Construction continued in the spring on Phase 2 of upgrades to Mira Mesa Community Park. (Photo courtesy of the city of San Diego)
The city of San Diego has begun a needs assessment campaign to understand parks and recreation needs in its neighborhoods.
City residents can take an online survey through Feb. 28, 2026 to share their thoughts on recreational activities and facilities provided by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.
As part of the effort, city staff and Keen Independent Research will conduct interviews, focus groups, virtual workshops and in-person community meetings to receive feedback.
The survey can be accessed online.
According to Mayor Todd Gloria, the effort will help the city to “identify gaps (and) remove barriers” to provide resources to all neighborhoods in San Diego.
“Every San Diegan deserves access to safe, welcoming and high-quality parks and recreation opportunities – that’s why we’re launching this first-ever Community Recreation Needs Assessment to hear from San Diegans about how to improve current services and what other opportunities they might be looking for,” he said.
Keen will use community feedback to assess programs, services and facilities to gauge how well the city is serving its residents. The goal is to eliminate barriers and inequities in how people access recreation.
“The Parks and Recreation Department is eager to hear from San Diegans about how we can better serve all of our communities citywide,” said Andy Field, department director. “I encourage everyone to share their honest feedback so that we can continue our work to build an equitable park system for all.”
The assessment will be carried out in three phases of four months duration. During each, the focus will be on three San Diego City Council districts. Once completed, Keen will provide the city with a final report with goals, future steps and a proposed timeline for remedies.
The tentative date of completion is summer 2026.