Parks & Recreation

Long Range Planning

The Department of Parks and Recreation's long range planning is managed by the Planning and Capital Projects Division in coordination with the Director and other internal teams. DPR's park planning initiatives are guided by several agency and county planning documents which are updated at regular intervals. Read below to learn more about these documents and how they interact.

2040 Comprehensive Plan - Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Chapter

Adopted in 2020, the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Chapter includes policies that were developed not only to expand existing park and recreation opportunities across the County, but also improve, renew, and re-use existing facilities to meet the changing needs of our neighborhoods. The goals and objectives of the Parks, Recreation & Tourism chapter are directly linked to other chapters of the County’s Comprehensive Plan and strive to provide Prince William County with a robust parks and recreation system, including a trails network that connects residents to all facets of the County’s natural and cultural landscape.

Read the Full Chapter

2020 Parks, Recreation, & Open Space Master Plan

The purpose of the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan is to provide the Department and the County with a road map for future development of recreational facilities and opportunities over the next 10 to 15 years. This document focuses on identifying the County's current and future recreation needs, not only to aid staff and elected decision-makers in providing and expanding the recreational facilities and opportunities available to Prince William County residents, but also to ensure that these opportunities are equitably distributed across the county at a variety of levels. This plan is based on recognized planning principles and best practices, as well as level of service standards that are unique to Prince William County and which are outlined in the 2020 Parks, Recreation & Tourism chapter of the County's Comprehensive Plan.

Read the Full Plan

2022 DPR Strategic Plan

The purpose of the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan is to provide the Department and the County with a road map for future development of recreational facilities and opportunities over the next 10 to 15 years. This document focuses on identifying the County's current and future recreation needs, not only to aid staff and elected decision-makers in providing and expanding the recreational facilities and opportunities available to Prince William County residents, but also to ensure that these opportunities are equitably distributed across the county at a variety of levels. This plan is based on recognized planning principles and best practices, as well as level of service standards that are unique to Prince William County and which are outlined in the 2020 Parks, Recreation & Tourism chapter of the County's Comprehensive Plan.

Review the Focus Areas

2020 Recreation Program Plan

The primary purpose of the Recreation Program Plan is to provide an overview of community needs and an analysis of how the Department of Parks and Recreation can meet these needs through programming. This plan is a companion document to the Department’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan, as well as the Strategic Plan. It provides a guide to the orderly development of programs and services across the Department.

Read the Full Plan

2019 Needs Assessment Study

In 2019, the Prince William County Department of Parks and Recreation completed a Community Needs Assessment Study. A large-scale project that included focus groups, stakeholder interviews, and a survey completed by over 2,400 households in the County, this comprehensive our community's recreational needs will help Prince William County prioritize investment in recreational assets, facilities, and services over the next 5-10 years. The survey component of this research project was conducted by ETC institute. The results of this survey were delivered to the Prince William County Department of Parks and Recreation in the form of a report: Prince William County Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment Survey – Summary Findings Report. This report is available in it's entirety or in specific sections.

Read the Full Report

1993 Trails and Greenways Master Plan

This plan established the concept of greenway corridors in Prince William County and also created the initial vison of a countywide bike and pedestrian network. The planning efforts in the 1993 plan have been largely superseded by the goals and objectives in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Mobility Chapter, and there is a current update to the Countywide Trails Master Plan underway.

Read the Full Plan