Pleasanton Parks and Recreation Master Plan

As indicated in the Master Plan’s Executive Summary and Introduction, the Master Plan includes the following:  A comprehensive survey of existing recreation resources and a needs assessment developed through community outreach, a community wide telephone survey, recreation demand needs analysis, service area analysis, park and open space acreage analysis, a review of recreation trends and programming needs.  An inventory of the City’s existing recreation programs and services and recommendations for amended or new services. This portion of the report also reviews programs provided to the public through private and non-profit providers in an attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of recreational program available in the community.  A review of existing recreational open space and facilities, including parks, trails, and buildings and recommendations regarding options for meeting current and long term needs.  A survey of potential funding sources for meeting improvement costs. (Note that the report does not however, include a detailed analysis of estimated costs for each recommended improvement/program as these details are difficult to obtain without detailed planning and are subject to market conditions that are specific to the time a project is bid. In addition, the inclusion of project cost estimates may detract from the overall purpose of the Master Plan which is broader.) While the Master Plan’s detailed findings and recommendations are included in various sections of the document, the Executive Summary includes a brief overview of these for both recreational programming and facilities. As detailed in that section, these cover programs for youth and teens, physical fitness, health and wellbeing, outdoor recreation, cultural arts, aquatics, and adults age 50+. Facility recommendations are presented in the categories to easily identify recommended changes to meet existing, future, and maintenance demands. Also included are recommendations for leveraging opportunities working in concert with other local agencies, including the Pleasanton Unified School District and private sector businesses. As part of the Master Plan’s adoption process, staff anticipates a joint public workshop of the City Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission for the purpose of reviewing the document. That workshop will then be followed by a regularly scheduled Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council meetings during which both bodies will take formal action on the Master Plan. Staff also anticipates that the Parks and Recreation Commission will provide the City Council with recommendations regarding priorities and/or specific areas of importance with the understanding that the City Council will consider these as part of its ongoing Annual Priorities Work Plan and budget process. As with all community planning processes of this magnitude, the outcome is a reflection of those who volunteered their time to assist with the effort. Of particular importance are the efforts of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan Steering Committee that worked with RJM, staff and residents to direct the process.