Why

Located in the northeast corner of Indiana, Allen County Parks manages over 1,000 acres of park land. In addition to being a requirement for Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant opportunities, Allen County Parks wanted to complete a Five-Year Master Plan for the following reasons: to improve agency management; establish direction and set constraints; define goals, objectives, and priorities; communicate direction to staff; allocate agency resources; facilitate delegation of responsibilities; manage change; assure public accountability; evaluate success; promote consistency in decisions; and promote cooperation and unity.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with Designing Local for the planning process. Designing Local is a certified woman-owned business that helps communities create beautiful, functional places that engage and inspire. Together, the planning team analyzed park access, ALICE findings, levels of service, operational policies and procedures, financial projections, existing site conditions and constraints, and public engagement findings to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the Allen County Parks system.

What

The final Master Plan included the development of GIS base files, five-year capital improvement plan (CIP) project list, along with recommendations for system funding, department advocacy, technology improvements, land acquisition, and staffing considerations. Recommendations for both the built environment and operational planning enable Allen County Parks to be more successful with implementing action strategies and communicating with elected officials, staff, and the public.

Reference
Jeff Baxter, Superintendent
Allen County Parks
(260) 449-3312
jbaxter@allencountyparks.org
8401 Union Chapel Road
Fort Wayne, IN 46845