Dan Onorato has dusted off an inch-thick master plan for the county's nine parks and come up with a way to get moving on it.

The comprehensive plan completed six years ago was ambitious and far-reaching, and it resulted in some improvements, most notably separating the parks department from the county's public works division. But the challenge persists in paying for upkeep and improvements in the 12,000-acre park system, and the attention is overdue.

It's true the county receives 65 percent of the funding to run the parks from the Allegheny Regional Asset District tax, but the Allegheny County chief executive says that's not enough if the parks are to thrive. His plan is designed to attract help from the private sector.

First, Mr. Onorato will form a nonprofit foundation empowered to raise money specifically for parks.

Second, he's looking for proposals from firms that would pay for long-term leases of the North Park Boat House, the ski center in Boyce Park, the fairgrounds in South Park, the stables at Hartwood Acres and tennis courts throughout the park system. He's done his homework, thanks to a foundation-funded study, and concluded there's private-sector interest in running them. As long as they remain open to the public, this sounds like a smart way to invigorate these facilities.

Mr. Onorato's plan also calls for a new schedule of fees that reflect both the value of the programs and activities and the cost of providing them. A Florida foundation will make recommendations for the North Park and South Park golf courses, which might include expansion. (Mr. Onorato promises a system that won't sting the senior citizens who are the most frequent customers.)

The county has an impressive park system, with trails for walking and biking, ice-skating rinks, swimming pools, ski slopes and a 60-acre lake, but residents have been waiting too long for improvements. Mr. Onorato's public-private approach is certainly worth trying. We're glad he's taken the park plan down off the shelf.