Park and Outdoor Recreation Plan

The Park and Outdoor Recreation Plan    for the City of Evansville is an expression of the community’s goals, comprising current and future needs and demands for parks and recreational facilities. The intent is to plan for the maintenance, improvement, and expansion of Evansville's recreational and open space resources. The City typically updates the plan every 5 years. Goals found in the 2020-2025 plan are highlighted below, you can read the plan by clicking on the image.

Goal 1: To provide a variety of high-quality active and passive recreational opportunities.

• Provide recreational opportunities for different ages, interests, and needs.

• Maximize access to and preservation of relatively scarce surface water resources of the City.

• Engage citizens in the planning and improvement of City parks.

• Encourage regular updates of Fees in Lieu of Park Land ordinances for park and recreation land dedication in new subdivisions.

• Improve or establish a sense of entry and consistent signage for City recreation facilities.

Goal 2: To preserve the natural and scenic resources for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

• Preserve environmental corridors, scenic views, and areas of ecological significance.
• Encourage conservation practices that improve the quality of the land and water.
• Preserve wetlands in their natural state.
• Preserve currently known historic sites and anthropological sites that may be discovered in the future.
• Integrate recreational concepts, at the policy level, with other planning activities such as land use plans and new subdivision developments.
• Encourage uses of land and other natural resources which are in accordance with their character.
• Enhance the environmental assets of the City so that it continues to be an attractive place to live and play.

Goal 3: To locate park and recreational facilities throughout the community to ensure accessibility for all citizens.

• Provide adequate and easily accessible recreational facilities and park land throughout the City.
• Plan park and recreational expansions to meet the needs of a growing city.
• Preserve especially suitable areas for eventual park or other recreational purposes.
• Ensure facilities are accessible for people with disabilities.
• Promote a variety of non-motorized transportation facilities, including bicycle and walking/running paths within the City and connections to regional trail and path networks and recreational facilities beyond Evansville.
• Assure parks are within walkable distances for children and families.
• Provide safe pedestrian access to existing and future park lands.

GOAL 4: To fully utilize City, County, State, and Federal resources in the pursuit of the above goals.

• Use this Park and Outdoor Recreation Plan to help prioritize limited resources.

• Leverage the recommendations in this plan to pursue funding to assist with this plan’s implementation.

• Employ a Park and Recreation Director; explore programming expansion.

To view our previous plan from 2013 click here.