St. Paul Parks Department proposes 2026 cuts to hours and services as tree backlog grows

St. Paul Parks and Recreation Director Andy Rodriguez laid out the department’s proposed 2026 budget and service changes during the Finance and Budget Committee meeting, citing tight city finances, rising utility costs and the need to avoid layoffs.

Rodriguez said the package would include reductions to morning hours at some recreation centers, limits on weeknight joint-use drop-in access at selected sites, a cut or reclassification for a vacant Office Assistant I position, reduced cleaning frequency in some rec centers, and a shift of some design-and-construction capacity tied to project funding. On forestry, Rodriguez said the department will complete its public emerald ash borer response but lacks funding to replant every removed tree, and the 2026 budget does not include new ongoing forestry investments.

Why it matters: Parks runs 26 recreation centers, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, golf courses, aquatics, and 184 neighborhood parks and is a major city service provider for youth programs, senior activities and public events. Rodriguez emphasized the tradeoffs now facing the department: reduce hours and services in places with relatively low drop-in use or risk layoffs.

Key proposals and data - Visits and participation: Rodriguez cited “over 2,100,000 visits to rec centers last year,” “over 60,000 enrollments,” “over 2,000 activities offered,” and strong demand for aquatics and sports programming. He said many programs are at or near capacity. - Recreation center hours and access: The proposal targets reduced AM…