Raleigh asking for outside help in shaping future of parks and greenways

If you enjoy Raleigh's parks and greenways, the city is giving you a chance to shape the future of those spaces.

For the first time in a decade, the city is updating the plan for guidance on where new parks, trails, and community centers will go.

The goal is for everybody to be within a 10-minute walk of a park or greenway.

There was an air of spirit and celebration at John Chavis Memorial Park where the effort is kicking off.

The city hosted two Pizza in the Park events on Wednesday at Chavis Park. Of course, free pizza is part of the draw.

But the gathering is all about what the park system will look like in the next 10 years.

They have these oak leaves where you can let them know your priorities - including environment and climate, health and wellness, and equity and justice.

The bubbling of the splashpad brought Berychaina Rivera-Nevarez and her daughters to Chavis Park.

"They love the swings and the sprinklers," said Rivera-Nevarez.

The family followed the signs and bubbles from the playground and found themselves among the first people to help plan the future of Raleigh's park system.

"What we’re working on is an update to Raleigh’s park system plan," said Raleigh Parks Planning Supervisor TJ McCourt.

Right now, the city is refreshing its parks plan from 2014.

"This is a chance for us to think big," McCourt said. "And we want to work with the community to hear bold ideas for how Raleigh’s park system should evolve over the next 10 or 20 years."

Planners are asking people to share their ideas for what will make the parks, greenways and community centers better.

"As Raleigh continues to change, the needs of the parks also need updating and changing and expanding," Raleigh resident Christine Harrison said.

At Wednesday's first public workshop there's some play in the planning. From placing marbles on a map to showing priorities for the parks to kids drawing their favorite things to do at the park.

"It will give us guidance in how we make decisions and how we set priorities and ultimately how we decide to fund future park projects," McCourt said.

The first Pizza in the Park was over lunch. There will also be one during dinner in Chavis Park. They're bringing these events to parks across the city to collect ideas over the next six months.

A final parks plan update should go to city council by summer 2024.