Parks Department Proposes $2.7M in Cuts to Close Budget Gap

Riverside's Parks, Recreation and Community Services department is preparing to scale back services in the coming years, with a proposed $2.7 million in budget cuts that would eliminate the city's Latin Festival, reduce recreation programming and delay maintenance projects as officials try to stabilize the city's finances.

The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department on Monday presented its proposed fiscal years 2026–27 and 2027–28 budget to the Park and Recreation Commission, outlining the reductions tied to the city's broader effort to close projected deficits in the General Fund and Measure Z.

The department's proposed baseline budget totals about $54.44 million in 2026–27 and $55.84 million in 2027–28, according to the staff report.

A key change is the elimination of the Latin Festival, which Parks Director Pamela Galera described as a new event that would expand on the city's Mariachi Festival held several years ago; aside from that, the budget cuts will likely show up as reductions — decreases to arts and culture advertising and local artist programs, reduced security services at community centers and scaled-back recreation programming and part-time staffing.

The department also plans to leave two management positions vacant.

The proposed reductions mirror the city's wider budget strategy presented last week to the Budget Engagement Commission, where finance officials described a multi-pronged approach focused on trimming spending, drawing from reserves and phasing in cuts while trying to preserve core services.

In the staff report, parks staff said the reductions are necessary "to support the city's overall fiscal stability while economic conditions and tax revenues recover."

The department said it is still dealing with financial impacts from the pandemic, including slower recovery in recreation revenue and lower participation in some programs as fees rise alongside inflation.

"Revenue levels have not fully returned to pre-pandemic levels," the report stated, citing higher operational costs and reduced discretionary spending by residents.

The city also said it is trying to preserve access to programs through scholarships and financial assistance for residents who cannot afford rising fees.

Some funding streams remain protected, with Measure Z funding continuing to support senior and adaptive recreation programming — including a recreation services coordinator focused on therapeutic programming for residents with disabilities.

The parks division will also continue receiving $250,000 annually for tree trimming, and the budget also includes an additional $400,000 tied to the city's agreement transferring management of the Festival of Lights to the Riverside Arts Council.

Though staff cited outreach efforts such as freeway billboards and social media updates, Commissioner Kevin Dawson said at the meeting he'd not heard about events where residents or commissioners could give input on budget shaping or advocate for programs they cared about.

"If we could put it in the upcoming year as a standard practice when these events come up, so we could get ourselves noticed when there's an opportunity to advocate on behalf of parks, I would like that," Dawson said. "I need a memory tickler."

The parks budget will next go before the City Council as part of Riverside's broader biennial budget process, with final adoption expected in June.