Title
Park System Master Plan Project: Part 1 Park System Assessment Presentation
Presenter:
Nick Kuhn and Jeremy Powell, Consultant with Kimley-Horn
Lonna Thelen, Manager, Parks Design and Development
Kim King, Interim Director, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department
Body
Summary:
A presentation of the Park System Assessment, which completes phase one of the 2026 Park System Master Plan. The Park System Assessment is an evaluation of parks, facilities and spaces and an extensive gathering of public and staff input on community needs.
Background:
The current Park System Master Plan (PSMP) was approved by City Council in 2014 with a life of 10-15 years. In 2025, the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services (PRCS) Department engaged Kimley-Horn and embarked on an update to the PSMP. The update is designed to guide how Colorado Springs invests in its parks, recreation, trails, open spaces, and cultural services over the next decade with the goal of identifying the right recommendations to meet both current and future needs.
The planning process for the PSMP has two major phases. The first phase is the Park System Assessment that evaluates all parks, facilities, and spaces while gathering extensive public input on community needs. The second phase is strategic planning, which sets the long-range vision and outlines clear implementation strategies. The entire process typically takes 12- to 16-months. The goal will be to create a draft master plan by April or May of 2026.
In the City Council work session, the consultant will present the Park System Assessment. The top 10 most common themes emerging from the assessment include:
- Reinvestment in Existing Parks and Facilities
- Sustainable Funding
- Effective Communications of PRCS Needs
- Family, Cultural and Nature-Focused Programming
- Safety and User Comfort
- Equitable Access
- Open Space and Developed Parks
- Core Comfort Features
- Trail Connections and Wayfinding
- Multi-Generational and Culturally Diverse Recreation Needs
The assessment has produced over 600 pages of raw data covering the condition of every park in the system, the demographic make-up of the city, the input of stakeholders (focus groups and the general public), an analysis of geographic accessibility, and much more. This information has been distilled into a 30-minute presentation which has been given to the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Advisory Board, TOPS Working Committee and PSMP Task Force. The background data will be preserved in the appendices to the 2026 Park System Master Plan once it is completed.
To view a recorded 20-minute presentation or read the complete document, please visit the City project page at https://coloradosprings.gov/ParkSystemMasterPlan.
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Summary of Ordinance Language
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