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5-70 New Brighton Comprehensive Plan | 2040 DRAFT <br />FUtUre NeeDS aND SYSteM <br />pLaNNING FOCUS areaS <br />Parks, recreation, and open space play significant roles in encouraging reinvestment <br />in a community. Public input has shown that parks and recreation opportunities are <br />consistently among the top reasons people cite for choosing a new city or neighborhood <br />(along with schools and convenient location). A strong and vibrant park and recreation <br />system protects existing investment and attracts new residents and businesses. The <br />benefits of park and recreation (community building, health and wellness, safety, human <br />and cultural development, recreation experiences, natural resource stewardship, etc.) <br />should be recognized and resource allocation should keep pace with the demand for <br />and importance of park and recreation’s role in the community. The last time the City of <br />New Brighton completed a comprehensive park system plan was nearly 12 years ago. <br />A key implementation strategy is to update the city’s comprehensive park system plan. <br />Updating the system plan will include the following key components: <br />1. An inclusive community engagement process <br />2. An updated inventory of existing park facilities and conditions <br />3. A system wide vision, needs assessment, and evaluation <br />4. A park specific vision and key recommendations <br />5. An implementation plan for specific park master planning and system improvements <br />including general costs, funding sources, and priority/time frame. <br />The following topics, provide a starting point for the system plan update: <br />Master Planning to Guide the Ongoing <br />Maintenance and Revitalization of Parks <br />The maintenance and upgrading of neighborhood parks is an essential and ongoing <br />process for park and recreation departments. A planned systematic renovation <br />program is needed to replace worn out equipment and facilities, respond to changing <br />recreation and community needs, keep aesthetics at a high level and to assure that city <br />parks remain fresh, vital, and functional. An important step in the process to keeping <br />parks fresh, vital, and functional is engaging the diversity of park users in a master <br />planning process. Individual master plans provide a solid inventory and assessment of <br />park assets and a plan for long term replacement. Furthermore, not every park needs <br />to have the same components within them. Addressing individual park master plans <br />with a system level vision will ensure New Brighton parks provide a diversity of park <br />and recreation opportunities across the whole city. <br />Park Improvements <br />Community members have indicated an interest in improving aging park facilities and <br />in adding the features such as the following to the New Brighton park system: <br /> »Dog Park <br /> »Splash pad/interactive fountain <br /> »Winter programming, such as cross-country ski rentals, sledding, and ice rinks <br /> »More programming focused on seniors <br /> »Greenway connections, wayfinding, and placemaking <br />What we Heard <br />During the New Brighton 2040 <br />comprehensive planning process, <br />community members identified <br />park and trail improvements <br />as their top priorities within <br />in the City. Through online <br />questionnaires, community <br />workshops, and mapping <br />exercises throughout the process, <br />community members emphasized <br />a desire for a more robust parks <br />and trail system that fit the <br />dynamic needs of the community.