It is very exciting to share information on the development of Madison’s Parks and Open Space Plan (POSP). Our parks play a vital role in the well-being of City of Madison residents. They improve our health and wellness and contribute to the economic and environmental well-being of our community.
This document is updated every five years to stay current with changing recreational trends, demographics and park needs, as well as to demonstrate the planning efforts of collaborating city agencies with county and statewide efforts. This update to the plan will focus on reviewing the plan through the lenses of resiliency, sustainability, health and equity.
The 2018-22 POSP serves as a guide to public policy and park facility decisions. City boards, commissions, agencies and staff, other governments and agencies and interested citizens and volunteers use this planning document. The plan reviews the goals and objectives for long-term growth, identifies changing trends in demographics and park use and develops guidelines for future decision-making. The plan utilizes extensive public input, census data, park use records, geographic information systems mapping and other databases.
The plan is an important document as it is a prerequisite to participation in grant programs through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It is subject to public review and hearings and is adopted by the Board of Parks Commissioners and the Common Council.
The outreach that parks staff has done has been remarkable, including holding multiple community vision sessions; recording over 1,600 responses from a community-wide survey; and utilizing comment cards from over 40 community events, all public libraries and 14 community/neighborhood centers. Staff additionally surveyed individuals and groups who reserve city park facilities, worked with other city staff and Neighborhood Resource Teams on outreach and are collaborating with the University of Wisconsin on a project to do even more outreach.
If you are interested in being updated on the process, visit www.cityofmadison.com/parks/projects/2018-2022-park-open-space-plan and subscribe to receive updates. You can also email comments and concerns to parkopenspace@cityofmadison.com. There will be more information to come as the process progresses.
Stay well.