Parks staff presented results of a community parks survey and recapped recent community harvest events at the Dec. 11 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting.

The survey, which ran through the summer and drew about 500 respondents, showed the highest support for splash pads and upgraded playground equipment. Walking and jogging paths, pickleball courts and improved lighting also ranked highly; when asked which existing amenities should be a priority, respondents placed restroom upgrades first.

Parks staff said most respondents were frequent park users (three to four times weekly) and that the survey sample skewed toward active park visitors. The department will broaden outreach in future surveys by adding QR codes at events, water-bill inserts and social-media outreach to reach a wider representation of the city's 95,000 residents.

Staff also described an Urban Orchard pickup held this week that distributed citrus, avocados and other produce to about 30'6 participants. Parks staff said the orchard and planned classes will be used both for produce distribution and for community gardening education.

Commissioners asked that future surveys be short and widely distributed; Maria Cortez (AYSO) said she can help distribute survey links to AYSO families to increase participation. Staff said full survey results and the presentation will be posted on the city website.