Bend Parks and Rec begins 10-year planning effort

The Bend Park and Recreation District is planning the next 10 years of parks and trails in Bend, and is asking for help from the community.

This important project will be the roadmap for the next 10 years of new parks, extended trails and new places to workout, play and socialize in Bend.

The plan will help the district prioritize future facility and program investments, and has been vital in past versions to move forward several projects including the Deschutes River Trail, river corridor parks and Pine Nursery Park.

“District residents are a great resource for ideas and knowledge about the community and this input is essential to help us,” said Michelle Healy, Planning and Park Services director. “This year, community members will see surveys, presentations, pop-up activities and workshops offered around Bend as the planning team gathers information and analyzes the community’s needs.”

Interactive map survey

First up is an interactive community survey that pairs map technology with a brief questionnaire. Participants are asked to drag and drop pins onto areas of a map of Bend where they currently use parks, trails and other places for fun, exercise, classes, etc. and where they would like to see additional services. Other questions seek information about transportation modes, values of natural resource preservation and barriers that pose challenges to use existing parks, trails and recreation facilities.

All survey participants will be entered into a drawing to win a $200 gift card for any District activity or program. The survey is open now through the end of March.

The mobile-friendly interactive community survey is an additional tool for public involvement since the last comprehensive plan update in 2012. The District created its first comprehensive plan in 1980, which was subsequently reviewed and revised in 1986, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2012.

Community Workshop

Community members have another opportunity to contribute input and discuss the future of parks and recreation with planners and designers at a community open house. The session, “Your Future, Your Parks, Your Play” is at 5:30 p.m., March 1, at the District Office, 799 SW Columbia St.

Additional public meetings will be scheduled throughout the 18-month process to create the plan, and District planners will provide updates at neighborhood association meetings this winter, spring and summer.

Pop-up Events

To reach a broad base of the community, the District will engage in conversations and ask questions of residents in unexpected places and events. Opportunities such as art walks, seasonal fests and other events, locations and activities that bring the community together will be explored starting this winter and continuing through fall.

“Meeting residents where they are already gathered together to celebrate our community creates special opportunities to reach beyond our regular park and facility users and we’re excited,” Healy said. “This is a new element of public involvement and will complement the many other ways to share input with us.”

Online comments and mailing list

For more information about the Comprehensive Plan, including how to submit online comments and be included on a mailing list for project updates, visit http://www.bendparksandrec.org/current_projects/bprd-comprehensive-plan/.