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Parks department previews 2026 master plan, reports CIP progress
Summary
City staff told the Park, Recreation & Forestry Board the department will refresh the Park and Recreation System Master Plan in 2026 (first full revamp since 2007) and reported completion or progress on several CIP projects, facility upgrades and staffing changes ahead of next year.
The Park, Recreation & Forestry Board heard a year‑end report on capital projects and a preview of a full Park and Recreation System Master Plan scheduled for 2026.
Ron said the department’s 2026 master‑plan update will cover all parks and related open‑space items and is a top goal for next year; the board was told it is the first full revamp since 2007. “That’s one of our top goals for 2026,” Ron said, describing the effort as covering indoor facilities and other system‑level priorities.
Staff reported recent capital improvements completed this year, including keyless entry and camera installs at David’s Park, Priederman, EB (Schurts/EB Shirts) and Buckner Park, and a new roof, fascia and replaced rotten wood at the Schutze Recreation Center. Melissa described ongoing work at the Horeb Springs Aquatic Center retaining wall and progress on the Frame Park Formal Gardens pathways and subsurface drainage.
Mark Schramm highlighted publication of the department activity guide and said winter/spring 2026 registration has opened. Mark Thompson said the recreation division is preparing summer programming, onboarding new staff and expanding training for lifeguards and water‑safety instructors; he reported about 180 attendees at a recent older‑adult holiday gathering that was sponsored in part by Lou Malnati.
Staff also described facility accessibility upgrades: the Rotary Building now has ADA automatic door openers on the bocce‑court side and other door and flooring improvements. Operations updates included two open arborist positions and an outstanding offer for a building maintenance specialist; staff noted some snowplowing and post‑storm cleanup duties were contracted to Jake’s Landscaping this season.
Why it matters: the master‑plan refresh will guide capital investments for more than 1,200 acres in the city park system and set priorities for indoor space and program delivery. Staff flagged several near‑term public‑input steps, including a possible public meeting on bike‑path wayfinding signage and a winter public input meeting for playground fixtures in Greenway Terrace.
Next steps: staff will continue design and procurement on listed CIP items, plan public‑input meetings in January, and advance the master‑plan process in 2026.
