Shawnee County launches parks master plan outreach with mailed survey and Feb. 4 open house

Tim Laurent, director of Parks & Recreation, and a consultant identified in the meeting as Brian updated the Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners on the county parks master‑planning process at the Jan. 26 work session.

The consultant said the team is finishing the initiation phase and will begin discovery and assessment work. He said a mailed survey to thousands of residents will go out the week of the presentation, a public engagement website will launch the same week and remain open for about six months, and park and facility assessments will begin in February and continue through April.

"By the end of this week, we'll have a survey that's going out in the mail to thousands of residents across the county," the consultant said. He added the online platform will include an interactive map and language options and that staff hope to have statistically valid response totals by March with a full report by mid‑April.

The presentation included a scheduled in‑person open house on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at the Big Gage Shelter in Gage Park from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., where staff and consultants will host interactive stations and brief presentations about the planning process. The team also plans stakeholder focus groups in March and April and pledged broad outreach, including email blasts to an existing list of more than 8,000 contacts.

Commissioners asked that the planning team coordinate closely with the Gage Park Improvement Authority and the zoo, which staff confirmed are among the stakeholders engaged in the process. Tim Laurent said the Parks and Recreation marketing staff will help promote the website and the open house.

The consultant said the team hopes to return to the board in late spring—around early to mid‑May—and deliver a final report in the fall. No action or vote was taken during the update.