Greater trail and pathway connectivity, maintenance of existing parks and increased accessibility are the top priorities for the Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Board as it seeks approval of its final master plan.
The plan, which was presented in broad terms to members of the county commission, the county mayor and other officials Monday morning, is the product of more than a year of research into the needs of the county’s 18 parks and recreational facilities.
“Some parks we will be improving on what’s already there and just bring the standards up, some properties may require more or different amenities based on what’s there and what the needs are,” Parks and Recreation Director Tom Lamb said. “As we move forward, there will be updates, but this is the basic framework we want to work in.”
County commissioners soon will be asked to approve the plan, based off months of community input and more than 800 survey responses that indicate the greatest needs.
“The largest part of the process is information gathering,” said Art Thatcher, a principal at GreenPlay, the consulting firm hired by the county. “Talking to the community, reviewing all of your documents and looking at the community’s needs is done and we’ve shared our findings, so now it’s time to introduce the master plan.”