The Greater Vallejo Recreation District

“Building community and enhancing quality of life through People, Parks, and Programs.”

GVRD's Mission:
"Building community and enhancing quality of life through people, parks,
and programs."

The Greater Vallejo Recreation District is a "Special Service District" that has served residents since 1944. As a Special Service District, GVRD operates separately, but in partnership with the City of Vallejo. The Greater Vallejo Recreation District operates 25 public parks, 4 community centers and an Olympic-size swimming pool and manages over 1000 acres of public land.

The District also organizes and manages sports programs, after-school care, and a variety of leisure classes for over 120,000 people. In addition, GVRD hosts a variety of outstanding special events like the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame, Breakfast with Santa, and the recent Natalie Coughlin Tribute.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is GVRD a Special Service District and not part of the City of Vallejo?
In the late 1930's members of the Vallejo PTA decided that they wanted to hire someone to organize recreation activities for local youth. They hired Vallejo resident Lyston Johnson. In the late 1940's, as the war brought rapid growth to Vallejo, the role of recreation began to grow. In 1944 an election was held to form GVRD and support this organization through property tax revenues. The citizens of Vallejo approved the creation of this special district.

Why didn't the PTA go directly to the City to create a Dept. of Parks & Recreation?
The PTA didn't go directly to te City back then because many residents and much of the existing park and open space areas were not part of the City of Vallejo, but rather were part of the unincorporated area outside existing city limits.

How is GVRD funded?
GVRD’s major funding sources come from property taxes. The property tax makes up 60% of the district’s general operating budget and the balance comes from fees and facility use. Grants provide some additional funding for improvement projects and impact fees are collected to pay for new park development projects.
Please click the link to view the BUDGET AND FINANCIAL SUMMARY.