Imagine a gathering pavilion incorporated into a community garden. Or how about a high adventure course, a water park or an all-ages social and recreation center?
The future of Roseville parks is taking shape, and citizens are leading the charge. About 100 residents serving on five committees under the auspices of the Parks and Recreation department are assessing the state of the city's parks and facilities and looking to identify future needs and desires.
Surveys were mailed to more than 1,500 randomly selected residents last week, asking them to weigh in on ideas being floated in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, the first drafted since the original document providing vision and direction was written in the 1960s.
"Fifty years ago citizens had a vision and it came to be," said Jill Anfang, assistant parks and recreation director. "We benefited. Now we can set the plan for the next generation."
The six-page survey will be used to learn community interests and to help prioritize potential projects. It also will gauge where residents might be willing to pay additional taxes for enhancements, Anfang said.
She also said the survey will provide "statistically valid information" to determine if the city is on the right track.
The City Council approved paying Leisure Vision $21,100 to design and conduct the survey. The company guaranteed at least 600 responses from the city of 34,000. It also promised to follow up with phone calls to residents if the number of responses was less than 600. Leisure Vision also tested the survey on a small sample of residents to be sure it would yield the information the city sought.
Roseville has 30 parks that encompass 679 acres. More than 280,000 people take part in 1,850 programs, services and events each year, according to the parks department.
