city o f du bl i n by Rebecca Myers Photo courtesy of City of Dublin
Reigniting Recreation, Personalizing Parks Dublin creating new Parks and Recreation Master Plan
“Reassess, reengage and reignite.” That’s how Matt Earman, director of Parks and Recreation, views the City of Dublin’s current undertaking to develop a charter that will govern the green space and activities around the community. It’s time for the next Parks and Recreation Master Plan in Dublin. The plan is not just a document but a structure in which Dublin works to evaluate past successes of services, parks, facilities, processes and recreation programming – and what triumphs will look like for residents in the future. “When you create a plan like this, this is truly the vision of the community, and it’s our job to execute it and fulfill that vision,” Earman says. “This is the guiding plan that helps us justify, fund and prioritize those projects. It’s a very organized system through which to make those things happen.” Many cities find essential direction from their parks and recreation master plans, and Dublin is no different. Since 2009, the City has implemented the vast majority of its original plan, which Earman confirms has served as the “foundation” that’s led to the nationally accredited parks system Dublin has today. That policy-driven plan included best methods for the maintenance of parks and green areas as well as outlined practices to acquire land along the Scioto River for public use. Now, the time is upon City officials to design an updated approach that will ensure Dublin’s strategically planned park14 • June/July 2022
Got zen? Find your next favorite hobby, like outdoor yoga, in the City’s “Healthy” recreation guide at DublinOhioUSA.gov.
land and world-class amenities continue to benefit residents, businesses and visitors while opening up the doors for fresh ideas. Through a competitive process, the City has selected PROS Consulting to lead Dublin officials on a 10-month journey to create the master plan and offer suggestions for the City’s consideration. PROS will recommend the “broad strokes” as well as specific projects the City will work to implement. “They are very experienced in this kind of work,” Earman explains. “They understand the scope. They understand Dublin. They understand the region. They’ve done work here in Ohio. So, we’re really looking forward to garnering their expertise and exploring the needs of the community to create a vision for us going forward.”
Engaging the Community For PROS to make its recommendations to the City, the firm will look to the most trusted source in Dublin: its residents. Earman explains the master plan process values community input to find out what Dubliners want most from their 64 parks and accredited fitness and programming hub, the Dublin Community Recreation Center. The framework for the next five to 10 years, the plan will focus on fulfilling critical needs for parks and services while mapping out residents’ aspirations. Robert Ranc, Dublin’s deputy city manager and chief operating officer, notes the significance of these types of periodic reviews that assess people’s values. The plan “allows you to keep a pulse on where the community is at that time,” he says. www.dublinlifemagazine.com
