Outdoor Recreation Activity and Asset Inventory
List the existing outdoor recreation assets and how they are used.
Project PackCommunity Park
Community Park
A park can become the heart of your town — a place for gathering, play and connection with nature.
This Project Pack guides you through the process of creating a local park, from identifying the right site and engaging your neighbors, to planning and building a park that reflects your community's needs and values.
Tools for Community Parks
Recreation in Your Park
To plan your park’s recreational assets, it is crucial to understand the locations, conditions, and uses of outdoor recreation activities and infrastructure that take place within the park. Mapping exercises and public engagement can help reveal this information.
Maps of Outdoor Recreation
Identify local outdoor recreation assets using existing base maps and learn to create maps of your community with free or low-cost mapping tools.
Environmental Data on Maps
Map systems and surroundings of outdoor recreation assets, such as natural resources or businesses.
Local Tourism Economy
Extend mapping scope to consider businesses, accommodations, services, events, and other factors within the wider region.
Steering Committee Guidance
Create a steering committee and facilitate meetings.
Community and Stakeholder Engagement Guidance
Establish stakeholders, conduct public meetings, and develop the community vision for local outdoor recreation.
Survey Question Bank
Learn how to survey the community as a form of public outreach.
Time to Plan
Once you know what you are working with, you can begin to build out plans for improving, growing, and maintaining your park's outdoor recreation opportunities. Through minimizing the environmental impacts, illuminating shared goals through community feedback, guiding priorities with cost estimations, and other planning initiatives, this step shapes the vision for your park's future outdoor recreation.
Natural Resources Guide
Ensure the development and maintenance of outdoor recreation is environmentally responsible.
Model Project Proposal and Review
Complete the project application process and ensure that recreation opportunities are created in an environmentally responsible manner.
Interpretation, Education, and Programming Guidance
Explore opportunities for interpretation, education, and programming around natural and cultural assets.
Recreation Improvement Database
Identify the potential costs associated with outdoor recreation improvements.
Strategy and Planning Templates
Work with the steering committee to implement the visioning framework, set priorities, and choose an appropriate plan scale.
Tying it All Together
With plans in place and the community on board, it is time to implement improvements and maintenance for your park's outdoor recreation scene. This process involves planning efforts such as marketing your park, designing and building thoughtful trails, ensuring accessible transportation, establishing funding opportunities, and hiring consultants.
Design and Construction of Trails, Assets, and Transportation Amenities
Find best practices for designing and building trails, recreational assets, and parking and transportation related amenities.
Funding Strategies and Grant Database
Access funding for local outdoor recreation projects.
Destination Marketing and Management
Promote outdoor recreation areas sustainably.
Partnerships and Regional Collaboration
Strengthen capacity and vision through local and regional partnerships.
Ongoing Management and Stewardship
Establish a thoughtful plan for long-term maintenance of outdoor recreation areas.
Consultant Collaboration and Requests for Proposals
Create and promote an RFP for outdoor recreation projects.