Workgroup On
Outdoor Recreation
Joan Lauck, Moderator
Ralph Thompson, Resource Delegate
Workgroup Members:
Patrick Gsellman, Ardith Keck, Cindy Petkac, Lynn Schott, Martin Sokolich, Cindy Stefanik,
Sharon Stuver, Skip Summerville and Craig Thompson
| Goal: |
To improve and maintain our quality of life by preserving, developing and
fully utilizing our open space, urban space and water resources. |
| Strategies: |
Develop a Master Plan outlining current facilities and their use and
planned growth of outdoor recreation. Maintain all current zoning and land use laws to
ensure that open space does not become compromised.
Develop a strategy to obtain external funding (both from federal and state sources).
Generate funds from non-residents (user fees or donation for a patch).
Stay apprised of Summit C.A.R.E.S. activities.
Develop public/private partnerships (ex: Athletic fields adjacent to Route 8; property
owned by FirstEnergy and developed by the City of Akron).
Maintain & improve quality air and water standards.
Ensure public health and safety is maintained and improved at all facilities.
Ensure facilities address needs of underutilized youth segment and the growing elderly
segment of the population. |
Goal: |
Actively promote and educate local, regional and national audiences of the available
facilities and programs. |
| Strategies: |
Develop city-sponsored activities including educational programs,
organized seasonal programs (tennis, basketball, cross country skiing) and key fund
raising event. Create contest to involve children.
Create citywide outdoor recreation guide.
Utilize website to promote facilities and activities. Link with other key websites
(i.e. metroparks).
Utilize public access channel to promote facilities and activities.
Conduct market usage study.
Partner with ARDB and Board of Realtors to promote parks to new businesses and new
residents.
Actively partner with national park and national heritage river corridor. |
Goal: |
Develop connectivity (access, connection & transportation) to various regional
facilities in order to provide access to all. |
| Strategies: |
Promote green ways and bike paths on all existing and future
roads. Develop foot paths and/or bike paths within neighborhoods.
Consider location of future foot/bike paths when planning new infrastructures.
Encourage metropolitan approach to all recreational planning; including funding.
Develop locally appropriate solutions to address transportation issues (i.e. bike racks
on buses). |
Resources needed to accomplish goals:
Develop a commission to focus on one or more of the above goals. The commission would
consist of a representative(s) from each of the following: Metroparks, National park, City
of Akron – Parks & Recreation, Planning & Engineering Departments, citizen,
business community, city council.
Develop a position within the city that would serve as chairman of the above
commission.
In addition, this person would have authority to drive commission decisions with other
city departments.
First objective for the commission would be to develop the Master Plan. |
