By 1808Delaware
Through an initiative called Wander Westerville, the city is developing a Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan intended to guide decisions for at least the next decade. Residents will have two opportunities this month to influence that work, beginning with a community open house on Wednesday, September 16.
The open house will run from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Westerville Community Center, 350 N. Cleveland Ave. Project representatives will share what has been learned so far and discuss where the planning process is headed. Explore the Wander Westerville project.
More Than A List Of Projects
The master plan is meant to address the entire parks and recreation system rather than produce a simple construction wish list. That includes questions about existing parks and facilities, recreation programming, trails, open spaces, daily operations, and future capital investments. The city says the process will identify strengths, gaps, opportunities, and community priorities before recommendations are assembled. The results could influence decisions about where Westerville directs money and staff time over the next ten years or longer.
That long horizon makes the current public-engagement period important. A recreation program that feels undersized today, a trail connection that is difficult to navigate, or a park feature that residents believe is missing could become part of the information used to set future priorities.
Listening Before Planning
The city divided the project into three broad phases.
- The first, Listen and Learn, began with internal conversations in January. Public engagement followed in late May and continues through the fall with surveys, focus groups, workshops, and community events.
- During the Analyze and Assess phase, running from summer into fall, planners are reviewing parks, facilities, programs, open spaces, community trends, and the needs of the overall recreation system.
- Plan development is expected to continue through the winter. That final phase will turn the earlier research into recommendations, priorities, budget considerations, concepts, and an implementation plan.
The sequence is intentional. Recommendations will come after the city collects public responses and assesses the existing system.
A Survey Open To Everyone
Westerville first mailed surveys to a randomly selected group of households to obtain a representative sample. The city hoped to receive at least 400 completed surveys and collected 446. A second survey is now open to anyone, including people who already use Westerville parks and recreation programs and those who would like to use them in the future.
The confidential survey takes approximately ten minutes and will remain available through September 30. According to the city, the responses will help shape the vision and recommendations included in the final plan. Take the community survey. The questions give residents an opportunity to think beyond whether they like a particular park. They can consider how they use recreation facilities, what keeps them from participating, and what would encourage them to use Westerville’s parks, trails, and activities more often.
Another Chance Uptown
Residents unable to attend the September 16 open house will have another in-person opportunity later in the month. Parks and Recreation representatives will host a Wander Westerville pop-up booth during Fourth Friday on September 25. The booth will be available in Uptown Westerville from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Comments can also be submitted through the project page during the fall. Questions about the planning effort may be sent to communityaffairs@westerville.org.
The master plan will not determine only what Westerville builds. It will also help determine how the city uses what it already has and which recreation needs receive attention as the community changes. For residents, September provides a chance to help shape those decisions before the recommendations are written.
