Best laid plans – On the shelf

I watched the latest City Council Special Meeting with the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and once again, there was talk about the Parks Master Plan that we have—but aren’t using. Dozens of questions were raised about projects, funding, grants, and research. People were looking at each other like, “Can we do this? Can we do that? Who’s going to take charge? How do we get money for that?” There was lots of discussion about future projects, but no one seems to know who will manage all these new parks. Who?

The City of Canby is growing, and we need a properly funded Parks & Recreation Department that can not only manage our current parks but also plan for the future. Yet, I’m watching meetings where there’s no accountability, no expertise, and no one in charge.

The creation of the Wait Park Master Plan was mentioned, with emphasis on how big the project is and how much community involvement will be required. The reason it’s being delayed? Because it’s too much work.

Our Parks Master Plan is only two years old, but it’s being discussed like it’s already outdated. The previous one was 20 years old! Why isn’t the 2022 Parks Master Plan being used now as the foundation for our city’s growth? Why did we even pay for it if it’s just going to be ignored, other than to check a box and say, “At least it’s no longer 20 years old”?

If we don’t address this, we’ll continue to face “emergencies” like what happened with Maple Street Park. We updated it to attract activities like softball tournaments, but then acted surprised when there wasn’t enough parking. Now the neighborhood streets are congested, creating traffic safety issues, and we’re scrambling to find parking solutions.

Maybe an experienced Parks Administrator would have anticipated this? Let’s slow down and set Canby up for success in the future—not more failures and wasted money.

You can watch the meeting here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOhtFAuAjjI