FAQs

The Parks and Recreation Master Plan will guide decision-makers, stakeholders, and the general public in understanding the needs and priorities related to parks and recreation in Strathroy-Caradoc. This includes items such as parkland, facilities, programs and activities, operations and maintenance, policy development, and financial strategies.

Through research and public input, the Master Plan will examine service levels in all communities across the Municipality and establish priorities for the next 25 years. Recommendations will be developed to respond to community needs, population changes, participation trends, gaps in service, and operational requirements. 

Strathroy-Caradoc is committed to ensuring that residents of all ages have access to community amenities and activities that are accessible and support active lifestyles and wellbeing. The Master Plan will assist the Municipality and stakeholders in making strategic decisions to ensure a healthy community, improve quality of life, and encourage a strong economy and sustainable environment.

The Parks and Recreation Master Plan is connected to Strathroy-Caradoc’s Growing Together initiative, which brings together all of the municipality’s master plans and key planning documents, enabling Council, municipal staff and the community to see how these elements fit into a united vision of our future.

The updated Master Plan will build on previous planning efforts, including the plan that was prepared in 2015. Due to the significant growth in the municipality, changes in planning and land use policies, the Municipality’s progress in the development of new parks, facilities and programs, and shifts in community needs, the time to review and update the 2015 Parks and Recreation Master Plan has come.

Like many other municipalities, Strathroy-Caradoc has a variety of challenges that it will need to address in the coming years related to the management of parks and recreation services. Understanding these challenges allows us to identify opportunities that respond to current and future needs. Examples include:

• Continued growth in our population, along with changes in age composition and socio-economic diversity

• Emerging parks and recreation needs and requests, such as greater demand for municipal programming

• Aging infrastructure and the necessity to undertake facility renewal and or repurposing

• Efficient and effective service delivery, including partnerships with the community and other providers

• Funding limitations, which requires priority-setting and creative approaches

The Municipality’s 2015 Parks and Recreation Master Plan provides a foundation upon which the new plan can be based. Progress since 2015 will be measured, along with changes that have occurred in the municipality and areas requiring greater focus. The Municipality’s Corporate Strategic Plan (2020) also provides substantial information and direction that will inform the updated Master Plan.

In 2020, the Municipality also initiated a Recreation Facility Infrastructure Renewal Strategy. The purpose of this Strategy is to assess the condition of Strathroy-Caradoc’s arenas and community centres and evaluate options for future investment. Once complete, the findings from this Strategy will be incorporated into the Master Plan. Public input received through this Strategy will also be considered in the development of the Master Plan.

Parks and recreation provide a wide range of benefits to our community and residents of all ages, including personal health, social connections, and economic opportunity. Unfortunately, recreation services were among those most impacted by the pandemic as many service providers suspended or significantly modified their activities. We believe that long-term planning and strategic investment are vital to support our recovery from the pandemic. 

We will assess potential impacts of the pandemic on long-term needs and strategies. It is possible that some behaviours witnessed during the pandemic will continue into the future, such as a growing appreciation for parks and green spaces and increased casual use of parks. This may lead to rising demand for items such as community gardens, trails and bike lanes, outdoor group activities, washrooms in parks and more. There may also be new infrastructure needs in a post-COVID-19 setting, with a priority being placed on accessible, resilient, and human-scaled spaces that provide for adequate separation. Ongoing research and consultation are critical to informing our response.