Growing & Developing
Maintaining Your Park
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GROWING WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
How Parks Evolve Over Time
Park development is an ongoing process, and not just of maintenance and infrastructure upgrades or replacements. Your community needs change over time, whether it’s from demographic changes as your community grows, or conservation opportunities as the ecology in your region evolves.
Changes in your conservation goals or park amenities should be guided by the park masterplan, but also by actions and goals of other community stakeholders and departments.
For example, the growth of a neighbourhood that borders a wetland region will require water management infrastructure. This could require a conservation plan that could include more natural trails to residents as well as provide more education about conservation and native species.
Stay in touch with your advising committee, and with local recreation or conservation organizations to help you get a sense of how your community might be changing.
Providing a place for individuals and associations to submit requests for new amenities or facilities can encourage engagement and a sense of ownership from your residents and those using your facilities.
Amenity & Conservation Changes
A park planning committee could help you keep on top of requests for changes and recommendations for improvements. You should facilitate relationships with new organizations who are interested in using parks for their activities.
User Responsibility Changes
An interested group can approach community administrators with an idea to use community property to develop a recreation facility or amenity. Perhaps an off-leash park that the community can use for free.
The park administrators might agree that it’s a great idea, but who contributes to the project development costs? A well organized group might come up with some ideas for fundraising to pay for the fence and gates to surround the dog park, but who is responsible for installation? What role does the organization play in ensuring the park has the right signage, is well maintained, and manages the needs of the users?
There should be a clear understanding of how each party contributes to the project, now and into the future. User fees can help manage long-term expenses for amenities, but leveraging user fees requires a certain amount of administration. Is there a rental fee to use a space, or does the park project have enough buy-in from residents that the community’s administration should play a role?
If you plan to approach a community parks department with a park project idea, ensuring you have a clear idea of the upfront capital costs, as well as the long term maintenance costs, and any infrastructure replacement costs can help you have a constructive conversation about the cost and benefits.
If you are approached by a group with a project plan, help that group understand the long term costs for any project. Be constructive but clear - in the end this will help your community groups get involved!
Park Partnership Changes
Parks and conservation area amenities may span decades, and partnerships will come and go. During the planning and development phases, there are many reasons to partner with specific organizations. Understanding how those partnerships might change over time can help you develop the right contracts and agreements to clarify goals, responsibilities, and contributions.
Part of a good partnership is a mutual understanding of how each partner is affected should the needs of either group change. Think about how to diversify user groups, or if you are able to assist with promoting a facility to new users.
No matter what changes occur over time, the amenity or asset that was developed to meet the community needs will require maintenance and upkeep. It can be helpful to take the long view when considering how changes in user groups or enthusiasm for an activity can be incorporated into your development plan.
User Responsibility Changes
An interested group can approach community administrators with an idea to use community property to develop a recreation facility or amenity. Perhaps an off-leash park that the community can use for free.
The park administrators might agree that it’s a great idea, but who contributes to the project development costs? A well organized group might come up with some ideas for fundraising to pay for the fence and gates to surround the dog park, but who is responsible for installation? What role does the organization play in ensuring the park has the right signage, is well maintained, and manages the needs of the users?
There should be a clear understanding of how each party contributes to the project, now and into the future. User fees can help manage long-term expenses for amenities, but leveraging user fees requires a certain amount of administration. Is there a rental fee to use a space, or does the park project have enough buy-in from residents that the community’s administration should play a role?
If you plan to approach a community parks department with a park project idea, ensuring you have a clear idea of the upfront capital costs, as well as the long term maintenance costs, and any infrastructure replacement costs can help you have a constructive conversation about the cost and benefits.
If you are approached by a group with a project plan, help that group understand the long term costs for any project. Be constructive but clear - in the end this will help your community groups get involved!
CHECKLIST ITEMS
Organize a park planning committee to help manage requests and proposals as your community and residents needs change.
Develop resources to help you manage partnerships with different organizations. These resources should include contracts and user agreements that will help you manage relationships and shared resources in the long term.
Battleford River Valley Pathway Gazebo, North Battleford