Pima County Board approves 20-year parks and recreation master plan

Supervisors adopted the plan, which lays out an ambitious blueprint for the next two decades by touching on everything from expanding recreational programs in rural areas to installing renewable energy systems. 

“The Master Plan is a strategic document which provides a roadmap for the future of urban parks, recreational amenities and opportunities for growth over the next 10 to 20 years,” said Pima County Parks & Recreation Director Victor Pereira.

The plan was developed over 18 months, drawing on feedback from thousands of County residents collected through community meetings, focus groups, surveys, and outreach at local events. 

Pereira said that the department wanted to gather input from residents in as many ways as possible to ensure that the final plan reflected the needs and desires of the community. 

“This approach ensures that we’re pursuing the right amenity at the right location for our constituents,” he said. 

The final plan’s priorities range far and wide, and include modernizing the County’s community centers, developing Esmond Station Regional Park in Vail, adding LED lighting to athletic fields, upgrading the County’s shooting sports facilities, expanding the aquatics program’s capacity, and diversifying and expanding program offerings in general. 

The goal is for all priorities to be completed by Fiscal Year 2046. 

The plan aligns with other County efforts such as the Climate Action Plan for County Operations by incorporating renewable energy initiatives and completing sustainability upgrades. It also supports the County’s Prosperity Initiative by emphasizing making parks and recreation resources available to all residents, regardless of their age, location or income. 

A draft of the plan was previously reviewed by the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, which unanimously recommended at its Nov. 14 meeting that the plan be adopted.