El Mirage moves forward on parks master plan after 420 survey responses; Basin Park concepts to be unveiled at community open house

El Mirage city staff and consultants updated the Common Council on the ongoing parks and recreation master plan on June 17, 2025, saying the planning process remains on schedule and that initial public input will shape draft concept plans.

City Manager Crystal Dykes introduced the presentation and turned the update over to Farrell Bowler, project lead with 110% Consulting, who summarized findings from a first site visit, a community workshop and a mailed statistically valid survey. "Pickleball and fun came up the most amount of times," Bowler said when describing the words residents offered about the future of parks in El Mirage.

The consultants said the mailed needs-assessment survey drew 420 responses against a target of 400; the survey closed June 13. The mailed survey was randomized and included Spanish-language options; incentives included a gift-card drawing. Bowler and staff said they will reopen the same survey link and a QR code for anyone who wants to respond online in the coming weeks to collect additional feedback.

Councilmembers pressed for clarity on outreach. Councilmember Nora McDaniel asked which facilities consultants will visit during the next site visit; staff said pop-up events will include the YMCA, customer service locations and local laundromats, and that a "Pops and Parks" evening at the El Mirage Senior Center will run 5–7 p.m. to share boards and solicit feedback. Councilmember Gentry questioned the geographic breakdown shown on an in-room slide; staff said that slide reflected only attendees at the community workshop and that the larger mailed survey produced a broader geographic representation.

Sean (staff member) said the Basin Park concept plans will be unveiled during the upcoming open house and that those concepts will form a substantial part of the community feedback the consultant incorporates into the master plan. "We began in November and we are on track to complete the plan by this November 2025," Sean said, describing the timeline from engagement to analysis and plan development.

Farrell Bowler described common themes identified in workshops and the survey: public safety (lighting and maintenance), accessibility and inclusion, park and facility amenities (including courts and gathering spaces), aquatic features such as splash pads or pools, and trail connectivity. She also noted that community priorities and responses will be shared with the public at the forthcoming open house and in follow-up communications.

Staff said the next steps include targeted pop-up outreach, posting the open survey link, reviewing Basin Park concept alternatives with the community, beginning connectivity analysis for multiuse trails and completing a financial/fiscal analysis to inform possible plan adoption.

Council members asked staff to widely publicize the open survey window and to provide council copies of the compiled community- workshop boards and survey analysis when available. Staff said communications and the consultant team will run a short defined push to collect returned online responses before finalizing analysis.

The presentation and Q&A reflected a mix of technical and community concerns rather than formal council action; no ordinance or vote was taken at the June 17 work session.