Survey, meetings planned to get input
The Polk County Recreation Advisory Board has begun the task of creating a new recreation master plan that is expected to recommend recreation improvements in the area for the next 10 years.
The Polk County Board of Commissioners met Monday, July 11 with Polk County Recreation Advisory Board Chairman Jim Patterson regarding the master plan.
Patterson said the plan will be developed based on area residents’ ideas of what is needed in terms of recreation between now and 2021. Residents’ opinions will be gathered through community meetings and a survey.
The first community meeting on the recreation plan will be held on July 26 at the Green Creek Community Center. The second will take place Aug. 2 at Isothermal Community College on Hwy. 108 in Columbus, the third will be on Aug. 9 at the Polk County Middle School and the final meeting will be Aug. 16 at Saluda Elementary School. All meetings will begin at 7 p.m.
“This is not our plan,” Patterson said. “We are just facilitators of the plan. We want the citizens of Polk County to come forward and tell us what they see for the future for Polk County.”
Patterson said the meetings will include a watermelon cutting and will be casual to get people to come in and talk about recreation needs for the county.
Patterson said the last recreation plan for Polk County is from 1999 and doesn’t include some improvements that have been done over the last several years, including the recreation complex in Mill Spring.
Polk’s last recreation master plan was developed by a consultant, but Patterson said the recreation board feels it can complete a plan without hiring help, which will save money.
Patterson said a new master plan is needed mainly for the county to be able to apply for grants. He said grants usually want a plan to have been created within the last five years.
Surveys about recreational facilities and services have already been drafted. Residents can obtain a survey at one of the community meetings. County officials also said they will make the survey available on the county’s website at www.polknc.org.
Once school begins, surveys will also be distributed to students for parents to fill out and return.
The survey, which is confidential, includes questions regarding use of the recreation facilities of Stearns Gym, Gibson Park pool in Columbus, the county recreation park, Stearns Park and Harmon Field, as well as area recreational programs.
The survey asks residents if they think the recreational needs of Polk County are being met and what activities residents would like to see that are not currently offered.
Residents are also asked to rank desired recreational items in order of importance, including an indoor pool, horse trails, additional walking trails, bike trails, more softball/baseball fields, public canoe access, picnic facilities, Frisbee (disc) golf course and soccer fields.