Mission

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To provide excellent city services that enhance the quality of life of the Lawrence community.

Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture Department, established in 1946, has continued its commitment to providing excellent city services, enhancing the quality of life for the Lawrence community. Over the years, the department has developed many programs for the community, including hiking and bike trails, recreation facility operations, golf, forestry, landscaping throughout the community and Downtown Lawrence, cemetery and other quality of life programs and facilities. The department currently offers more than 550 programs and activities each season for citizens to keep active.

Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture by the Numbers

  • 69 parks and open spaces

  • 4,000+ acres of parks and open space

  • 70+ miles of biking, walking, and hiking trails

  • 550+ programs and activities each season

  • 78 full-time employees

  • 600 part-time employees

  • 750+ annual volunteers

  • 35,000+ volunteer hours each year

Parks, Facilities and Amenities

Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture operates, manages, and maintains a wide range of facilities and amenities throughout the community.

Parks and Outdoor Spaces

  • 69 parks and open spaces covering more than 4,000 acres
  • 44 athletic fields
  • 19 picnic areas
  • 30 playgrounds
  • 15 tennis courts
  • 24 indoor and outdoor basketball/multi-use courts
  • 2 skate parks
  • 2 off-leash dog parks
  • 2 disc golf courses
  • 2 splash pads
  • More than 70 miles of biking, walking, and hiking trails across 37 distinct trails

Facilities

  • 3 recreation centers
  • 2 event centers
  • 1 sports pavilion
  • 2 aquatics facilities
  • 1 golf course
  • 1 nature center
  • 3 cemeteries

Sports Pavilion Lawrence®

Sports Pavilion Lawrence® features:

  • 8 full-size basketball courts that can also accommodate 16 full-size volleyball courts
  • Indoor turf area
  • Gymnastics room
  • Aerobic and fitness room
  • Cardio and weight areas
  • 1/8-mile indoor walking and jogging track
  • Meeting rooms

Our People and Volunteers 

The department employs 78 full-time employees and nearly 600 part-time employees throughout the year.

Community volunteers are also an essential part of our work. The department averages more than 750 volunteers each year, contributing more than 35,000 hours as youth sports coaches, assisting with landscaping, caring for animals at the nature center, cleaning up park areas, and supporting other department activities.

Supporting Access and Community Partnerships

Wee Folks Scholarship Fund

The department established the Wee Folks Scholarship Fund in 1996 to help Lawrence youth participate in Parks, Recreation and Culture programs and activities.

Today, more than $19,500 in scholarships are awarded annually, helping ensure that more Lawrence youth have access to recreational opportunities.

Friends of the Park

Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture continues to build partnerships with local businesses, organizations, groups, and individuals to support programs, facilities, and services throughout the community.

Through the Friends of the Park program, the department annually recognizes community partners who help make these opportunities possible.

Since 2002, more than $500,000 in monetary gifts and services has been provided by individuals, groups, and businesses in support of department activities.

Investing in Lawrence

Since the passage of a countywide one-cent sales tax in 1994, Lawrence residents have invested more than $30 million in Parks, Recreation and Culture capital improvements.

These investments have helped create and improve facilities throughout the community, including:

  • Rock Chalk Park — $22.5 million

    • Sports Pavilion Lawrence: $10.5 million for the 181,000-square-foot facility, which opened in 2014

    • Rock Chalk Park infrastructure: $12 million, completed in 2014

  • Indoor Aquatic Center — $9 million, opened in 2001

  • Eagle Bend Golf Course and Learning Center — $3.2 million, opened in 1998

  • Lawrence Outdoor Aquatic Center — $2.9 million in renovations

  • East Lawrence Recreation Center — $2 million in renovations, opened in 1997

  • Clinton Lake Softball Complex — $2 million, opened in 1997

  • Prairie Park Nature Center — $950,000, opened in 1999 

Recognized for Excellence

In 2013, the department received the State of Kansas Governor's Council on Fitness Health Champion Award for its support of healthy lifestyle initiatives.

Nationally, the department has been a three-time finalist for the National Recreation and Park Association's National Gold Medal Award for Excellence, considered the highest honor an agency can receive in the field of parks, recreation, and culture.

Providing Services Efficiently

Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture is committed to providing innovative, cost-efficient, and effective programs and services.

The department continues to identify ways to reduce costs while maintaining high-quality services. This includes outsourcing select mowing, cleaning, and forestry services to help manage staffing and operational expenses.

Through responsible stewardship of community resources, the department works to ensure Parks, Recreation and Culture services continue to enhance Lawrence's quality of life.

Contact Us

Questions about Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture?

parksrec@lawrenceks.gov

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