01 - INTRODUCTION Introduction:
Discover, Experience, Play. Through these words the City of DeSoto’s Parks and Recreation Department summarizes its mission to enrich the quality of life in DeSoto by providing World Class customer service, premier parks, and dynamic recreational experiences. DeSoto is home to 53,568 residents as of 2016. With about 22 square miles, the city is nestled in southern Dallas County in between two major highway arteries; Interstate 20 and Interstate 35. The City has 22 parks (494 acres) and seven trails (12.85 mi.) within the city limits. Based on the input of the community and City leadership, this Master Plan will guide parks and recreation development within DeSoto in the next 5, 10, and 20 year time periods. Strategies have been developed to support and expand on previous planning efforts to assist the Parks and Recreation Department in moving the recreation offerings of the City into the future. Purpose: In order to remain eligible for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant program, the City is required to update its Parks and Recreation Master Plan every five years or before major developments occur. The last Plan was released seven years ago in 2011, with the City’s Comprehensive Plan being released in 2015. The 2020 update will combine previous considerations along with updated ideas to develop a current plan. The information provided serves as a starting point and gives the City an understanding of the next steps to take in advance the quality and image of its parks system.
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