RAPID CITY, S.D. — Rapid City residents have until June 17 to provide feedback on the city’s proposed Parks and Recreation Master Plan, a document that will help guide future park improvements, recreational opportunities and growth over the next 10 to 15 years.

The plan is in its final stage of development before being presented to the Rapid City Common Council for consideration and possible adoption. City officials are encouraging residents to review the draft plan and submit comments before the public input period closes.

According to the City of Rapid City, the Parks and Recreation Master Plan is designed to establish development priorities, align future projects with the goals outlined in the city’s Comprehensive Plan and identify strategies to efficiently use facilities, partnerships, funding and staffing resources.

Residents can review the draft plan online and provide feedback through the project website. City officials have asked community members to include specific page numbers when submitting comments related to particular sections of the document.

After the comment period ends, feedback will be reviewed and incorporated into the final version of the plan before it is forwarded to the City Council. The council is expected to consider the plan for adoption at its July 6 meeting.

Parks and Recreation Project Manager Melissa Petersen said the planning process has generated significant community engagement. Petersen noted that Rapid City’s continued growth has increased demand for parks and recreational opportunities, adding that the community highly values outdoor spaces while recognizing opportunities for improvement. She said the plan will help the city prioritize projects such as improving accessibility, maintaining aging facilities and expanding parks and trails into underserved areas while aligning future investments with community needs.

Many of the recommendations included in the draft plan stem from public engagement efforts conducted throughout the planning process. Last summer, the city conducted a needs assessment survey that received 519 responses from residents across Rapid City.

Survey participants identified neighborhood parks, paved trails for bicyclists and pedestrians, public restrooms, unpaved hiking trails, natural areas and greenways, large community parks and indoor fitness and wellness spaces as the community’s highest priorities.

Questions regarding the Parks and Recreation Master Plan can be directed to rapidcityparks@rdgusa.com.