Through the Recreation Master Plan, the County will plan for parks, trails, open spaces, and recreational facilities for the next 20 years. We are collecting public feedback through our survey that asks folks what they love to do outside and what they need more access to. We will use that feedback to develop a first-of-its-kind recreational needs assessment for the entire County, identifying needs and funding priorities for years to come. Projects included in the Master Plan will be cleared for environmental review through this plan, putting those projects on a fast track to funding. We are working closely with all 8 cities and private recreational providers to make sure everyone’s voices are heard in this process.
Access to recreation is an essential part of sustainable communities. Our parks build community, provide space for physical activity, benefit the local economy, and foster environmental conservation. The Recreation Master Plan seeks to addresses inequities in park access and improve the amazing assets we already have. For example, we know communities in the northern part of the County have fewer park acres and amenities. We see that some of our neighborhoods with the highest proportions of children don’t have access to a neighborhood park. This project aims to rectify those inequities – it’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide feedback and plan for the future. The plan will address all kinds of recreational amenities, including sports fields and courts, trails, campgrounds, aquatic and community centers, bike paths, equestrian facilities, and more!
One crucial aspect of the Recreation Master Plan is our inventory. For the first time ever, we’re creating maps of every recreational amenity in the County. We’re keeping track of everything through the Atlas – we’ve pulled data from and uploaded data to the Atlas over the past year, building our inventory up. Now, we’re breaking up our County map into smaller pieces and verifying them with individual jurisdictions. This level of analysis would not have been possible without the easy-to-use data visualization tools that the Atlas provides.
We love using the Atlas and its data for this project and its been a pleasure working with their team.
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