Vision Plan Diagram Mapping Exercise
The vision, goals, and road map for future implementation of NCPRD's 20-year System Plan are currently under development. A draft vision plan diagram—created using community feedback and systemwide assessments conducted in 2024—is currently open for public comment.
View the Current Park and Recreation Assessment Highlights
View the 2024 Engagement Highlights
Share your ideas and feedback on the identified priority areas and enhancement opportunities for NCPRD’s parks and recreation system.
This engagement activity is open from January 24 to February 28, 2025.
Project Overview
District Information
North Clackamas Parks & Recreation District (NCPRD) is a service district of Clackamas County dedicated to providing exceptional parks and recreation programs, facilities and services. Voters approved the formation of the District in 1990 because they saw the need for greater parks and recreation services in the north end of the county. The District – which serves more than 105,000 residents in a 27-square mile area – includes the city of Milwaukie and a large area of unincorporated Clackamas County.
What is a System Plan?
It is a 20-year roadmap for community-informed decision making. With a limited budget and resources, the System Plan will tell the District how and where to invest.
Why a Parks System Plan Update?
Understand the current and changing community demographics and recreation trends.
Assess existing properties and facilities performance.
Identify current community values, desires, and needs.
Anticipate future community needs and replacement of aging recreation infrastructure.
Plan holistically for the District’s dispersed offerings.
Develop clear priorities for investment and resources.
Guide efforts with strategies for the next 20 years.
32 Total Developed Parks
= 151 Acres
7 Natural Areas or Greenways
= 48 Acres
13 Undeveloped Parks
= 41 Acres
3 Community/Recreation Facilities
Plan for the Future
The vision, goals, and road map for future implementation of NCPRD's 20-year System Plan are currently under development.
Draft Vision and Goals
Vision: Enhancing community with exceptional parks, natural areas, and recreation opportunities that welcome all.
THEME: Care for and Invest in Parks and Recreation
Aspiration: Care for our existing system while providing a strong foundation for future opportunities.
GOAL: Prioritize investments and improvements in areas of high community need.
GOAL: Strengthen partnerships and interdepartmental collaboration.
GOAL: Care for what we have now while also looking toward new acquisitions and development that expand offerings and access.
GOAL: Ensure quality and longevity of the park and recreation system through long-term fiscal sustainability of the District.
THEME: Connect to Nature
Aspiration: Connect to nature, embracing and protecting natural resources and mitigating climate change impacts.
GOAL: Increase community access to the outdoors, nature, and water.
GOAL: Create a districtwide network of trails to enhance movement, connectivity and enjoyment in the natural environment.
GOAL: Connect people to natural places and their restorative benefits.
GOAL: Foster a sense of curiosity and stewardship for nature through enhanced signage, access, and learning opportunities in the District.
GOAL: Enhance community resilience through climate adapted landscapes, facilities, and program offerings.
THEME: Play for All
Aspiration: Promote health and lifelong learning by providing parks, natural areas, facilities, and recreational opportunities for all ages and abilities.
GOAL: Provide recreation programs and places to play that meet the needs of a broad range of ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
GOAL: Reduce gaps in parks access and programming using the variety of tools and resources in our community.
GOAL: Offer affordable recreation programs and facilities to encourage participation and reduce financial barriers.
GOAL: Ongoing communications to meet community needs and proactively follow national trends.
THEME: Enrich Our Community
Aspiration: Strengthen connections through events, activities, recreation programming, and communication that celebrate the diversity of identities in our community.
GOAL: Celebrate and honor cultures, languages, storytelling, art, and history of distinct communities in North Clackamas.
GOAL: Create community togetherness and foster welcoming environments through recreational and cultural offerings in parks, facilities, and programs.
GOAL: Craft programs and partnerships that support the health of residents through recreation programs and events.
GOAL: Adapt recreation, activities, and events to meet the current and future recreation needs of the community.
A draft vision plan diagram—created using community feedback and systemwide assessments conducted in 2024—is currently open for public comment. This diagram contains two parts:
1. Priority Areas: These have been identified by looking at gaps in walking access, high community needs based on social, environmental and health factors, and areas where high concentrations of residents are living. Based on this assessment, we have identified two types of priority areas across the district:
Priority Areas for Increasing Service: areas where few or no parks, natural areas, or facilities are provided today.
