Oxford unveils parks and trails master plan for connected network

Oxford's first Comprehensive Parks and Trails Master Plan moved closer to a construction roadmap Tuesday evening, with city maps pointing to a proposed pathways network that links The Square, the University of Mississippi, Lafayette County Library and Avent Park. The plan is meant to do more than upgrade individual parks. It is designed to connect neighborhoods, green spaces and public destinations for recreation, commuting and everyday errands on foot or by bike.

City officials said the presentation centered on recommendations and implementation priorities, the kind of detail that will help determine which trail links, park upgrades and access points rise first as the city moves from planning toward action. Oxford’s Complete Streets policy already says the city will design, operate and maintain its transportation network to improve travel conditions for bicyclists, pedestrians, cars, public transit, emergency vehicles and freight, and the parks plan extends that approach into the city’s outdoor system.

The planning work has been underway for months. Oxford issued its request for proposals for the city’s first Comprehensive Parks and Trails Master Plan on June 20, 2025, seeking a firm to conduct public outreach, gather input and draft a plan for the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. By September 2025, the city was already asking for community feedback, and on April 7, residents gathered at the Oxford Conference Center for a Community Review & Panel Discussion on the emerging plan.

The RFP says the plan should include strategies, priorities and an analysis of funding mechanisms for parks, green spaces, trails, trail amenities and recreation programs and services, with a specific emphasis on developing more variety in Oxford’s park system. The city already lists parks with disc golf, fishing, walking trails, playgrounds and recreational and competitive sports, but the new plan is intended to knit those assets together. Pat Lamar Park, Woodlawn Park and the Howell Activity Center are among the existing sites named in the city’s parks inventory.

Oxford’s long-range Vision 2037 plan, which looks ahead to the city’s bicentennial in 2037, frames parks, mobility and land-use connections as part of how Oxford plans to preserve quality of life as it grows. Seth Gaines is listed by the city as director of the Oxford Park Commission, and Park Commission board meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at the Oxford Activity Center, keeping the process in front of the public as Oxford decides what gets built, linked and improved next.