The Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (H.A.R.D.) is beginning an exciting community engagement process as it prepares for an early update of its parks master plan—and your voice can help shape what comes next.

H.A.R.D. has partnered with Change.org on its Civic Dialogue program, an eight-week initiative designed to gather ideas from residents and identify priorities that resonate across our diverse community. The first step is simple: visit the “Ideas for Change” website and respond to one important question:

“What would make parks, trails and recreation thrive in the Hayward area?”

Residents are encouraged to share their own ideas, explore ideas submitted by others, and participate in the conversation about the future of parks and recreation in our community. Share your ideas and participate today.

To encourage broad participation, Change.org will promote the Civic Dialogue through paid social media outreach, while H.A.R.D. and the H.A.R.D. Foundation will connect with community stakeholders including youth and education organizations, park and recreation users, environmental groups, businesses, seniors, community-based organizations, and local leaders.

As a second step, Change.org will convene a representative group of 50–100 residents to discuss leading ideas and help identify those with strong, consensus-level community support. While Change.org has implemented this program in cities across the country, this will be its first collaboration with a community agency.

And this is just the beginning. In early 2027, H.A.R.D. plans to host a series of in-person and virtual listening sessions to hear directly from the people who use and benefit from our parks, recreation programs, trails, and facilities. Your ideas matter. Take a few minutes to visit “Ideas for Change”, share your perspective, and help shape the future of parks and recreation in the Hayward area.