Our Culture

We Serve the Community.

The Parks & Recreation Department staff have the amazing opportunity to play a significant role in improving the overall quality of life in Erie. We are responsible for providing memorable experiences for the community every day. We provide PEAK customer service, build local connections and harness those relationships to make long term impacts on the community. Through our passionate perseverance, we provide exceptional parks, open spaces, trails, facilities, programs and services. Service is a choice, and we choose to serve! 

We Support One Another.

The Parks & Recreation Department staff are expected to support one another. We lead with kindness everyday, serve our team over ourselves, and understand we're one of many contributors to the Parks & Recreation team. This is exemplified by being accountable to our teammates and following through on our commitments. We are timely in our responses to each other's inquiries. We assume positive intent in our daily interactions yet also possess the courage to engage in difficult conversations when needed. Our communication style is clear and kind always.

We Invest in You!

The Parks & Recreation Department values you and the unique talents and strengths you bring to the team. The Department is dedicated to your personal and professional growth through various training opportunities. We encourage a growth mindset which results in higher performance and productivity levels, and better work relationships. We are not afraid to take calculated risks, and when mistakes happen, we fail forward. We continuously strive to improve. We take time to learn about one another's personal values and commit to living those values every day.

Graphic for Parks and Recreation Departments Culture Commitment. Text content is also found other places on this page.


Hear what these three pillar actually mean from a few members of our leadership team!

Why work for the Erie Parks & Recreation Department?