FAQs
- Participate in focus groups or public workshops to shape plan recommendations. Your voice and lived experiences are critical to guide decision-making.
- Provide input through community-wide surveys. Widespread participation in surveys will help ensure the plan's directions align with community values and desires. They survey will be released at the end of February or the beginning of March.
- Follow updates and give feedback on the project website. Ongoing online engagement allows you to review information and share thoughts easily.
- Attend public open houses to learn about the plan's progress and provide your perspective.
How can residents participate in the planning process?
Your participation is vital to creating a PROST plan that reflects our community's needs and values. Public participation opportunities will be shared on the Engage Missoula website started in February 2024. This planning process will offer numerous opportunities for residents to get involved and share their priorities:
Reach out to project staff anytime with questions, comments or suggestions (contact information below). We want to hear from you.
This is our community's plan. Please lend your voice to help shape the future of Missoula's treasured parks, recreation, trails, and open spaces. Your participation makes all the difference in creating an inclusive, community-driven PROST Master Plan. We look forward to your involvement!
How long will the Plan update take to complete?
The plan update process is anticipated to take approximately 18 to 24 months to complete.
How will the Plan be implemented?
The Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Plan will include specific actions and priorities that the City and its partners should take to implement the contents of the Plan. This long-range plan will serve the City for approximately 10-15 years.
How does the plan interface with other City planning processes?
Missoula Parks and Recreation staff and the planning consultant team, BluePoint Planning, are working diligently to make sure this plan will connect with the other similar and related Planning processes and projects. Likewise, project staff will coordinate public engagement activities with those of other related processes and projects.
How will the plan address the three City strategic decision-making lenses of climate and resiliency, equity, and housing?
The three City strategic decision-making lenses of climate, equity, and housing will be applied throughout the Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails planning process. The team will regularly consult with experts in related fields to ensure public engagement, inventory and analysis, proposed amenities and facilities, implementation strategies, and other associated elements aligned with the lenses.
What will the plan cost?
Costs for the primary consultant team will be up to $250,000 for the 18–24-month planning process, funded by Park District 1. In addition, Parks and Recreation has contracted with the University of Montana WA Franke College of Forestry and Conservation for public engagement leadership, assistance, and administration of a statistically representative survey.
When was the last Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Master Plan developed?
The last comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan was adopted by the City in 2004.