The 2014 Boulder Parks and Recreation Master Plan was adopted by City Council in February 2014. Since that time, the Master Plan has shaped the work of the department through the delivery of parks and recreation services in a manner consistent with city sustainability goals and meets the community’s level of service standards.
In 2020, Parks and Recreation has begun the process to update the Master Plan. The Master Plan Update will identify new and evolving areas of focus and provide recommendations for strategic ways to address gaps in service within the existing framework of the 2014 Master Plan. The Master Plan Update will seek to incorporate strategic direction from city-wide initiatives such as the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and other department Master Plans, such as climate initiatives and equity, among others.
The Master Plan is a key implementation strategy within the city’s primary planning document, the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP), and is intended to be strategic in focus to help the department respond to three important questions.
- What do we do?
- For whom do we do it?
- How do we excel?
The primary focus is on the short-term strategies that will build success over the long-term. The Master Plan also focuses on high-level initiatives rather than more specific and detailed actions. The specific actions will be identified and assigned in the annual Action Plan.
The 2014 Master Plan included the department’s mission and vision; an analysis of the parks and recreation system’s current condition and challenges; and six key themes that emerged from research and community engagement. It also included policies, long-range goals, initiatives and a system plan that allowed the department to serve the community’s highest priorities and be responsible stewards of public assets and dollars.
The current Master Plan Update will build upon the 2014 Master Plan and the department’s success in achieving and implementing the strategies and initiatives outlined within that plan.