Vision for PLAY

Never a dull day

A community full of music, stimulation for the mind, and an abundance of ways to enjoy nature and have fun all year round.

PLAY Outcome Goals:

• Arts and cultural organizations of all varieties will be thriving, key contributors to our high quality of life.
• Our numerous parks will be beautiful and lovingly used.
• We will have many ways to enjoy nature and healthy recreation in all seasons.
• Our choices for entertainment, recreation and stimulation will be a source of great community pride.

PLAY Action Goals:


PARKS & RECREATION

69. Build bicycle paths, hiking trails, walkers’ paths, everywhere:
• along waterways, through parks, beside roads and streets; connecting all parts of the city and county
• with some paths lighted for night use, and others converted for cross country skiing in winter
• and put bike racks on buses and ONTrack

70. Improve facilities at public parks:
• with better lighting and security
• with more flowers, resting places, bathrooms
• adding areas for groups such as skateboarders, dog owners, etc.

71. Build playgrounds for children with disabilities:
• consulting with agencies such as Aurora, ARISE, etc.
• involving volunteer groups

72. Provide children’s summer programs in parks:
• supported by staffs that include paid or volunteer "park stewards" and members of "friends" groups

73. Adapt abandoned buildings into indoor recreation:
• as an alternative use for near-empty malls and abandoned factory buildings
• looking for examples of such conversions in other communities and countries (e.g. Japan’s indoor beaches)

74. Build an environmental education center & botanical garden at Burnet Park Zoo:
• to teach conservation
• featuring local environmental issues, e.g. pollution of Onondaga Lake
• as a year-round tourist attraction
• with greenhouses to provide a wintertime "taste of summer"

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EVENTS

75. Increase collaboration of arts, dance, theater, music organizations:
• regarding planning, scheduling, unified marketing and fund raising, and so forth
• working in coordinated fashion to better serve the whole community
• better preparing the "audiences of the future", our children, to appreciate and support the arts
• holding a variety of affordable music, art and dance events
• drawing more people together and into the cultural life of our community
• appealing to and celebrating all our ethnic groups, particularly.

For progress on this goal see the Arts, Culture and Events Downtown: The Case for Stonger Recognition and Support Case Study

76. Plan a community-wide family event on New Years Eve:
• first studying what other communities have done (e.g. Boston)

77. Bring national sports events here:
• such as the NCAA regionals and finals, Empire State Games
• such as Special Olympics, ParaOlympics, senior sporting events, etc.

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