Item Number: 26
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: June 16, 2026
Submitted By:
Donna Meester, Director of Community Services
Subject:
Analysis and Feasibility of a 5k Run Event
Recommendation:
Any action is at the discretion of the Honorable City Council.
Fiscal Impact:
If the Honorable City Council approves the addition of a 5K Run event, an additional appropriation of $76,000 is necessary as this is not a budgeted event.
Strategic Plan Goal:
This item aligns with Strategic Goal F, Communication and Outreach, by exploring the opportunity to add a 5K Run event to community events and activities.
Background:
At the City Council meeting of January 20, 2026, it was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Harriman and unanimously approved to visit the feasibility of adding a community 5K Run event.
The City currently provides 14 annual community events as listed in the following table.
This table does not include many one-time community events such as the Route 66 100th Anniversary, America’s 250th Anniversary, the Fire Department Centennial, as well as many events in which Community Services play an integral role in logistics, setup, and takedown. Additionally, the National Recreation & Parks Association Conference is included in the table because, although it is not a community event, the annual conference provides recreation staff with the opportunity to stay current on programs, features, and activities that can be offered to the community and as such deems recreation staff unavailable to host an event in September.
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Month Event Event Event January
Civil Rights Essay & Plaque
Unveiling Ceremony
February
March
April Spring Festival
National Library
Week
May
June Concert in the Park Concert in the Park
Pop Up Community
Centers (3)
July July 4th Fireworks Show Concert in the Park Concert in the Park August National Night Out
September
National Recreation & Parks
Association Conference
October Fall Festival
Hallow-Boo Drive
Thru
November
Veterans Day Parade &
Ceremony
December
Winter Festival & Tree
Lighting
Discussion:
The Recreation Division periodically evaluates opportunities to expand community programming and special events. When considering the development of a new program, service, event, or activity, staff typically follow a structured process. This process includes conducting an environmental scan to gather the needs and desires of the community. If a service gap is identified, a partnership is researched to not duplicate efforts and bifurcate resources. If a viable partnership is not available, staff then formulate an action plan with a budget (equipment, consumables, facility maintenance, personnel, and contract services) and a staffing plan to directly address and sustain the identified need.
Community Services has not received resident inquiries, requests, or recurring public comments seeking a City-sponsored 5K Run event. As part of this evaluation, staff reviewed existing race offerings in Victorville and neighboring cities as indicated in the following table. The evidence does not support an unmet community need for a 5K Run event. It is also important to note that the City previously provided a run prior to the Veterans Day event and the run was very limited in attendance (approximately 24-30 runners) as such, the run was discontinued in 2024.
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Month Event Event
April Apple Valley Community Run
June Apple Valley Community Run The Praise Run
August Kiwanis Dream Big 5K Run
September Hesperia Days Run
October Hesperia Run with the Law
November Apple Valley Community Run
Collectively, these events provide multiple opportunities for residents to participate in organized races across various seasons and locations.
If the City were to pursue adding a 5K Run event, considerations for budget, personnel, and the event month would need review. The estimated fiscal impact for a 5K Run event is $76,000 to include restroom rentals, security, sound services, marketing, personnel, and $60,000 for professional services of 5K Run Coordinator which includes the timing, coordination of road closures, setup (barricades, signs, banners, start/finish lines), day of event management, awards, medals, t-shirts, tents, chairs, nutrition, and take-down. The date of such an event is also critical to avoid community competition with other long- standing events. Current months unoccupied with a run are January, February, March, May, July, and December. Of those months, the City already provides a community event in January, July, and December; providing potential scheduling opportunity in February or May.
Hiring a professional 5K Run Coordinator is essential to the success of this event. The Run Coordinator provides specialized expertise necessary to plan, coordinate, and execute a successful 5K Run event, as the current recreation staff have limited experience with large-scale race development and management. Additionally, the implementation of a successful 5K Run event would place additional strain on the existing personnel resources, with a potential impact on service levels for current programs.
Based on the current analysis, staff finds:
1. Recreation has not received public inquiries or requests for a City-sponsored 5K Run event.
2. Existing community organizations and neighboring agencies currently provide 5K Run events that meet the needs of the community.
3. Recreation and facilities staffing presently operate at full capacity managing an extensive annual event calendar.
4. The cost-per-participant value of a new City-sponsored 5K Run event may be less favorable than continued investment in established events that serve a broader segment of the community.
Therefore, it is staff's recommendation to continue collaborating with the Kiwanis Club of Victorville on their established Dream Big 5K event. City staff currently participate in and support the Dream Big 5K, and several staff members are active members of the Kiwanis 4 7
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Club. This existing partnership allows the City to support a successful community race event without duplicating services or resources already available within the community.
Staff remains available for any questions or comments.
Attachments: None