Specifications include, but are not limited to: The goal of the project is for Greenwood Community Park to become an exceptional, nationallyrenowned public park that the citizens of East Baton Rouge Parish will be proud of and cherish. It will be planned and designed with the intent of making an extraordinary contribution to the improved quality of life, health and wellness, and vibrant economic transformation of its surrounding neighborhoods and the entire Parish. The master plan will: • Demonstrate the highest level of park planning and design with the understanding of the essential natural, historic, and visual character of the site. • Integrate ecological design, natural resource management, and conservation strategies that protect the site’s natural ecosystems while offering visitor experiences in these environments for enrichment, education, health, wellness, and spiritual outcomes. • Demonstrate the park as an innovative green infrastructure system that can be part of smart regional planning, a natural flood management system and a contributor to the reduction of excessive heat as well as the improvement of air and water quality. • Create a strong physical connection and synergy with a redesigned zoo, each offering unique features and experiences that draw in visitors from other communities. • Offer a variety of choices for people of all ages, backgrounds and interests who will want to come back frequently for relaxation, respite, play, exercise or to connect with other people. Integrate with and be mutually supportive of other surrounding community planning efforts and BREC’s greenway planning initiatives (CAPP). • Demonstrate the benefits of a strong inclusive public engagement process that informs the park design and creates long-term support of the community. • Planning and design that contributes to the creation of value-added new residential and commercial development in the surrounding area. A multi discipline team approach will be needed to achieve these goals. Teams should include expertise in landscape architecture; urban design; land use planning; cultural resources planning; civil engineering; ecological planning and sustainability; public engagement; recreation programming; operations and maintenance, and market economics. In 2014 BREC completed a ten-year strategic plan, Imagine Your Parks2 , that outlines eight strategic directions: 1. Continue to place a priority on the wise use of taxpayer dollars 2. Continue innovation in recreation programming 3. Continue to raise the standard for parks and recreation facilities, and ensure equitable access to park and recreation experiences across the parish. 4. Strengthen and increase natural resource related recreational opportunities. 5. Enhance connectivity by improving the network of multi-use trails to, within, and between parks and community assets. 6. Increase local awareness of BREC’s programs and facilities and the overall value of BREC. 7. Work with partners and the BREC Foundation to achieve common goals and leverage resources. 8. Ensure that BREC’s parks and facilities are operated and maintained efficiently and according to best practices and to defined standards for park types.