The Park & Connect initiative is designed to strengthen the relationship between the Village of DeForest, its residents, and neighborhoods by providing a platform for open dialogue about park and recreation-related concerns, ideas and community needs. This program encourages residents to engage with Village staff directly in the parks where they spend time, fostering a sense of ownership and community involvement in the future development and maintenance of there vital spaces.

Goals

• Engagement: Facilitate direct communication between residents and staff to discuss concerns, suggestions, and ideas for park and recreation improvements.
• Gather Diverse Perspectives: Collect input from a wide range of community members to ensure diverse viewpoints are represented.
• Awareness: Increase community awareness of current park projects, recreational opportunities, and the role of parks enhancing quality of life in DeForest.
• Enhance Transparency: Improve transparency in local government operations by openly sharing information about projects, policies and the decision-making process.
• Collaboration: build stronger community ties by bringing together neighbors and staff in a relaxed, outdoor setting, encouraging collaborative efforts to enhance the parks.
• Foster a Culture of Participation: Promote ongoing community involvement by creating a welcoming environment for residents to share their ideas and concerns.
• Feedback Collection: Gather valuable input from residents to inform future park planning, development and programming.
• Create Actionable Solutions: Using the collected feedback create a structured process for identifying, prioritizing, and implementing solutions.

Thank you to everyone who shared input for the Park Concept Surveys and helped shape the future of DeForest’s park system!

From May through September 2025, staff connected with residents in multiple ways — hosting three Park and Connect events at various neighborhood parks and offering an online community survey. Together, these efforts provided valuable input on park concepts and amenities that best reflect community priorities.

Based on community survey input, the following parks have been identified as the top priorities for next steps:

• Conservancy Commons Park – Refresh of the splash pad and park layout (Concept #3 most preferred).
• Rivers Turn Phase III Park – Development of active recreation spaces including multi-sport and basketball courts (Concept #2 most preferred).
• Shane O’Donnell Park – Playground expansion and futsal court addition (Concept #1 most preferred).
• Additional parks — including Dale Jenkins Park, Bakke & Nelson Conservancy Park, Ziggy Field Adjacent Park, and the Northern Industrial Park area — remain part of the current Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP) and will continue to be refined and completed within the timeframe of CORP.

Next Steps: Village staff and consultants will now begin refining design concepts for the top priority parks, incorporating the most-supported amenities for future improvements. Updated plans will be shared as they are developed.