Recreation & Sports asks for $79.3M in FY25‑26 to expand community programs, map facilities and rehabilitate Secader

The House Finance Committee continued its April 23 hearings with the Department of Recreation and Sports (DRD). Secretary Héctor Vázquez Muñiz presented the agency’s FY25‑26 priorities, asking lawmakers to restore much of a cut the department says will limit programming and facility upkeep.

The ask and why it matters Secretary Vázquez Muñiz said the DRD requested $79.3 million for FY25‑26; the currently approved allocation is about $59.6 million, leaving nearly $19.7 million in additional needs the agency described as urgent for programming, security, insurance and capital projects. He framed recreation as a public‑health and social‑development tool and emphasized programs targeted at children, seniors and underserved communities.

Major program proposals and capital needs - New and expanded programs: The department plans “Summer Grand PR” (a rebranding of the island games on a regional host model), “Recréate en Plenitud y Bienestar” targeting older adults, “Mi comunidad se recrea” (community‑level recreational programming), and “Downtown Shutdown” — a monthly pedestrian‑first weekend concept for high‑activity corridors. The secretary said the…