The City of Van Buren adopted its updated Parks and Recreation master plan in June, with Van Buren Mayor Joe Hurst saying the update is proof that quality-of-life amenities are important to the city.
Work to update the plan began in August 2024 and included several rounds of public input and an online survey.
“The Parks & Recreation Commission held months of meetings gathering public input to craft the plan,” Hurst said. “Public input was also given through an online survey that was available on the city’s website and social media account. In addition, the survey was sent out in water bills throughout the city to get as much participation as possible.”
The survey received 1,317 responses. Survey responses indicated that families participate in a variety of sports and activities, with hiking as the top choice. A large number of respondents expressed exercise/sports and outdoor time as their primary motive for visiting the park. Swimming pools and playgrounds were close contenders for respondents’ reasons for visiting the park. When asked which needs were most important, residents voted for developing a community center with gym, fitness equipment, and indoor courts, and developing a new swimming pool, diving, and aquatics facility.
The community center is a key part of the updated plan. A “conceptual” plan shows a 61,755-square-foot center that would include an indoor swimming pool with spectator seating, a splash pad for children, classrooms, community room for 450 people, indoor pickleball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, an indoor running track, and a concession area.
The estimated cost for the conceptual community center is $34.203 million.
Hurst also said some park improvements have been made, and they are working on a dog park.
“We have recently resurfaced a basketball court inside the City Park, next to the Boys and Girls Club. The dog park is the first park we’re working on from the new parks master plan,” Hurst noted.
A completion date for the dog park has not been determined. The dog park is slated to be funded by city funds and donations from the Rotary Club.
“The Rotary Dog Park will be the first dog park in the city. We’ve listened to citizens’ requests, and we want to make sure we provide it for them and their puppies,” Hurst said.
The introduction to the updated master plan provides an outline of the process history.
“The City of Van Buren, through the oversight of the Parks and Recreation Commission, engaged MAHG Architecture, Inc. to guide in updating the vision and goals for the City’s parks and recreational programs,” noted the updated report. “In 2015, the City adopted the Parks and Recreation Master Plan developed by CEI. The 2015 Master Plan highlighted various immediate needs (0-2 years), near-term needs (3-5 years), and long-term needs (6-10 years). Many of those immediate and near-term needs outlined have been accomplished, necessitating additional guidance for shaping the City of Van Buren’s parks currently as well as in the future.”
The report also provides an outline of how the city plans to move forward with plan objectives.
“Due to sequencing and project funding, it may prove necessary to improve certain aspects or portions of a park or parks on varying timelines,” according to the plan report. “During these developments, a more focused and detail-oriented approach will take place. It is important to remember that this plan is designed to create a framework for design opportunities and should not act as an inhibitor to future ideas and developments as they arise. Adjustments to the plan can, and will, be necessary to achieve future parks improvements.”
Link here to access the master plan and review survey statistics.