The parks and recreation advisory board to the borough assembly is going away, and its replacement, tentatively named Friends of Wrangell Parks and Recreation, will spend much of its time going after grants to help pay for the outdoor and indoor programs enjoyed by the community.

The assembly voted unanimously June 23 to remove the ordinance that established the advisory board, clearing the way for a new nonprofit organization to take its place and aggressively pursue outside grants.

The fundraising organization is intended to resolve a long-standing financial hurdle. 

“It has become increasingly clear that the current advisory board structure limits the department’s ability to pursue larger-scale funding opportunities, partnerships, sponsorships and grant programs that could directly benefit community recreation services and facilities,” Parks and Recreation Director Lucy Robinson reported to the assembly.

The department’s operating budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 is just over $732,000, of which $525,000 is covered by funding from the borough’s general fund. Program fees and grants cover a small portion of the budget.

Robinson explained that the department’s costs are “primarily for facility improvements and wages. … It is difficult to reach beyond that,” she said.

“While these expenditures remain essential, they limit the department’s ability to independently fund new recreation initiatives, equipment replacement and long-term enhancement projects,” she reported to the assembly.

To overcome these limitations, officials are shifting to a model that allows for more direct fundraising. “Having the nonprofit will greatly enhance grant opportunities to source more funding,” Robinson said.

As a prime example of how this change will help, she pointed to playground revitalization projects, which are difficult to finance under the current system. The nonprofit’s board will have the flexibility to target specific community goals while seeking grant funding. She acknowledged that the advisory board’s mission wasn’t “necessarily action oriented.”

While the advisory board is going away, familiar faces will continue to guide the mission. Former advisory members Joan Sargent, Kim Wickman and Jeanie Arnold have all agreed to serve on the nonprofit board.

This shift also changes how the borough operates, bringing the Parks and Recreation Department in line with other entities like the library and the Nolan Center, neither of which use formal advisory boards. There are “friends of” nonprofits that help raise money for the library and the museum.

Robinson said the change will not reduce public transparency or oversight. The department will still be directed by the assembly and report to them. Any future policy changes, adjustments to fees or major decisions requiring community input will continue to go before the assembly for approval.