Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Recreation is to provide high quality, diverse, and accessible programs, services, and facilities that enhance the quality of life for all ages, cultures, and abilities.

Budget Overview

The total recommended FY26 Operating Budget for the Department of Recreation is $68,254,542, an increase of $3,639,325 or 5.63 percent from the FY25 Approved Budget of $64,615,217. Personnel Costs comprise 60.96 percent of the budget for 191 full-time position(s) and no part-time position(s), and a total of 603.73 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 39.04 percent of the FY26 budget.

The Debt Service for the Recreation Fund is appropriated in the Debt Service Fund and is, therefore, not displayed in this section. To pay for the Debt Service, a transfer of funds from the Recreation Fund to the Debt Service Fund of $10,480,870 is required to cover General Obligation bond costs.

In addition, this department's Capital Improvements Program (CIP) requires Current Revenue funding.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following are emphasized:

• Thriving Youth and Families
• A Greener County

Program Performance Measures

Performance measures for this department are included below (where applicable), with multi-program measures displayed at the front of this section and program-specific measures shown with the relevant program. The FY25 estimates reflect funding based on the FY25 approved budget. The FY26 and FY27 figures are performance targets based on the FY26 recommended budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY27.

Initiatives

• Expand Elementary Excel Beyond the Bell (EBB) Programs to Waters Landing and East Silver Spring Elementary Schools.

• Partnered with the Maryland Senior Olympics on launching the first soccer event at Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center.

• Developed a Winter Wellness Campaign to encourage seniors to stay active during the colder months when it becomes so easy to stay sedentary and passed out 1,000 free at home resistance bands to encourage continued movement at home.
• Offered 92 different programs, at nine different locations, providing 1,781 total facilitated program hours, serving 5,148 total registered in winter 2024.
• Increased the number of bi-lingual programming and senior programming to 4,164 registrations. Currently, there are 82 programs available for adults 55+, covering activities like dance, education, martial arts, fitness, games, music, and special events.

Innovations and Productivity Improvements

• Youth Development:

  
  

  
  

  Accomplishments

  • Received NACo Awards for expansion of Teen Programming during summer months - increased the number of Teen Camp locations.
  • Launched Summer Basketball Series and Teens Day and Night Out programs at multiple locations - which served a total of 1,158 youth.
  • Expanded Elementary Excel Beyond the Bell Programs to two new sites: Harriet Tubman and Watkins Mill Elementary Schools.

  Collaborations & Partnerships

  
  
  • Collaborated with Montgomery County Fire & Rescue on a Hands Only CPR Awareness Campaign that brought the lifesaving knowledge and skill set to 159 youth.
  • Partnered with the Housing Opportunities Commission to host the Fun, Food, Fitness summer program for youth on location within Cider Mill Apartments.
  • Collaborated with the Montgomery Village Foundation to host a Summer Street Soccer Tournament at North Creek Community Center in Montgomery Village. Provided youth with a healthy meal paired with recreational fun.
  
  

• Countywide Programs:
  
  

  Accomplishments

  • Received NaCo awards for Flag Football with Officiating Program and Rec Your Way.
  • Successfully held the largest All Staff Camp Global Training, featuring guest speaker Michael Brandwein.
  • Utilized report tags in department's database more efficiently in sort program offerings for performance measures, telling the department's story, and reporting on data more efficiently.

  Expansion of Youth Sports

  • Expanded Youth Lacrosse Instructional League to two locations Bauer and Calverton-Galway. The Youth Lacrosse enrichment program is currently at various summer camps locations.
  • Launched skateboarding classes at the Damascus Community Recreation Center serving youths between 8-12 years old.
  • Added a Girl's Varsity division in the High School Summer Basketball League in summer 2024.
• Senior Programming:

  
  

  Accomplishments

  • Received 2024 NACo Awards for: 55+ BBQ Bonanza, Centenarian Celebration, Senior Outdoor Adventures in Recreation (SOAR), and Winter Wellness Campaign.
  • Received 2024 Maryland Recreation and Parks Association (MRPA) Showcase Award for the "Maryland, My Maryland" category for the Centenarian Celebration.
  • Expanded the summer Senior Adventure Camp to two new locations, Ross Boddy & Silver Spring, while increasing more camper seats for participation. In Summer 2025, the department expects to increase programming.
  • Implemented Maryland's new coupon card system for Farmers Market coupons, which allowed Recreation to distribute and assign pre-loaded cards that could be used to purchase fresh produce from location participating farmers markets throughout the County.

• Communication & Public Outreach:

  
  

  Accomplishments

  • Increased the total Rec Assist award from $200 to $400 per eligible household member in 2024. The department has seen a significant increase in funds used by families participating in the financial assistance program to sign up for Montgomery County Recreation's programs and activities.
  • Continued to raise awareness about the Rec Assist program through the efforts of the Community Outreach Team. This has resulted in an increase of families signing up for programs. Rec Assist has been a big asset in providing equitable access to services for County residents.

Program Descriptions

  Aquatics

The Aquatics programs provide recreational, fitness, instructional, competitive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative water activities that serve all residents. The broad ranges of programming include lessons, instructional wellness classes, and competitive programming such as dive and swim teams. Facilities also host a wide variety of local, regional, and national events and...

  Countywide Programs

Countywide Programs offers essential and universally accessible recreation and leisure services to all residents across the region--an indicator of a healthy, affordable, and welcoming community. Program staff generates partnerships with local small businesses and non-profit organizations to activate key public and private spaces and to offer culturally responsive programs,...

  Recreation Community & Neighborhood Centers

The Department of Recreation has 23 recreation centers throughout the County. These facilities provide affordable programs featuring leisure activities, social interaction, family participation, and community civic involvement, as well as promote community cohesion and identity for all ages. Centers are designed to support sports, fitness, dance, community/social activities,...

  Senior Adult Programs

The Senior Programs Team offers a wide range of supports, opportunities, programs, services, and facilities, which are designed to enhance the quality of life and help community members 55 and over remain active, engaged, and independent in their communities. Lifestyle and leisure program offerings such as fitness and wellness,...

  Youth Development

The Youth Development Team uses recreation to ensure young people are healthy, connected, and productive during out-of-school time. Program staff work to change the landscape of communities by tackling pressing and diverse issues, reducing barriers to participation, and improving equitable access to high quality out-of-school time opportunities which improve...

  Administration

The Administration Program provides oversight, leadership, management, and supervision to accomplish the Department's mission. The Administration Program includes the Department's senior management, the Director's Office and staff, as well as business and information technology services, communications and outreach, facility planning, asset replacement, and fixed-cost management.The Business Services and Information Technology...