HomeMy WebLinkAboutChapter 5.-working draft JCPRAB 11.5.14 docx (0002)Chapter 5
DEMAND &
NEEDS ANALYSIS
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CHAPTER 5 x
DEMAND & NEEDS ANALYSIS
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Introduction
The purpose of the Needs Assessment is to evaluate, quantify and understand parks/facilities and recreational programming
demand and identify existing and future needs for Jefferson County. The definition of needs includes both preservation of existing services and resources and the need for additional
ones.
When combined, State and National trends; as well as an assessment of local needs and demands provide information for meeting public demand and determining priorities. The Recreation
and Conservation Office (RCO) Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2013 (SCORP) as well and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) serve as valid sources of information
to help decision-makers better understand and prioritize recreation issues on the local level.
STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN:
The Federal Land and Water Conservation
Fund (LWCF) Act of 1965 provides funding to the states for planning, acquiring, and/or developing land and water facilities designed to encourage participation in outdoor recreation.
The Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) (completed in 2013) assesses current outdoor recreation facilities and opportunities and projects future needs. States are
required to submit a SCORP to be eligible for LWCF grants. The public participated in the SCORP planning process through an Advisory Group. Advisory Group meetings open to the public,
an online SCORP Town Hall, as well as a large-scale telephone survey. Recreation providers participated in the SCORP planning process through online recreation provider surveys conducted
to obtain information about recreation supply and need.
The 2013 adopted SCORP addresses key issues related to outdoor recreation in Washington:
Benefits of outdoor recreation
Recreation
participation
Constraints to recreation participation
Recreation equity
Land supply and use
Providing sustainable recreation opportunities
Economics and funding
Technology
Findings:
Research suggests that the social elements of outdoor recreation are very important to residents, particularly among youth and young adults.
Research has shown that natural areas and physical activities have a significant positive impact on human health, including both physical and mental health benefits.
Washington‘s economy
benefits from outdoor recreation: In 2011, outdoor recreation contributed more than $22.5 billion in consumer spending to Washington‘s economy, as well as $1.6 billion in state and local
tax revenue.
Outdoor recreation promotes environmental stewardship and volunteerism, and research suggests that outdoor recreationists are more connected to natural resources and tend
to have more care and concern for their environment.
One of the greatest challenges among recreation providers over the next decade will be meeting the demands of an ever-increasing
population in Washington, especially increases in urban residents, older residents, and minority residents.
This SCORP is designed to help decision-makers better understand the most
important recreation issues statewide and make funding decisions based on public priorities and expectations.
Other important trends that were highlighted in the 2013 SCORP are:
“The
trend among all residents show a dramatic increase in many nature based activities, and a decline in team based sports, as one might expect with an aging population”
“The most notable
increase in participation by activity is for picnicking, BBQing and cooking out which went from 9th ranked activity in 2012 to the top ranked activity in 2013”
“The top problems in Washington
State are related to lack of facilities or closed facilities, access or travel distance, costs of recreation and poor quality of existing facilities.
NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION:
In
2014 the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Board of Trustees presented a report on trends influencing the field of Parks and Recreation in the next few years. The report
provides a fascinating glimpse of where parks and recreation in heading in the near future. The NRPA Board Trendswatch 2014 focused on five key trends; 1.) Human Capital. 2.) Green Infrastucture;
3.) Societal Piece; 4.) New Narrative/Reframing Our Proposition; 5.) Economic Forecast; and 6.) Human Capital.
The NRPA identified trends that potentially will affect Jefferson County’s
planning efforts for developing and maintaining parkland, recreation facilities and programs now and into the future are:
Trendline:
HUMAN CAPITAL
Job classifications and employment
types are still predominate but new models are emerging rapidly, which provide fewer benefits and less security for workers and require greater flexibility in job skills, training and
education.
The definition of what park and recreation services are; what skills and what new models are emerging rapidly is an important trend. Understanding the range of human-capital
needs will be necessary, especially a better understanding of the role of contractual, seasonal and private-sector employees.
In addition, understanding the impact of this trend on the community fabric is key to understanding how to serve the communities needs. Traditional models of volunteers coaching, afterschool
programing, educational components, challenges of child care, and programming for adult workers are changing.
Trendline:
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Parks play a key role in lessening and
mitigating the environmental impacts of modern transportation, commercial, residential, storm water, and utility infrastructure.
Trendline:
SOCIETAL PIECE
More recognition of changing
demographics; parks and recreation must adopt a new role of becoming facilitators and innovators in the larger social contexts the need to recognize the role parks and recreation plays
in social innovation, place making and providing health, economic and safety solutions for communities.
Trendline:
NEW NARRATIVE/REFRAMING THE PROPOSITION
The basic value proposition
that parks were created as public “good” remains, but clearly, parks and recreation must evolve into something more to remain relevant in a dramatically changing society and environment.
The total population of Jefferson County is currently 29,872. Table 5.1 below lists the population projections under the Growth Management Act to accommodate growth over the next
20 years.
Trendline:
ECONOMIC FORECAST FACTOR
The status and health of parks and recreation serves as a bellwether for the state of the economy.
However,
perhaps more than any other public-sector service provider, parks and recreation agencies suffer direct consequences as a result of fluctuations in national and regional economies.
Evidence
shows that park and recreation agencies receive cuts in greater proportion to any other public-service sectors when economies decline. The simple fact is that the state of the economy
is always going to be a driving factor for park and recreation budgets. Even if that fact is a given, the Great Recession of 2008–2011 has had a greater and more long-lasting impact
than any other recession of modern times. The events of the past few years have had major implications for how agencies operate now and how they will be funded in the future.
Many who
are knowledgeable about funding for public parks and recreation believe that economic models for these areas are changing irrevocably, and not always for the better.
While recessionary pressures over the past few years led to greater efficiencies and greater adoption of business-oriented models, it also led to what many fear are permanent declines
in tax-supported funding devoted to parks and recreation.
Moreover, new trends, such as the infusion of private capital into public parks, the growth of public-private partnerships,
and the development of privately funded and managed parks and park systems through Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) or Tax-Increment Financing (TIF) mechanisms, have caused a re-evaluation
of traditional methods of funding parks and recreation through tax-supported general funds.
Critical to the success and the future of public parks and recreation is engaging communities
in understanding the benefits and value of parks and recreation. The greatest need to make the most compelling case for public parks and recreation is evidence-based research. The urgency
level of understanding and responding to this trend is high.
NRPA LOOKING FORWARD:
In the 2014 PARKS AND RECREATION National Database Report, NRPA’s research team constantly studies
the PRORAGIS database to find shifts and changes in operations, services and development — trends that can help you in planning for the future. They use extensive resources to determine
the causes and meanings behind these trends and what they might mean for agencies and regions. For instance, in recent years, climate changes — including more frequent and intense natural
storms — have affected the planning, design and materials used to build parks and facilities. In addition, these powerful storms have sometimes resulted in higher costs of development
and maintenance for park facilities, while possibly reducing discretionary funds. Because of these reductions, there may see more public-private agreements to support programming, cultural
events and upper-skill-level activities begin to emerge in the coming years.
Figure 5.1Below are the NRPA more current trends that may affect how the park and recreation field does
business. “Opportunity” is defined as a trend that creates a win for both progressive departments and users. “Challenges” may present difficult decisions surrounding current operations,
but with proper planning, can create benefits for everyone. “Conflicts” indicate that a trend runs counter to best practices, so options need to be carefully considered:
Figure 5.1
PAST/ CURRENT PRACTICES FUTURE DIRECTION PRESENTS
JEFFERSON COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION DEMAND & NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Identification of the needs for parks, recreation facilities
and program services is based on the community’s vision for the County Park and Recreation system. Interpreting this vision for Jefferson County involved multiple tasks, including identification
of existing park and recreation inventory, public involvement, review of trends, geographic analysis, demand and standards analysis.
Demand and needs are sometimes difficult to quantify.
A numerical standard may not reflect the local priorities of a community, its economic situation, history, traditional recreation uses, or political environment. This report assesses
the recreational needs of Jefferson County using national and state standards and trends, past levels of service standards, The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) Level of Service
Tool, public involvement and identified community demands.
SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS AND PROJECTIONS
Table 5.1: Population
2012
Census
2025
Projected
2035
Projected
Jefferson County
29,872
33,678
37,914
This report uses
29,872 as the population for level of service analysis, and 37,914 for future (2035) need standards. The population per square mile is 16.6 as compared to the average population per
square mile in Washington State of 101. There are proportionately more females in the county’s population at 50.6 percent compared to that of the state at 50.0 percent in 2013. The percentage
of people 19 years of age or younger is 16.4% which is lower than the state average of 30%. The percentage of the population between the ages of 20-39 is 15.8%; 40-59 is 30.2%.
In
Jefferson County, 30.5% of the population is 65 years and older as compared to 13.6% of the state’s population. The relatively older population of Jefferson County (when compared to
the state average), is also reflected in the labor force figures. Over 31% of the workforce was age 55 or older in 2012. Baby boomers (the 76 million people born between 1946 and 1964)
are rapidly hitting retirement age. The oldest boomers turned 65 in 2011, and for the next two decades the population will reach that age at a rate of 8,000 a day. Developing recreation
services, facilities and programs that reflect age demographics is and important way to create a standard for allocating resources that serve Jefferson County’s citizens.
