Washington’s City Council wants time to review the city’s draft parks and recreation comprehensive master plan before it makes any decision concerning the plan and its implementation.

Council members and the mayor received copies of the draft late last week. During the council’s meeting Monday, Councilman Doug Mercer said he needed time to study the draft. Other council members also said they also want to review the draft.

The plan, once finally approved, will guide the city in how it provides parks and recreational facilities, where new facilities might go, what to do with existing facilities and how to pay for new and/or expanded facilities. The draft is the product of several public-input sessions and the work of the city’s Recreation Advisory Committee.

Greg Lambert, a landscape architect with Rivers & Associates, which the city hired to produce the plan, presented the proposal plan to the council.

“I appreciate Councilman Mercer tabling this until next month because you haven’t had enough time to read the document and make an informed decision,” Lambert said.

“This is a community-driven document. … It’s used as a guide for future development — smart future development,” Lambert said.

Lambert said more than 600 people provided input used to help write the draft.

“The main purpose of the Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Master Plan is to improve the recreational opportunities and quality of life for all citizens of Washington by identifying unmet needs,” reads the introduction to the draft plan. “The Plan assesses the existing system of parks, facilities and programs of the City and makes recommendations for future development. It is meant to be used as a working guide or framework which will evolve over time through regular updates and public input.”

The draft includes an inventory and assessment of the city’s existing parks and recreation facilities and related programs.

The draft notes that the city exceeds national and state standards when it comes to combined parkland. The city has 144.6 acres of public parkland, with the average size of one of its parks at 5.56 acres. But when it comes to “mini-parks” and district/regional parks, the city comes up short. According to the national parks and recreation guidelines of the National Park and Recreation Association, the city’s biggest need when it comes to parks and recreation is additional playgrounds.

The draft included responses to surveys about the city’s parks and recreation programs and facilities.

“Parks and Recs should be more inclusive in the community, cost are too high for people to participate in the more well‐structured programs. Poor kids never get an opportunity to participate. The fees should be modified. Staff should be more diverse. I have yet to see more than one African American in an administrative office,” commented one respondent.

Another respondent commented, “I feel that Washington has done a great job of providing quality facilities for all ages. The Waterfront parks and walkways are the best. We need to be sure we maintain them. They are not only enjoyed by folks like myself who live here but most visitors to our town end up at one of our parks. Great athletic facilities, Susie Gray McConnell complex is a real asset.”

For additional coverage of the draft plan, see future editions of the Washington Daily News.