Monday, August 22, 2022—Cleveland—On Friday, the Bibb Administration released an RFP for a consultant to assist with a comprehensive Citywide Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
The announcement comes on the heels of Cleveland’s selection in July as one of six inaugural cities chosen by the Trust for Public Land for the 10-Minute Walk Park Equity Accelerator program. Cleveland was selected based on commitment to advancing local park goals; readiness to explore, experiment with, and adopt new strategies or approaches; and potential to advance field understanding around a common issue or challenge.
“Parks and recreation offerings, and the public spaces they inhabit, are a critical component of quality of life in any city,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “Playgrounds, pools, and basketball courts, along with the many resources and programs provided through our Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Centers, are fundamental to healthy, connected and revitalized communities.”
Led by the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects (MOCAP), the 15-year master plan will create a roadmap that ensures just and fair capital investment in parks and recreation, provides equitable connections to quality parks and rec activities, and meets the needs of City residents, community groups, and other stakeholders.
The City is seeking a system-wide approach in order to develop goals, policies and guidelines and prioritize strategies based on current and future funding scenarios. This will include a robust community needs assessment, a long-range parks and recreation plan, and a strategic plan that identifies finding sources and implementation strategies.
TPL and the accelerator program will be heavily involved with the Strategic Plan component of the master planning process, specifically on developing a framework for strategic and equitable resource allocation that benefits all residents and stakeholders.
“We are grateful for the support coming from TPL and we look forward to working with them as we go through the planning process with our selected consultant,” said MOCAP Director James DeRosa. “This is an incredible opportunity to be forward thinking and comprehensive in our approach, to remove barriers to access, and to ensure that our public recreation spaces truly serve our residents in an intentional way.”
The City of Cleveland currently owns, operates, or leases 177 parks and recreation sites that total nearly 1,843 acres. They include 172 parks, 23 Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Centers (NRRC), 106 playgrounds, 40 swimming pools and hundreds of other public spaces and programs.
Proposals are due by Friday, September 16, 2022, at noon EST. The full RFP can be found here.
