The PenMet Parks PROS Plan features five phases of work with 15 deliverables and date-specific project milestones. The deliverables include Level of Service Analysis and Mapping, a Recreation Program Assessment Report, and an Operation and Maintenance Assessment. The plan was developed with input from our community at open forums and through surveys completed by District residents and other community members. The surveys were statistically valid and yielded reliable results within a 5.9% margin of error, meaning that the same questions would garner the same results 94% of the time.
In October 2023, the Board of Park Commissioners adopted the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan. The Plan provides actionable recommendations in four distinct areas to advance our community’s priorities for parks and recreation services. The complete Implementation Plan, including a full list of goals and objectives, is found in Chapter 6 of the PROS Plan.
Additional details can be found in the Annual Report and Strategic Plan updates.
In January 2026 the Board of Park Commissioners received an update on the status of the 2023 PROS Plan objectives. Objective areas include:
- Advance organizational effectiveness
- Delivery high quality parks and recreation facilities
- Provide equitable access to recreation facilities
- Cultivate exceptional programming for all residents
The graph below shows in all areas the objectives are being advanced with two areas – “deliver high quality parks and recreation facilities” and “provide equitable access to recreation facilities” – still having some tasks that have not yet been started.
When it comes to surveys, the community responses were very clear:
- 87% say access to walking and hiking trails is important.
- 81% say access to playgrounds is important.
- 77% say access to water is important.
Read a Special Study Session presentation to the Board of Park Commissioners from September 2023 shortly before the plan was adopted.
View the PROS Plan virtual community that was created by the consultant hired by PenMet Parks to create the PROS plan. This site includes information that was used to shape the final plan that was adopted in 2023.