KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo Department of Parks and Recreation is working on a new master plan for the city’s 52 parks and recreation sites, and city officials want the community’s input.
“This whole process is about hearing what the city of Kalamazoo wants. What are the visions for the city-county parks and programs,” Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Ashton Anthony said.
The department is required to update its master plan every five years. The current plan ends at the start of 2024, which is why Anthony says the department is turning to community members for feedback.
“This plan is an opportunity for the community to speak up on what they've seen in other areas that they might like to incorporate in Kalamazoo. Or what can we do better? Or what are we doing great?” he explained.
So far, the department has received 400 responses from its online survey.
“Some of the things that are rising to the top is accessibility between park to park— so, trails, walkways, bike paths, bike lanes, things like that within the park system,” Anthony told FOX 17.
While attending Lunchtime Live at Bronson Park, an event hosted by the Department of Parks and Recreation, Camila Little said she is pleased to see the city asking for feedback.
“We've always wanted people to hear, you know, our concerns about what we can do to help the youth. So now that they're showing that interest, we now have to take advantage of that and make sure we're part of what they're trying to do,” she said.
Little added that the more the city invests in parks and recreation programs, the less downtime kids will have.
“I think the more that kids stay involved, the more they'll be around people who can positively influence them to keep them off the streets and make the right choice about gun violence,” she said.
Although the online survey is now closed, community members will still have an opportunity to fill out the survey at future events or at the department's office until September.
