The Parks and Recreation element serves to inform how Airway Heights acquires, designs, manages, and programs its park system. As with other facilities and services that the City provides, parks and recreation planning must take place to advance community goals and account for population growth. Adequate land must be set aside for these purposes, and capital funds must be secured to develop and maintain the facilities.

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The goals and policies in this chapter are meant to reflect the community’s needs and priorities for recreation planning, and to coordinate these objectives with other planning considerations. The goals are informed by and are concurrent with the Airway Heights Parks & Recreation Master Plan, which contains more detail on the goals for the park system and the status of individual parks. 

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In all communities, recreation serves an important function for residents and visitors alike, providing places for exercise, sports, children’s play, relaxation, and community gatherings. Parks and recreation areas also enhance the aesthetic quality of the city, adding value to surrounding neighborhoods and commercial areas. Depending on their design, parks can also provide habitat for local wildlife and perform ecosystem services such as stormwater filtration, soil stabilization, and urban heat mitigation.

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Where we site our parks, what we put in them, and how we program them affects who is able to use them, how they affect the environment, and the overall impact they have on the character of the neighborhood. For this reason, this document aims to shape the design and planning of Airway Heights parks such that they benefit the whole community for years to come.