City of Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Master Plan

Get Involved!

View the City's Park Finder Map Here!

Join Us at an Upcoming Event!

Saturday, June 06, 2026

Resident Appreciation Day

Saturday, June 20, 2026

Juneteenth

Saturday, June 27, 2026

CR Pride Fest

People engaging with boards at the Nature Everywhere EcoFest 2025 event. The boards are colorful and provide information, and adults and children alike are learning and engaging with the content.

This photo showcases Green Square in the evening, with water and colored lights.

About the Project

The City of Cedar Rapids is updating the Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan! The most recent Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan was completed in 2010, prior to the completion of the EnvisionCR plan, and it should be updated every 15 years. Since 2010, the City has seen many changes to its overall organization and infrastructure, particularly with impacts from natural disasters. An updated parks and recreation comprehensive plan is vital to the Department’s continued success, ensuring that the City has a future vision for a collective system of parks and open spaces. An updated plan is also vital to the Department’s CAPRA re-accreditation process, which is taking place in 2026.

The updated Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan will provide recommendations for facilities, programs and services; parkland acquisition and development; maintenance and operations; and administration and management. More specifically, the plan should include the following:

Task One | Needs Analysis
Task Two | Gap Analysis
Task Three | Evaluation of Existing Facilities and Programs
Task Four | Asset Management Strategies
Task Five | Implementation Actions
Task Six | Conceptual Plans for Bever Park and Ellis Park

Frequently Asked Questions

A Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan is a long-term strategic document that outlines how a community will manage, develop, and maintain its parks, recreation facilities, and open spaces to meet current and future needs. It serves as a visionary roadmap for the Department guiding investments, programming, and infrastructure to ensure equitable access, sustainability and quality of life for residents and visitors. The Plan will:

Enable multi-year planning for capital investments.
Provide updated level of service standards.
Inform the evolution of recreational services.
Provide considerations for funding opportunities.
Inspire the next game changing elements of the Cedar Rapids Parks System.

The entire planning process will take approximately one year.

If you are interested in getting/staying involved in the project, please consider the following:

Leave us your email in the "Stay in Touch!" box so we can let you know about upcoming opportunities.
Keep an eye on the "Upcoming Events" tab and look for the Community Development team on site.
Follow the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department's Social Media Pages.
- This link will take you to the Department's Facebook page to follow along.