The Park System Master Plan is a road map for planning and completing park improvements. City staff and consultants worked with the City Council and the Parks Arts and Recreation Commission to study how to plan for Bloomington’s parks, natural resources, amenities, and programs.
A recent study looked at park and recreation trends, community demographics, facility needs, programming needs, and park maintenance. Everything was viewed through the strategic lenses of sustainability and equity. Throughout the process, staff gathered community input. From this we learned:
- Bloomington parks were designed and built in a similar fashion, which is outdated by today’s standards.
- Many existing parks and recreation amenities no longer match resident demographics and recreation needs.
- New facilities are needed to better engage current residents and attract new residents.
Work is underway on a plan for making new investments in our parks using service areas largely defined by Council Districts. Four districts create a geographic balance of park amenities and an equitable park system.
In a benchmarking study, results identified metrics that can compare Bloomington parks against similar cities with recognized park systems. The goal is to evaluate differences in efficiency, facilities, operations, budget and capital investment.
Findings will be included in the final plan. Data from the findings will guide recommendations when the Council adopts and begins implementing the PSMP.
For more information, visit blm.mn/letstalk and click on the PSMP topic or call 952-563-8877.
