Plans

The Comprehensive & Strategic Master Plan consists of a series of recommendations that will guide decision-making and investments over a 5-year period. The Comprehensive & Strategic Master Plan supports the Mission, Vision, and Values of the Park District and serves as a living document that provides the foundation for future plans and addresses the changing needs of the community.

Continued investment in our parks and facilities is critical to the District’s mission. The Park Board’s policy states that each site plan will be revisited and updated within a 10-year period. The Park District is in the process of revisiting each site plan per this policy in order to identify additional amenities desired by our residents, to budget strategically for these improvements, and to be prepared for grant opportunities.

If you have questions or would like to provide feedback on park and facility plans currently in progress, please contact Bill Hamilton, Superintendent of Properties & Planning.

The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is a five-year projection of planned improvements to the District’s parks and facilities. The CIP provides a blueprint for spending priorities over a five-year period. The CIP is updated annually to ensure funding is available for needed capital improvements throughout the District during the next five years. No actual expenditures are made until they are included in the annual budget, which is reviewed and approved by the Board of Commissioners. Therefore, based on updated needs and priorities, the CIP is being updated on an annual basis. The public has had ongoing opportunities for input on capital improvements through the site master plan processes.

The public is also invited to provide comment at the beginning of every Board meeting and at the annual Public Hearing held before the budget is approved, or by contacting staff and Board members throughout the year.

The Park District identified Sustainability as one of our core values and strategic initiatives in 2015. One of the objectives was to create a Sustainability Plan for the agency to use to set goals and track progress. The Sustainability Plan is designed to be updated every two years. The Sustainability Plan is presented to the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee for approval prior to the beginning of the fiscal year for which the plan covers. The Sustainability Plan is comprehensive and includes goals and recommendations across ten work areas or elements. These elements include:

• Employee Education, Training, and Engagement
• Community and Patrons Education and Engagement
• Utility/Energy Conservation
• Water Conservation and Management
• Fleet Management
• Sustainable Acquisitions and Use of Agency Supplies
• Recycling and Solid Waste Management
• Sustainable Infrastructure and Natural Areas
• Natural Resources and Habitat Preservation
• Health and Wellness