Resident participation will make OV Trails Connect

Published on February 24, 2025

OV Town Talk: Resident participation will make OV Trails Connect
By Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield

It’s no secret that I am passionate about outdoor public spaces and their power to connect us—with nature and with each other. My years as a landscape architect for the National Park Service focused on designing spaces that foster these connections, and as Mayor of Oro Valley, that passion has only grown.

Well-designed parks, trails, and recreational amenities are the heart of a thriving community. They bring people together, promote health and wellness, and enhance our quality of life. In Oro Valley, I have seen firsthand how investments in these spaces create a stronger, more connected community.

Oro Valley residents share this passion. Time and again, they have identified outdoor spaces as a core value in our 10-year General Plans. That is why I am excited to help launch the Community Outreach and Discussion phase of OV Trails Connect—a planning effort dedicated to developing the Town’s Trails Master Plan. This initiative focuses on our natural trails and paved multi-use paths, and is separate from OV Path Forward, the General Plan process.

A Trails Master Plan will provide direction for creating a plan to shape OV’s unpaved trails and paved multi-use path network by improving connectivity to local destinations, closing gaps in the trail/path system and increasing accessibility for all users. OV Trails Connect is the best opportunity for residents to guide future Town decisions. It ensures that as our community grows, we continue to develop a trail system that meets residents’ evolving needs. This process will help us strategically shape an interconnected network of trails and paths while prioritizing investments to maintain the exceptional quality of life that makes Oro Valley special.

But a great trail system should reflect the needs of the people who use it—and that starts with you. Your involvement isn’t just helpful; it’s essential. The more voices we hear, the better we can design a system that truly serves everyone.

Whether you enjoy our trails daily or only occasionally, we want to hear from you. And if you don’t use them—perhaps because they aren’t conveniently located or don’t meet your needs—we especially want your input. And if you’re someone doesn’t use our trails and paths because they’re not conveniently located, or don’t suit your needs, we want to hear from you as well! More ideas result in a better plan.

There are several ways you can share your thoughts and be involved, and all of them can be found at the project website OVTrailsConnect.com:

First, I personally invite you to take the survey, which is open now through March 17. The survey will ask several questions such as your level of satisfaction with various elements of the trail/multi-use path experience, and your satisfaction with specific trail/ multi-use path segments. Survey participants will also have the opportunity to rate the importance of potential improvements to the system. Your thoughts and ideas will be instrumental in identifying priorities and specific actions for the plan.

If you’d like to be even more involved, please consider joining the Trails Stakeholders Group, which will meet monthly in March, April and May. The stakeholder group will help identify the needs and vision for Oro Valley’s trail network and be directly involved in crafting the vision, goals, and action items for OV Trails Connect.

Beyond the stakeholder group, all Oro Valley residents will have opportunities to review and comment on the draft plan at key benchmarks, with the goal of having a 90% complete draft for review by this June.

Over the summer, Planning staff and the consultant will implement final comments and work to bring the draft plan to its completion. In September, the plan will be brought before Oro Valley Town Council for final consideration.

But it all begins with you.

Public participation is one of the most powerful ways to shape our community’s future. Whether it’s submitting a blue card to speak at a Council meeting, sharing concerns through the AskOV constituent services portal, or engaging in the Town’s 10-year General Plan process, there are many ways to have a voice in your local government. And now, for those passionate about our trails and paths, we now have additional ways to get involved.

When I think about Oro Valley’s future, I envision a community with accessible, inclusive, and well-connected parks and trails—places where people of all ages and abilities can enjoy the outdoors and feel a sense of belonging. Developing a Trails Master Plan is a critical step toward achieving that vision.

Your ideas matter. I encourage you to take part in this process, share your vision, and help shape a community we can all be proud of.

Learn more and get connected at OVTrailsConnect.com.