Input for Greenbelt sought

Members of the Greenbelt Taskforce are looking for input on what the future of the Greenbelt should look like.

John Freeman, a member of the task force, said the group is preparing surveys for residents to voice their opinion with in the coming weeks. So far, Freeman said he’s heard someone propose a fishing dock and more Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant entrances to portions of the path. He also believes the Greenbelt is a prime location for a disc golf course.

Freeman is not stranger to the task force, being one of its founding members more than 30 years ago. After he left the group and became a state legislator, the group slowly became dormant. After finishing his final term, he was asked to return to the task force.

“I was not involved with public service for three days,” Freeman said.

The master plan utilized by the task force is 30 years old as well and while dated, Freeman said it’s still relevant because of the amount of public input the group received while drafting it, saying more than 100 people, businesses and community organizations commented on the document. He and other taskforce members hope to see similar interest in updating the Greenbelt’s master plan and aim to build the group into an organization that will be capable of improving and expanding the Greenbelt in the next 30 years.

Freeman said he sees funding as a potential obstacle as government budgets continue to shrink, but believes grant funding will play a large role in the Greenbelt’s future. He said many grants consider a public-private partnership a gold standard when it comes to their applications, often funding work with such projects in place. He hopes to bring local industry on board for such partnerships between the task force, city parks department and private stakeholders.

In the future, Freeman said he believes organizations like the Greenbelt Taskforce may become more important in local recreational causes in the future, saying while the city and its parks and recreation department are great organizations to work with, public groups taking on initiatives like the Greenbelt may be the way most parks and recreation projects are initiated in the future.