Department of Parks & Recreation

The mission of the Department of Parks & Recreation is to provide comprehensive and quality programming that supports the holistic wellness of City residents by offering recreational, social, cultural, employment, and educational opportunities for all City residents regardless of age or physical barriers.

Parks & Recreation Is...

The City's 5th largest Department with a total FY 2025 General Fund Budget of $10,654,433.

It accounts for 5.6% of the General Fund.

About Parks & Recreation

Wilmington’s parks serve as a positive gathering place for residents and visitors to explore and enjoy the outdoors, build stronger communities, and to promote healthy living.

It is the mission of the Department of Parks and Recreation to provide comprehensive and quality programming that supports the holistic wellness of city residents, maintain the park lands and related facilities, and also provide recreational, social, cultural, employment and educational opportunities for all.

Parks Capital Projects

Capital projects are part of the City's Capital Improvements Program (CIP), a six-year plan for the purchase of permanent assets, such as property, equipment, and public infrastructure. The Parks Department is in charge of many important projects that are necessary to maintain and improve the City's parks, playgrounds, and swimming pools, as well as the City-owned William "Hicks" Anderson Community Center.

At left is a rendering of renovations to Eden Park, an exciting renovation project completed in FY 2020. Click here to learn more!

Year-to-Date Expenditures by Division*

*Move the slider at the bottom of the graph to see budget and prior-year data.

Year-to-Date Expenditures by Category*

*Move the slider at the bottom of the graph to see budget and prior-year data.

How Many People Work for the Parks Department?

Parks & Recreation FY 2025 Annual Budget

Total FY 2025 General Fund Budget: $10,882,065

Total FY 2024 General Fund Budget: $10,654,433

Total Increase from FY 2024: $227,632

Major Funding Changes from Prior Year:

Personal Services, an account group that includes salaries and benefits, increased by a net $88,242, or 1.8%, due to the following:

In comparison to FY 2024, there is a reduction of one full-time equivalent (FTE) position in the General Fund, resulting in a total net savings of $115,038. The Maintenance Division deleted a vacant Labor Foreman II, Maintenance Mechanic IV, and two Senior Equipment Operators, resulting in a savings of $322,917. An Equipment Operator and two General Laborer I positions were added, costing $207,879. In addition, an Administrative Clerk I has been included as an unallocated grant position with a cost of $57,819. The nutrition program will primarily fund this position.
In the Salaries and Wages account group, Regular Salaries rose by $66,644, or 3.1%. At the same time, Overtime increased by $10,000 to cover the additional work hours resulting from extended pool and spray park hours, city-sponsored events, and mowing/leaf removal.

The Materials, Supplies & Equipment (MS&E) account group increased by a net $148,344, or 9.5%, largely due to the following:

Temporary Agencies decreased by $98,000, or 32.3%, due to adding two full-time General Laborer I positions within Personal Services, which cost $129,360.
To hire graffiti removal services for public parks and property, as well as to add additional security at the William Hicks Anderson Community Center (WHACC), Contracted Maintenance Services rose by $70,000.
$50,000 was added to the Community Services account line for homeless support in Christina Park, including resources for homeless adults through the Street Ministry Breakfast program and enhanced support for displaced and foster youth in partnership with the One Step at a Time program.