Winning the Vote: How to Run a Successful Recreation Facilities Referendum

Recreation centers, public parks and trails, pools, and athletic facilities form the foundation of community wellness and engagement. Successful funding for park districts and projects requires a multifaceted approach.

How to run a successful recreation facilities referendum

Recreation centers, public parks and trails, pools, and athletic facilities form the foundation of community wellness and engagement. Successful funding for park districts and projects requires a multifaceted approach. Community support and funding are critical; without that backing, a parks and recreation project is less likely to flourish.

A vote on a bond referendum truly is the culmination of a marathon of assessments, surveys, data points, and community engagement. A successful recreation referendum starts years before a vote. The following are real-world lessons, success stories, and suggestions to help get a community’s next big project across the finish line.

What A Referendum Really Means

A bond referendum is a voter-approved debt authority; voters authorize an investment in projects that will shape the future of their community, and they’re ultimately covering the bill through property taxes. Common projects in recreation referendums include pools, recreation centers, senior centers, public trails, and parks or land acquisition.

What Makes A Successful Referendum?

A successful referendum isn’t won in the months leading up to a vote—it is the result of months, and sometimes years, of groundwork. From early planning to thoughtful ballot language, every step of the process matters. Creating funding sources for park districts and municipalities requires a strong partnership among architects, a city, and a community. A roadmap to support the success of a referendum should include the following:

• Alignment: The project plan must be logical, be a need that is felt within the community, and still be...

Discover more in the original article published in PRB+ Magazine on December 1, 2025.