Gilbert finishing off parks master plan

By Tom Blodgett
Mail |
X: @sp_blodgett

Gilbert is putting together the finishing touches of its new parks and recreation master plan, one that will guide town planning in that area for the next 10 years. 

Parks and Recreation Manager Lane Gram and Jason Genck, the practice lead for the Parks, Recreation and Library Division of consultant BerryDunn, presented an executive summary of the plan, which was built from residents' input, to Gilbert Town Council during its May 7 study session. 

The input came from more than 60,000 “touch points" with residents Gram said was the product of the parks team being a “traveling road show” with different events and ways to interact from February through July last year. The town branded that effort as “Plan Where You Play.” 

“We had a goal of meeting the community where they were, and I felt we were very successful in that and getting those 60,000 touch points,” Gram said. “So we're very proud of that.” 

Genck praised the department’s staff for its work on the project. 

“I want to tell you, I have never seen the amount of time, innovation, openness, support, and even challenge from your team to make sure we're doing the very best for the time of your work,” he said.  

The result was a plan featuring six key strategic initiatives: preserve existing assets, excel through innovation, create a connected community, share the parks’ story, ensure equitable service and develop the parks team. 

Genck said town surveying showed 80% of residents supported putting money into preserving the assets the town has now to maintain the levels of quality. 

“The secret sauce of Gilbert is Gilbert, that hometown balance feel with smart progressive growth that you guys are doing,” Genck said about creating a connected community. “Everyone seems to want to live here.” 

Because something special is going on in Gilbert, Genck said, the town will want to capitalize on that in sharing its story. 

Genck said a systemwide analysis identified some gaps and places to improve accessibility on the physical side and in programming. 

“We’re not saying doing that overnight, but we are saying as you develop, as you grow, there is opportunities to have more connectivity,” he said.  

Gilbert does have a great team, he said, but as the town grows, the department will need to maintain its current level of service. 

The plan also creates priority levels for capital needs. The highest priority projects center on park development, aquatics, recreation centers with indoor fitness and playground facilities, sports fields, garden space, pickleball courts, shade and public art. 

Genck also acknowledged the town has a gap between the multiuse fields it has and what it needs. 

During council discussion, Vice Mayor Scott Anderson and Councilmember Jim Torgeson questioned whether diversity, equity and inclusion language was creeping into the plan when it comes to ensuring equitable services and developing the parks team. 

However, Mayor Brigette Peterson, Council Member Kathy Tilque and Parks Director Robert Carmona said it was more about having all-abilities facilities and access to facilities and programming. 

Councilmember Bobbi Buchli also continued to advocate for South Gilbert to have access to aquatics facilities and a recreation center. 

Tilque said she would be open to some kind of public-private partnership relating to aquatics, but reiterated council had previously decided it did not want to get into operating aquatics facility. 

We would like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Tom Blodgett can be reached by email at tblodgett@iniusa.org or follow him @sp_blodgett on X.

Tom Blodgett
Senior News Editor | Gilbert

tblodgett@iniusa.org

Meet Tom
Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.

Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.

Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism. 

Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.  

Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).