Dedham's Select Board voted Thursday, Aug. 20, to support the town's updated Open Space & Recreation Plan, providing a letter of support for the plan's final submission to the state, according to the town's meeting recap.

Town Environmental Specialist Leonel Lainez and Ron Willey, a member of the Open Space & Recreation Subcommittee, presented the finished plan at the meeting. They described a multi-month engagement process that included public forums, surveys and nine mini-sessions across town neighborhoods.

The seven-year plan guides decisions about Dedham's parks, open spaces, trails and recreational facilities. It includes an expanded 10-year action plan shaped by public feedback, covering parks, trails, signage, land acquisition and conservation partnerships. The plan also helps the town qualify for state grants.

The update builds on a 2019 plan written by Stephanie Radner. The committee worked with a grant from the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions and collaborated with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, according to a March 25 Planning Board meeting.

Erik DeAvila, chair of both the Conservation Commission and the Open Space Recreation Committee, told the Planning Board in March that the committee held input sessions at Avery School in October 2025 and then visited individual neighborhoods. "Committee members visited Dedham Housing, the high school basketball courts, and middle school to broaden participation beyond the initial 130 survey responses," DeAvila said at that meeting.

The town accepted public comments on the draft plan through July 20. Comments were available online in multiple languages and in printed form, according to the town's announcement.

Lainez led the update alongside Jiwon Park, a regional land use planner, and the subcommittee.

The plan now heads to the state for final approval. No submission deadline has been announced. Residents with questions can reach Lainez at [email protected] or 781-751-9210.