People always complain that government officials don’t listen.

But Cranberry Township is giving residents a chance to make their hopes and opinions known through its Cranberry Township Comprehensive Recreation, Park and Open Space survey.

The survey is part of an effort to chart the course of the township’s parks over the next 10 years.

Township Manager Dan Santoro said the survey will allow residents to provide their ideas on how to improve existing parks and what new facilities can be added to improve recreational options.

In addition to the survey, now available on the Cranberry Township website, the township intends to hold a series of what it calls “shareholder interviews.” Township representatives and the landscape architect firm Pashek + MTR will meet with local groups that use the parks.

These groups can include sports organizations, leagues and clubs — all giving their opinions on what is the best use of the parks in the township.

Lastly, the township plans to hold open public meetings to discuss the future parks plan. The open meetings will most likely be in the spring of 2023.

Township officials will take the data from the survey and stakeholder meetings, work to develop recommendations through the winter, and share the results with the public during the spring open meetings.

The township is to be commended for taking this approach in the open. That’s a lot better than creating plans in secret and presenting them to the electorate as something that’s already done, leaving everyone with no option but to accept them.

Now the residents of Cranberry Township must take the opportunity presented to them and give township officials what they, as residents, would like to see happen with the parks in the future. After all, they are the ones using the facilities.

It might be a longer process, but one that will leave everyone feeling both that their voices are heard and that they matter.

The first part of the process, the survey, will be open until the first week of November.

EKF