Task Force & Work Plan

The Community Recreation & Parks Task Force (Recreation Task Force) was formed in January 2021.  This ad hoc group of community members was created for the purpose of performing local outreach and data collection and providing the Community Services and Environment Commission with advice relating to the first two phases of the City’s Multi-Year Recreation and Parks Work Plan.

They were able to complete a recreation inventory analysis and create a virtual directory of parks, facilities and recreation providers in Sonoma Valley before dissolving in September of 2022. The Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Commission, formed in 2023, continues to work on many of the Recreation and Parks Work Plan.

In September 2019, Alcaldessa Karen Collins presented a proposal to create a citizens group to review how similar-sized cities in Sonoma and Napa Counties operate their Parks and Recreation programs. The goal of this initiative is to identify and implement new processes to further support a robust Parks and Recreation program here in the City of Sonoma.

With support from Council, City staff collaborated with Ms. Collins and key recreation partners to create a phased work plan and strategy for the creation of a comprehensive, multi-year Recreation and Park Master Plan. At their December 14, 2020 meeting, Sonoma City Council approved a resolution authorizing the formation of the Community Recreation & Parks Task Force and the launch of “Phase 1” of the work plan, along with $20,000 in funding from the General Fund Reserves for this initial effort.

The City of Sonoma is grateful to the following community members that served on the Recreation Task Force.

Chair Karen Collins
Co-Chair Steve Page

Simon Blatner
Sandi Funke
Maite Iturri
Tony Moll
Jon Parker
Angie Sanchez

Youth Representative Fernanda Alvarez

Participating Recreation Providers & Facilities:

Bruce Abbott, Sonoma Valley Unified School District
Richard Dale, Sonoma Ecology Center
Charlotte Hajer, Sonoma Community Center
Marty Herrick, Field of Dreams
Joanna Kemper, Overlook Trail Stewards
Renee Scott,Vintage House
Cary Snowden, Boys & Girls Club of Sonoma Valley