Richmond Parks and Recreation to create first citywide vision plan since 1970s

Richmond INSPIRE will involve city leaders, community members, local experts, and stakeholders to develop a vision for Richmond Parks and Recreation

RICtoday_ParksGuide_ForestHill — The vision plan is designed to guide long-term strategies for PRCF.

The River City has some stellar parks, many of which are part of the Dept. of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities. This year, PRCF is creating a citywide vision plan for the first time since the 1970s.

It’s called Richmond INSPIRE — aka Imagining Neighborhood-Shaping Parks and Inclusive Recreation Experiences.

The vision plan will reach the 170+ parks, playgrounds, and fields managed by PRCF, as well as its 20 community centers.

RICtoday_DogwoodDell_FestivalofArts_Night — PRCF’s programming includes the annual Festival of Arts at Dogwood Dell.

What will the plan do?

Rather than proposing specific or immediate changes, the plan will be used as a long-term guide to allocate resources and make meaningful investments in capital improvements.

PRCF says it wants to use the plan to help address deferred maintenance, curate programming, and make equitable investments in the future.

Funds for the plan were included in the last round of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation.

Timeline

PRCF anticipates that the planning process will take around 15 months, starting with a six-month phase kicking off in July 2024. City Council will need to adopt the plan, which could be voted on as early as winter 2025.

This summer, PRCF will launch a survey asking Richmonders about Parks and Recreation — what they love, what they think could be improved, and what they imagine for the future.

The survey hasn’t launched yet, but we’ll be sure to share when it does.

RICtoday_LibbyHill_ViewThatNamedCity — You can find local history, like the story behind how Richmond got its name, at Libby Hill Park.

Get involved

Apply to join the steering committee and help bring the plan to life. Members will participate in several meetings, provide feedback and data to the project team, review draft documents, and help with public engagement around the plan. The deadline to apply is Friday, July 12.

⭐️ September update

Here’s the schedule of public workshops:

1st District | Tuesday, Sept. 10 | 8-10 a.m. | Humphrey Calder Community Center
2nd District | Tuesday, Sept. 10 | 12-2 p.m. | Midtown Green
3rd District | Tuesday, Sept. 10 | 5-7 p.m. | Pine Camp Arts and Community Center
4th District | Wednesday, Sept. 11 | 8-10 a.m. | Westover Hills Community Center

Can’t make an in-person event? An online survey is open until Friday, Sept. 27.

You can also give your feedback at any time by emailing the planning team.

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