In Jefferson
County the 2010 census shows race and ethnicity is primarily white persons (91%) which is higher than the state rate of 77.3%. Jefferson County is 2.3% American Indians, the state wide
average is 1.5%.
The 2010 census shows that 93.8% of the persons 25+ were high school graduates (state 89.4%) and 35.9% received bachelor’s degrees or higher as compared to the statewide
average of 30.8%.
The County is mostly residential with 13,215 households and 16,439 existing housing units with a higher than state percentage (65.3%) of rate of homeownership at 76.3%.
The median value of owner-occupied housing units is $296,800 versus the state which is $277,600. The per capita income, (2009) was $27,258 and the median household income was $48,176
as compared to the state which is $56,479. 13.7% of Jefferson County are below the poverty level, which is slightly higher the statewide percent of 12.3%.
In summary, the socio-demographic
factors that will affect the demands and needs for park and recreation facilities and programs include national trends as outlined by NRPA, community
makeup as to age and characteristics, influences from schools and non-profit agencies and potentially increased population from development.
The current changes in economics at the
local and national level have the potential to alter the future direction of public parks and recreation services. The full effects of the current economic climate on the demands and
needs for park and recreation, the provision of facilities and programs and the conditions facing public parks and recreation are unknown at this time.
FACILITY DEMAND AND NEEDS ANALYSIS:
An
inventory of parks, facilities, and recreation programs provided by public, non-profit and private providers was the first step in the process of updating the existing Parks, Recreation
and Open Space Comprehensive Plan for Jefferson County. Understanding what is in place is critical to the final recommendations of the Plan.
Development of the statement of need is
dependent on local values, financial resources, and desired levels-of-service. The analysis represents a combination of results from the 2011 Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Community
Questionnaire, the City of Port Townsend Youth and Park Plan surveys, state and national standards; trends, as well as current and future population demands.
Population Allocations
/ RCO Baseline Criteria:
Numerical level-of-service standards for parks and facilities are a traditional methodology that was originally advocated by the National Recreation and Park
Association (NRPA). The Level-of-Service (LOS) method is used nationally and in the Washington Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (RCO SCORP 2013) planning process. The
NRPA population ratio guidelines establish an overall parkland/open space guideline of 10 acres per 1,000 population (NRPA 1983, 1996). Additionally, it also provides guidelines for
park types (e.g. Mini, Neighborhood, Community, and Regional) as well as recreation facilities (e.g. baseball, playground, pools, tennis etc.)
In 2010 the RCO proposed a level-of-service
(LOS) planning tool to help assess the provision of and need for park and recreation facilities. These preliminary LOS tools are recommended but not required at the local level. The
RCO’s LOS approach is an option for local governments; either for use as a primary method or as an enhancement to their preferred planning methodology. This plan will include the additional
RCO assessment process as well as traditional sources of information to assess the quality and quantity of County parkland and facilities.
As stated by the RCO, the preliminary local
agency LOS tool “reflects public input that just one indicator of need is not enough to adequately capture the complex nature of determining and providing access and recreation opportunities.”
The tool is intended to meet the needs of local governments of differing sizes and varied planning capabilities. It includes three sets of guidelines. The first two are traditional NRPA
population allocation analyses, (Table 5.2) and park geographic (GIS) LOS indicators (Table 5.3 & GIS Maps 4.2-4).
The RCO/SCORP identified guidelines include:
Baseline Criteria (Population Allocations): Per capita participation (in outdoor recreation activities) indicators.
Enhanced Criteria (Park
Geographic LOS): GIS-based travel distance/population density indicators.
“In-Depth” Criteria: Function-related indicators.
Quantity Criteria
Quality Criteria
Distribution and Access
Criteria
The RCO/SCORP “In-Depth” assessment for Jefferson County Parks is attached in Appendix B-3.
Park Per Capita Level-Of-Service / RCO Baseline Criteria:
Table
5.2: NRPA Guideline Standards for Population
Park Type
Guideline
Mini Park
.25-.5 acres/1,000
Neighborhood Park
1-2/acres/1,000
Community Park
5-8/acres /1,000
Regional
5-10 acres/1,000
Resource Conservancy/Open Space
Variable
Special Use Areas
Variable
Recreation Facilities
Baseball/Softball Fields
1 field/5,000
Football Fields
1 field/20,000
Playgrounds
1/playground/3,000
Pools
1 pool/20,000
Soccer Fields
1 field/10,000
Tennis Courts
1 court/2,000
Trails (miles)
0.5 miles/1,000
As
previously stated, the following population allocations, provided by the Jefferson County Planning Department and the U.S. Census Bureau: City/County Facts 2012, will be used:
The current
population is 29,872 County-wide
The future population is estimated at 37,914 people by 2035
Park Geographic Level-Of-Service / RCO Enhanced Criteria:
Appropriate distribution of parks
throughout the County creates a more balanced system of parks and facilities county-wide. The geographic method of planning and identification of “service areas” relies on (GIS) mapping
of existing parks and the associated distance and time of travel. Parkland and facilities within the service area will have access to the parks and
facilities while those outside the area of travel distance are identified as lacking opportunities. The use of the service area identification provides analysis of access gaps in the
park system. NRPA also recommends service areas by park type and both location and percent of population served. These will be used in the analysis of the needs for Jefferson County.
Table 5.3: NRPA Service Area Guideline Recommendations / RCO Enhanced Criteria
Service Area Range
Neighborhood
Community Park
Regional Park
Recommended
½-mile
1-mile
15-miles
Accept
able
½ -mile
2-miles
20-miles
Minimum
1-mile
3-miles
25-miles
PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE:
The needs analysis defines the types of parks, recreation facilities and recreation
programs/ services in the following grouped sections. The sections will identify existing and future needs for funding and administration of the Jefferson County parks and recreation
system. The sections are:
PARKLAND AND OPENSPACE
RECREATION FACILITIES
RECREATION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
5.1. PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE
The 2002 Jefferson County Comprehensive Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan and the 2010 City of Port Townsend Park and Recreation Functional Plan identified existing
parks and open space, as well as current deficiency and future need. The 2002 Jefferson County Park Plan used non-traditional identification of parkland (Table
5.4). The City of Port Townsend parks and recreation classifications are primarily based on the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) parkland types (Table 5.5). The NRPA
definitions of parkland will be used in this Plan update report which reflects the definitions used in the November 2010 RCO Statewide LOS Recommendations Report.
In 1992, Jefferson
County and the City of Port Townsend adopted a joint resolution establishing the County-wide Planning Policy (CWPP) as a policy framework to guide the development of comprehensive plans.
Therefore in Table 5.5 is a parkland summary table for the City of Port Townsend and Table 5.6 lists the Jefferson County parkland by park type, parkland acres, the current and future
need and adopted level-of-service.
The 2010 City of Port Townsend Park and Recreation Functional Plan identified 115.9 total overall acres of Mini, Neighborhood, Community, Regional
and Natural Open Space parks which are listed in Table 5.5. Additionally they have a number of beautification areas and 31-miles of trails. The adopted existing level-of-service is 7.6
acres per 1,000 which addresses current and future needs for the City.
The updated Jefferson County Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan lists the existing adopted level-of-services (LOS) for county
owned parklands only. The updated plan standards for
parkland service levels are expressed in acres per 1000 residents. The parks are defined by types of park which are: Neighborhood, Community, Regional, Natural Open Space, and Special
Use Areas.
Table 5.6 is a summary of the parks in Jefferson County with existing acreage, the future need and adopted LOS, and the future (PLOS) need versus the existing (ELOS). The
County types of parks are then listed and defined in detail. This detail assessment of need includes existing inventory, GIS service area, demand and defined need, public input/trends
and demand standard.
Table 5.6: County Needs and Demand:
Provider: Jefferson County
GIS Service Area
Park Classification
Existing Acres
Future Need (2035)
Adopted LOS
Future Need
vs. ELOS
1-mile
Neighborhood
7.0
5 acres
0.16/1000
-1.0
3-mile
Community
115.5
91.0 acres
3.05/1000
-24.0
25-mile
Regional
723.0
570.0
19.07/1000
-153.0
25-mile
Open
Space
183.8
145.0
4.85/1000
-39.0
25-mile
Special Use
122.8
97.0
3.24/1000
-.26.0
Jefferson County
Overall
1,152.2
908.0
30.4
-243
5.1.1 NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS
Inventory:
Curren
tly there are three Neighborhood Parks (NP) within the County (6-acres) that serve local communities. On a per acre basis, Neighbor Parks are more expensive to maintain than the larger
Community Parks which are more efficient to operate, and serve a greater population of recreational users. Neighborhood Parks however are most important to small community areas. The
service area for Neighborhood Parks is ½-mile to 1-mile.
At this time three Jefferson County parks provide three local communities with the benefit of facilities very close to home.
