As part of the City of San Diego’s first-ever Community Recreation Needs Assessment, launched in August 2025, San Diegans are invited to participate in a series of virtual and in-person workshops where they will be encouraged to share feedback on how recreational services can be improved. The purpose of the Community Recreation Needs Assessment is to gather data so the City can better understand and meet the recreational, communication and financial needs of San Diego’s diverse communities.  

The assessment, being conducted by the City in collaboration with Keen Independent Research, Inc., includes surveys, interviews, focus groups, virtual workshops and in-person public meetings for community feedback, along with collaboration with local organizations to ensure broad engagement. 

In-person town hall meetings, which will be held in all nine City Council districts, begin on Monday, Oct. 27, and will include a presentation, Q&A session and interactive tables for participants to provide feedback. All attendees will have a chance to win a $25 gift card, and light snacks and childcare will be provided. The town halls are open to everyone, and no registration is necessary.  For details, refer to the list of in-person session dates, times and locations.

Virtual focus groups begin on Friday, Nov. 7, with separate sessions for residents of Council districts 1, 2 and 5, districts 3, 6 and 7, and districts 4, 8 and 9. The online sessions will be 45-minutes long and include a presentation, Q&A segment and an interactive survey. Registration is required for the virtual sessions to be able to receive access instructions. For details, refer to the list of virtual focus group sessions dates and times. 

"The Parks and Recreation Department appreciates the residents who have participated in the Community Recreation Needs Assessment so far, and we encourage everyone to attend a session to provide further feedback,” said Andy Field, Director of the Parks and Recreation Department. “I encourage everyone to share their honest feedback so that we can continue our work to build an equitable park system for all.” 

Along with the town hall and focus group sessions, San Diegans are encouraged to take a short online survey to gauge their thoughts on recreational, communication and financial needs within the Parks and Recreation Department. The survey can be accessed online at sandiego.gov/parksurvey. Residents have until Feb. 28, 2026, to complete the survey. 

Keen Independent Research, Inc. is using a data-driven approach throughout the process to identify and evaluate community needs by conducting a comprehensive assessment of programs, services and facilities to gauge how well the Parks and Recreation Department serves the City’s diverse communities. The assessment will focus on identifying recreational, communication and financial needs to develop a detailed action plan to eliminate barriers and address recreation inequities. 

At the end of the assessment, Keen Independent Research, Inc. will provide the Parks and Recreation Department with a final report of their findings including an evaluation of existing programs and effectiveness, resident satisfaction levels, recreation priorities and demographics. It will also include clearly defined goals, objectives, action steps, resources, timeline and performance measures to achieve strategic priorities to address inequities and better serve our residents from community to community. The tentative date of completion is summer 2026. 

Additional information about the assessment, including dates for community workshops and other participation opportunities, can be found on the Parks and Recreation Department webpage.