TRG Projects: City of Los Angeles: Park Needs Assessment

CLIENT

City of LA Department of Recreation and Parks

Project Status

Completed

Summary

The City of Los Angeles Parks Needs Assessment is a strategic initiative aimed at guiding the development, investment, and management of the city’s vast and diverse park system. This assessment will address current and future needs for recreational infrastructure, recognizing the critical role parks play in community health, cultural unity, and quality of life. Spanning over 16,000 acres of parkland, Los Angeles’s parks offer both iconic landscapes and vital neighborhood spaces. At the heart of the PNA is a community-driven approach, engaging local nonprofits and organizations to expand outreach and build lasting support for parks. Throughout the process, TRG sought to foster meaningful engagement across all regions of Los Angeles, ensuring that the diverse voices of LA are heard.

Since the start of the PNA process in early 2025, The Robert Group (TRG) in teaming with OLIN employed an approach that is inclusive, comprehensive, and tailored to the city’s diverse population to effectively engage the community. This strategy factored in demographic diversity, urban development, existing amenities, and resident needs throughout the assessment process, leading to a more vibrant, healthy, and connected community.

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The engagement process unfolded in three phases throughout 2025, with an emphasis on community meetings held across LA:

Phase 1: Assess Understanding (February - April 2025)
Phase 2: Understanding Priorities (April - August 2025)
Phase 3: Sharing Analysis and Results (September - November 2025)

The goal of Phase 1 was to increase the awareness of the PNA, the Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP), and the city's park system to residents. Digital, analog, and in-person outreach and engagement encouraged participation from residents and community members. During this phase, a survey that assessed park needs and opportunities across the city of LA was released which saw over 5,000 completed submission from Angelenos.

The goal of Phase 2 engagement was to share findings and feedback from the Phase 1 survey, and share technical analysis of RAP's finances and facility conditions. A phase 2 survey was released allowing Angelenos to submit their reactions to the Phase 1 survey feedback and their current priorities at the time. Data and feedback from this phase was crucial for the formation of the Draft PNA document.

The goal of Phase 3 was to get feedback on the Draft PNA from the community to help shape the Final PNA. Feedback was collected via email, the PNA website, PDF mark-up, and online/virtual events.

In each phase, TRG helped with the engagement of a variety of in-person sessions, virtual meetings, and equity-focused workshops. Beyond community meetings, TRG helped in the distribution citywide surveys to stakeholder focus groups, community events, and social media. Additionally, TRG participated in pop-up events across the city to reach a wider audience and gather informal feedback for each Phase's goal from a broad audience. To ensure accessibility, TRG translated key public collateral into Spanish and three other languages to help facilitate meaningful dialogue and ensuring the PNA reflects the diverse needs of Los Angeles residents.

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