The Eastgate Regional Council of Governments has canceled its Request for Proposals for consulting services related to the Valley Vision Parks Project, citing a need to reevaluate the project's goals.

In a press release emailed on Tuesday, Eastgate officials said they received numerous inquiries and comments that prompted the decision to revise the project's scope. Eastgate said in the release that it aims to ensure the project reflects a collaborative vision and supports meaningful outcomes for park stakeholders and communities in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

"These discussions have prompted us to take a step back and reevaluate the project's goals to ensure that it reflects a collaborative vision and supports meaningful outcomes for all park stakeholders and the communities we serve," Eastgate said in the statement.

The Valley Vision Parks Project involves assessing existing park assets in both counties, leveraging Valley Vision funding, and coordinating with other park-related initiatives. Eastgate has utilized data from the 2021 City of Youngstown Parks Assessment and collaborated with the Trumbull County Combined Health District parks assessment project. Youngstown State University's Guin Fit program also contributed to park evaluations.

Eastgate previously assessed 120 parks in Mahoning County and 74 in Trumbull County, overlaying the assessment results with the Social Vulnerability Index to aid in prioritizing parks for further planning. The project has involved coordination with various local organizations, including the City of Youngstown, the Healthy Community Partnership of the Mahoning Valley, and the Trumbull County MetroParks.

The initial phase of the project included the creation of an online map displaying park assessment results and the SVI, allowing users to view individual park conditions. Eastgate emphasized that these assessments were point-in-time evaluations, and conditions may have changed.

Eastgate plans to repost a revised request for proposals in the near future, incorporating feedback received from stakeholders. The next phase of the project will involve analyzing the collected data to create a priority list for further study and working with local stakeholders to select advantageous sites for development.

Eastgate officials stated that they remain committed to advancing efforts that promote the value of parks as critical assets in the region’s economic and community development strategies.

21 News has reached out to Eastgate to find out what specific comments about the project prompted the cancelation of the Request for Proposals and is still awaiting a reply. Further updates will be shared as they become available.