By Anthony Finlay
Play Bold Hutch
Recreation commissions are a unique Kansas solution to delivering community-centered parks and recreation services that strengthen neighborhoods, nurture healthy lifestyles, and connect generations. As provided in state statute (K.S.A. 12-1924), a city or school district may establish a public recreation system and delegate the operation of that system to a locally appointed recreation commission, with clear authority to operate facilities and deliver programs on behalf of the taxing district.
Hutchinson Recreation Commission was established in 1947. Originally, Hutch Rec was established through Hutchinson USD 308 as a school-based recreation commission. In 2013, Hutch Rec expanded to include all of the City of Hutchinson boundaries as a city-based recreation commission.
The state statute framework intentionally creates an organizational model that is flexible and locally accountable. The enabling law and companion provisions give recreation commissions the authority to adopt governing policies, provide services and programs on public or permitted private property, accept gifts, and enter contracts. These are tools that allow a commission to operate like an independent municipal partner while remaining grounded in local priorities and oversight. Here locally, the five-member Hutch Rec Board of Commissioners is appointed by the Hutchinson City Council.
Currently, there are more than 140 recreation commissions operating across the state, from larger communities to small towns, demonstrating that Kansas communities rely on this model to deliver parks and recreation services.
When a recreation commission is organized independently of a city department—as Hutch Rec is—it unlocks programmatic diversity and operational responsiveness. Hutch Rec’s programming includes arts and culture, aquatics, youth and adult sports leagues, summer day camps and enrichment activities, senior programming, nature education, outdoor recreation, festivals, events, and a full slate of community initiatives, including the Healthy Neighborhood Initiative.
Additionally, Hutch Rec provides facility program management at venues like the Hutchinson Sports Arena’s auxiliary gyms, Fun Valley Sports Complex, Salt City Splash, Elmdale Senior Center, and Dillon Nature Center. This variety reflects how commissions can tailor parks and recreation services across ages, abilities, and interests while partnering with the city, schools, nonprofits, and businesses.
The commission model also enables creative revenue and partnership strategies. Commissions manage budgets separately, accept donations, partner on joint facilities, and levy a limited millage subject to law and local approvals—all designed to keep programs accessible while investing in quality public spaces.
As parks and recreation practitioners and stewards, recreation commissions provide far more than games and fields. We deliver essential community services.
Through camps, child care, and after-school programs, we support working families and create safe spaces for children to learn and grow. Our recreation, aquatics, and sports programs not only build health and social connections, but also serve as a training ground where many local youth gain their very first job experience.
Nature education fosters environmental stewardship and an appreciation of Kansas’ natural resources, while inclusive senior programming combats isolation and promotes wellness for an aging population. Just as important, our neighborhood initiatives strengthen the very fabric of our community by creating places where residents gather, connect, and belong.
This comprehensive public value of touching lives from early childhood through retirement is why the recreation commission model remains vital to Hutchinson and to communities across Kansas.
Anthony Finlay is the executive director of Hutchinson Recreation Commission. He can be reached at tfinlay@hutchrec.com.