The Neighborhood Park are listed on the Inventory Table 4.1, the Needs and Demand Table 5.6 and on the Service Area GIS map, (Map 4.2) which displays the location of the following
parks:
County Courthouse Park
Irondale Community Park
Quilcene River Park & Bay/East
Service Area and Geographic Distribution: Neighborhood Parks
Jefferson County has a 1-mile service
area for Neighborhood Parks (standard is ½-mile to 1-mile.) The three current Neighborhood Parks provide a current level of service of 0.20/1000 per population. Jefferson Counties Neighborhood
Parks are distributed in three of the County population center: Port Townsend, the Tri-Area, and Quilcene.
Public Input/Trend for Neighborhood Parks:
2011 Jefferson County Community Questionnaire results/survey input
When asked the benefits of parks, recreation and natural areas (Q: 7)
59.7% indicated it provided opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and 29.4% said it was to promote youth development. 20.7% said it was to connect people together, building stronger families
and neighborhoods.
24.4% of respondents felt the City and County should focus their efforts upgrading existing parks (Q: 10).
2010 Port Townsend Teen Opinion Survey:
By Gender: Both
genders report parks, other than the skate park, as the location they visit with the highest frequency (i.e. weekly).
2010 City of Port Townsend Park & Rec Functional Plan Public Survey:
When
asked what they depended on parks and open space to provide (Q-6) 87% said a quiet place to relax, picnic or walk and 67% stated a place for children to play.
The important park amenities
and the top five priorities that they wanted to see were: nature path/trails, wildlife corridors, open grass areas, picnic tables, and play structures.
Trends
In some communities Neighborhood
Parks, playground sites are popular as they are relatively inexpensive to build and can serve a specific subdivision.
However, on a per acres basis, Neighborhood Parks are very expensive
to maintain and provides limited services, especially if they are located within a small community area which lacks easy access.
The Neighborhood Parks located near residents provide
the opportunity to get outside, be active and play within a park that is within close proximity to their homes.
Neighborhood Parks have the same service area as playgrounds, therefore
it is recommended that playgrounds be located at each of the park sites.
In some cases where availability of park land or for coordinated use of public funds, a partnership with the
schools is created to help meet the need for Neighborhood Parks. This option in some cases though, does not meet the needs of the entire service area, as times of access are limited
to hours outside of the school days.
Demand Standard: Neighborhood Parks
NRPA recommends 1-2 acres per 1,000 population as a standard for Neighborhood Parks. The three Jefferson County
Neighborhood Parks are within this standard size. With an average size of a park in the 1-2 acre size. The existing 6 acres when divided by the future 2035 population (37,914) a demand
standard of 0.16 acres per 1,000 population results in a demand standard of 0.16 per 1,000 population. If this is applied to the current population (29,872), the existing six acres of
Neighborhood Parks meets the current and the future need of five acres of Neighborhood Parks county-wide.
Table 5.7
Recommended Demand Standard
Neighborhood Parks
Jefferson County
Existing Inventory
7 acres
Existing sites
3
Existing ratio ELOS
0.2/1,000
Recommended
Demand Standard
0.16 / 1,000
5.1.2: COUNTY / COMMUNITY PARKS
Inventory:
Jefferson County has 10 County/Community Parks (See Inventory summary Table 4.1), the Needs and Demand Table
5.6 and on the Service Area GIS map, (Map 4.3) which displays the location of the ten County Community Parks which are:
Bob Bates Field
Cape George Trailhead
Chimacum County Park
East
Beach County Park
Hicks County Park in Shine
Irondale Beach County Park
Lake Leland County Park
North Beach County Park
Quilcene County Park
Quilcene Sports Park/Deema Smackman Field
The
Community Parks in Jefferson County provide fairly even coverage throughout the service areas. The existing developed sites serve a broad range of recreational opportunities. They provide
athletic fields, fresh and salt water access, picnicking, trails, sport courts, playgrounds and group picnic shelters. A number of the Community Parks are small in size but are vital
as they serve a greater value by providing shoreline access to regional saltwater and freshwater areas. One of Jefferson County’s Community Park serves as trailhead for the Cape George
Trail.
There are five Jefferson County Community Centers and one Parks and Recreation Service District #1 Community Center (Coyle Peninsula) throughout the County. They are displayed
on Map xx by location and service area coverage. The combination of the Community Parks and the Community Centers across the County are shown on Map xx. The Community Centers create
opportunities for recreational activities, programs, events and social services that benefit citizens in the service area.
Service Area and Geographic Distribution: Community Parks
The
Community Park service area is recommended at between 1-3 mile radii. The GIS service area mapping (GIS Map 4.3) depicts the County service area of 3-miles for Community Parks and Community
Centers. The park map also shows that the Community of Brinnon, is currently
not being served by a County Community Park. However Brinnon has Dosewallips State Park as well as a Parks and Recreation District. The park maps also show that the Community of Port
Ludlow is not being serviced by a County Community Park. However, Port Ludlow is a Master Planned Resort with significant recreation services and trails. In addition, the citizens of
Port Ludlow have easy access to Oak Bay Park, Indian Island Park, HJ Carroll Park, and Gibbs Lake Park. Most areas of the County are within the service area that benefit from the Community
Centers. The City of Port Townsend service area for Community Parks is ½-3 miles.
Public Input/Trends: Community Parks
2011 Jefferson County Community Questionnaire results/survey input
Respondents
in the questionnaire (Q: 4) who were visitors indicated that waterfront and beachfront activities (5.4%) as well as festivals, fairs or special events (4.4%) are why they visit Jefferson
County.
64% of all respondents indicated that parks are “very important” (Q:9), but due to the number of responses with no answers to this question, the percentage could also be interpreted
as, “79% of those who responded to this question indicated that parks and recreation and natural areas are very important to “quality of life.”
Maintaining (73%) and upgrading (24.4%)
existing parks should be the County focus for its parks and recreation efforts (Q: 10).
In listing their favorite park (Q: 12) the City of Port Townsend’s Chetzemoka Community Park appeared
most often in this write-in response. In the next group Jefferson County’s North Beach Park was listed as their favorite.
Questions regarding trails (Q: 13-15) indicated that they want
more trails (57.7%) for recreation (26.4%) which are unpaved for non-motorized use (21.1%).
2010 Port Townsend Teen Opinion Survey:
In general, the “activities with the strongest weekly”
participation include team
sports (42%)
Respondents overall, 329 separate youth (74%) said they participated in an activity “often” and team sports was the highest response.
2010 City
of Port Townsend Park & Rec Functional Plan Public Survey:
When asked to prioritize a list suggested park improvements, second on the list was to “Develop a park on the west wide of
the city similar in size to Chetzemoka Park (5-10) acres.”
Trends: Community Parks
Community Parks provide a wider range of opportunities for activities and serve a larger multi-service
in many communities.
Counties are primary providers of County/Community Parks which are more efficient to maintain on a per-acre basis than the smaller Mini/Pocket or Neighborhood Parks.
As
population density increases, Community Parks will serve residents with a variety of functions, which include organized active recreation, spectator events and passive recreational opportunities.
Parks and playgrounds are important spaces for children and adults for physical activity and are among ways to cre ate or enhance access to physical activity for Americans.
It is known that youth need to have greater opportunities to experience the outdoors and research has shown that kids are spending less time outdoors than they did 20-years ago.
The
Centers for Disease Control recommends that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week.
Demand Standard:
Community Parks
The NRPA recommended guideline for Community Parks is 5-8 acres per 1,000 population. They are typically 15 acres in size. Jefferson County’s existing inventory is 115.5
acres. If this acreage is divided by the 2035 population (37,914), the demand standard is 3.05 acres per 1,000 population. If this LOS standard is applied to the existing population
(29,872) Jefferson County meets the current need for Community Parks. In addition the six Community Centers add an additional 10.1 acres to serve Community needs throughout the County.
Table 5.8
Recommended Demand Standard
Community Parks
Jefferson County
Existing Inventory
115.5 acres
Existing sites
10
Existing ratio ELOS
3.09/1,000
Recommended
Demand Standard
3.05/ 1,000
5.1.3: REGIONAL PARKS
Inventory:
Jefferson County has five Regional Parks. The 50-acre H.J. Carroll County Park and trail is one of the most heavily
used parks in the system with a regional draw for recreational use. Gibbs Lake County Park site is 601 acres. This total includes the recent Department of Natural Resources (DNR) land
transfer of 291.00 acres. The Larry Scott Trail is a Regional trail with over 8.5 miles of trails in the seven acre site. Lower and Upper Oak Bay County parks each provide a unique
experience. Upper Oak Bay County Park has camping and picnicking and Lower Oak Bay County Park is a natural experience on the Oak Bay waterfront, as well as limited camping. (Map 4.4)
Specifically the parks are:
Beausite Lake County Park & NW Kiwanis Camp
Gibbs Lake County Park
H.J. Carroll County Park and Trail
Larry Scott Trail
Lower Oak Bay County Park
Upper Oak Bay County Park
Service Area and Geographic Distribution: Regional Parks
Regional Parks provide outdoor recreational facilities
with regional significance. They are generally 200+-acres and can serve several communities with natural qualities and outdoor recreation. Facilities at regional parks can include recreation
sport facilities, boating, camping, water access and trail use. The service area for Regional Parks is defined under the NRPA guidelines as a park that is from 5-10-miles travel distance
or located within one hour driving time.
