Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space

Let’s build the future of Aurora together
The city of Aurora is planning the future of its Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department. The purpose of this project is to understand the community's needs now and into the future.
Aurora has 8,000 acres of open space, 103 developed parks, two reservoirs, three nature centers, five golf courses, six recreation centers and 10 community pools.
You are at the heart of this story. Together, let’s create a parks, open spaces and recreation system throughout Aurora which reflects the beauty and diversity of our community.
What do you want your parks, recreation and open space to look like?
Upcoming Events:
- The master plan is now available for public review. Click here to view the master plan in full and leave your feedback.
- Review and share your thoughts on the master plan at Fall Into Fun, Saturday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway
Equitable Access: How do we ensure everyone can enjoy Aurora’s parks, programs, events and facilities?
Community Connections: How can Aurora’s diverse communities be celebrated in our parks, open spaces and recreation?
Healthy and Safety: How do we improve health and safety of ourselves, our community and our environment?
Operational Efficiencies: How can we maintain our parks, open spaces and recreation facilities, both new and old?
Sustainable Growth: How can we grow as a city while protecting the nature around us?
To learn more about this project and feedback opportunities, visit projects.sasaki.com/auroraparks.
Questions? Leave a question below and a staff member will be in touch shortly, or email PROSMasterPlan@AuroraGov.org.
Construyamos juntos el futuro de Aurora
La ciudad de Aurora está planificando el futuro de su Departamento de Parques, Recreación y Espacios Abiertos. El propósito de este proyecto es comprender las necesidades de la comunidad ahora y en el futuro.
Aurora tiene 8,000 acres de espacio abierto, 103 parques desarrollados, dos embalses, tres centros de naturaleza, cinco campos de golf, seis centros recreativos y 10 piscinas comunitarias.
Tú estás en el corazón de esta historia. Juntos, creemos un sistema de parques, espacios abiertos y recreación en todo Aurora que refleje la belleza y diversidad de nuestra comunidad.
¿Cómo quieres que sean tus parques, recreación y espacios abiertos?
Un resumen ejecutivo del plan maestro se puede ver aquí en inglés y aquí en español. Proporcione su opinión contestando esta encuesta.
Para obtener más información sobre este proyecto y las oportunidades de comentarios, visite projects.sasaki.com/auroraparks.
¿Preguntas? Mándenos sus preguntas por correo electrónico y un miembro del personal se pondrá en contacto con usted PROSMasterPlan@AuroraGov.org.
Let’s build the future of Aurora together
The city of Aurora is planning the future of its Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department. The purpose of this project is to understand the community's needs now and into the future.
Aurora has 8,000 acres of open space, 103 developed parks, two reservoirs, three nature centers, five golf courses, six recreation centers and 10 community pools.
You are at the heart of this story. Together, let’s create a parks, open spaces and recreation system throughout Aurora which reflects the beauty and diversity of our community.
What do you want your parks, recreation and open space to look like?
Upcoming Events:
- The master plan is now available for public review. Click here to view the master plan in full and leave your feedback.
- Review and share your thoughts on the master plan at Fall Into Fun, Saturday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway
Equitable Access: How do we ensure everyone can enjoy Aurora’s parks, programs, events and facilities?
Community Connections: How can Aurora’s diverse communities be celebrated in our parks, open spaces and recreation?
Healthy and Safety: How do we improve health and safety of ourselves, our community and our environment?
Operational Efficiencies: How can we maintain our parks, open spaces and recreation facilities, both new and old?
Sustainable Growth: How can we grow as a city while protecting the nature around us?
To learn more about this project and feedback opportunities, visit projects.sasaki.com/auroraparks.
Questions? Leave a question below and a staff member will be in touch shortly, or email PROSMasterPlan@AuroraGov.org.
Construyamos juntos el futuro de Aurora
La ciudad de Aurora está planificando el futuro de su Departamento de Parques, Recreación y Espacios Abiertos. El propósito de este proyecto es comprender las necesidades de la comunidad ahora y en el futuro.
Aurora tiene 8,000 acres de espacio abierto, 103 parques desarrollados, dos embalses, tres centros de naturaleza, cinco campos de golf, seis centros recreativos y 10 piscinas comunitarias.
Tú estás en el corazón de esta historia. Juntos, creemos un sistema de parques, espacios abiertos y recreación en todo Aurora que refleje la belleza y diversidad de nuestra comunidad.
¿Cómo quieres que sean tus parques, recreación y espacios abiertos?
Un resumen ejecutivo del plan maestro se puede ver aquí en inglés y aquí en español. Proporcione su opinión contestando esta encuesta.
Para obtener más información sobre este proyecto y las oportunidades de comentarios, visite projects.sasaki.com/auroraparks.
¿Preguntas? Mándenos sus preguntas por correo electrónico y un miembro del personal se pondrá en contacto con usted PROSMasterPlan@AuroraGov.org.
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Thank You & Next Steps
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThank you to all who reviewed and shared their feedback on our master plan, Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space. City of Aurora staff will be seeking formal approval and adoption of the plan in early 2024.
