Bocce players use a court at Hill Recreation Area in Novato, Calif., Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal)
Novato residents are calling on the city to better maintain the parks it has before adding more.
Feedback came from various surveys and community meetings focused on developing the city’s parks master plan. The topic was discussed at a community meeting at the Margaret Todd Senior Center attended by 35 people on November 15. The survey received 1,342 responses.
“While the draft master plan is not yet complete, recurring themes were discovered during the outreach and community engagement phases of this project and presented during the results presentation,” said Katie Gauntlett, director of city parks.
Besides the maintenance issue, the survey also calls for greater safety for young and elderly park users, as well as updates on potential Americans With Disabilities Act loopholes in parks .
The parks master plan is intended to be a strategic guide for the development of current and potentially future parks. Parks, playgrounds, fields, outdoor areas, trails, picnic areas and park amenities are being evaluated based on public needs and interests.
“We are very pleased with the way the community has come forward to support the engagement element of this project,” said Mayor Susan Wernick. “We look forward to the next steps, which will include reviewing the draft plan early in the new year.”
The city has 38 facilities and parks that it manages. The list includes Lee Gerner Park, Hill Recreation Area and Marin Highlands Park.
Novato operates 28 parks totaling approximately 316.5 acres. The parks include, among other amenities, hiking trails, 14 playgrounds, playgrounds, outdoor courts, and picnic areas.
Gauntlett said regular users of the facility such as the Novato Youth Soccer Association and the Novato Tennis Club participated in the investigation, Gauntlett said. Other sports that saw strong engagement included basketball and baseball.
The public engagement process included community meetings, focus groups, presentations at community events, surveys and hearings before the Recreation, Cultural and Community Services Advisory Commission.
City council has allocated $250,000 for the 2022-2023 fiscal year to develop a parks master plan. In February, it awarded the professional services contract to Berry Dunn, a national parks and recreation management consulting firm.
Novato increased city fees for parks and recreation classes and programs, sports equipment rentals and code enforcement in July from $5 to $20 to recoup staffing and program costs. The plan also includes a 10% surcharge for non-residents who participate in Parks and Recreation programs and classes such as sports camps, aquatics classes and gymnastics.
The City Council also approved the construction of a fully accessible and inclusive playground for children with disabilities at Pioneer Park, at 1007 Simmons Lane, at a cost of $1.1 million.
A draft of the master plan is expected in early 2024.