Public Input/Trends: Regional Parks
2011 Jefferson County Community Questionnaire results/survey input
In listing their favorite park (Q: 12)
the Jefferson County’s H.J. Carroll Regional Park appeared most often in this write-in response.
Questions regarding trails (Q: 13-15) indicated that they want more trails (57.7%) for
recreation (26.4%) which are unpaved for non-motorized use (21.1%).
Respondents (27.4%) indicated that sports (baseball, softball, soccer, basketball) (Q: 19) are types of additional
recreation programs that should be offered.
2010 Port Townsend Teen Opinion Survey:
Team sports remained the most popular activity for either gender, but females were more likely
than males to participate in individual sports.
2010 City of Port Townsend Park & Rec Functional Plan Public Survey:
94% of the respondents stated that it is either important or very
important that every household has reasonable access to parks/open space (Q:16)
Trends: Regional Parks
(Let’s Move: Recommendation 5.13: Increase the number of safe and accessible parks
and playgrounds, the goal of this program is to increase access to a park, a river, or an area of open space close to home.
Kansas State University researcher Andrew Kaczynski’s 2010
research shows children living within a half-mile of a park or playground were five times more likely to be a healthy weight, rather than overweight, as compared to children who didn’t
have a park with a playground nearby.
Increased cost for vehicle travel and long auto-trips will create a demand for local Regional Park opportunities that provide less travel and
localized access to regional facilities and trails.
A minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity lowers the risk for heart disease and stroke, two of the leading
causes of death in the United States.
Demand Standard: Regional Parks
The NRPA guideline for Regional Parks is 200+ to 1000+ acres in size with potentially resources and an area of natural quality for outdoor recreation. Jefferson County has a total of
723 acres of Regional parkland. These facilities include picnicking, camping and trail use, waterfront access as well as play areas, a group picnic shelter, and unique gardens. The
six Regional Parks in Jefferson County currently meet the ELOS and PLOS. The regional trails (Larry Scott Trail and trails at H.J. Carroll Park) will continue to address current and
future needs as defined in section 5.2.1: Pathways/Trails Demand and Need analysis.
Table 5.9
Recommended Demand Standard
Regional Parks
Jefferson County
Existing Inventory
723.0
acres
Existing Sites
6
Existing Ratio ELOS
24.0/1,000
Recommended Demand Standard
19.0/ 1,000
5.1.4: NATURAL OPEN SPACE
Inventory:
Jefferson County has 183.8 acres
of Resource Conservancy Natural Open Space parks. (Map 4.4)The two sites are:
Indian Island County Park
Broad Spit County Park
Jefferson County citizens have a large number of acres
of federal parkland available for public use in the Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park in East Jefferson County. Additionally the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife,
Washington State Parks and Department of Natural Resources provide additional natural open space sites for public recreation. Jefferson County also funds acquisition of natural open
space through the levy of Conservation Futures Taxation for acquisition of natural open space.
On February 7, 2014 the Department of Ecology approved the Jefferson County Shoreline
Master Program (SMP) comprehensive update. The SMP and Critical Areas Ordinance include policy and planning guidance to protect and enhance natural resources, while encouraging educational
interpretation and community stewardship.
Service Area and Geographic Distribution: Natural Open Space
The NRPA guidelines do not specifically define the service area for Resource Conservancy/Natura
l Open Space parks. These sites are dedicated to protection, natural features, and historically significant sites and/or for habitat protection with minimal
improvements. The Resource Conservancy/Natural Open Space sites provide benefit and value to the entire County.
Public Input/Trends: Natural Open Space
2011 Jefferson County Community
Questionnaire results/survey input
Benefits to the natural environment is a particular interest (Q: 7) with 57.7% responses.
Protecting the natural environment (Q: 7) ranked third with
26.6% stating this is the benefit of parks, recreation and natural areas that are personally important.
There is a high value (Q: 9) placed on parks, recreation and natural areas in
relation to quality of life in Jefferson County.
Acquiring new lands for future parks ranked lower (12.2%) (Q: 10) than maintaining existing with 70.0%.
2010 City of Port Townsend Park
& Recreation Functional Plan Public Survey:
87% of those responding with a 1-10 ranking indicated as #1 that they depend on parks and open space to provide a quiet place to relax, picnic
or walk.
97% (#1 ranking) and 79% (#2 ranking) indicated that they participated in hiking/walking or wildlife observations.
Trends
Research continues to confirm that well-tended natural
resources attract businesses.
Using parks, greenways and trails to connect to each other and to natural, recreational and heritage assets are discovering new economic development and
revitalization opportunities.
The proximate principle states that the market value of properties located proximate to a park or open space (POS) are frequently higher than comparable
properties located elsewhere.
The National Park Service (NPS), a bureau within the Department of the Interior, manages 397 national parks, has over 17,000 miles of trails, employs 22,000
staff, has 221,000 volunteers, and offers activity opportunities and snacks and meals to over 280 million visitors annually, making the NPS a major employer and one of the largest tourist
destinations and food providers in the United States.3,4 The NPS also provides technical assistance programs and pass-through funding to establish local, regional, and state parks, trails,
and greenways in all 50 states.
Demand Standard: Natural Open Space
NRPA does not have a recommended standard for natural open space; however protection of natural resources to provide
management for the natural/cultural environment is primary with recreation use as secondary. There should be sufficient acreage to protect the resources while planning for passive recreational
opportunities. The current ratio of 6.2 per 1,000 for natural open space for the County meets the recommended demand standard unless substantial resources are identified in need of protection.
Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend continue to work to provide protected wildlife and natural habitat for maximum enjoyment with integrated users.
Table 5.10
Recommended Demand Standard
Resource Conservancy: Natural Open Space
Jefferson County
Existing Inventory
183.8 acres
Existing Sites
2
Existing Ratio ELOS
24.0/1,000
Rec
ommended Demand Standard
4.85/ 1,000
5.1.5: SPECIAL USE AREAS
Inventory:
Jefferson County’s inventory of Special Use sites includes Jefferson County Memorial Athletic Field
(5 acres), the Jefferson County Fairgrounds (27.7 acres) and the Jefferson County Horse Park (80.0 acres). They also own five community centers that are leased to the OlyCap non-profit
for provision of social services. The Coyle Community Center is operated by Park District #1. Jefferson County Parks and Recreation provides recreational programs at the Port Townsend
Community Center which is also the site location for the Jefferson County Senior Citizen programs. There are a total of 122.8 acres of Special Use Areas within the County Park system.
Map 4.4) The City of Port Townsend has a variety of Special Use Areas that include the swimming pool, the recreation facilities at Mountain View Commons as well as the municipal golf
course and skate park.
Service Area and Geographic Distribution: Special Use Areas
NRPA does not list a specific standard for Special Use Areas. Special Use Areas serve the County as
a whole. Specific site facilities or recreational programs serve as the guideline standards for the specific activity or function provided to the citizens at the Special Use site. The
Community Center service area is the GIS standard of 3-miles as Community Parks.
Public Input: Special Use Areas
2011 Jefferson County Community Questionnaire results/survey input
Visitors
(5.4%) indicated that they visit because of the “waterfront/beachfront activities” (Q:4) which could indicate visitor use of the fresh and salter waterfront sites in the County park
as well as those waterfront sites located in the City of Port Townsend.
When listing their favorite parks or recreation facility in Jefferson County (Q:12) the second highest listing
of write-in responses was Mountain View Pool, the Jefferson County Port Townsend Community Center and Jefferson County’s North Beach Park.
Indoor swimming, multi-use gym and spaces
for teens and seniors were the top four types of indoor recreation spaces that were most important when selecting two choices (Q:18).
Responses to Questions 20 (activities have done)
and 21 (activities would like to do) the shift from the bottom in “have done” (Q:20/ranked 23rd) to the middle of “would like to
do” (Q:21/ranked 13) for “Outdoor Adventure” programs and “Horseback riding” could be reflective of the desire for outdoor and environmental programming in Question 19.
Some of the “Other”
responses (Q:20 & 21) that received multiple mentions include: Disc Golf, Dog Walking and Gardening which are all recreation facilities that are sited in Special Use Parks.
2010 Port
Townsend Teen Opinion Survey:
74% of the overall (329 separate youth) said they participated in an activity “often”.
Both genders report parks as the location they visit with the highest
frequency.
Pool attendance is highest in 6th and 7th grade (with 50% and 46% respectively reporting weekly to monthly attendance).
Most youth said that they preferred activities and
programs to be offered after school or in the summer.
During the public workshops and when asked “what was needed” of a list of five priorities, the 4th item mentioned, was the need
to “secure Mountain View Commons for long term”.
2010 City of Port Townsend Park & Rec Functional Plan Public Survey:
When asking what they like to see the former “Golden Age Cub”
land to be used for ranked 3rd out of 5, those responding (20%) indicated that they wanted to “replace it with a new building for the public”.
