City of Evanston Open Space Scorecard

In association with Goodman Williams Group and Recreation Resources, The Lakota Group prepared the Open Space Scorecard for The City of Evanston Parks and Recreation department. The team promoted public engagement by producing a community survey which included questions about public needs facing open space sites within the City of Evanston, Ridgeville Park District, Lighthouse Park District, Evanston/Skokie School District 65, and the Forest Preserves of Cook County. To understand the present state of Evanston’s parks and open spaces, the team surveyed and analyzed 112 open spaces sites and scored 11 features within those sites including Athletic Fields, Athletic Courts, Drinking Fountains, Seating Areas, Paths and Sidewalks, Restrooms, Parking Lots, Greenspaces, Natural Areas, Beaches, and Playgrounds. The scorecard will help Evanston determine priorities for improvements and provide direction for allocation of funds, staff, and other resources. Finally, the scorecard will help to measure the impact of open space infrastructure investments and maintenance efforts. Ultimately, the Open Space Scorecard is intented to help guide capital improvement plans, master plans, and maintenance standards, helping the City of Evanston and its open space management partners maintain and improve its beloved open space infrastructure.