Madras is in the early stages of updating its Parks and Open Space Master Plan, and city staffers are eager to hear what the community wants.

While some early project favorites include the completion of a splash park and expanding the city’s trail system, community members will have many chances in the next few months to provide feedback on how the city can improve its parks and open spaces.

“This is a community effort, and we want to know what (residents) want to see in their town,” said Jeff Hurd, public works director. “We want a consensus of what we want our parks to look like, not just the opinion of an isolated group. I can start building if I know what the whole community wants.”

The master plan was last updated in 2004, and the city has done a good job of completing the majority of its park and trail projects, Hurd said.

Early feedback for the updated plan indicates that many community members would like to see the city expand further on those projects, including additional mountain bike trails or rugged terrain trails, while also improving parks with things such as updated play structures, Hurd said.

A dog park or an indoor facility for winter months are also potential projects, Hurd said.

“We are kicking around the idea about an indoor facility, like a trampoline gym or indoor soccer facility because in the wintertime, we don’t have anything to do with our kids,” he said.

The updated master plan will address park and trail needs and will include resources to help fund the various projects, such as grants or existing funding in the city budget.

A maintenance plan will also be included in the updated plan to help with park upkeep.

City staff hosted a kickoff meeting with members from public works, the urban forestry commission, the Madras redevelopment commission and the planning commission to discuss how best to present the process to the public, said Gus Burril, city administrator.

“We talked about the overview of the project, and everyone gave input,” he said. “We had our initial discussion about how to best connect with the public. From there, we will start collecting data and doing public outreach over the next couple months.”

City staff is assessing the conditions of its existing parks, trails and facilities. The next few months will involve public workshops, online surveys and social media outreach.

The plan is expected to be adopted by November.

— Reporter: 541-617-7829, acolosky@bendbulletin.com