Residents are encouraged to review the master plan, available in-full here. An executive summary of the plan is also available in English here and in Spanish here. Questions regarding the plan can be emailed to PROSMasterPlan@AuroraGov.org.
Thank you again for joining the city of Aurora on this journey. We are excited for the future of Parks, Recreation and Open Space!
Pictured: A photo of the public "stamp of approval" of Our Parks, Our Places at Fall Into Fun on Oct. 14.
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Master plan now available for review
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkOver the past year, Parks, Recreation and Open Space has been on a master planning journey through Our Parks, Our Places. Community involvement and feedback from residents has been a cornerstone of the process, and we are pleased to now share the master plan with Aurora residents.
The master plan can be viewed in full here.
An executive summary of the master plan can be viewed here in English and here in Spanish.
Since spring 2022, staff from the city of Aurora and consulting partner Sasaki have been learning more about how residents currently use our amenities, what their priorities are and what they’d like to see in years to come. Staff have taken everything they’ve learned and drafted a master plan to guide our department into the future.
The master plan is guided by six principles that will provide an organizational framework to all aspects of the plan, from community engagement to strategies and recommendations. These guiding principles are:
- Welcoming, Safe Spaces
- Connectivity
- Investment in the Future
- Lifelong Learning
- Environmental Stewardship
- Inclusivity
To learn more about these principles, department priorities and more, review the master plan document in full here. Residents are invited to share their feedback on the master plan through Friday, Oct. 20 through an online survey here.
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Our Parks, Our Places Master Plan Preview
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThank you to all who have joined us on the journey of Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space. City and Sasaki staff have connected with residents across the community since summer 2022 and we are excited about what the future holds for the city of Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department.
A full draft of the master plan will be available for public review in October. Check back here for a link when it is available. Final approval is anticipated for the first quarter of 2024.
In the meantime, follow the links below to see a preview of what we’ve learned and the six guiding principles that will drive the department into the future.
Our Parks, Our Places Pamphlet (English)
Nuestros Parques, Nuestros Lugares Folleto (Espanol)
Thank you for your contribution!
Help us reach out to more people in the community
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Dog Park Survey Available through May 21
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkTHIS SURVEY HAS CLOSED
Thank you to all who took the dog park survey. Results will be used to create best practices for the future of Aurora dog parks.
We’re planning for the future – and we can’t forget our best friends in that plan!
As part of the Our Parks, Our Places master planning process, the city of Aurora is creating a best practices guide for future dog parks. To help create best practices, we want to hear from you – How do you currently use dog parks? What priorities do you have for the future of dog parks in Aurora?
Now through May 21, take a brief survey at the link below to share your thoughts about dog parks in Aurora.
View a short presentation about dog parks in Aurora and the dog park study here.
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Phase Three of Our Parks, Our Places
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThank you to all who attended our phase two open houses and have shared their feedback thus far in our master plan process.
City of Aurora staff and the Sasaki team are working to evaluate community feedback and transform new ideas into recommendations we’ll share with the community about the future of Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space.
Subscribe to the project in the upper right corner to receive updates about the project, or check back at EngageAurora.org/AuroraParks for upcoming events and updates.
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Phase Two Open Houses
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkPhase two of Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space is coming to an end and now we're sharing what we've learned. Parks, Recreation and Open Space staff have received insightful input from our community around how they currently use the parks, recreation and open space system and what they would like to see in the future. We've taken that input into consideration as we created the guiding principles for the master plan and established priorities moving forward. Now we need your feedback again! How can we improve services? What barriers should we prioritize? How would you choose to invest in the future of Parks, Recreation and Open Space in Aurora?
Join us in-person at two open houses to learn more and give us your feedback.
- Thursday, Feb. 9, 4 - 7 p.m., Southeast Recreation Center and Fieldhouse, 25400 E. Alexander Drive
- Friday, Feb. 10, 2 - 5 p.m., Expo Recreation Center, 10955 E. Exposition Ave.
Can't join us in-person? Check out the information below and share your thoughts virtually!
Click the links next to tree icons in the PDF to share feedback via Quickpolls, or follow the links below after reviewing the PDF.
- How could we improve events and programs?
- Which barrier should PROS work to address first?
- How do we prioritize improvements to make PROS spaces more welcoming?
- How would you invest in the future?
Share your thoughts on the guiding principles which will shape the goals and outcomes of the plan. To share additional ideas or thoughts please leave a comment on the Forum or email PROSmasterplan@auroragov.org
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Our Parks, Our Places Open Houses
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe city of Aurora and Sasaki Associates invite you to attend one of the two upcoming open houses for Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space.
So far, Phase 1 has been completed to learn what spaces, events, programs and amenities the community uses most, and Phase 2 has been underway to understand what gaps and needs the community identifies in the parks, recreation and open space system. Participate in the upcoming series of public open houses to review gaps and needs identified by the community and discuss the opportunities.
