Union City and their partners held a Virtual Community Meeting on Oct. 1 about the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. It was an informal conversation on Zoom about what Union City residents wanted to see in parks and recreation centers.
The city has been collecting feedback about their parks and recreation facilities in September through public events and an online survey, which closed on Oct. 5. The city has more than 30 parks and four recreation centers.
The Union City Parks and Recreation Master Plan is a public document that outlines their goals and changes that will happen in parks and community centers within the next 15 years. The plan hasn’t been updated in 25 years.
Gates Studio, an architect and planner company based in Walnut Creek, is working with Union City on the plan. Outreach coordinator Rebecca Flanegan hosted the Virtual Community Meeting. “It’s important to be adaptive, to these trends and to things that have changed over time,” said Flanegan.
There was a lot of feedback and participation. Juliet, a Union City resident, suggested there should be a bigger playground for older kids with disabilities, especially those who are part of the neurodivergent community. “Some of the special needs they have, their little quirks and their stimming behavior, they may look different, act different, and if they do go to the parks we have [now] they get the ‘look,’” she said. “It limits their ability to be out there.”
A resident named Sohni said she likes the community events, especially ones involving food trucks and small businesses. She said she wants to see more events like this. “Things to bring teens and adults and seniors outside of our homes, especially post-Covid.”
Resident Lee brought up plans from the past that never came to fruition. He spoke about how Mayor Mark Green talked about having a therapy pool at the Mark Green Sports Center.
Another resident, Robert, talked about the city being a limited space with limited resources and budget issues. He suggested the city and school district should work together to make some school sites available for public use. “Other cities have school grounds accessible to the community,” he said.
Other public feedback events are planned for this winter and upcoming spring. Those interested in recommending changes to parks and recreation, or to offer feedback on what they like or don’t like, can fill out a contact form at unioncityparksandrecmp.com/contact.
