How to Use this Guide
This guide was written for anyone interested in learning about the different aspects of planning, developing and maintaining urban parks and conservation areas.
Whether you work for a municipality, or you’re interested in proposing a new amenity for your urban park, or in creating a new conservation area in your community, this guide has some tips and best practices to guide you through the process.
Not all parts of the guide will be applicable to your needs. Each section, however, will have points to consider as you are envisioning and gathering resources for your urban park.
Navigating Through the Guide
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Regardless of the size of the project, or the type of space you envision for your community, there are tasks and items to consider that are common to all.
Start with a broad vision, even if the final result isn’t currently in budget.
Bring together experienced advisors early in the process.
Rely on a community masterplan that spans at least five years to guide development not just of the park, but of the community overall.
Build partnerships and work with existing organizations to encourage use, provide feedback on projects, and assist with ongoing maintenance.
Be mindful of the lifespan of your plan, materials you use, changing demographics in your community, and the cost of maintaining amenities, trails, and biodiversity.
The guide explores and expands on these topics, with examples from ASUPCA member park development, planning and maintenance.
Throughout the guide, there are PDF files of checklists that you can download and use to guide your development process. There are also links to PDF files for the page content.
These PDF files include only the text content. All the files can be found in the Resources section to be downloaded and used as required.
Throughout the guide, we encourage you to network! There are many organizations that have the expertise, guidance, or even just a professional ear to lend to your questions and concerns.
For more information on this guide, you can contact ASUPCA! Make sure you check out the Resources section for documents and links to organizations that can assist you.