The Westmont Park District opened a bilingual Community Needs Assessment Survey on Monday, Sept. 21, asking residents to help shape the district's first master plan for parks and recreation.

The survey is available in English and Spanish on the district's website. The district has never conducted a formal needs assessment, Executive Director Bob Fleck told the board at its Feb. 11 meeting. Fleck called it the first step toward a master plan that would need updating every five years. The board agreed to move forward.

The district hired Planning Resources Inc. to lead the process. At a special board meeting July 29, PRI principal Darrell Garrison said the finished plan would draw on "a collection of statistically valid public feedback and input, combined with Board and staff input, to create a long-term plan and vision for the WPD." Board members and staff agreed that 300 responses, the statistical minimum, would not be enough. Thousands is the target.

Commissioner John Karesh asked at the July 29 meeting that a hard-copy version also be made available.

The survey uses a two-pronged approach. A stratified random sample of Westmont households will receive postcards with a survey link and QR code, targeting both current users and non-users of park facilities. The same survey is also open to anyone in surrounding communities who uses Westmont parks and programs. The board decided at an Aug. 12 special meeting that neighboring residents should be able to participate.

Dr. Laura Payne of Planning Resources Inc. presented the survey design at that Aug. 12 meeting alongside two doctoral students, Darcy Lu and Kento Mizui, who helped develop the questionnaire.

The district plans to promote the survey at community pop-up events and through local organizations. Staff estimated at the July 29 meeting that the survey would take four to six weeks to complete. No closing date has been announced.