ELLSWORTH — The Outdoor Recreation Plan 2024-29 final draft faced the Ellsworth Park, Recreation & Development Committee on Thursday, Dec. 17, being forwarded to Village Board where it will also go through a public hearing.

There are nine goals in the plan, with one being added from the initial meeting held about the drafted plan back in August. The goals of the proposal are: continue to maintain the village’s outdoor park and recreation facilities, protect and enhance the unique natural resources within the village, use the village’s resources efficiently and enhance funding opportunities for park and recreational needs of the village,  provide and improve public access to outdoor recreation land and water, promote recreation to improve public health and wellness, upgrade and diversify recreation facilities, work with our partners to create versatile community spaces and events,  enhance awareness and utilization of recreation resources and, the newest addition, the community will seek to enhance a expand our network of trails, sidewalks, walking paths and safe routes to schools and other public facilities.

The plan also dives into each of Ellsworth’s parks and outdoor recreation areas, listing options for improvements and projects. These lists are not requirements for the village to take on, but options they will explore if the right opportunity comes up.

“If we can identify those things that we’d like to see happen in the future, if we include them, then when moneys become available, or a corporate sponsor wants to step up and help or safe routes to schools becomes an issue because you don’t have a crossing that’s good for kids and cars at 8 o’clock in the morning, you can say ‘Hey, it’s in our plan, it’s something we wanted to consider,’” Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission representative Ken Harwood said.

Some of the most notable items are a band shell or pavilion at East End Park, new pickleball courts and upgrades to the baseball field at Summit Park and an open air classroom at Cairns Woods.

A project that was discussed at both the initial and final committee meetings that members of the committee spoke against was the creation of a dog park. Reasons against it were the difficulty of upkeep and disruption to nearby residents.

A primary reason for establishing a plan is opening the village up to receive grants for some of these projects.

“The big thing for us having this plan is that it opens us up for DNR grants,” Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Brad Roy said. “Any time you have a planning document, it’s gonna help with grants.”

Harwood said, as long as the projects meet certain criteria, the state has an interest in funding many of these projects. He said if the money is available to give for grants, there is a good chance the village would receive some.

The committee members were overall pleased with the plan, forwarding it to the village board.

“I’ve been kind of looking over this for the last month or so,” committee chair Lance Austin said. “I like it.”

The full Outdoor Recreation Plan draft is available on the village website.