Hastings District Council is welcoming public feedback on three of the district's major parks before it prepares plans for their management.
Eskdale Park and Frimley Park will each get their first 10-year Reserve Management Plans, while the existing Tainui, Tauroa, Tanner and Hikanui Reserve Management Plan is being reviewed.
The plans will identify how each park will be managed, protected and developed, including consideration of asset management and development, as well as planting and maintenance.
The first stage of the public feedback process began on Saturday, with the council asking people how they use the park, what they like about the park, and how they think it could be improved.
Information gathered will be used to develop key themes and concepts, before a draft plan for each park will be prepared for formal submissions on.
"You can have a say on just one of the parks, or you may want to submit your ideas on all three. We encourage everyone with an interest in the parks and reserves to fill in council's My Voice My Choice surveys," Hastings District Council eco district subcommittee chair Ann Redstone said.
"It is important to remember that while our parks and reserves are for all of us who use them now, we also need to be thinking about how our grandchildren and their children might use them. We are the kaitiaki, charged with looking ahead for future generations, and that is a responsibility."
This phase runs until April 23. There is an online survey available along with hard copies of it at the parks, Hastings' libraries and the council's offices in Lyndon Rd East.
The council was also engaging a research company for independent data and analysis on park use, public spaces planning manager Rachel Stuart said.
"We are assuring everyone that their views will be taken into account as we work through this plan to make the very best of these parks, for all of our current and future users."
Talk to the parks team
A Coffee in the Park event is being held at each of the parks for residents to talk to the parks team about their vision on the following dates:
Eskdale Park: 11am to 1pm, Saturday, March 20.
Tainui, Tanner, Tauroa and Hikanui Reserves: Tainui Reserve (Keirunga Rd entrance) 11am to 1pm, Sunday, March 21
Frimley Park: 11am to 1pm, Saturday, March 27.