Grand Island Parks and Recreation -

Grand Island, Neb. — Following an initial open house that saw hundreds turn out to voice their opinions, the Grand Island Parks & Recreation Department is preparing to host its second and final open house regarding its master plan.

The open house is scheduled for Thursday, February 13 from 4-6 p.m. and will be held in the Community Meeting Room (CMR) in the basement of Grand Island City Hall.

On June 4, GIPR hosted its first public open house for community members to offer their insights on the department’s master plan. In the upcoming meeting, the results of that meeting and a more specific overview of the master plan will be presented.

The Parks Division is responsible for all maintenance and management of 34 parks and mini parks in Grand Island, covering a total of 437 acres. This features 22 ball fields, 21 playgrounds, 16 tennis courts and three lakes. In turn, the Recreation Division provides summer youth programs, special events and helps operate the Community Fieldhouse. The division also oversees both Lincoln Pool and the Island Oasis Water Park.

“It was nice to see,” Grand Island Parks & Recreation Director Todd McCoy said of the first open house. “It confirms what we thought. People really appreciate their parks, and the crowd we had last night came out in full force and gave us some great ideas. Now we’re excited to present our findings from that and more.”