2008 MASLA Honor Award for Planning and Research
Click here to view a copy of the plan document.

Saint Paul's strategic goal is to be "The Most Livable City in America." The primary intent of this Vision Plan is to make sure that parks and recreation helps the City attain that goal. The Vision Plan focuses on how to create active lifestyles, vibrant places and a vital environment by responding creatively to change, innovating with every decision, and connecting the entire City. Two important over-arching elements of the vision plan are connectivity and access. An assessment of the current park system, an overview of recreation trends, a definition of six goals, a listing of initiatives and actions that will help attain those goals, and a suite of tools designed to help implement the Plan was produced to aid Saint Paul towards its goal of an integrated

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and connected park system. Planning work was guided by a staff team and was done in coordination with the City's Comprehensive Plan update.

Challenges were to derive a unifying vision and create an engaging plan that effectively communicates the vision to both city staff and the general public. To this end, HKGi created a highly graphic plan with clear goals, initiatives and actions to implement the plan.

In an addition a template for 'Park Cards' was designed as an innovative way for the Park and Recreation Department to communicate new initiatives and strategies to the public. One side of each card contains the parks and recreation vision statement and park system map and the other an explanation of the initiative being undertaken.

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