Community survey is first step for Millville’s Open Space and Recreation Plan

MILLVILLE — The town is beginning the task of creating its first Open Space and Recreation Plan, and the first step in the process is a community survey that will give residents a chance to voice their ideas and concerns regarding Millville’s open space and recreation facilities.

The 10-question survey is available online at the town’s website at

Paper surveys for those without internet access are available at the Town Hall, Senior Center and Millville Free Public Library. Surveys must be completed by Friday, March 23. Participation is voluntary and all responses will be confidential.

As part of the survey, respondents will be asked to rank a list of most needed recreational facilities and to list how many times they use the town’s existing recreational sites and natural resources, including the bike path, Millville Lock, Lyons Preserve and Millville Town Forest, to name a few.

“If people take the time to answer the survey, we’ll have a much better plan,” said Town Administrator Jennifer M. Callahan.

The results of the survey will be discussed at a community forum planned for on April 12.

According to Callahan, the OSRP will help to guide decisions regarding the use, acquisition, and management of Millville’s treasured open spaces, conservation areas, recreation facilities, and natural resources over the next seven years.

“It’s important for us to get a feel for what people think so that we can draft a solid, strategic plan,” she said.

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Division of Conservation Services oversees open space planning in communities across the state. An approved, current Open Space and Recreation Plan, Callahan said, is required for eligibility for conservation grants and state funding programs and guides town policy regarding open space issues.

Specifically, an Open Space and Recreation Plan is a strategic planning document that provides towns with a policy guide, outlining a clear direction for the balanced use of the town’s natural resources including the following:

• Maintenance of environmental quality.

• Protection and preservation of ground and surface water.

• A balanced recreation plan to meet the needs of a growing population.

• Preservation and promotion of natural areas for conservation purposes.

• Integration of conservation and recreation areas.

“Open Space and Recreation Plans are not meant to sit on a shelf, but are working documents, created to represent the needs of town’s residents,” Callahan said.

Overseeing the process locally is the Millville Open Space and Recreation Committee, which includes members Tom Mulvey, Pamela Maloney, Eric Olsen, Kari Pisano, Mark Robinson, Jennifer Dean Wing, John Hadley and Lincoln Barber.