Danville Parks and Recreation is in the process of creating a long-term plan for developing and improving their existing neighborhood parks. Residents can participate in the process by taking the Neighborhood Parks Survey. The process, to be outlined in depth below, will allow Parks and Recreation to move forward with planning neighborhood park spaces to be more relevant and usable for residents, as well as allow for resident input as part of the decision-making processes.
As a first step, Parks and Recreation is evaluating parks based on their significance to residents, the need for improved greenspace, and the logistical and financial opportunity the department has to develop them. The department is first and foremost encouraging residents to take part in the Neighborhood Parks Survey. Residents can complete the survey in a multitude of ways—through paper surveys mailed to a random sample of residents, electronically during neighborhood park visits, and online on the newly launched Parks and Recreation planning page “Neighborhood Park Projects.” The resident survey is a part of this vital evaluation and will allow the department to understand residents’ views on how greenspaces are important to their community building, health, wellness, and quality of life. Once parks’ needs and opportunities are assessed, the department will develop a timeline for planning, funding, and implementing each park improvement.
Data collection for this evaluation will continue for the next six weeks. The plan will be finalized during the fall. Built infrastructure derived from these plans will be implemented starting in Summer 2022, but information received by Parks and Recreation regarding programming and maintenance can influence decisions being made and/or result in immediate responses.
Parks and Recreation encourages citizens to take part in the community-centric park planning process that has already begun by taking the Neighborhood Parks Survey and by visiting with Parks and Recreation staff doing outreach at neighborhood parks throughout this process. The schedule for neighborhood park visits can be seen on Danville Parks and Recreation’s website.
Dr. Stephanie Lovely is the main contact for this project and can be reached at (434) 799-5200 or stephanie.lovely@danvilleva.gov