"It is now necessary for the strategy to be updated so that it is informed by the current issues and interests of the community as well as the collective challenges we presently face."
The information gathered during this pre-consultation work will help the council to identify and refine some of the key issues.
Lee said the council was also speaking with other organisations such as Sport Whanganui, Safer Whanganui, the Positive Ageing Forum, Whanganui Police, Whanganui District Health Board, youth and other interest groups.
"We would like to know what the experiences, interests and needs of the community are in relation to parks, reserves and connecting pathways, including the types of activities that residents undertake in these spaces.
"This will help us shape the direction and vision for these important public spaces in our district."
The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete and includes questions about how often residents use parks, reserves and pathways, what activities they use them for, how safe they feel using them, and whether the facilities, like playgrounds, meet the needs of users.
It is expected public consultation on the draft strategy will begin near the end of the year with an updated strategy adopted in early 2022.
Alongside this consultation, Sport Whanganui will conduct a review into the use of sporting facilities at Springvale Park, beginning with consultation with current stakeholders.
The council survey is available at whanganui.govt.nz. It closes on Friday, July 30.
For more information contact Sandy Lee at sandy.lee@whanganui.govt.nz
