A Parks Department survey available to residents until Friday will help guide future parks and recreation projects and priorities, including the redevelopment of the former FairOaks Mall into NexusPark recreational and health facility.
The Republic file photo
Columbus Parks and Recreation officials are extending the deadline on a survey about the department’s future.
The Strategic Plan Public Survey, previously set to end on Dec. 17, is now available through Friday. The survey can be found at imagineyourcolumbusparks.com, an ADA-accessible, multilingual crowdsourcing site. Translated copies can be requested through the parks department.
“Please take the survey so your voice is heard as we plan the next 10+ years for our parks,” officials said.
The department is seeking input as it develops an update to the Park System Master Plan and Strategic Plan.
The survey will help the department create a strategic master plan that guides future parks, recreation and “trails/open space needs.” Officials are looking for public input to help them envision what the future of these facilities, as well as special events and programming, might look like.
Parks Director Mark Jones said in early December that a very rough draft of the 2022-26 master plan would be finished in January and sent to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The final version will be completed in April and then go to the Columbus Parks Board for consideration.
The survey takes an estimated 10 to 15 minutes to complete. It includes questions on usage and quality of parks facilities, as well as recreation programming. There are also questions regarding the services provided by the parks department, personal priorities regarding amenities and programming, the value of parks and recreation in light of the pandemic, and funding preferences.
Some questions focus specifically on NexusPark, the city and Columbus Regional Health’s joint venture to turn FairOaks Mall into a wellness and recreation center.
