Pete’s Pick: Help Shape the Future of P&R

You can help shape the future of parks and recreation in Roanoke by voicing your input on the master plan.

Meetings are coming up on March 5 and 6 to develop the city’s vision for parks, greenways, blueways, and other facilities. Now’s the time to share your feedback and contribute to the future of our community – from better access to parks to improved pools and recreation centers.

The master plan is a document that guides Roanoke Parks and Recreation when it comes to implementing future projects and programming. Community meetings, blind mailings, and surveys are used to collect information on “what” the community wants to see happen.

The results are compiled into the Master Plan which the city then uses as a roadmap. If an in-river park (pictured above) is the number one thing the community wants to see happen, then odds are it will happen. If the community wants pickleball courts in every park then that becomes a priority. (You can see how this works and why it matters so much, right?)

But you have to speak up. Don’t just lurk at a meeting to see what other people are talking about. Speak up or write down your ideas. You don’t have to be a city resident to give feedback; all parks and recreation users are invited to attend.

Pick a meeting to attend

Monday, March 5

• 6-7 p.m. at Preston Recreation Center
• 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Jackson Park Library

Tuesday, March 6

• 6-7 p.m. at Eureka Recreation Center
• 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Grandin Co-Lab

Making is outdoors in the Roanoke Region is a big part of why Roanoke Outside exists. It also shapes what we do.

Roanoke Outside has been working on a regional outdoor infrastructure needs assessment, which is basically a list ideas for things to make our outdoor scene better. Ideas range from building in-river kayak parks to camping options closer to the urban core to more greenway connections. The report will be ready soon, so be on the lookout for it.