Advisory board hears preliminary findings for Naples parks and recreation master plan

The Community Services Advisory Board on May 19 received a preliminary summary of findings from Wesson and Sampson Engineering on the City of Naples parks and recreation master plan.

Rachel Cotter, project manager and landscape architect with Wesson and Sampson, said the master plan will translate three inputs — a community profile, an inventory and analysis of existing facilities, and community perspectives gathered through engagement and a scientific survey — into vision, goals and a five-year action plan. "This plan should result in a connected resilient park system for the city," Cotter said.

Consultants reported a system-average PARCC element score of 2.3 (just above "fair") and a park site evaluation average score of 3.6 (approaching "good"). Cotter said the team found the park system well maintained overall but identified opportunities in site furnishings, replacement schedules and accessibility. She told the board the scientific-survey draft was received only hours before the presentation and that the findings shared were preliminary.

On programming, Cotter said the department offers youth, teen, adult and senior programs — notably youth sports, aquatics and wellness classes — and that 95% of scientific-survey respondents rated overall program quality as "excellent" or "good." The consultants reported nearly 1,000 separate program registrations across recent events and identified gaps in health and wellness education, teen programming, adaptive and therapeutic recreation, and trips and tours.

Cotter outlined public participation to date — one open house completed, stakeholder interviews, tabling events and listening sessions — and said the team will release an open public opinion survey to complement the scientific survey data. "We will be presenting the Community Services Advisory Board with our recommendations for your feedback," Cotter said, describing short-, medium- and long-term priorities that will appear in the action plan and noting some long-term items may exceed five years.

Board members pressed for clarity on timing and priorities during a brief question-and-answer period; Cotter confirmed the action plan will include near-term "easy wins" and assigned champions to hold work items accountable.

The presentation concluded with a plan to deliver a comprehensive summary of findings and a draft master plan for the board's review and public comment; no formal action on the plan occurred at the meeting.