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Consultants present parks and recreation needs assessment progress; public outreach ongoing
Summary
RHA Landscape Architects reported interim findings for Norco’s parks and recreation master plan: inventory completed, public engagement conducted, and next steps include a gap analysis and draft capital improvement plan timed for late spring.
Consultants from RHA Landscape Architects and Next Practice Partners presented an update on the parks and recreation needs assessment the city began last year, saying the firm has completed a citywide inventory, condition assessments and initial public outreach and is moving into gap analysis and capital‑improvement planning.
Project lead Doug Grove described the work: park facility inventories in a geographic information system, condition and functionality ratings across access/connectivity, safety/comfort, maintenance and use, and program analyses of athletics, special events, contracted classes, senior and youth services. Grove said staff logged every park amenity into the GIS database and rated each element to inform deferred‑maintenance needs and future capital priorities.
Public engagement has included stakeholder meetings, community open houses, event‑based outreach and online surveys; consultants said survey questions were tailored from early stakeholder input and that the site includes multilingual access. Identified trends include strong interest in outdoor fitness, trails, equestrian facilities and amenity upgrades aligned with the city’s aging population and higher household incomes.
Next steps: consultants will prepare a level‑of‑service analysis, perform a gap analysis mapping existing facilities against community needs, and draft a capital improvement plan with cost estimates. Grove said a draft report will be provided to staff, with a likely presentation to council in late spring or early summer.
Council members asked about specific amenities raised by the public—pickleball courts, secure horse‑tying facilities and equestrian‑friendly design were noted—and staff said those preferences will be captured in the draft plan. The consultant confirmed Ingalls Event Center and LMD‑maintained hill parks were excluded from the city’s park inventory because they are funded/maintained differently; McMaster and other parks were included in the assessment.
