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alignment with the County's Active Living and Parks Department: • Cabarrus County Schools • CMC NorthEast • City of Concord • City of Kannapolis • City of Harrisburg • Cabarrus County Health Alliance • NC Research Campus Section Four: Proposals and Recommendations pro- vides greater detail on the roles of these agencies in the community and avenues for partnerships. CAPITAL NEEDS The development of new District Parks, expansion of senior center facilities, construction of miles of gre- enways, and significant park renovations will require a substantial financial commitment from all county partners over the next 10 -15 years. As noted in Table 5 -1 Capital Improvement Plan, the anticipated cost of the recommendations found in this planning report will be $55 million. Recognizing that this is a Vision Plan for a county wide park system, County staff' and elected officials must prioritize the recom- mendations in this document based on the public's input and staff review. The following park develop- ment initiatives should be considered the highest priority: • Development of Rob Wallace Park • Field improvements at Frank Liske Park • Acquisition of land for a new District Park in the western section of the county • Acquisition of land for a new District Park in the northeast section of the county • Renovations to existing parks • Construction of five miles of the Carolina Thread Trail • Expansion of Senior Center facilities • Development of a sprayground Section Four: Proposals and Recommendations and Section Five: Action Plan Implementation provide greater detail on improvements included in the cap- ital improvements budget. Likewise, these sections provide strategies for funding the recommendations made as part of the comprehensive plan. F -1 It should be noted that in 2007/2008 our country experienced the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression. Unemployment rates were higher than those experienced since the 1930s. The housing bubble burst, resulting in millions of fore- closures and falling home prices. The failing econ- omy resulted in significant reductions in government funds. Budget cuts in Washington and Raleigh have placed even greater stress on municipal and county agencies. While the economy has improved in the past few years, public budgets are still challenged. Cabarrus County, like counties across the country, is faced with difficult decisions. Lower home values mean a smaller tax base, and a smaller tax base means making harder decisions about community services. Parks, recreation, and senior center services are an important component of community life. Studies show that recreation resources add to the quality of life in communities that support parks. Even with this understanding, elected officials must carefully consider how to allocate funds for day to day opera- tion and facility expansion. The park, recreation, and senior center services needs identified in this planning document are significant, and it is understood that not all recommendations will be acted upon in the next ten years. Instead, it is the intent of this plan to identify a vision for the County's park system and provide recommendations for reaching that vision. Parks and recreation staff, working with community leaders and elected offi- cials, will implement the recommendations as finan- cial conditions allow. Frank Liske Park Attachment number 2 \n EX -7 Page 118