Key Elements
Important elements of the Parks System Master Plan process include understanding County population demographics, growth, and public communication. As the County continues to grow at a rapid rate, it is important to understand the profile of the population: maturation, ethnicity, educational achievement and average earnings. Answers to these questions are relevant to the planning process because they are important indicators of citizen preferences for programs, services and facilities. Communication with the public throughout the entire process is key to sustain the interest in the future of Platte County Parks and Recreation. This website will be updated regularly with status reports so check back regularly to see progress of the Master Plan.

Park System Analysis
To plan for the future, it’s important to look at the past.  Department staff and BWR recently conducted site visits to every park property to determine what is successful and what could use improvement.  The current parks inventory has expanded dramatically since the initial Parks System Master Plan in 2000.  Eight years of operations will give staff and consultants a good idea of the strengths and weaknesses of each location and operation.

Special Focus Areas
A few key issues will receive a special focus during the process.  Two of the areas that the Department and BWR will concentrate on include partnerships and Shiloh Springs Golf Course.  Within the last 8 years, the County has already developed much collaboration with like-minded organizations to leverage the resources of both parties.  The master plan update will work at identifying potential new partnerships and how to cultivate the current partnerships.  Shiloh Springs will be visited by a golf course specialist to analyze the current conditions and consider future opportunities.  Special focus groups and a golfer satisfaction survey will be used to support the staff at the course and build upon the recent improvements that have been made.

Overview: The Planning Process

The Parks System Master Plan Update Project is a way for the County to reach out to citizens and define parks and recreation priorities for the next 5 to 20 years. With significant input from residents, the Parks and Recreation Department and their master plan consultant, BWR, will work together and identify a set of actions to implement the new plan. Thanks to the vision of county residents and an engaged citizens committee in 2000, Platte County has added over 800 acres of parks, fifteen miles of trails and over 90,000 sq. ft. of indoor recreation space in the past eight years. Built upon the success of the 2000 Plan, the new update will again focus on priorities for recreation programs, new parks and trails, preserved greenspace, and partnerships to enhance quality of life in Platte County.

Participation Opportunities
Platte County citizens are the most important element of the Parks System Master Plan update. Citizen input is the backbone of the planning process and Platte County residents will be given ample opportunity to express themselves through public meetings, focus groups, a citizen survey, and the feedback forum on this website.

Citizens Team
The County Commission has established a twelve member committee of Platte County residents to assist in guiding the planning process. This group of dedicated individuals from all areas of the county will meet numerous times throughout the year. Their task will be to provide a local perspective on the planning, take and review the input that is received during the process, and assist county officials with developing the final plan.

Citizen Survey
A market research firm is currently developing a survey that will query citizens on key issues facing for our parks and recreation future. These key issues were identified by the County Commissioners, the Park Board, and the Citizens Team. The survey will be sent to 2,000 randomly selected household based upon population demographics in the summer of 2008. Responses will be gathered from a minimum of 400 households and will be analyzed by the market research firm. If you receive a survey in the mail, please complete and return it to make your voice heard!

Citizen Input
In addition to the citizen survey, residents can provide their opinion through this website in the Public Forum. Simply click here to provide your input and answers to several key questions. Through the year, Public Meetings will be scheduled where citizens can come and freely share their opinions directly with County Commissioners, staff members and the consultants. The public meeting schedule can be accessed by clicking here.