Payson Parks & Recreation reports rising attendance, new events and facilities plans for 2026

Payson’s Parks & Recreation director (S9) briefed the Common Council on department activity and plans for 2026, highlighting large attendance numbers for 2025 and a slate of projects aimed at boosting local recreation and tourism.

The director reported device‑tracked visitation estimates for 2025 of about 603,700 for Ramsey Park and 547,000 for Green Valley Park, while the event center saw roughly 38,900 tracked visits. Noting limitations of cell‑phone tracking, the director said those figures likely understate total attendance for community youth events. The department’s ice rink saw significant growth in its second season with 3,876 actual skaters (a roughly 182% increase over the prior year); rink revenue totaled nearly $45,000, covering about half the estimated ice-rink cost.

Looking to 2026, staff described plans for new and expanded offerings: a tournament-level disc-golf course (tee boxes nearing completion), seven→thirteen softball tournaments, the NICA mountain-bike state championship, expanded youth enrichment and wellness programs (yoga, Zumba, ballroom dance), and more in‑house maintenance to reduce contracted costs. The director also said trails work is progressing (two Granite Dells trailheads at ~60% design) and that the department will pursue multi-year event relationships where possible.

Council members praised staff for successful events and community engagement, and several asked staff to return with a trails update in March. The presentation closed with staff noting broader economic benefits (visitor nights and restaurant spending) from tournaments and events.

Next steps: staff will return with more detailed trailhead updates and continue pursuing sponsorships and partnerships to offset event costs.