Chart Our Future City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Master Plan | Page 29

RECURRING ITEMS
Reassess Existing Partnerships on a Regular Basis or After Major Organization Changes
• Continue to evaluate existing partnerships to maintain mutually beneficial agreements
Description
Developing partnerships was a frequently received comment during the online survey and stakeholder interviews. Many of these supported partnerships as a
way to improve and maintain amenities without increasing the financial burden on the City and taxing body. The Parks and Recreation Department already has
partnership agreements with several local agencies. Two notable examples are the Department’s maintenance of some outdoor School-owned active recreation
space in exchange for indoor space use and the partnership with the Elawa Farm Foundation to operate and program Elawa Farm. The Department also has a
history of working with other community groups and agencies to accomplish long-term and short-term goals. The Department already has an agreement with
the Lake Bluff Park District in which residents in either community get resident fee rates for most of the other communities programs. The two agencies have also
combined programs to meet enrollment requirements. To maintain mutually beneficial relationships and identify new opportunities, existing partnerships should be
periodically revisited to discuss successes and challenges and identify any changing needs for both agencies.
Provide Consistent Website and Social Media Updates
• Develop website and social media updates into consistent and accurate sources of Department information
• Use online connections to conduct “check-ups” the effectiveness of the Parks and Recreation Department
• Continue to leverage the Friends of Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Foundation as a community liaison
Description
Awareness of parks, facilities, and programs is a frequent challenge for recreation agencies. With internet and social media communications becoming a more
common and preferred method of communication for people of all ages, these platforms are one of the easiest and most effective ways to communicate with
recreation users. The Department has several pages on the City website and a Facebook page and has been featured on the City’s Twitter and YouTube accounts.
The Friends of Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Foundation also has a website dedicated to supporting the City’s open space and Parks and Recreation Department.
Regular posting is a good way to stay in the public eye and share news with minimum intrusion into people’s daily lives. Monitoring activity such as comments,
attendance RSVPs, and “likes” on these pages also provides an informal gauge on how residents respond to and view the Department.
ENVISION: STRATEGIES
CITY OF LAKE FOREST PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN
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