Demand Standard: Special Use Areas
To
locate the identified special use facilities, parkland is needed to provide for the facilities and programs. Many of these facilities can be located in Community park acreage or as an
amenity at existing parkland sites. Currently there are a total of 122.8 existing acres of Special Use Areas. The ELOS is 4.1 acres per 1,000 population. This level of service meets
the existing need. In the future (2035 population 37,914) the PLOS current acreage meets the demand.
Table 5.11
Recommended Demand Standard
Special Use Areas
Jefferson County
Existing
Inventory
122.8 acres
Existing sites
9 sites
Existing ratio ELOS
4.1/1,000
Recommended Demand Standard
3.24/1,000
5.2 RECREATION FACILITIES
On the following pages, specific needs for a number of types of facilities were selected and highlighted. The types of facilities and the demand for use was completed as part of the
community June 19, 2012 ERPRC study, report and recommendations presented to the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners and the Port Townsend City Council. Table 5.12 introduces the
needs and demands with the listing of facilities inventory that includes Jefferson County as well as the City of Port Townsend and the east Jefferson school district. This listing reflects
the close partnership and shared use by these three entities for recreation facility services.
Table 5.12: Summary of Facilities Inventory: Jefferson County, Port
Townsend, & schools.
FACILITIES
Existing Port Townsend
Existing Jefferson County
Total City & County
Existing School
Total City, County & use of schools
NRPA LOS
Guidelines
Sports Fields
Baseball Field 300+ youth lighted
2
2
2
4
1 per 30,000
Baseball Field 250+grass
5
5
1
6
1 per 5000
Fields Multi-purpose
1
1
1
2
Fishing
(1 dock)
5
5
5
Football Field
1
1
3
4
1 per 20,000
Recreation Play courts
3
3
Softball
6
6
1 per 5,000
Soccer Grass Field
2
2
4
6
1
per 10,000
Other Athletic
Basketball Court outdoor
3
3
3
1 per 10,000
Challenge Course
1
1
1
Tennis Court unlighted outdoor
2
2
8
12
1
court per 2000
Track (running) 1/2-mile
2
2
1 per 20,000
Trails (miles)
25.2
27.2
52.4
52.4
1 per system
Indoor Facilities
Community Centers
Art
s/Craft Rooms sf.
2,000
2,000
4,000
6,000
Auditorium/staging/facilities sf.
13,500
13,500
10,000
23,000
Classrooms/meeting rooms sf.
17,900
28,000
45,900
1,000
46,900
Community Centers sf.
14,000
14,000
14,000
1 per 5000*
Gym sf.
4,000
34,000
38,000
20,400
1
per 5000
Gym & basketball
1
1
2
6
8
1 per 5,000
Rec/Teen Ctr.sf.
2,000
2,000
Sub-Total
21,900
62.900
84,800
Golf Course
1
1
1
1 per 50,000
Interpretive Centers/signs
6
1
7
7
Museum
4,000
4,000
4000
Rec/Teen Ctr. sf.
2,000
2,000
2000
1 per 5000*
Other Amenities
Boat Launch
freshwater
1
1
1
Boat Launch saltwater
2
2
2
Boating non-motorized
3
3
3
Campgrounds
5
5
5
Disc Golf
1
1
1
Dog Park/Walk
1
1
1
Gardens
1
1
1
Historic Features
1
1
1
Horse Trails (miles)
4.2
4.2
4.2
Playground uncovered
4
4
8
5
13
Picnic table w/o shelter
7
40
47
47
Pic
nic shelter-group use
3
5
8
8
Restroom permanent
53
53
53
Skate Park
1
1
2
2
Stadium
1
1
1
Swim Beach
3
3
3
Swim Pool sf.
2,500
1
1
1 per 20,000
Shellfish
1
1
1
Waterfront Freshwater access
1
5
6
6
Waterfront Saltwater access
15
8
23
23
The following
pages defines the specific needs for the following recreation facilities. Recreation services and facility use is from each of the public entities. Citizens and visitors enjoy the facilities
provided by the City, the County and the local School Districts. The assessed need reflects existing inventory, public input and priority interest from national or state trends. Recreation
facility and program categories include:
5.2.1 PATHWAYS AND TRAILS
5.2.2 CHILDREN’S PLAY AREAS
5.2.3 RECREATION CENTERS
5.2.4 SWIMMING POOLS
5.2.5 SPORTS FIELDS
5.2.6
RECREATION PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
5.2.1: PATHWAYS AND TRAILS
Inventory:
Jefferson County completed the 2010 County-wide Comprehensive Plan update for Chapter 5. This Chapter defines
the Land and Facility Demand for Non-Motorized Transportation and the adopted Recreational Trails Plan element. The County considered standard measurements of demand for level-of-service
(LOS) methodologies as assessed in the 2002 Plan. The County developed a priority list that had significant public support and presented the projects in Chapter 11 Implementation section
of the Plan. Jefferson County has focused on the top priorities which are the Larry Scott Trail, the Rick Tollefson Trail and the Olympic Discovery Trail. The adoption of the 2010 Comprehensive
Plan and the update in Chapter 5 and defined projects in Chapter 11 provides eligibility for Jefferson County as an applicant for RCO grant programs for “trails” from both the state
and federal matching grant programs.
The County has constructed 7.5 miles of the Larry Scott Multiple Purpose Trail. The trail extends from the Port Townsend Boat Haven to Four Corners
(Milo Curry Trailhead). Jefferson County has 6 miles of single track trail at Gibbs Lake, and about 1.5 miles of multiple purpose trail at Indian Island Park.
In 2008 the County began
planning, design, easement acquisition and grant applications for the Rick Tollefson Trail. This trail serves as a non-motorized link between the residential and commercial center of
Port Hadlock and H.J. Carroll Park, Chimacum School and the Tri-Area Community Center. In 2010, the County in partnership with the Chimacum School District and the Sheriff’s Department
applied for a Safe-Routes-to-Schools grant to construct a specialized trail at the Chimacum School Campus and provide traffic safety and bicycle education programs.
The Olympic Discovery
Trail will extend from the end of the Larry Scott Trail at Four Corners on SR 20 around the southern end of Discovery Bay to Clallam County. In 2010 Jefferson County initiated development
of the Olympic Discovery Trail / Discovery Bay estuary connection on the abandoned railroad grade which develops a route connection around the southern end of Discovery Bay.
In 2014
Jefferson applied for grant funding from the RCO under the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) for matching funds appropriated by the 2015 Legislature in their
capital budget. Trail advocates have taken the lead on planning a back county segment from Four Corners through Anderson Lake State Park to Discovery Bay. This trail uses existing utility
easement, logging roads and constructed trails.
In 2009 the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (PNT) was established by Congress and the U.S. Forest Service. It is designed as
the agency responsible for trail development. The PNT will extend from the Continental Divide in Montana to Cape Alava on Washington’s Pacific Coast. It is anticipated that the route
will use the Larry Scott Trail from the Port of Port Townsend to Four Corners and the Olympic Discovery route from Four Corners to Discovery Bay.
In June 2011, the City of Port Townsend
adopted the Non-Motorized Transportation Plan Supplemental (NMTPS) to the 1998 Non-Motorized Transportation Plan. The 2011 plan affirms the importance of the existing plan elements.
Port Townsend’s Non-Motorized Transportation Plan seeks to strengthen the connection between County and City transportation networks.
The City of Port Townsend has over 25.2-miles of
developed and undeveloped use pathways and 7.7 miles of bicycle lanes. The plan describes the various types of destinations (schools, parks and open space, commercial areas) and facilities
(sidewalks, trails, road shoulders, bicycle facilities and non-motorized support facilities.) The plan identifies 8.7-miles of developed and 16.5 of undeveloped use paths with original
surface. The plan identifies needs for direct, safe and simple routes to schools. It also identifies routes for separation from traffic or off-road access for parks and identifies that
parks and open spaces are important destinations for pedestrians and bicyclists. The June 6, 2011 supplement to the 1998 plan affirms the importance of the existing plan elements and
Port Townsend’s NMTP Supplement seeks to strengthen the connection between County and City transportation networks.
Service Area and Geographic Distribution: Pathways & Trails
East
Jefferson County is the service area for Jefferson County Public Works Non-Motorized Transportation and Recreational Trails Planning. The Urban Growth Areas of the incorporated City
of Port Townsend is the identified city service area.
Public Input/Trends: Paths & Trails
Between 2002 and 2010 the City of Port Townsend completed a number of surveys of bicycle and
pedestrian use which included the bicycle parking survey, bicycle and pedestrian counts and K-8 student transportation mode tally.
2011 Jefferson County Community Questionnaire results/survey
input
Just over half of the respondents indicated that more trails are needed in Jefferson County (Q: 13/52.7%).
The largest portion of respondents (26.4%) feel that the primary reason
to develop trails is for recreation reasons (Q: 14).
When asked what type of trails or pathway was most needed in the County or City (Q: 15) 46.8% listed unpaved trails for non-motorized,
off-street paved for bicycling or walking and community connections trails to link disconnected streets.
