MPFDC September 2023 Report

MANSFIELD PARKS & RECREATION SEPTEMBER 2023 DEPARTMENT UPDATE Once a year, residents from across the city sign up for My Mansfield Muni-Versity, a 12-week program designed to give an up-close look at the city, its staff, and the behind-the-scenes operations. Each week, the group rotates through departments for a presentation, Q&A session and some kind of activity or exercise. It’s one of our favorite nights of the year, and always a great way to get a quick finger on the pulse of the community. This month, we welcomed Muni-Versity Class 4 to the Lanners Administration building to learn about parks and recreation. They enjoyed a big-picture overview of our team, responsibilities and services, as well as an update on current projects and priorities. This portion ended with a quick tutorial on the department website, an under-appreciated resource for residents. The most exciting segment, as always, was the Build-a-Park exercise, when participants are tasked with donning a park planner hat and designing the park of their dreams. This year’s group brainstormed concepts for the non-athletic field half of Southwest Community Park; sixty acres full of potential. There was no budget, so the proposals ranged from six to $30mil! These activities are not only fun, but a great way for staff to see how amenities are prioritized and for residents to see just how expensive (and complicated!) it can be to design, build, maintain and program our parks.