# Bellingham Parks Board Tackles Greenways Spending, Facility Fees, and Future Vision ## Meeting Overview The Bellingham Parks and Recreation Advisory Board convened on November 12, 2025, in what turned out to be one of their most substantive meetings of the year. With a packed agenda spanning budget concerns, facility upgrades, fee structures, and long-term planning, the evening session highlighted both the achievements and challenges facing the city's parks system. Board Chair Scott Pratschner led his first full meeting in the role, guiding discussion through eight major agenda items while managing hybrid participation from board members and the public. The meeting drew pointed public testimony about Greenways levy spending and figure skating access, setting the tone for an evening that would touch on funding, equity, and the community's evolving recreational needs. ## Public Voices on Greenways and Ice Access The meeting opened with passionate public comment that framed many of the evening's discussions. Brian Armstrong, a regular advocate for responsible Greenways spending, delivered a pointed critique of how the city is using voter-approved levy funds. "I believe the heart of the Greenways levy is to provide trail connectivity and habitat restoration," Armstrong told the board. "So to see that we have Greenways funds going toward a skate park and turf and field replacement seems to be an unfortunate use of the funds." Armstrong's frustration centered on what he sees as "wordsmithing" to justify spending Greenways money on facilities rather than its intended purposes. He particularly criticized the fact that daylighting work for a creek in the new Bakerview park won't be funded due to REIT dollars being diverted, while turf replacement at Civic Field and skate park construction move forward with Greenways money. "We're gonna be funding turf at Civic Field, we're gonna be funding a skate park and ball fields, but we can't seem to fund a project for a new park that's gonna actually be for habitat restoration," Armstrong said, his voice reflecting the disappointment many environmental advocates feel. Armstrong also pressed for expansion of the volunteer stewardship program, noting that staff capacity to process applications remains a bottleneck despite strong public interest in hands-on conservation work. "We have so many people in the public ready to engage, ready to become involved," he said. "It's really, really frustrating to see that this pr…