Walking for pleasure rank first and bicycling ranked second in both Question 20 “have done activity” and Question 21 “would like to do this activity.”
2010 City of Port Townsend Park
& Rec Functional Plan Public Survey:
In a number of the various questions, places for walking and use of nature paths and trails were a continual supportive theme.
In Questions 6, 10
and 11 they stated that they depend on parks for a place to walk (87%) hike (82%).
When asked about additional amenities 86% ranked nature path/trails as the number one amenity and when
asked to rank the priority of amenities 77% again ranked nature path/trails.
Trends
Trails Lead to a "Fit" Community: With the emphasis on health and fitness in today's society, trails
are becoming just as important as streets and sidewalks in our communities.
Demand and Need: Pathways & Trails
Based on the original projected 2035 County population of 37,914 and
the adopted LOS of 1.8 miles per 1,000 population, equates to a total of 41.3 miles of trails. Since the adoption of the 1998 Comprehensive Plan, Jefferson County has constructed 4.8
miles of the Larry Scott Trail, 1.5 miles of trails at H.J. Carroll Park, and 5.0 miles of trails at Gibbs Lake County Park. Trails are also discussed in the Comprehensive Plan Transportation
Element. The discussion of capacity-related and non-capacity-related needs for the non-motorized transportation system (Comprehensive Plan, Page 10-34) refers the reader to the Capital
Facilities Element, Parks section, Trails subsection.
Although it is not explicitly stated in the Comprehensive Plan, it is evident from this discussion that the LOS for trails is a
composite LOS for several types of non-motorized transportation and recreational trail facilities. Chapter 3 of this Plan provides a detailed inventory of existing non-motorized transportation
facilities and recreational trails that includes:
• Multipurpose trails – 4.0 miles,
• Urban sidewalks – 0.7 miles
• Park walking trails – 9.7 miles,
• Shoreline trails – 1.1 miles,
•
On-road bicycle routes – 28.3 miles,
• Off-road bicycle trails – 0.2 miles, and
• Horse riding trails – 4.2 miles
The total trail inventory is 52.4 miles. Based on this inventory,
Jefferson County currently exceeds its existing LOS for trails (41.3 miles) and future need of 15.9 additional miles (68.25 total miles). This Plan does not propose to modify the existing
Comprehensive Plan trail LOS standard or to adopt LOS standards for each specific type of non-motorized transportation facility and recreational trail.
In addition to the priority projects
listed in Chapter 11 Implementation of the 2001 Plan, the County has developed the following list of facility concepts for consideration by the public through the 2010 Plan update process.
Larry Scott Trail from the Port of Port Townsend to Four Corners on SR 20.
Olympic Discovery Trail from Four Corners around Discovery Bay to Clallam County.
Chimacum Trail (now named
the Rick Tollefson Trail) from Port Hadlock across the Chimacum Creek valley and through H.J. Carroll County Park to Chimacum School.
Quilcene Village Center sidewalks, crossing, and
pedestrian route to the Community Center.
Brinnon pedestrian route from Brinnon School to Dosewallips State Park along County Roads and parallel to Highway 101.
Multi-purpose trail from
H.J. Carroll Park and the Chimacum School campus to the Olympic Discovery Trail at Anderson Lake State Park.
Larry Scott Trail Extension from Four Corners to Port Hadlock via Irondale
road and to Glen Cove.
Construction of trailheads with parking, benches, and restrooms to provide services to trail users.
Table 5.13
Recommended Demand Standard
Pathways & Trails
Jefferson County
Existing Inventory
52.4 miles
Current Ratio
1.8/1,000
Recommended Demand Standard
1.8.0
/1,000
5.2.2: CHILDREN’S PLAY AREAS
Inventory:
There are eight children’s play areas in the City of Port Townsend and in Jefferson County Parks. Additionally there are 5 additional
school sites accessible to the public.
Service Area and Geographic Distribution: Children’s Play Areas
The service area for children’s play areas is the same as that of a neighborhood
park, or ½-mile radius.
Public Input/Trends: Children’s Play Areas
2011 Jefferson County Community Questionnaire results/survey input
Playground (visit/play) ranked 7th out of 25 listed
activities (Q: 20) that “you have done” (9.84% participated annually) which indicates the important and use of playgrounds to the respondents.
“Promoting youth development” (29.4%)
and “Providing opportunities to enjoy nature/outdoors” (59.7%) ranked highest in the two choices for the respondents (Q: 7).
“Connecting people together, building stronger families and neighborhoods” (Q: 7) was also a priority (20.7%).
2010 City of Port Townsend Park & Rec Functional Plan Public Survey:
When
asked why they primarily depend on parks and open space (Q-6) fifth in priority was “a place for children to play” (67%), also fifth with 54% was “play structures” (Q-10) as an important
amenity and when ranked for priority “play structures” (Q-11) was ranked fifth.
When asked (Q-17) for suggested improvement, second on the list was “replace or add play equipment for
children”.
Trends: Children’s Play Areas
Active living and healthy lifestyles are one of the ways to address the important issue facing communities today with regard to the staggering
increase in the rate of obesity and chronic disease.
Obesity now affects 17% of all children and adolescents in the United States - triple the rate from just one generation ago.
90%
of students in Jefferson County do not get daily physical education class, 70% in WA.
According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, children and adolescents should participate
in physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day.
Demand and Need: Children’s Play Areas
Jefferson County has four playgrounds throughout the system. The City of Port Townsend
also has four. There are a total of five in the school districts. Using the total of the three public agencies there are 13 playgrounds county-wide. This meets the current and future
need for playgrounds. It is important to understand that at times playgrounds are not accessible for public use on school grounds while the schools are in session. This limits public
use to late afternoons, evenings and weekend use. Using the determined PLOS of .34 per 1,000 citizens calculated for just the eight County and City available playgrounds, the need would
be for five additional playgrounds. Calculating the need with just the existing Jefferson County playgrounds, there is a current and future need for nine additional playgrounds on Jefferson
County parkland.
Table 5.14
Recommended Demand Standard
Children’s Play Areas
Jefferson County
Existing Inventory
4 sets
Current Ratio
0.3/1,000
Recommended Demand
Standard
0.34 /1,000
5.2.3: RECREATION CENTERS
Inventory:
Jefferson County has 93,500 sf. of rooms for recreation, meetings, and community centers. The six community centers make up 14,000 sf. of the
total. The City of Port Townsend has 17,900 sf. of classroom, teen center and meeting space and 4,000sf of gym space at the Mountain View Commons. The school districts have 11,000sf.
of meeting rooms, auditorium and gymnasium space available for public use.
Jefferson County Parks and Recreation provides a number of traditional recreation programs at the Port Townsend
Community Center. The primary County recreation programs focus on youth by providing summer and special interest camps as well as youth sports leagues and fitness programs. The grounds
of the Port Townsend Community Center function as an important community park with playground, picnics, and home to the Farmers Market. Jefferson County also leases community center
facilities in Brinnon, Gardiner, Quilcene and Tri-Area. The Brinnon Community Center primarily provides for senior citizens programs without typical recreation programs. The Gardiner
Community Centers offers room rental with very few classes. The Quilcene Community Center provides typical recreation center programs (activities, afterschool programs) which are primarily
operated by WSU 4-H additionally they have a computer lab available. The Tri-Area Community Center mostly provides food bank and senior services. The County contracts with non-profit
organizations such as OLYCAP which program and manage the sites for community services. The Jefferson County Park District #1 provides the Laurel B. Johnson Community Center and provides
community based programming needs for the Coyle/ Toandos Peninsula service area. The City of Port Townsend operates the Mountain View Commons and has contracted with the Jefferson County
YMCA for use of the rooms and the gymnasium to provide recreational programs for the community.
Service Area and Geographic Distribution: Recreation Centers
The service area for Community
Recreational Centers is generally a 1-3 mile radius which reflects the services area of County/Community Park service areas. If using either a 2-mile or a 3-mile service area (GIS Community
Center map 4.3) the community centers provide a substantial benefit throughout the County. The two sites in Port Townsend, where county population is higher, provide the service area
coverage to benefit the citizens.
Public Input/Trends: Recreation Centers
2011 Jefferson County Community Questionnaire results/survey input
Providing recreation programs and activities
was a popular choice with over 40% of respondents selecting it (Q: 10).
43% is a high level of participation compared to other northwest communities. (Q:16 re: “participate in recreation,
cultural, senior or sports programs offered by the City or the County”)
In answer to “why you do not participate in recreation or sports programs offered by the City or the County” (Q:
17) the top responses (too busy, no interesting activities, not aware of programs) indicate a need for targeting activities and marketing.
The types of indoor spaces (Q: 18) the respondents felt were most important (two choices) the pool was listed as most important but the next four responses which are essentially tied
(multi-use gym, teen space, senior center, fitness and classrooms) all reflect the awareness that these are important indoor recreation spaces for activities.
When asked types of additional
recreational programs to provide the top five responses are very close (Q: 19) (Outdoor Programs, Aquatic, Before and After school, Fitness and Special Events) and should be considered
essentially a tie.
