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Shorewood Park Commission advances 2025 workplan discussion and debates park‑tour approach ahead of Parks Master Plan
Summary
Staff presented a draft 2025 Park Commission workplan and commissioners debated whether to conduct group park tours (valued for multi‑department conversation) or individual pre‑walks compiled into a 'state of the parks' summary to inform CIP and the Parks Master Plan; staff said the Master Plan RFP deadline is March 31, 2025.
Parks and Recreation Manager Czech presented a draft 2025 workplan to the Shorewood Park Commission on March 25 and asked for input to align Commission priorities with City Council directives.
Commissioner Garske proposed that each commissioner conduct independent park walk‑throughs, submit notes to staff, and then use a consolidated 'state of the parks' meeting to feed into the budget/CIP discussion. Garske said the approach could allow commissioners to visit more sites (for example, woods or Gideon’s Glen) and capture usage at different times of day.
Commissioner Hirner argued for retaining at least one group Park Tour because those events typically draw the Mayor, Councilmembers and Public Works staff, fostering cross‑departmental conversation and producing actionable maintenance lists. Council Liaison Gorham noted 2025 will be unusual because outside consultants will tour parks as part of the Parks Master Plan, and suggested the consultants' schedule might inform the Commission’s own tours.
The Commission discussed rotating park visits on off‑meeting nights, inviting Public Works and Police input for maintenance and safety considerations, and seeking community engagement or an open house. Manager Czech said he would send a consolidated maintenance/priorities list to commissioners and that staff would provide more clarity about the Parks Master Plan process at the next meeting.
In staff updates later in the meeting, Czech reminded the commission that March 31, 2025, is the deadline for firms to submit RFPs for the Parks Master Plan and noted staff had held a Q&A with eight interested firms. No final decision was made on the tour format; commissioners agreed some form of park review would be important in 2025 and that the workplan would be adjusted as the Master Plan consultants clarify their engagement schedule.
