Great Parks of Hamilton County Comprehensive Master Plan Honored with Excellence in Planning Award

We believe a healthy environment is the foundation for a healthy community. Read how the Great Parks of Hamilton County is strategically planning for the future of its parks, facilities, programs and services.

MKSK congratulates the Great Parks of Hamilton County in receiving the 2019 Frank Ferris II Community Planning Award for the Great Parks of Hamilton County Comprehensive Master Plan!

Since its founding in 1930, Great Parks of Hamilton County has established one of Ohio’s largest and most diverse inventories of parks, nature preserves, and conservation areas. Great Parks currently manages more than 17,600 acres of greenspace including more than 25 miles of river frontage along ecologically important and recreationally valuable riparian corridors across Hamilton County, Ohio. An inclusive and thorough community planning process helped to create this Comprehensive Master Plan, which will guide parks, facilities, programming and services over the next 10 years.

MKSK, along with PROS Consulting (Park Programming & Needs Assessment) and ETC Institute (Community Survey), and an Advisory Committee developed a comprehensive master plan that addresses the needs expressed by the community through an inclusive planning process which engaged 100+ stakeholders and 2,100+ members of the public. The Plan establishes five goals: 1. Be a recognized leader in conservation, 2. Provide innovative programming as a gateway to nature exploration, 3. Create outstanding experiences, 4. Advance fiscal health, 5. Operate with high standards of excellence.

To see the results of the comprehensive plan, view the Executive Summary and Final Plan here.