Kent city planners want to do more in the next several years to keep up existing parks rather than simply look to add more parks.

That’s one of the primary themes emerging as city staff update the long-range parks plan along with input from residents. The plan has not been updated since 2000.

“We have our legacy and we need to build upon it,” Parks Director Jeff Watling said at a recent City Council’s Parks and Human Services Committee meeting about the nearly 70 parks, open spaces and trails in the city. “We often focus on the new and lose sight of the investment in front of you.”

A city parks survey filled out this summer by 631 people ranked security and maintenance of parks as the third-biggest need for city parks, behind a new swimming facility and an off-leash dog park.

“A well-maintained park is a well-used park,” Watling said in response to the survey’s outcome.

City planners also want to try to link more of the parks through construction of new bicycle and walking trails by creating east-west corridors up the East Hill.

The Green River Trail and Interurban Trail connect much of the Kent Valley, but no trail routes exist between the Valley and the East Hill, where most residents live. One such trail could be built along the Mill Creek Canyon, just east of downtown.

“We need trails to get from park to park or from a school to a park and we are trying to inject that into the vision,” Watling said.

Councilwoman Deborah Ranniger, who serves on the Parks Committee, said she likes the vision.

“You are moving in the right direction,” Ranniger said to city staff at the Sept. 17 Parks Committee meeting. “Rather than add more and more parks, I like the direction of the ease of use of getting to the parks.”

City staff expects to present a draft long-range parks plan update at the Nov. 19 City Council’s Parks and Human Services Committee meeting. Residents would be able to comment on the plan at a public hearing next February. The Council is expected to consider adoption of the plan next April.

While the survey showed residents want a new aquatic center, city officials have put on hold plans for a new facility due to a lack of funding.

The Council did not take any action last year on staff proposals to submit a property-tax measure to voters to build a new aquatic facility. The Council wanted to give city staff more time to pursue a funding partner for either an estimated $48 million aquatic center or a scaled-back, $22 million facility on 14 acres south of West Meeker Street and east of Naden Avenue.

The survey also indicated strong interest in an off-leash dog park.

City staff does expect to open two off-leash parks in 2010 on the East Hill. The sites include an undeveloped park at 26612 132nd Avenue Southeast and property next to Morrill Meadows Park at 10600 S.E. 248th St.

Each site would be about 3 acres with a fenced facility for off-leash use. City staff will present the proposed designs of the two off-leash parks at a workshop from 6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Daniel Elementary School, 11310 S.E. 248th St.

City planners know new athletic fields are another high priority for residents. But rather than buying property for new fields, city staff is looking into converting grass practice fields at Kent-Meridian High School into artificial fields with lights to serve soccer, football, baseball and softball teams.

Larry Tukes, who lives in the unincorporated Panther Lake area of Kent, attended a parks workshop Tuesday regarding the plan. He wanted to find out what might happen to the three King County parks near his neighborhood if Panther Lake residents vote Nov. 3 to annex to the city of Kent. The three parks in the unincorporated area are North Meridian, Park Orchard and Green Tree.

“I have concerns about those parks and I want to make sure people on the east side utilize those parks and find out who maintains them,” Tukes said.

If Panther Lake residents vote to annex to Kent, the city would take over maintenance of the parks in July 2010.

Results of the parks survey can be viewed online starting Oct. 7 at www.ci.kent.wa.us/parksplanningdevelopment. Click on Current Projects and results will be listed under Parks Plan Update.

For more information on the city’s long-range plan, call parks planner Lydia Moorehead at 253-856-5114 or e-mail her at lmoorehead@ci.kent.wa.us.