Forsyth County seeks public input for parks master plan update

Forsyth County has opened a public comment period on an update to its countywide parks master plan, asking residents to help shape priorities for trails, fields, playgrounds, access and programming. County officials released the master-plan materials and a schedule of upcoming community meetings on Jan. 16, 2026, beginning a coordinated outreach effort that will inform future investments in parks and recreation.

The county is collecting feedback through an online survey and a series of public meetings intended to reach neighborhoods across Forsyth. Materials related to the draft master plan and the meeting schedule are available on the county’s parks master plan webpage or by contacting the parks department. Residents who want to propose specific improvements, locations, program ideas or accessibility changes are encouraged to use those channels to ensure their input is included.

Officials say the update will evaluate existing facilities and identify gaps in service and amenities. Specific topics highlighted for community input include multiuse trails and trail connections, athletic fields and courts, playgrounds and play areas, accessibility to parks from neighborhoods and major roads, and the types of programming offered at community centers and county-run sites. The process aims to establish priorities that guide where capital dollars and staffing will be focused in the coming years.

For local neighborhoods, the plan update is more than a wish list. Decisions coming out of the master plan typically shape priorities for maintenance, capital projects and grant applications, affecting where new trailheads, fields, or playgrounds are built and how recreation programming is expanded. Organized sports leagues, families with young children, seniors seeking accessible outdoor spaces and residents who use trails for commuting or exercise all have stakes in the outcome.

The outreach effort seeks to capture both city and unincorporated perspectives so that the master plan reflects the county’s mix of suburban and rural needs. County parks staff and planning teams will compile public input from the survey and meetings, then translate that feedback into draft recommendations and cost estimates that will inform next steps.

Residents should review the posted master-plan materials, complete the online survey and attend a community meeting to make their priorities known. How the county balances competing needs and funding limits will determine which projects move forward and when construction or program changes could begin.