Question 20 (activities you have done) and Question 21 (would like to do) “fitness & wellness programs” continued to rank in the top 25% ranking of activities.
2010
Port Townsend Teen Opinion Survey:
When asking “what other activities did youth suggest?” the write-in suggestions for Q: 9 listed recreation center as one of the lowest categories.
When asked attendance by gender at locations, females list frequency of 20.60% (Total High Att. %) and males listed 28.15% (report page 18)
In response to involvement in community centers
by grade, 6th graders were more active (24.64%) and the percent stays relative consistent through 11th grade (24.53%).
2010 City of Port Townsend Park & Rec Functional Plan Public Survey:
In
answer to the question of recreation programs that should be provided (Q: 8) ranked 1st was afterschool programs (87%), 2nd Teen programs (83%), 3rd Youth day camps (74%), 4th Youth/Teen
enrichment classes, 5th Youth sports leagues (65%), 6th Senior programs (62%) then 7th, 8th, and 9th were Adult enrichment classes (53%), Outdoor adventure (47%) and Adult sports leagues
(38%).
Trends
One of the most important issues communities face today is a staggering increase in the rates of obesity, chronic disease and the pressing problems with inactivity.
Federal
and state programs (i.e. IMPACT Act, HeLP Act, Childhood Obesity Reduction Act) directs efforts to develop, implement and enforce policies to prevent obesity among children and youth
providing grants to promote good nutrition and physical activity for youth.
Facility operating costs can be off-set through revenue generating programs that are defined to meet the established
core values of the public agency.
Being physically active is one of the most important steps that you can take to improve your health. Bone-strengthening suggestions for youth include:
running and sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis.
Stress relief, clearing one’s mind, and exercise were the most common benefits that older adults attributed to
their parks and recreation visits.
Demand and Need: Recreation Centers
The NRPA recommends 1 per 5,000 population as a guideline. Jefferson County Parks and Recreation has 93,500
s.f. of existing community center, recreation center and special centers (day care/gym /teen/senior center). The estimated future space demand of 94,500sf. reflects a need for an additional
1,000sf of recreation space for the future PLOS. The current inventory, estimates that there is a total of 14,000sf of space in the six Community Centers. Using the existing inventory
93,500sf divided by the future population (37,914) gives an ELOS of 3,130sf
per 1000 which equals a current need for 94,500sf of Community Recreation Center space based on the inventory of County facilities.
Port Townsend has 17,900sf of existing classroom/meeting
room space and a 4,000sf gym at the Mountain View Commons.
Adding the Port Townsend Community Center space to the Jefferson County provides 115,400sf of existing space. If this total
number is divided by the future population (37,914) a combined ELOS is 3,149sf/1,000 population. If this is applied to the current County population (29,872) there is a current demand
of 94,067sf of space needed for the population. Applying the Planned Level-of-Service (PLOS) to the future population, the current space available (115,400sf.) will meet the future need
for both the County and the City.
Table 5.15
Recommended Demand Standard
Recreation Centers
Existing Inventory Total
115,400sf
Existing sites
7
Port Townsend, Chimacum,
Tri-Area, Quilcene, Brinnon, Gardiner and Mountain View
Existing Ratio
3,863sf. per 1000 population
Recommended PLOS
3070 sf. / 1,000 population
5.2.4: SWIMMING POOLS
Inventory:
The Mountain View Indoor Pool was originally built by the Port Townsend School District in 1963. Over the years the pool was managed by Jefferson County but currently is managed and
funded by the City of Port Townsend. The L-shaped pool has a 60’ x28’ lap area and a deep water section off to the side that is 28’ x 28’. The holding capacity of the 20-yard pool is
2450sf with approximately 90-100,000 gallons of water. The facility provides locker rooms, restrooms, a sauna and public viewing areas. There are a number of privately owned pools throughout
Jefferson County but the Mountain View Pool is the only public pool in the County.
Service Area and Geographic Distribution: Swimming Pools
The service area for a swimming pool is
15-minutes to 30-minutes of travel time. Larger pools are often considered to be a more regional facility.
Public Input/Trends: Swimming Pools
2011 Jefferson County Community Questionnaire
results/survey input
The Mountain View Pool and “indoor swimming pool” is the most important (46.9%)recreation space identified (Q:18)
Ranked at the top of “additional” recreation programs
(Q: 19) is “aquatic programs” (37.1%) and essentially tied with Outdoor/Environmental Programs (37.3%).
Swimming continues to be an activity that respondents (average participation annually 12.85) are participating in (Q: 20) and “preferred to do” (Q: 21) (ranked 4th of 25).
“Fitness”
and “Swimming” rank higher than in most communities, which may reflect high quality programs (either public or private) (Q: 20 & 21).
Most respondents indicated “Maintain existing parks
and facilities” as one of their two choices (73%) (Q: 10).
In Question 12 which was open-ended they could list their favorite park and the Mountain View Pool was frequently mentioned.
When asked (Q:23) how much of $100.00 they would spend on parks and recreation 47.0% listed maintaining existing sites and recreation facilities is the highest priority followed by
a group of responses with similar support that includes “Adding new facilities”, “Making existing programs and entrance fees less expensive” and “Offering new recreation programs.”
Question
25 provided respondents and opportunity to tell other points about parks and recreation and themes drawn from full responses were that many mentioned the importance of a “quality pool
in the community.”
2010 Port Townsend Teen Opinion Survey:
By Grade: Pool attendance is highest in 6th and 7th grade (with 50% and 46% respectively) reporting weekly to monthly attendance.
Attendance declines to a low of 11.32% by 11th grade.
2010 City of Port Townsend Park & Rec Functional Plan Public Survey:
When asked what was their most used park facility, the Mountain
View Pool was ranked 5th (30%) out of 15 facilities.
In answer to the question of recreational activities they were involved in, 40% responded that they were involved in swimming ranking
it 5th out of 13 activities.
65% of the survey respondents indicated that they, or someone in their household, had used the Mountain View Pool during the past year (Q:12)
Those who indicated
that no one in their household used the pool, the three top reasons were: 1. other: The most popular “other” was: don’t like chlorine or water too cold. 2. Run down facility and 3. Doesn’t
fit my schedule.
Trends: Swimming Pools
On a national basis, swimming continues to be a very popular recreation activity.
Many communities are looking to adapt pool facilities with
a variety of play amenities which provide enhanced revenue to off-set the annual cost of operation.
According to the 2013 RCO “State Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)”, when asked on the
focus of increasing and or improving recreation facilities and opportunities that support active recreation, (83%), which include activities such as swimming. In Chapter 5 active recreation
statewide is 54.04% (a B score on the Level of Service.
Demand and Need: Swimming Pools
The NRPA standard is 1 pool per 20,000 population. For the purposes of this analysis, all
swimming pools in private clubs have been excluded because of limited access and availability. In working with MIG, Inc. a demand model has been used for indoor swimming pools which
were developed through their past research and a wide number of aquatic studies that they conducted. To help present a model for Jefferson County and
using the MIG, Inc. formula and the existing attendance of 33,800 swimmers annually, it calculates to an average daily attendance of 103 swimmers or 137,056 swim occasions. MIG, Inc.
know that 75% of the total swimming activity occurs in shallow water (5’ or less) with need for 12 sf. per swimmer in shallow water and 27 sf. for deep water and that winter peak months
represent about 10% of the total demand. This then gives a peak demand of 13,700 occasions. Using the MIG, Inc. data the following example formula helps develop the demand model information:
Shallow
Water Demand for Jefferson County
13,700 demand swims x 75% = 10,300 shallow swims
Divide by average of 30 days per month = 340 daily swims
Multiply by a 75% peak load
estimate = 255 peak swimmers
Multiply by 12 sf. per swimmer = 3,060 sf. of water area demand
Deep Water Demand for Jefferson County
Multiply 13,700 peak demand by 25%
= 3,425 deep water swims
Divide by average of 30 days per month = 114 daily swims
Multiply by the 75% peak load estimate = 86 peak swimmers
Multiply by 27 sf. per swimmer
= 2,310 sf. water area demand
Based on the previous calculations
Total pool area demand: 5,370 sf. water area for residents
Mountain View Pool Existing sf.
2,450 sf.
Net Pool existing need demand +2,920 sf.
Table 5.16
Recommended Demand Standard
Swimming
Pools
Existing Inventory
2,450 square feet*
Existing Ratio
1.2 square feet/1,000 population/one swim pool
Recommended PLOS
One - 5,370 square feet swim pool
*2002 Jefferson County Comprehensive Park Plan
5.2.5: SPORTS FIELDS
Inventory:
As identified in the Facilities Inventory on Table 5.12, there are 28 sports fields
in Jefferson County parks and schools located at three parks, the fairgrounds and all four school districts.
These fields include lighted/unlighted and grass baseball fields, multi-purpose fields, football fields and soccer fields.
Service Area and Geographic Distribution: Sports Fields
The
recommended NRPA service area guideline for sports fields is within one-mile distance of travel from the county and school district sports fields. Throughout the county, fields are located
within a 1-3 mile range.
