One key to a good life: Community helped Lenexa with details of this 2024 parks plan

Trails, pools and pickleball courts all have big roles in how Lenexa exercises and plays. And those vital elements of a good life just got a refresh in the city.

“The benefits and importance of parks and recreation are almost endless,” said Lenexa Parks & Recreation Director Logan Wagler.

“Parks and recreation is vital for fostering healthy, vibrant and sustainable communities. It provides numerous physical, mental, social, environmental and economic benefits, making them essential components of urban and suburban planning.

“Investing in parks and recreation facilities ensures a higher quality of life for all residents, promoting overall well-being and community cohesion. “

Lenexa City Council this spring adopted the 2024 parks and recreation master plan after more than a year of research and community input.

Lenexa Mayor Julie Sayers is pleased with the community response.

“As we expect in Lenexa, we were fortunate to have remarkable engagement throughout the master plan process and are grateful to everyone who shared their feedback,” Sayers said. “The new master plan will shape how we enhance and grow our already exceptional parks and recreation offerings.”

Wagler said there were no significant shifts of needs when comparing the most recent master plan to the last one adopted in 2012.

“Both plans put major emphasis on parks, trails and providing quality and engaging programs and events,” Wagler said.

“With this new plan, there were many new items the community is looking for, such as a dog park, pump track and splash pad,” he said. “Additionally, some other minor differences include more demand for senior programming due to the aging population, along with an emphasis on arts and culture programming and events.”

The city said some items that surfaced in the process do not have allocated funds. Those items include improved walking and biking trails; parks and preservation; an off-leash dog park; increased outdoor recreation and nature programming; a splash pad or spray ground for young kids; additional pickleball courts; continued investment in the Lenexa Farmers Market; additional adult fitness, wellness and enrichment programs; more art, history and culture programming; and continued investment in maintaining current parks.

Wagler said priority initiatives identified by the community listed in the master plan make up “the guiding vision for the plan.”

“Implementation of the plan and these initiatives will require time, resources and coordination,” he said.

Wagler said most parks and recreation projects use a few dedicated funds, including the voter-approved 3/8 cents sales tax, special alcohol tax, and the parks and recreation impact fees.

“These revenues will likely be the primary source for funding the items identified in the plan,” Wagler said. “Any new projects are limited to what revenues are available to use.”

He said ongoing efforts include maintaining the park and trail network, and improving walking and biking trails.

“Those currently have dedicated ongoing funding through the general fund or an annual capital project focused on maintenance,” Wagler said.

“However, many of the initiatives are new infrastructure and would need to be physically built. These initiatives will come to fruition through our capital improvement program, which serves a guide for the capital projects for a five-year rolling period,” he added.

“Any new infrastructure items will need to be requested as a new project request; for example, the development of one of our future parks that might include a dog park, pickleball courts or splash pad.”

Wagler said the capital improvement program is an annual process and staff will be recommending projects for consideration using the new master plan as a guide.

Certain shifts have made parks and recreation even more important.

“As houses get bigger and lots shrink, outdoor spaces become more limited,” Wagler said. “This limits the ability for activities but also can lead to less social interaction between neighbors. This makes parks crucial for providing residents with spaces for outdoor activities, social interaction, enjoying nature and just having some fun.”

Wagler said it is important to realize that the refresh might need a refresh in the future.

“Recreational needs and priorities can change frequently,” Wagler said. “This plan is a snapshot in time and must be capable of evolving as needed.”

Best practices for master plans, Wagler said, are to update them a minimum of every five to 10 years.

“Depending on how much is changing,” he said.

“Staff has a good pulse on trends in the industry but we put a ton of emphasis on program surveys, user feedback and community input, which will help determine any need to consider changes to the plan and program offerings.”