UPDATED STRATEGIC PLAN COMMUNITY INPUT To begin the strategic planning process, the Park
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PLAN Naperville Park District’s 2023-2025 Strategic Plan affirms the continued mission of the District to provide recreation and park experiences that promote healthy lives, healthy minds and a healthy community. The plan carries forward the District's six core values, which are: Health and Wellness, Environmental Education, Stewardship and Sustainability, Community Enrichment, Public Safety, Accessibility, and Personal Growth and Enrichment. The new goals created for the 2023-2025 plan also retain five strategic priority areas from the previous plan, which are: Community Engagement and Partnership, Facilities and Programming, Organizational Adaptation and Effectiveness, Fiscal Planning and Stability, and Technology. Some of the top strategic goals in the plan include addressing labor market staffing challenges to serve the community more effectively, updating the District’s Master Plan, conducting an assessment of indoor space needs, and developing and enhancing activities and programs based on community and stakeholder feedback.
District engaged aQity Research & Insights to conduct a Community Interest and Opinion Survey in April and May 2022. A random sample of more than 10,000 Naperville households received an invitation to participate in the survey, with 508 residents completing the survey. After this phase was complete, a link to the survey questions was posted on the District’s website with an invitation to the public to participate, resulting in an additional 537 respondents. Results of the survey are summarized on the website. Key findings were that the average esteem rating for the District was the highest yet at 8.4; that 97% of respondents visited a park or facility over the past 2 years; that 75% of residents rely primarily on the District’s website for information about the District; and that residents expressed interest in outdoor and indoor walking, picnic shelters, natural areas, District events and youth programs, and indoor aquatics (as well as other amenities and programs). To gain further input from stakeholders, the District’s strategic planning consultant conducted focus groups among staff, community organizations and residents.
STEWARDSHIP OF PARKS AND FACILITIES As part of taking care of its assets, the Park District invested resources in planning or completing strategic renovations and improvements in several locations in 2022. RON ORY COMMUNITY GARDEN PLOTS SITE MASTER PLAN
The Ron Ory Community Garden Plots provide approximately 500 plots for gardeners in the community to grow their own vegetables and flowers. In 2022, as new ideas were being proposed for further development of this facility, Park District staff and board believed that it was important to reach out to the gardeners and the community for feedback about what improvements may be helpful in the future considering the space available. With the assistance of Upland Design, Ltd., the Park District created a Site Master Plan for the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots that is based on a site analysis and community input. Staff presented the plan to the Park Board in August 2022. The plan includes minor improvements such as additional water spigots and ADA-accessible port- o-lets, as well as major renovations, including a permeable paver parking lot,
drainage enhancements, raised, ADA-accessible garden beds, connecting paths and more. Going forward, the District will rely on the Site Master Plan as a visionary document and will consider phasing in the improvements over a period of years while continuing to collaborate with gardeners and other stakeholders. NAPERVILLE PARK DISTRICT 2022 ANNUAL REPORT | napervilleparks.org 4
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