our Free Track Pass grants visitors FREE access to the Ben B. Cheney Foundation Track.
Our Group Fitness Classes run Mon-Sat. We're offering a special deal where your first class is FREE for first-time class participants.
Email Fitness@PenMetParks.Org for more information about this program.
Q. Is there anything else you would like the community to know?
We remain committed to offering high-quality programming and well-maintained parks and properties for our community to enjoy.
Thank you PenMet Parks for taking the time to share all about the amazing programs, your mission and upcoming events. We truly value the impact you have made on the community so far and look forward to all the future opportunities!
Stay up to date with the latest events and news from PenMet Parks by following them on social media, visiting their website, or reaching out directly using the contact information below!
Website: PenMetParks.Org
Email: info@penmetparks.org
Phone: 253-858-3400
Social Media
Facebook: @PenMetParks
IG: @penmetparks
LinkedIn: Peninsula Metropolitan Park District
Visit Peninsula Metropolitan Park District (PenMet Parks)
Head Quarters: 2416 14th Ave NW, Gig Harbor, WA
PenMet Parks Recreation Center: 2524 14th Ave NW, Gig Harbor, Wa
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