Priority Areas for Enhanced Connectivity: areas that have a higher concentration of parks and facilities today, but where access could be improved into nearby neighborhoods.
2. Enhancement Opportunities: These are opportunities to improve our existing parks and facilities based on community feedback received April – August 2024 and findings from various systemwide assessments. What we heard people would most like to see over the next 20 years:
Project Timeline
January to July 2024
Discovery
Assessing the parks, facilities, programs and services in the District today
Identifying what’s working and what could be improved
Reviewing national, state, and regional parks and recreation trends
April to August 2024
Establishing Community Priorities
Hosting focus groups, an online survey, and meeting with people at community events
Reviewing community feedback collected
Providing comparison data from other Parks and Recreation Districts
September 2024 to April 2025
Guiding Directions and Plan Creation
Crafting a future vision and goals for the District based on community priorities
Developing a plan for achieving the vision and goals
Gathering community feedback on the plan
Sequencing projects, funding, and strategies for implementation
April 2025 to July 2025
Plan Documentation and Approval
Finalizing the plan and project sequencing based on community feedback
Documenting the final plan
Final approvals of the plan
How to be Involved
Big Takeaways We Heard from the 2024 Engagement Activities:
Maintenance and renovation of current facilities are top concerns for residents.
Residents emphasize the need for communication and awareness about NCPRD amenities and programs.
Future needs assessments from residents correspond with the most popular activities in NCPRD currently, such as the need to prioritize natural, open areas and trails for walking/biking/rolling.
Survey results show that residents strongly support additional funding and spending for parks and recreation improvements in the future.
Upcoming Events
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| 1/26 | Lunar New Year Celebration |
| 2/8 | Design & Dinner Social |
What We Heard
Documents & Maps
Presentation to the District Advisory Committee, July 10, 2024
Presentation to the District Advisory Committee, May 8, 2024
Presentation to the District Advisory Committee, April 10, 2024
Presentation to the District Advisory Committee, September 11, 2024
Sign up for System Plan Updates
FAQ
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It is a 20-year guide for community-informed decision making. The System Plan will direct how and where to invest limited District resources.
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We start by looking at what we have in the District today and identifying what’s working and what isn’t. Then, through extensive community engagement and listening to a diverse range of District voices, we identify what the community wants and needs.
Based on all of that, we develop a plan for how to reach those community goals.
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• Which properties we purchase and where
• Where and what types of parks, facilities, and trails we develop or improve
• What types of funding we pursue
• Which partnerships we make
• What types of programs we offer and where they go
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• It will not increase our budget or the funding we have available as a District. Instead, it will make recommendations for funding sources the District could pursue, and will help inform how we use the limited resources we have based on community priorities.
• It will not result in immediate improvements or specific designs for facilities and parks. These will come after the System Plan is completed, and will be based on our 5-year capital improvement projects list. The projects identified in that list will be directly informed by the community priorities identified in the System Plan.
• It is not a crystal ball. The System Plan will look toward a 20-year vision, but much can change during that time. To keep the System Plan up-to-date with changes in community needs and changes in parks and recreation trends, it is recommended that we do a refresh of the System Plan roughly every 5 years.
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The last adopted System Plan was in 2004, with an update in 2015 that was not finalized due to changes in the District boundary. Since that time, community demographics have changed, as have national and regional trends in Parks and Recreation offerings. This System Plan will respond to those changes and provide a fresh guide for District decision making.
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The process is anticipated to take roughly 15 months in total. There will be a large public outreach effort in the late spring and summer 2024. A draft plan will be developed in fall 2024 and the final plan and implementation strategy will be developed in spring/summer 2025.
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We will have many opportunities for residents to get involved throughout the System Plan process.
• Survey – Beginning in May-June 2024 we will launch an online survey to gather feedback on the vision residents have for Parks and Recreation.
• Events – We will be tabling at numerous NCPRD and community events throughout summer and fall 2024 to gather additional input.
• Community Presentations – NCPRD staff, as well as members of our District Advisory Committee (DAC), will also be looking for opportunities to present on the System Plan process and updates, and collect feedback from District residents, at smaller community venues between May 2024 and June 2025.