A new park headquarters, an aquatic center, a gymnasium and a fitness center may be future additions to the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District.

While building ballfields and trails were the primary focus in the first 20 years of the parks’ existence, the next decade may see some new facilities. The park district is looking ahead as it develops a master plan that will include plans for future growth.

“The purpose of this master plan is to determine the direction for future development at both the Community Park and Sports Complex,” said Art Burke, director of the parks district.

The plan will incorporate information gathered from a community-wide survey sent to residents last fall.

“The survey showed us there is interest in having a pool and a gymnasium,” Burke said.

“With the aging population on South Whidbey, there is a lot of interest in adult fitness programs and an aquatic center,” he said.

Work on the plan is just getting started. Parks district commissioners approved a contract with a consulting firm for a master plan to be completed in February 2007.

“We will be using the results from the survey and several community meetings later this year to determine the future direction of new and existing facilities and services,” Burke said.

The “recreation needs” survey was sent to 4,000 residents in Langley, Clinton and Freeland. In the course of four weeks, almost 1,000 surveys were returned.

Burke said the survey also indicated that “the community thinks we’re great.”

“We are a great resource in the community, and I think residents appreciate our services,” he said.

The firm MacLeod Reckord of Seattle will lead the effort on the master plan; commissioners have agreed to spend up to $50,000 on the project.

History has shown when the parks district builds, people come. Twenty years ago, community volunteers got together during weekend work parties and began carving a park out of the woods on Maxwelton Road. Today the district has grown to 112 acres and includes four baseball fields, five soccer fields, a large playground, a playground with a covered picnic area, a skate park, miles of trails for hiking and biking, parking, plus a concession stand in the main park and vending machines at the Sports Complex on Langley Road.

An additional 200 forested acres were added to the park district through the state Department of Natural Resources. Called the Upper Maxwelton Valley property, it features a woodland and is also the upper watershed of Maxwelton Creek, one of two salmon-bearing streams on Whidbey Island.

Planning for the Maxwelton land will happen at the same time the master plan is developed.

The district has been awarded a grant to develop a conceptual plan from the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.

“The primary focus of this new park will be passive recreation opportunities, such as walking, hiking, nature and environmental programming,” Burke said.

Gayle Saran can be reached at 221-5300 or gsaran@southwhidbeyrecord.com