Zionsville youth survey finds strong park use; students urge preservation of green spaces

The Town of Zionsville on May 18 heard a Mayor's Youth Advisory Council presentation and public comments emphasizing parks and green-space preservation. Evan Walker presented a 100-person youth survey that found 91% of respondents visit town parks at least a few times a year and 81% said they would consider returning to live in Zionsville as adults.

Walker said youth most value the community and small-town feel and listed priorities youth want to see added, including more restaurants, a recreation center and expanded trail connections. "81% of our youth said they would consider coming back to live in Zionsville as adults," Walker told the council. He also reported 39 of 100 students surveyed said they were happy with current roads and trails, while others requested more sidewalks and improved traffic near the high school.

During public comment, Daniel Larson, a Zionsville High School senior with the Environmental Club, urged that the comprehensive plan support development that maintains open space and avoids dense, repetitive housing patterns. "I want to make sure that in our comprehensive plan we're supporting development that will maintain open space," Larson said. Clara Carlson, a junior with the agriculture club, called Carpenter Nature Preserve an example of valuable habitat and said green space is "really easy to lose and it's hard to restore," urging the council to protect parks and rural open areas.

Why it matters: Youth perspectives highlight local priorities for parks, recreation and town character, and student commenters asked the council to reflect those priorities in the newly adopted comprehensive plan. Councilors thanked the Youth Advisory Council for its work; the plan was adopted later in the meeting.