Draft of Bucks County Comprehensive Recreation, Parks, and Open Space Plan available for public review

A draft of the Bucks County Comprehensive Recreation, Parks and Open Space Plan is now available for public review. 

Share your feedback during the open comment period at [email protected].

You can view the draft Comprehensive Recreation, Parks and Open Space Plan here or by going to the CRPOSP section of the Parks and Recreation website. 

The plan will be considered for adoption by the Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 10:30 a.m.

The nearly 200-page planning document that lays out a 10-year blueprint for how the county manages, funds, and improves its parks, recreation facilities, and open space system.

Among other things, the plan:

• Evaluates 17 county-owned parks and two open space areas, totaling more than 6,100 acres, with additional county lands noted but not fully analyzed
• Emphasizes equity, accessibility, health and wellness, conservation, and sustainability as guiding principles, using National Recreation and Parks Association benchmarks and public feedback  
• Identifies long-standing issues such as deferred maintenance, staffing needs, connectivity gaps, and funding challenges, while positioning parks as drivers of public health, tourism, and economic activity  
• Lays out system-wide recommendations, park-specific improvements, and an implementation framework with prioritization and potential funding sources over the next decade  

County officials describe the plan as the first truly comprehensive parks plan in more than 50 years, building on earlier studies but expanding the scope to include equity, accessibility, sustainability, and long-term operations.

Key findings highlight widespread public support for parks and recreation, along with concerns over deferred maintenance, staffing levels, connectivity between parks, and equitable access for residents of all ages and abilities. The plan frames parks as critical civic infrastructure, citing their role in public health, environmental stewardship, tourism, and the local economy, with recreation-related visitation estimated to contribute roughly $169 million annually.

Recommendations are organized into three main areas: operations and administration, system-wide infrastructure improvements, and park-specific projects. The final chapters outline a prioritization and implementation strategy, including potential funding sources and phased timelines, positioning Bucks County to guide park investments and policy decisions through the next decade