The city of San Diego Thursday began a needs assessment to understand the recreation needs of its many neighborhoods.
City residents can take a short online survey through Feb. 28, 2026 to gauge their thoughts on recreational activities and facilities provided by the city's Parks and Recreation Department. As part of the effort, city staff and Keen Independent Research will also conduct interviews, focus groups, virtual workshops and in-person community meetings to receive feedback.
"Every San Diegan deserves access to safe, welcoming, and high- quality parks and recreation opportunities — that's why we're launching this first-ever Community Recreation Needs Assessment to hear from San Diegans about how to improve current services and what other opportunities they might be looking for," said Mayor Todd Gloria. "By listening directly to our residents, we can identify gaps, remove barriers, and ensure that every neighborhood in San Diego has the resources residents needs to thrive."
The survey can be accessed online at sandiego.gov/parksurvey.
During the needs assessment window, Keen will use community feedback to "identify and evaluate community needs" by assessing
programs, services and facilities to gauge how well the city is serving its residents. The goal is to eliminate barriers and inequities in how people access recreation.
"The Parks and Recreation Department is eager to hear from San Diegans about how we can better serve all of our communities citywide," said Andy Field, department director. "I encourage everyone to share their honest feedback so that we can continue our work to build an equitable park system for all."
The assessment will be carried out in three phases of four months each, each phase representing three San Diego City Council districts. Once completed, Keen will provide the city with a final report with goals, future steps and a proposed timeline to remedy any inequities.
The tentative date of completion is summer 2026.
