Redmond Parks and Recreation presented a final report on its citywide teen‑services engagement process Tuesday, telling the City Council the findings will guide programming and the upcoming Old Firehouse (OFH) scenario planning. Parks and Recreation Director Loreen Hamilton introduced the report and Deputy Director Zach Covener summarized results and next steps.

The report matters because it consolidates more than five months of outreach — including 317 detailed questionnaire responses, 17 tabling events and targeted stakeholder conversations — into specific guidance on where teens go for services, what programming they want, and barriers to participation. Staff said the results already are being used to adjust teen lounge operations and to design outreach and partnerships.

Covener told the council the spring engagement targeted current and future teens aged 11–19, families, service providers and OFH alumni. He said the outreach included stakeholder interviews, six service‑provider discussions, two library and youth advisory board meetings, 17 tabling events, two community listening sessions (46 participants total) and a project website that received nearly 4,000 visits from March through June. The report’s stated objectives were to document teen needs, gaps, access routes and how the city can better support youth.

Key findings in the report: teens and adults asked for safe, teen‑only spaces that afford autonomy and belonging; strong interest in expanded music and creative‑arts programming; high prioritization of mental‑health supports; and a desire for free or low‑cost programming. The report notes the OFH was a preferred location, followed by Redmond schools and the library, and that transportation and downtown ribbon access were major considerations. The survey indicated 42% of respondents identified as LGBTQI+, nearly 20% were first‑ or second‑generation immigrants and more than 13% reported a disability; staff highlighted those figures when discussing inclusive programming needs.

Staff described immediate operational responses based on engagement feedback: the new teen lounge at the Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village now includes a sewing station and button‑making machine, a reading nook, and expanded free snacks and take‑home food; staff said those changes followed “Shape Your Space” input. Covener also said Youth Eastside Services (YES) will place a full‑time, fully‑benefited counselor at the Marymoor Village community center starting in October — a position funded by YES that will coordinate with schools and city programs.

Council members pressed staff on implementation and measurement. Councilmember Fields said the report is a good start but asked whether the city can rebuild trust and sustained engagement among teens and families; Hamilton and Covener described the report as a “living document” and emphasized implementation, staff training, onboarding and a forthcoming recreation program plan as tools to follow through. Council Vice President Forsyth and others asked what surprised staff; Covener said the breadth of diversity and the number of residents who did not know the city offered teen services were notable, and staff described plans to use partners’ distribution channels and targeted marketing to reach more teens.

Covener also addressed accessibility and transportation concerns raised by respondents and public comments. He said staff added an FAQ describing a safer walking route from the new light‑rail station to the Marymoor Village community center and that Public Works plans a crosswalk to improve access. King County Metro updated routes that now better serve Marymoor Village, staff said, and Parks is exploring a community van pilot that would stage at Marymoor Village to improve connections.

Staff emphasized three roles the city can uniquely play: provide civic engagement platforms for youth; offer neutral, safe and convenient spaces outside school and commercial venues; and coordinate resources so partners do not duplicate services. Hamilton said the engagement will feed OFH scenario planning and the Parks master plan, and that rotating RYPAC meetings and activating Estrella Park are examples of how the findings might influence facility and program location decisions.

Councilmembers and staff requested follow‑up: Hamilton and Covener said staff will return with implementation updates this fall, additional metrics on participation and inclusion, and more detailed outreach and contracting adjustments to allow community partners to deliver programming in city spaces. Councilmembers asked staff to report on metrics for diversity and inclusion, program attendance and cost‑recovery tiers for future briefings.

The council did not take formal action on the report Tuesday; staff said the findings will continue to be incorporated into the Old Firehouse process and the recreation program plan, with stakeholder meetings and focus groups scheduled later in September and a planned study session on OFH in November.