Development of the city of Greenville’s first master plan for parks, recreation and tourism is progressing and expected to be completed by late fall.
The new planning document will serve as a guide for the city over the next 10 years. It will outline priorities, goals and strategies for enhancing the city’s parks, trails, recreation facilities, programming and events to meet the needs of the community.
The city kicked off the development of the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan in the summer of 2025. Massachusetts-based Agency Landscape + Planning was hired as the project’s consultant. Will Young, the city’s director of parks, recreation and tourism, said public engagement has played a key role in the planning process.
“The master plan is such a big deal for us because we haven’t had one before, so we want to make sure our partners, the public, our neighborhoods and everybody’s engaged and involved in the plan,” Young said.
Feedback for the master plan has been collected through pop-up events, stakeholder conversations, a public meeting and an online survey. The planning team used this input to draft the priorities, goals and action steps for the planning document. Residents had the opportunity to review the preliminary information during a public meeting held July 7.
Guiding principles
Three guiding principles have been drafted for the city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan:
- Investing in people
- Spaces that connect
- Leveling up experiences
The first principle focuses on expanding access to the city’s parks, recreation and tourism amenities for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Strategies include improving accessibility and safety in parks, providing inclusive programming and offering more health and wellness opportunities for city residents.
Jill Dixon with Agency Landscape + Planning explained that the second principle highlights ways to enhance the city’s parks and green spaces. The city currently manages more than 500 acres of parks and open space. Some of the preliminary goals identified for the department include investing in neighborhood parks, preserving more open space and expanding the city’s environmental sustainability practices.
Under the final principle, the master plan will outline strategies for elevating the city’s recreational and tourism experiences. This would include enhancing the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail by adding new amenities and improving trail safety. Other strategies include modernizing community centers and improving the city’s recreational programming, events and nature experiences.
The draft guiding principles created for the master plan also reflect the new mission and vision statements for the city’s parks, recreation and tourism department. The city worked with the planning consultants to develop these statements using input from staff, leadership and the public.
“We honed in on people, spaces and experiences,” Young said. “We feel like it’s short and sweet – you know what our mission is and you know who we are. It also represents all three phases of our department really well: parks, recreation and tourism.”
The consultants from Agency Landscape + Planning will use the feedback from the July 7 public meeting to further refine the recommendations for the city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan. Young said the master plan will likely to be completed in late fall and presented to Greenville City Council for adoption.
For more information, visit greenvillesc.gov/prt-master-plan-0.
Themes
Here are the top themes identified from the community input collected in March for the city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan:
- Mobility and access
- Trails
- Sports and recreation
- Tourism and events
- Access and service
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Mission and vision
The city of Greenville’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department unveiled its new mission and vision statements on July 7. The statements focuses on three key words: people, spaces and experiences.
Mission: We spark joy by bringing people together. We shape inspiring spaces that bring Greenville to life. We create memorable experiences for everyone.
Vision: Together, we imagine a vibrant future where people thrive, spaces come alive and experiences foster joy for generations to come.
