Chesapeake council adopts 2026 Park, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan after broad public engagement

Chesapeake City Council voted 9-0 to repeal the city's 1991 Parks and Recreation Master Plan and adopt a new 2026 Park, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan after a work-session presentation from Parks, Recreation and Tourism leadership and the consultant team.

Mike Barber, who led the briefing for the department, said the update is the culmination of extensive community input and will guide investments for the next decade. "This was indeed a community effort," Barber said, thanking residents, community organizations and an advisory committee whose input shaped the draft brought to council.

Consultant Chris D'Estasi of Interface Studio summarized the two-year "Path to Play" process and the evidence supporting the plan: about 1,000 adults and 500 youth participated in engagement activities, the project held two dedicated public events and an ETC Institute'fielded, statistically valid survey reached 623 randomly selected households; a separate citywide survey gathered roughly 250 responses. D'Estasi told council Chesapeake now has about 90 parks totaling roughly 3,355 acres, and that the city has seen about 66% population growth since the last comprehensive plan in 1991.

The plan lays out four headline goals: keep taking care of the existing system; modernize facilities residents want; expand year-round programming for all ages and abilities; and invite tourism that leverages Chesapeake's natural, water and agricultural assets. Capital strategies highlighted in the plan include investing in one-of-a-kind "signature destinations," expanding indoor recreation and aquatics (the consultant estimated the system could accommodate up to 287,000 additional square feet over 20 years), clarifying parkland-dedication implementation through zoning, and focusing new park development in high-need and growth areas.

D'Estasi also presented implementation scenarios, showing what could be accomplished under a $20 million-per-year, 10-year program and a $15 million-per-year, 10-year program. He said the pace and scope of implementation will ultimately depend on the city's general-fund trajectory, capital-improvement program priorities and potential revenue increases tied to user fees and other sources. "If the department were to increase revenue up to the national average, it could generate up to $5,000,000 additional dollars per year," he said, noting even partial revenue gains would help implementation.

Council members who spoke praised the department's recent projects (including the Chesapeake Arboretum and historical village), thanked staff and the consultant team for the engagement process, and emphasized the plan's focus on maintenance and equity of access. Vice Mayor Ritter asked for an update on the memorandum of understanding with the schools to clarify shared use of facilities; Mike Barber said a working committee including school and city representatives is reviewing and fine-tuning the MOU, particularly ahead of a pool opening that could require scheduling clarifications.

The council also heard a brief spotlight from Melody Beck, the PRT therapeutic recreation coordinator, who introduced Olivia Raymond, a participant in PRT's therapeutic programming and a former Miss Abilities. Olivia invited council and the public to the 2026 Chesapeake Abilities Pageant on March 8 at 4 p.m. at the Chesapeake Conference Center.

The resolution adopting the master plan passed by a 9-0 vote. City staff said they will incorporate final public comments and return any implementation details or CIP adjustments to council as part of future budget and agenda items.

Next steps: with council adoption, staff may pursue the plan's recommended CIP categories, pursue identified revenue opportunities and bring specific capital and policy items (including potential parkland-dedication ordinance refinements and school MOU terms) back to council for implementation-level decisions.