Sacramento, California – A city park can look quiet from the sidewalk, but behind every pool, playground, sports field and community center is a workforce keeping Sacramento active and connected.
That work moved into the spotlight this week as Councilmember Lisa Kaplan led a special presentation recognizing July 2026 as Parks and Recreation Month, highlighting both the people behind the system and the scale of their impact across the city.
For more than four decades, Parks and Recreation Month has honored professionals who help communities become healthier, stronger and more welcoming. This year’s theme, “the power of Parks & Recreation,” focuses on the role public spaces play in giving residents places to gather, learn, exercise and feel that they belong.
In Sacramento, much of that responsibility rests with the Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment Department, known as YPCE. More than 1,000 employees support its work, which includes maintaining 243 parks and 15 community centers, caring for open spaces and organizing recreation and youth programs.
The department’s reach can also be measured in numbers. During the past year, city pools recorded more than 100,000 drop-in visits. YPCE offered over 650 swimming classes and provided jobs for more than 200 local young people.
Its employees also planted more than 500 trees, an effort aimed at expanding Sacramento’s urban canopy while improving public spaces for future generations.
Kaplan thanked Jackie Beecham and the wider YPCE team for their daily work, saying it was an honor to lead the presentation recognizing the month.
The celebration comes as Sacramento continues planning for the long-term future of its recreation network. Parks Plan 2040 is being shaped as a community-driven vision for parks, youth services and recreational opportunities throughout the city.
While the formal recognition lasts through July, the department’s work continues year-round. Staff members maintain facilities, support programs and create spaces where residents of different ages and backgrounds can spend time together.
Kaplan encouraged Sacramento residents to mark the month by visiting a neighborhood park, joining a local program and recognizing the employees who keep those services operating.
The message behind the observance is simple: parks are more than patches of grass or places to pass through. They are shared spaces where Sacramento residents can play, grow and build stronger connections with their community.