Colorado Springs closes public-input window for 2026 Park System Master Plan

Colorado Springs’ online survey for the 2026 Park System Master Plan closes Aug. 3, ending the current online public-input period for a municipal planning process intended to guide the development and long-term sustainability of the city’s parks and recreation system.

The City of Colorado Springs opened the survey June 13 through its Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. The city’s notice describes the survey as part of a broader master-plan process that also includes public meetings.

The survey deadline is not adoption of the master plan and does not itself approve specific projects or funding changes. The city has not stated how many survey responses it received, when a final plan will be adopted, or what final recommendations may be developed.

What the plan covers

The 2026 Park System Master Plan is intended to address the development and sustainability of city parks, trail systems, open space, and natural areas. Its scope also includes community centers; recreation and cultural-services programming; and city-operated enterprises.

The enterprises listed by the city include the Pikes Peak Highway, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, golf courses and cemeteries. That breadth makes the master-plan process wider than a review of individual neighborhood parks: it encompasses facilities, programs, natural areas and several city services operated within the parks system.

For residents and users of those amenities, the closing survey marks the end of one identified opportunity to submit feedback online during the current phase. The city also said public meetings are part of the process, though the approved notice does not provide a final adoption schedule in the material available here.

Government role and next steps

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department is conducting the Park System Master Plan process. City Council is Colorado Springs’ legislative body and is responsible for setting policies governing city operations, according to the city’s legislative-services information.

However, the available city notice does not identify a final list of recommendations for City Council, a date for council consideration, or a date for adoption of the completed plan. It also does not identify capital priorities, specific park projects, or changes to park funding.

As a result, the Aug. 3 deadline should be understood as the close of the city’s current online survey period, rather than a final municipal decision on the plan. Additional public meetings are included in the process, but the available notice does not establish their dates or the sequence of later review steps.