The Cities of Covington, Ludlow, and Bromley want to hear from their communities about what makes a park great. Led by a partnership with Planning and Development Services of Kenton County (PDS), the Cities have built a new web site and online survey to gather thoughts and ideas from as many community residents as possible.
The survey and website are part of the “Help Plan Your Parks” project, a collaborative effort designed to implement the goals and recommendations of Direction2030 – Kenton County’s new comprehensive plan. Other components of the project include an inventory of the facilities and equipment from each park in Kenton County’s urban core and a report detailing their status. The report will include recommendations for effective and efficient investments as well as examine areas of opportunity for future park improvements. The report and the project are expected to wrap up later this summer.
”We created rivercityparks.org to gather public input so that each City will know more about their community and what issues are important to them,” explained Michael Ionna, AICP, Principal Planner for PDS and project manager.
“Responses from the survey are an important first step in our project and will be used to establish priorities for future investment into park and recreation facilities, create programs, and provide services within each community,” said Larisa Sims, Assistance Covington City Manager.
The website, meant to be used as an ongoing community resource and public input tool, also includes an interactive map. Using your favorite device, you can easily find the location of every park located in the urban core of Kenton County. You can then view specific amenities provided at each location and pictures of each park.
“Parks play an important role in the urban landscape,” Ionna elaborated. “They provide people an outdoor refuge, or “living room” where they can relax, socialize, and be in contact with nature. In addition, they serve as a venue for group activities and social gatherings which bring together communities and strengthen their identity.”
Residents interested in learning more about the project or providing their thoughts on parks in the urban core should visit rivercityparks.org to have their ideas included. While the project is expected to wrap up later this summer, the website will remain as a resource for the community and launching point for future surveys.