Norman’s parks are outdated and in need of major improvements and renovations, according to a consultant hired by the city.

James Carillo, of the Texas-based Halff Associates Inc., recently told the City Council the renovation of existing parks should be a top priority and presented the Norman Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

“The city wanted to develop a master plan for our entire Parks and Recreation System,” said Jud Foster, parks and recreation head.

Foster said the plan was “long overdue,” as the city hadn’t had one done since the 1960s. And Norman residents were ready for a change to the city’s 55 neighborhoods and community parks.

“This information primarily comes from citizen input ... either through surveys or public meetings or stakeholder groups,” Foster said.

To gather this citizen input, the city went on a search for the right consulting firm. After receiving a number of responses, a citizen’s committee narrowed down the responses to six. Halff Associates was chosen.

The list of “very high priority” items includes renovating some of the existing parks in the system, adding three to four miles of new hiking and biking trails, replacing or renovating the Westwood pool, developing a new state-of-the-art recreation facility and developing Ruby Grant Park in northwest Norman.

The estimated cost for these items runs between $28 and 49 million.

Another six items rank as high priority goals, including sports area improvements to Griffin Park and Reaves Park, a competition pool adjacent to the proposed recreation center, tennis facilities at Westwood Park and continued improvements to neighborhood parks. These suggestions carry an estimated price tag of $15 to 24 million.

At the council meeting, Carillo said most Norman residents surveyed said they would support a 1/2-cent sales tax to finance the improvements. Foster said should the plan be adopted, the next step would be to find funding.

These goals would be more long-term than immediate, Foster said.

“The whole purpose is to create a road map for us to follow for the next 10 years or so,” he said.

He said the plan is designed to be flexible based on the community’s changing wants and desires.

“The most important part of the process was the amount of community input and that it was community driven,” Foster said. “It represents the needs and wants of our community.”

Chantal Hite said she brings her daughters to Reaves Park usually at least once a week.

“Ever since [my daughter] was a baby, we’d come swing,” Hite said.

She said the family is pleased overall with the park but agreed some of the equipment showed wear and tear. Proposed urgent changes for Reaves Park, located at 2501 Jenkins Ave., include improvements to the existing softball field. She said she hopes any improvements or renovations won’t change the nature of the park itself.

“My kids love this park,” Hite said.

The final draft of the plan is being completed and will be presented to the City Council at a meeting in late November or early December, Foster said. The recommendation of the Board of Parks and Recreation and the steering committee is for the council to adopt the plan.