COMMUNITY-BASED PLANNING INITIATIVE FOR RYE TOWN PARK

Rye Town Park is a 62-acre public park and beach in Rye City, New York, approximately 35 miles northeast of New York City. In recent years, the Rye Town Park Commission has struggled to develop policies to prevent degradation of the park while maximizing access to park users. Working with the Town of Rye, the Capstone team identified and engaged park stakeholders, investigated comparable case studies, and offered recommendations for a vision statement and appropriate measures of success. Until this point, park stakeholders had never had a platform to express their ideas and desires for the future of the park. The team executed informed research through numerous site visits, three public events, online surveys, and meetings with key stakeholders. The team's final recommendations relied on community input and established the groundwork for future park improvements.