Open houses will be hosted from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at the brand-new Southeast Recreation Center and Fieldhouse, 25400 E Alexander Drive, and from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, at Expo Recreation Center, 10955 E. Exposition Ave. The community is welcome to drop in any time during event hours to share feedback at our interactive stations.
The open houses will have interpreters and key information in Amharic, English, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish and Vietnamese. Childcare will be provided for kids 3-years-old and older. There will also be free food for participants. Individuals who cannot attend the open house event can view open house content and provide feedback online through EngageAurora.org/AuroraParks or via email at PROSMasterPlan@AuroraGov.org.
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Share Your Vision with Phase Two Survey
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkFollowing months of community input regarding Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space, the City of Aurora’s Park’s Recreation and Open Space Department and Sasaki Associates are excited to have launched into Phase 2: Visioning. This phase looks to identify and highlight the gaps and needs in the parks, recreation and open space system. This is our time to think big! We want to explore new ideas and ensure our spaces and programming has something to offer for everyone.
Click here to learn more about Phase 1.
Share your voice, take the survey today! The second Our Parks, Our Places survey will close on Sunday, Nov. 6. Click here to take the survey.
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City of Aurora Parks, Recreation and Open Space to Host Master Plan Open Houses
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkFollowing two months of community input regarding Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space, the city of Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department and Sasaki Associates are hosting two public open houses about the project.
Open houses will be hosted from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Central Recreation Center, 18150 E. Vassar Place, and from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at Moorhead Recreation Center, 2390 Havana St. The planning process is organized around the five key themes of equitable access, community connections, health and safety, operational efficiencies and sustainable growth. To create an inclusive environment, there will be opportunities to provide feedback both in person and virtually.
The open houses will include multiple stations discussing topics such as public feedback received to date, how Aurora’s park system compares to those of other cities, existing environmental conditions and overall access to the system.
Key information will be available in Amharic, English, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish and Vietnamese, and interpretation services will be provided at the open houses. Childcare will be available for children 3 years old and older. There will also be food trucks on-site and food truck vouchers for participants.
Additionally, residents will be able to share their opinion through a new online survey launching Sept. 20. Comments and questions can be shared any time on this website or by email to PROSMasterPlan@AuroraGov.org.
Residents can also attend the open houses virtually. Click here to join the event from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20 (password: 893682) and click here to join the event from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22 (password: 370349).
Sign-up at EngageAurora.org/AuroraParks to stay updated on project news, opportunities to provide input and fun community events happening throughout the summer and fall.
This project is being led by Sasaki Associates, Inc.
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Survey 1 Closing Soon
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkLet your voice be heard! The first Our Parks, Our Places survey will close on Sunday, Aug. 28. Visit projects.sasaki.com/auroraparks to take the survey to help the city of Aurora understand how the community uses our system today to shape our system tomorrow. Share your thoughts on what you’d like to see from Parks, Recreation and Open Space any time through Ideas.
Stay tuned for details on Open Houses in September and Phase 2 starting this fall.
Important Links
Follow Project
Community Plan Process
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Discovering
Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space has finished this stageWe’ll start with learning and listening. The first chapter is all about digging into everything we can about the existing parks, open spaces, and recreation facilities. We’ll be listening to learn what parks people visit, how they get there, and what they like/don’t like.
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Visioning
Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space has finished this stageAfter we take a close look at what exists today, we’ll ask ourselves: what’s working well, and what’s not? Who in our community is facing barriers to getting to a park or open space? We’ll set bold goals for an inclusive parks system, and figure out what we need to measure to make sure we reach those goals.
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Thinking...and Re-Thinking
Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space has finished this stageNow, we start thinking about the future: what are ways that we can make the goals we defined in Chapter 2 a reality for Aurora? In this stage, we (the team and the community, together) will be generating ideas, and fine tuning those ideas, to chart out an action plan for Aurora’s parks, open spaces, and recreation.
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Confirming and Documenting
Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space is currently at this stageAs the final step, we’ll take a look at the ideas we created in Chapter 3 with extra care, to make sure it is describing a plan that matches what the community wants to see in Aurora. Those ideas will then be documented so that Aurora residents and City employees can use it as a guide for future decisions.
Upcoming Events
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October 2023
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October 14 2023
Who's Listening
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RF
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MT
Documents
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Our Parks, Our Places: A Plan for Aurora's Parks, Recreation and Open Space (23.6 MB) (pdf)
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Our Parks, Our Places Executive Summary (English) (32.7 MB) (pdf)
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Our Parks, Our Places Executive Summary (Spanish) (32.6 MB) (pdf)
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Our Parks, Our Places Pamphlet (English) (2.73 MB) (pdf)
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Nuestros Parques, Nuestros Lugares Folleto (Espanol) (2.73 MB) (pdf)
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Previous Meetings & Documents
Videos
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Click here to play video Dog Park Study Informational Presentation As part of Our Parks, Our Places, the city of Aurora is conducting a dog park study to help create a best practices guide for the future of all dog parks. The guide will define best practices for design and ease of maintenance to create vibrant, usable spaces for dogs and their owners. This presentation covers four topics - overall systems analysis, existing conditions, trend analysis and next steps.