Pasco County’s Parks and Recreation department is developing its new master plan, and it wants the public’s help.
(Courtesy of Pasco County Parks and Recreation)
The division is hosting community meetings to gather as much input as it can to consider the county’s existing parks and recreation master plan, and make changes for the future.
The plan covers the county’s parks, trails, open space and recreational programs. It also considers parks and recreation programs provided by cities and prominent nonprofit groups, such as the YMCA, said Rick Buckman, the county’s Parks and Recreation director.
As the county moves forward in its planning, it will continue to collect information about existing conditions, population changes, trends, current and desired levels of service, maintenance, programming standards, and other issues. The goal is to produce a plan that will help determine the future role of the county’s parks and recreation services, to assess how trends affect the services it provides, and to consider how other private and public parks and recreation services fit into the picture, Buckman said.
For instance, the county needs to consider how parks and recreation affects the county’s quality of life, and to consider how that role will be carried out as redevelopment and future development occurs, he said.
The master plan also will consider all of the potential ways to achieve the level of service residents and leaders within the county want, Buckman said. That includes considering various funding mechanisms and partnerships.
Parks and recreational services offer many benefits, even to people who never set foot on a park property, Buckman said. For instance, nearby businesses can benefit from families coming and going to parks for ball games. Property values also can increase when people live near an amenity such as a large regional park or walking trails.
The county also is interested in hearing from young people. Buckman said his department wants to know what kinds of facilities and activities appeal to the younger set.
To help encourage public participation, the department has set up three public forums to solicit input. Each meeting will include a review of scope of the master planning efforts, a visioning exercise, and a discussion of priority needs and gaps.
The county wants to include everyone in this process, Buckman said. It’s not just seeking people who are advocates of parks and recreation.
Pasco Parks and Recreation community meetings
Come share your ideas as the Pasco County Parks and Recreation department prepares its new long-range plan. The department wants to hear from people of all ages as it plans for its future facilities.
Community master plan meetings are:
• May 1 at 6:30 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes
• May 2 at 6:30 p.m., in the Pasco County Commission Board Room
8731 Citizens Drive in New Port Richey
The youth workshop is May 3 at 1 p.m., a the Land O’ Lakes Community Center.
For details, call (813) 929-2760
Published April 30, 2014
