During the past six months, the City of Canton has been working with a professional firm to help hone our vision and roadmap for parks and recreation for the next 10 years. As always, the goal is to align our offerings and priorities with community needs. After an open house, two events, receiving nearly 1,000 survey responses, and discussions with more than 15 stakeholder groups, the City of Canton adopted a new Parks and Recreation Master Plan last month. This addendum to our roadmap will direct exciting new investments and additions to Canton's parks and recreation offerings.

The entire new master plan can be found on CantonGa.gov, but the public's top priorities include the continued expansion of trails and connectivity, nature and river access, a dog park (already in progress with the new South Canton Park), facility and neighborhood park improvements, and system additions such as aquatic features, stages, and pickleball courts – just to name a few. As for programming, Canton residents wish to see more events and festivals, new nature programs, senior activities, adult wellness programs, and performing arts.

The purpose of Canton's master plan is to provide outstanding parks that promote wellness and recreation to connect the entire community through nature, play, and exceptional experiences. A few of the systemwide improvements will include the further development of trails around Lake Canton and the Etowah River, restoration and upgrades to the historic Tippens Gym, continued acquisition of park land to preserve green space, new neighborhood and pocket parks, and improved access to one of our top assets — the Etowah River.

These are just a few highlights of the plan. I hope you will explore it in greater detail, as we continue to work together to protect and enhance our natural resources to improve the quality of life in the "Coolest Small Town in America."