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City intern reports parks survey: trails and upkeep top priorities
Summary
Maria Zion presented results of a three-week public survey (349 responses) to guide the city's comprehensive outdoor recreation plan; respondents prioritized trails and updates to existing facilities, and 38 write-ins requested a splash pad.
Maria Zion, the city's summer intern working on the comprehensive outdoor recreation plan, presented survey findings to the council and said 349 people responded to a three-week survey, of whom 266 identified as residents and 205 reported having children. "Overall, people rated our park system 3.5," Zion said, and she highlighted that most residents prioritized updating existing facilities and improving upkeep over creating new parks.
Zion told the council 314 respondents said they would use trails for walking and that playground upgrades — including soft rubber surfacing and more accessible equipment — were a frequent request. She noted a gender skew in respondents (about 70% women) and cautioned that the skew could influence rankings for amenities such as fishing. Write-in suggestions included a splash pad (38 write-ins), an amphitheater (part of the Fireman's Park master plan) and improved restroom facilities. Zion said staff aim to draft plan sections during her internship and then send a draft to committee for review to preserve eligibility for DNR stewardship and other federal grants.
