Parks Plan | Romerises

Rome Parks, Open Space and Trails
(POST) Plan

The City of Rome is currently undergoing the process of creating a citywide Parks, Open Space, and Trails (POST) Plan. Building off of existing City plans, the POST Plan will ensure just and fair quantity, proximity, and connections to quality parks, open space, trails, and programs throughout the City while looking to the future needs of a changing community. Consultants will assist the City in creating a POST inventory, engaging the community through an advisory committee, stakeholder focus groups, and general outreach at public events, and in creating a POST Plan.

The POST Plan will guide the City over the next 15 years in future facility development, maintenance, and improvements to the City’s parks, open spaces, and trails.

Vision

Rome Parks Outdoor Space and Trails (POST) system is a focus and point of pride for the community. The POST system is successfully serving the local community and attracts visitors because of its accessibility and variety of offerings to all age groups and abilities. The system is well maintained and offers a wide variety of amenities without overextending the ability of the city to care for and improve the system. Rome POST are heavily used by the community and groups for activities, sports, relaxation, and are places of safe gathering that highlight the local history heritage of the area.

Project Background

Project Goals

The Parks and Recreation Department and Municipal Buildings and Grounds Department operate and maintain 25 parks, 12 playgrounds, 5 pools, 1 dog park, 2 boat launches, the Mohawk River Trail & Empire State/Canalway Trail, and 1 civic indoor arena.

The City also has public and private organizations which own and operate other recreational lands such as Fort Stanwix National Monument, owned by the National Parks Service; the Rome Sand Plains, managed by NYSDEC; the Pitch Pine Bog Trail, managed by the Izaak Walton League; the Griffiss International Sculpture Garden Trail, managed by Griffiss Local Development Corporation; and the Rome Family YMCA, owned by the YMCA of the Greater Tri-Valley.

The City is seeking to use this master planning process to understand if there is an excess, gap, or just right makeup of parks and recreation facilities and its related operation and maintenance budget and staff. This process shall result in a Master Plan including recommendations on how to organize and strengthen is system.