Local taxpayers and users of recreational facilities spend nearly $20 million per year and employ 71 full-time people in support of county parks, recreation, beaches, pools and golf courses, and as Indian River County grows, so does the need for indoor and outdoor places to play.

A recent study found local residents think recreation is a good use of public dollars, and they support investing more in green space for parks – especially if it will save land from development.

The county’s Parks and Recreation Department on Oct. 3 hosted the final of three public meetings that will help officials put together a long-term plan to maximize natural resources while developing recreation infrastructure. The inaugural 10-year Indian River County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Master Plan has taken most of one year to complete.

A survey conducted as part of the planning process showed two of the top three most frequently used county recreation facilities are on the barrier island – Round Island riverside park, and Golden Sands Beach Park – with the most popular facility on the mainland being the Indian River County Fairgrounds.

Most respondents rated county parks and facilities “excellent” or “good,” but one third of respondents said they’d most like to see improvements and better maintenance at existing pools, parks and recreational facilities. Respondents felt improvements were necessary at the Oslo boat ramp, Middleton’s Fish Camp, the 45th Street Dock and the Hobart Park ballfields.

Sixty percent said they favored increasing funding for parks and recreation spaces, with 30 percent indicating they were “very supportive” of raising the funding through a bond referendum (34 percent were somewhat supportive).

“We had good attendance with some great public discussion and comment,” Beth Powell, director of the county’s Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department, said of the Oct. 3 meeting. “I felt it was really productive. People are feeling more comfortable and confident in making recommendations, expressing concern, and asking how they can be involved.”

Nearly 60 percent of people who responded to an online survey said they approved spending money to improve existing facilities and 40 percent liked the idea of spending money to acquire and develop new walking and biking trails.

The draft Master Plan is available on the county website and outlines between $19 million and $26 million in improvements that could be made to 28 of the county’s existing parks, and another $58 million to $70 million for expanding the parks and recreation system.

According to the data, the top priorities include improving multi-use paved and unpaved trails; accessible parks and walking trails; open space conservation areas; small neighborhood parks; shaded picnic areas and shelters; environmental education centers; and large community parks in unincorporated areas of the county.

“The surveys provided us with confirmation of the importance of walkability of trails and the connectivity between sites,” Powell said. “Most of the information that we received confirmed what we knew anecdotally and from meetings with the cities, such as the desire for a pool facility in the south county. Having the new information drives it home for us.”

Stakeholders interviewed included leaders from each city, representatives from youth and adult sports organizations, seniors and active adults, families with small children, and a special needs organization.

Already, the county has secured three grants during the past year while collecting data for the Master Plan, Powell said: a $75,000 grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) to redesign Wabasso Causeway Park; an $11,250 grant from the Florida Division of Historical Resources (FDHR) for improved signage at Gifford Park; and a $50,000 grant from the Florida Department of Recreational Assistance to construct a playground at West Wabasso Park.