Survey Results: Mapping Public Needs to Our 2026 Programming and Master Plan

The survey results are in, and the coalition has spoken. In 2025, we asked Ojai residents what kinds of programs they would like to see at a future ecology center at City Hall. The Green Coalition has been working with the public for three years to thoughtfully reimagine the campus, and has brought everyone’s ideas together in a design that allows maximum flexibility, enjoyment, and preservation of the site’s natural beauty. Now it's time to go deeper into the on-site programs that will benefit the environment and our community.

You told us what kind of programs resonated with you the most. The priorities are clear:

• Nature-based education is the overwhelming priority, with 77% of respondents indicating they would like to participate in educational activities on the site. 
• Water resilience and ecological gardening are nearly as strong (70%+). Fire-safe landscaping (58%) is a secondary interest—which reflects Ojai’s heightened historic risk and our real-world needs.
• Nearly 2 out of 3 respondents would like to see children’s programming and children’s natural play spaces. Families are a key part of our community and our future depends on raising children with a strong connection to our planet. However, City Hall has not traditionally been a children’s space, so this is an exciting and also challenging prospect for the Green Coalition. 

So how is the Green Coalition’s plan addressing these priorities?

Nature-based education: The Master Plan includes five formal areas for educational activities, both indoor and out, including an amphitheater and the Garden House, a 1,200 sq ft multiuse building. But we aren’t waiting until we break ground. We have a series of workshops planned in 2026, covering topics such as ecological gardening, water-wise gardening, tree planting, native landscape restoration, composting, and more. For those that can’t make it to the site, we’re planning on creating a library of online learning resources, including videos—all tailored to our valley.

Water-wise and ecological gardening: Gardens are a defining feature of the Eco Center Master Plan. There are pollinator gardens, formal gardens, rain gardens, orchards, and a bioswale all planned within the educational area, with the rest of the acreage preserved for open space. We plan on holding regular workshops (2-4 times a month) on topics such as drought-tolerant planting, water retention, fire hardening, tree care, edible organic gardening, composting, social forestry, regenerative ecology, and more.

Children’s programming and children’s natural play spaces: This area is where we have the most potential and the most work to do. It starts with the Carriage House—a wonderful historic building currently inaccessible to the public. Here we imagine a children’s nature center, with rotating exhibits and activity centers to engage the youngest Ojai residents. We are also developing a safe trail system to make sure the preserve is accessible to people of all ages and walks of life, complete with a bridge that will—for the first time—open access to the far side of Middle Stewart Canyon Creek. However, until the campus is renovated, we need a safe way for children to explore the site and preserve. We are investigating partnerships with trusted nature-based educators that would provide safe ways for children and families to learn and play.

More information about the Master Plan is coming in May 2026. In the meantime, please help us spread the word about the good things coming to our city center—and join the work we’re doing on the campus now to make our vision of the future a reality. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to get information about participating in our 2026 workshops and volunteer days.