We want your feedback! This page is a space for residents and stakeholders to share ideas, ask questions, and provide constructive input on the update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Please read the background information and have your say in the space at the bottom of the page. We welcome your input!
Quality of life amenities are a vital component of Jasper’s community well-being and long-term community spirit. These amenities include parks, recreational facilities, cultural centers, walkable neighborhoods, and accessible public spaces that contribute to residents’ physical health, mental wellness, and social connection. Community feedback highlights the importance of these features in maintaining Jasper’s small-town character while providing opportunities for engagement, activity, and cultural enrichment. Amenities such as the Parklands, Riverwalk, and arts programming are valued for their role in fostering a sense of belonging and enhancing everyday life.
Jasper’s evolving demographic trends, including an aging population and increased diversity, underscore the need for accessible, comprehensive healthcare options. The community recognizes the importance of local healthcare facilities and wellness programs that support all age groups, from youth to seniors. Investments in healthcare infrastructure, including partnerships with regional providers and expansion of services such as elder care and preventive wellness, complement recreational and cultural amenities to create a thriving, multi-generational community. Looking ahead, proposed projects like the YMCA and wellness center, expanded walking and biking trails, and enhanced cultural offerings are seen as key to meeting community needs and preferences. AI, machine learning, and global dynamics are rapidly changing the way businesses operate, manufacturing processes, and the economic landscape of the future. Businesses and industries must adapt to new methods, opportunities, and technologies to remain competitive.
Knowing that there is a wide range of views on Quality of Life Amenities, we want to hear your comments about the future of Jasper, Indiana.
For more information about the Jasper Comprehensive Plan Project, please contact:
Becki Moorman
Community Development & Planning
City of Jasper
Jasper City Hall
610 Main Street
Jasper, IN 47547-0029
[email protected]
Courtney Powell, AICP
Urban and Community Planning Manager
WGI, Inc.
1201 Wilson Boulevard, 27th Floor
Arlington, VA 22209
571-438-9436
[email protected]
David Beurle
CEO, Future iQ
P.O. Box 24687
Minneapolis, MN 55424
612-757-9190
[email protected]
Future iQ® provides customized research and planning services to governments, communities, corporations and industry groups. Please contact us to discuss our services.
9 Comments
Thank you for your participation in the City of Jasper Comprehensive Plan! We look forward to your input and the discussion to follow on how we can make the Quality of Life Amenities Pillar representative of the community’s vision of the future.
Please update/better maintain the current parks. My kids love when I take them to playgrounds, but the ones they love to go to are often not well maintained. There are certain parks I now avoid taking my kids to, because of their poorly maintained conditions. However, it is not fair to those who cannot access any park they choose and may only have the option to walk to their neighborhood park. I think everyone should have access to nice and well maintained playground areas and not be worried about finding trash in sand box areas their kids are playing in, and rusty playground equipment that has seen many better days.
Kelsey- Thanks for the comment and concern. We agree. Can you email me directly so that I can get some more information from you for us to look into this for you? jgunselman AT jasperindiana.gov
I think the survey has the feedback necessary to address this pillar. This is a key point, active transportation and recreation infrastructure. I want to compliment the progress we have made in our parks and Rec. department. Please continue doing what you do. Keep them updated and clean for our kids and us to enjoy! To address above comment maybe request from businesses to assist with maintaining a park with their company named attached like we did with the streets? Just a thought.
I really like the idea of different companies maintaining different parks! It would not take much to clean and maintain one park per organization. However, it does seem that the “Adopt a highway” project has somewhat died, as I often see streets that have been “adopted” littered with trash, and I don’t see volunteers out and about cleaning them as you might have seen in the past. Most people will say they are too busy for these types of things now, sadly. However, maybe with enough advertisement and important figures stressing its importance, it could become a thing again with enough volunteers.
It would be great to view amenities as more than just weekend destinations and start designing for the “15-minute life” that young families now seek. When a parent can walk from their front door to a trailhead, a park, or a local shop in fifteen minutes, Jasper’s value proposition is transformed. This is more of a strategic economic move than just a lifestyle perk.
We can prioritize seamless connectivity between our neighborhoods, leverage our high-performing schools, and create an environment that makes it impossible for the next generation of talent to choose anywhere else. With the end goal of fueling our economic flywheel and ensuring this community thrives for the next hundred years.
Jasper has great parks and walking trails. One thing that some of the walking paths lack are trees. Because we often have hot summers this is an issue. Some of the best neighborhoods in any town have lots of trees. They keep pavement cooler in the summer, and make being out of doors a lot easier. I recognize the maintenance issues but I am ever grateful that I can see trees and birds outside my windows. Kids need places where they can play outside and feel safe. Adults do as well. I see Jasper as a safe place to live, but if it gets any larger, that valuable amenity would likely be lost. Fortunately, Jasper is close to many wooded parks within easy driving distance , though those near home within walking distance are by far the best. The downtown area is great, but too dependent on cars to be perfect as there are few parking spots. As a child growing up in Huntingburg in the 1950s, I can say that from an early age, I knew every alley, and every woodlot in the town and its edges, and was outside on foot or on bike much of the time. Undeveloped lands were perfect places to explore. My two boys enjoyed it as well during the 1970s and 80s. Having vacant lots and lots and plenty of trees is an amenity that is priceless.
I definitely agree with this comment, Jeanne! It is great to see Jasper growing; however, a consequence of this is the lack of greenery and trees. People do not realize the importance of trees! I see so much new housing going up with not a tree in sight and it does make me sad to see. I see many large fields of grass surrounding buildings, businesses or houses, that could easily be places for more trees, and I wish there was more of a push for this. It does certainly keep areas and buildings cooler, which should be a concern of everyone’s, with both rising temperatures and utility costs. I also spent most of my childhood outside and now my kids do too, with their neighborhood friends. I hope Jasper can start to focus on this instead of constant development without concern for replacing parts of what was lost to get that development. And again, I think if there was enough push from prominent figures to get more of these types of green areas with new trees planted, it could definitely be something to set the city apart from others. I believe many people would be attracted to a town like this if they saw an emphasis on beautifying the town with more trees and landscaping instead of just dotting it with more buildings and parking lots.
Originally when the YMCA Wellness Center was announced there was a pool part of the project. Then somewhere along the development and fund raising process the pool was dropped. I believe this is a major mistake. Using Bloomington Northwest YMCA as an example, the pool is a great program for older adults wanting or needing physical therapy. Also great therapy for anyone that has had orthopedic surgery. And could be the best opportunity for young children to learn to swim. I read where a pool may be added later. I just believe it is not good idea to not include a pool from the beginning .