Table of Contents

Overview

Nearly a decade ago, BREC implemented the "Imagine Your Parks" strategic plan which was created after a year and a half of surveys, community meetings, brainstorming sessions and public planning meetings. The results transformed the parks system in East Baton Rouge Parish featuring 12 new community parks, five dog parks, Liberty Lagoon Water Park, skateboard parks, fishing ponds, a new conservation area in Central for hikers and nature lovers, improved playgrounds, a growing trails system, a mobile playground unit as well as renovations to our neighborhood parks and special use facilities such as the Realm of the Tiger exhibit at BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo. 

Imagine Your Parks2 is a vision and action plan for parks and recreation in East Baton Rouge Parish that builds on the successes of BREC’s original Imagine Your Parks plan. It takes into account changes in the park system over the past decade, recent trends in recreation, changes in parish demographics and economy, and input from the community. Imagine Your Parks2 established eight strategic directions which BREC focused on through 2024. In this portfolio, you can learn more about the action plan which was laid out for getting there, including the actions and recommendations for BREC to take which helped moving each strategic
direction forward as well as detailed action steps that support each action.

The IYP2 2015-2024 Portfolio lists construction projects that are a direct result of the successful passing of the November 2014 ballot initiative to improve our public park system. 

Download the full IYP2 Portfolio here.

Awards & Recognition

The Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge received nineteen (19) awards for various projects during the Imagine Your Parks 2005-2014 period. Awards were received from the following

• Baton Rouge Growth Coalition Good Growth Award
  2018 | Knock Knock Children’s Museum
• LRPA Outstanding Park/ Facility Design Class II
  2016 | Highland Road Community Park: Phase III
  LRPA
• Outstanding Park/ Facility Design Class I
  2022 | City Park Dog Park Improvements
• LRPA Best in innovation
  2022 | Howell Community Park
• LRPA innovation in conservation
  2022 | Independence Park Botanical Garden Phase 1
• LRPA innovation in park design
  2022 | Jackson Community Park Site Improvements Phase 2
• LRPA innovation in social equity
  2022 | Howell Community Park Site Improvements Phase 2
• NACPRO Park & Recreation Facility - Class I Award
  2016 | Highland Road Community Park: Phase III
  2018 | Knock Knock Children’s Museum
• NRPA Gold Medal Finalist