EDMONDS — When Edmonds resident Chelsea Rudd went to enroll her son in the city’s gymnastics program for the winter 2025 semester, the usual classes were gone.
She and other Edmonds parents later learned the program was among the slew of budget cuts the city made last month to bridge its $13 million deficit. Parents and children from the program sent dozens of emails and public comments to the city council leading up to the budget decision, urging council members to reconsider.
Despite their efforts, city cuts included the popular program.
Currently, the two rooms used for the gymnastics program at the Frances E. Anderson Center cannot be used for other activities because of the way the gymnastics equipment is set up.
At an Oct. 8 city council meeting, Deputy Director of Human Services Shannon Burley said the city could gain more incremental revenue by converting the rooms into multi-use spaces. At the time, Burley said the department hopes to keep some tumbling activities for young children.
The Winter 2025 offerings do not include any tumbling-related classes.
In a statement to the Herald, Angie Feser, director of Edmonds Parks, Recreation and Human Services said the department made the decision “based on a variety of factors, cost savings being a top priority.”
With gymnastics no longer at the Frances Anderson Center, families in Edmonds need to look elsewhere for options. Rudd said she’s checked nearby cities for classes, but most are full for this session. The city did not make a formal announcement, so her family couldn’t make other plans in advance, Rudd said.
Edmonds resident Tara Larkins said her daughter was hoping to return to Edmonds Gymnastics after a stint at Cascade Elite in Mountlake Terrace. Her daughter didn’t like the competitive nature of Cascade Elite and wanted something more relaxed, like the Edmonds program.
“It was her favorite thing to do. She’ll miss it,” Larkins said. “She’s a neurodivergent kiddo, so being able to go there and have what she wanted to do, and in the environment where she wanted it to be, was really helpful for her.”
The program has spanned multiple generations. Edmonds resident Cathleen Draper’s children, who are now in their 30s, participated in the Edmonds gymnastics program when they were young. When her 13-year-old grandson visited her in Edmonds this past summer, she registered him for a circus gymnastics class. He had always wanted to take gymnastics, but his autism and ADHD made it harder for him, especially as programs get more competitive as kids get older, Draper said.
“He just loved it,” she said. “He raved about his new skills in somersaults and tumbling, and the people were very patient with him.”
In 2024, Parks, Recreation and Human Services cut multiple programs, including Meadowdale Preschool, Summer Day Camp, Environmental Education and Beach Rangers. It also closed the Olympic Beach Visitor Center. The department laid off a total of 24 employees due to the cuts in 2024 and 2025.
Later this year, Edmonds residents will vote on annexing into the regional fire authority and a levy lid lift, key parts of addressing the budget deficit. If one or both of these measures fail, the city would have to look into other cost-cutting options.
“There’s a ton of stuff that makes Edmonds, Edmonds,” Larkins said, “and I worry that we’re going to lose that because of the budget crisis.”
Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.
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