With over 50 public parks in Napa but only limited dollars â and fewer still of those in a time of post-pandemic economic stress â advisers to the cityâs parks department are looking toward focusing funds and attention on places and activities that serve as wide a population as possible.
A cost recovery model recently shared with Napaâs Parks, Recreation and Trees Advisory Commission would weigh parks, sporting facilities, trails, and other fixtures and programs on a spectrum from those serving a common good to those catering to individuals or smaller groups.
An example of a common-good approach cited by 110%, a Colorado-based parks consultancy, is the funding model used by the parks department of Oregon City, a Portland suburb. A sliding scale calls for recovering only 10 to 30% of the cost of community events and services, but 90 to 110% of the cost of sports-field rentals.