Our History - Who We Are & Why We Exist
(The Long Version)

The Truckee Recreation & Park Foundation was founded in 2024 specifically to support the Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District with two things - 1) funds to build new recreation facilities and parks and 2) a grassroots advocacy engine. The Foundation is a 501c3 exempt organization with the IRS and a registered exempt charity in California.

The District was organized in 1963 by voters in Nevada County and chartered by the State of California, and later expanded into parts of Eastern Placer County to serve “the 96161”, the entire Truckee community. For more than sixty years it has largely evolved in partnership with other special districts - specifically the Truckee Donner Public Utility District (TDPUD), the Truckee Sanitary District (TSD), the Truckee Tahoe Airport District (TTAD) and the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD) who are landowners of many parks or facilities the District operates and maintains.

Property taxes paid to the District only provides for 45% of costs (source: FY22/23 audit) so the remaining 55% is made up mostly by registration and rental fees. And by keeping prices low to offer access to District facilities to all in the Truckee community, the District can only afford day-to-day operating and maintenance. The District also has over $7Million in assets that are beyond their useful life that it is nursing along. So, the District is not equipped with stacks of cash or borrowing capacity to build new facilities that the public would like to see. Most new projects cost millions of dollars. This is where we, the Foundation, step in to support.

The public has expressed interest in a range of new facilities to meet changing interests or growing participation, including an expanded skate park, a pickleball complex, more athletic fields with artificial turf, a performing arts theater, neighborhood playgrounds, a teen center, an indoor field house, an all-abilities playground, splash pads, batting cages, golf simulators, and more. Oh, to dream what we can do as a community with the Foundation’s coordination!

OUR MISSION

The Foundation was founded on the belief that recreation is vital to a vibrant and healthy community. Our mission is to support the fulfillment of the TDRPD’s vision of inspiring creative and active lives for a healthy mountain community. We are committed to preserving and enhancing our recreation programs, parks, and facilities, ensuring that all residents, as well as second homeowners and visitors, can enjoy and benefit from these essential resources.

OUR PRINCIPLES

The Foundation’s guiding principles reflect those of the District and include:

  • Community Focused: Believing that every individual deserves access to outdoor activities and that parks are fundamental to a healthy community.

  • Positive: Offering life-enhancing experiences for individuals of all ages through recreation programs and parks.

  • Innovative: Harnessing creativity and dedication to achieve remarkable results.

  • Collaborative: Achieving the best outcomes through partnership with community members and local organizations.