City Council approves Parks Master Plan

The City of Sisters has a park plan that encompasses all the parks within city limits, with plans for future use, improvements, and additions of new parks. There hasn’t been an update to the Sisters Parks Master Plan since 2016. Last week, the City Council voted in a public hearing to approve the comprehensive plan amendment to update the Sisters Parks Master Plan as proposed.

City staff has been working with the consultant group Cameron McCarthy, a landscape, architecture, and planning consulting agency, on updating the Parks Master Plan. The group worked with staff in 2011, and then helped update in 2016. The plan is important as it highlights ideas, improvements, and elements of open space in Sisters, and staff works to make sure it is in line with what the community wants to see.

The staff began working with the consultant agency in February 2022. During the Parks Plan presentation, the consultant agency presented to the Council and the public on their planning process, inventory of facilities, proposed recommendations and potential projects, funding mechanisms, and levels of service the parks offer.

The Parks Plan is a wish list of items that the staff and City want to have done. The plan is not set in stone regarding things that the City is actively doing — it is a collection of items they want to potentially do in the future. If there is a project from the Plan they decide to do, the idea will have to go through the parks board, planning commission, and to the Council again for approval.

It is important to have their plans line up with growth, livability, and funding possibilities to get grant funds if a park project comes up in the future.

The updated vision statement of the updated Parks Plan has a similar core but is updated a bit to say: “The City of Sisters provides a well-connected park system and opportunities for diverse recreation activities for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities. Our parks, trails, and open spaces conserve natural resources, promote the arts, and support our well-being.”

The updated plan also highlights goals from the Comprehensive Plan listed under “Prosperous Sisters, Connected Sisters, Resilient Sisters, and Livable Sisters.”