Public Input/Trends: Sports Fields
2011 Jefferson County Community Questionnaire results/survey input
In Question 7, “Youth development” is listed as a significant
benefit valued by respondents.
Providing programs and activities (Q: 10) was a popular choice with over 40% of respondents selecting it.
H.J. Carroll Park was identified in the open-ended
responses (Q: 12) as the most frequently mentioned County park.
43% indicated that they were involved in recreation, cultural, senior or sports programs (Q: 16).
When asked what additional
programs should be offered, 27.4% stated that “Sports (baseball, softball, soccer, basketball) should be added.
Organized sports, which have high participation for the individuals who
participate, are not frequently listed (Q: 21) in the top five activities respondents would like to do.
The final open-ended question for allowing people to write in their responses
one theme drawn from full responses. (Q: 25) The answers to this question (Appendix B-1 Community Questionnaire) indicated that “bringing partnerships together, avoiding duplication
of effort” was mentioned.
2010 Port Townsend Teen Opinion Survey:
Of the youth who had to write-in suggestions for Q: 9, most wanted athletic activity (7.69%). (Written response #34
of 164 suggestions)
Very few youth thought there were too many of any program, mostly indicating the number was just right or that they didn’t know. In general, females believe more
activities are needed, with a significant percent of female youth indicating the need for more individual sports (37%).
When the question regarding weekly participation in Team Sport-“often?”
was broken down by age, team sports was relatively high across all grades (mean of 42%). 6th graders have the lowest rate (38%) and several mention in comments that they felt there was
a lack of opportunities for them to participate due to age.
Q: 9 suggested several activities, by gender; males wanted an Ultimate Frisbee team (41%) with 11th graders in highest support
for the activity.
2010 City of Port Townsend Park & Rec Functional Plan Public Survey:
When asked (Q:11) to list the top five of their choice of possible additional park amenities,
sports fields ranked 10th out of 15 at 16%.
When asked what recreational activities did you or someone in your household participation in within the last year (Q-20) out of 13 choices
softball ranked 12th with 6% and baseball ranked 13th at 4%. Hiking/walking, wildlife observations and picnicking ranked highest.
When asked what types of recreation programs should be provided 65% stated youth sports leagues and when asked if they were going to participated in the listed recreation programs what
ones would they likely take advantage of they ranked adult sport leagues as 4th and youth sport leagues as 5th out of 9 listed recreation programs.
Trends
The 2013 RCO SCORP Outdoor
Recreation in Washington key recommendations in Chapter 7 note that the promotion of outdoor recreation provides economic benefits and contributed 22.5 in consumer spending to Washington’s
economy. In Chapter 1 shows that “outdoor recreation is a major economic engine that produces jobs and tax revenues, especially in local economies and in many instances in rural areas
where these jobs and tax revenues are needed”.
As Findings and Implications in the 2013 RCO SCORP, the Plan noted that “An important approach to increasing participation among children
and youth in outdoor recreation activities is providing opportunities for outdoor recreation and education in the classroom.
According to the Sports Goods Manufacturers Association
(SGMA), the 2010 US Trends in Team Sports Report indicated that after two years of negative participation growth for most of the mainstream Team Sports, this past year they saw a turnaround
in participation for sports like tackle football, soccer, basketball and baseball. While working from a small base in some cases, niche sports like lacrosse, rugby, track and field and
ultimate Frisbee are seeing double digit increases in participation.
SGMA also states that younger teens are a main driver for some of the double digit participation increases as they
are gravitating to organized sports programs which will bode well for many of the local Recreational oriented programs that are established throughout the county. As they state, Recreation
programs need to turn part of their attention to these early teens, to bring them back to Team Sports in some cases or keep them playing after their elementary school years.
New sections
of the 2011 SGMA report demonstrates that children participating in active lifestyles outside of a team are more likely to end up participating in Team Sports at some point in their
life as there is a correlation to general physical fitness and an enjoyment of any type of play centered around physical motion/activity, and part is a result of exposure to a diverse
mix of activities.
Demand and Need: Sports Fields
The sports fields in Jefferson County function differently with regard to use. Competitive games which are scheduled and controlled
occur on school fields, parks and also at the leased baseball sites. Examples of competitive fields in Jefferson County include Memorial Field, the Bob Bates fields and H.J. Carroll
fields as well as fields located at the fairgrounds, high schools and middle schools. The recreation fields include informal use such as with afterschool programming, or family activities.
Jefferson County collaborates with the various school districts on the use of Memorial Field seasonal and year-around use as it serves as the major county-wide sports field facility.
Table 5.17
Recommended Demand Standard
Sports Fields
Jefferson County
County & Schools
Current County & School Need
Existing Inventory
site
sites
Baseball fields 300+
2
4
3 fields
Baseball grass 250+
5
6
5 fields
Football
1
4
3 fields
Multi-purpose fields
1
2
2 fields
Soccer Fields
2
6
5 fields
Current Ratio
Baseball fields
0.3/5000
0.7/5000
Baseball grass 250+
0.8/5000
0.3/5000
F
ootball
0.2/5000
0.2/5000
Multi-purpose fields
0.2/5000
0.8/5,000
Soccer Fields
0.3/5000
0.3/5000
Recommended Demand Standard
Baseball fields
0.3/5,000
0.5/5000
4
fields
Baseball grass 250+
0.8/5000
0.8/5000
6 fields
Football
0.2/5000
0.5/5000
4 fields
Multi-purpose fields
0.2/5000
0.8/5000
2 fields
Soccer Fields
0.3/5000
0.3/5000
6
fields
5.3: RECREATION PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
There are a variety of recreation activities available throughout East Jefferson County. Jefferson County Parks and Recreation along
with commercial businesses, community groups and youth sports groups, offer classes, sports leagues and special events. The City of Port Townsend provides aquatic recreation programming
at the Mountain View Pool. At times the City and County have collaborated with a variety of community partners including the YMCA and the local school districts to provide events and
recreation programs. In addition to the City and County offerings there are a number of private and non-profit organizations that provide recreational programming serving East Jefferson
County (see Inventory Table 4.7). The most popular activities provided by the City and County include swimming, afterschool, camps and special events. Residents also participate in sports
and fitness programs for youth and adults. County programs are also provided for special populations with clubs and sport activities.
Between the City of Port Townsend aquatics and
Jefferson County recreation they provide programs in major recreation program areas. The areas include: Aquatics, Arts & Culture, Adult Sports & Recreation, Youth Sports/Fitness and
Recreation, Camps, Afterschool Programs, Recreation Clubs, Special Recreation and Events & Activities. Annually there are fitness, sports and
outdoor adventure camps and sports leagues and fitness sessions for youth. Parks and Recreation provides different adult sport activities as well as a number of annual community events
throughout the year.
Figure 5.1 reflects the total participant hours by the categories of recreation programming provided by Jefferson County Parks and Recreation. Youth sports and
recreation programs annually are 40% of the programs offered and the participant hours of activity. The Department also offers a variety of sports and specialized camps for youth which
accounts for 21% of participant hours even though these programs are offered with a limited duration typically throughout the summer. Adult fitness, drop-in programs and leagues (21%)
provide co-ed softball, basketball and indoor soccer, badminton and pickle ball. The Department also provides Special Olympics basketball and specialized Recreation Clubs. 7% of the
participant hours provide recreation play with afterschool sessions at the Port Townsend Recreation Center.
Figure 5.1: Jefferson County Recreation Program Participant Hours
by Activity Offered
Figure 5.2 reflects participant hours of the aquatic programs provided by the City of Port Townsend at the Mountain View Pool. Repetitive programs such as lap
swimming and swim team reflect the largest percent of hours. This points to the importance of these activities for fitness and youth recreational team competition. Swim fitness programs
range from the daily lap swimming, water sports and games, synchronized swimming to water aerobics. Youth are involved in the swim lessons and pool programs. These provide the opportunity
for young adults to advance through the junior lifeguard program to the lifeguard training classes to becoming a lifeguard at the facility.
Figure 5.2: City of Port Townsend Aquatics Participant Hours by Program
In addition to the City and County’s recreation program offerings, the inventory identifies a variety of
public and private providers (see Table 4.7: Program Inventory 2011/All Recreation Program Providers). In addition programs are provided by the public schools, library, WSU Extension
Service (4-H) funded through separate identified public funding sources. The Jefferson County divisions of Public Works, Health, Sheriff, Juvenile, and Solid Waste also provide public
programs. The Port of Port Townsend, the Fairground Board, State Parks and colleges were all accounted for due to their geographic overlap but also because of their more focused public
program services that they provide. Rounding out this analysis are the non-profit and private service providers that create options for users to complement the programming offered by
public agencies.
The Inventory (Table 4.7) summarizes the programs provided, area served by a specific provider and funding sources (e.g. public funds, membership or private). Most
providers, indicated that they were involved in Cultural Special Events which reflects the community dynamics. The Special Interest Classes provide programs in non-sporting/educational
enrichment classes and activities focused on training or developing a specific skill or knowledge base. The inventory indicates that program categories are provided at the same level
by both the public and private sector services.
Afterschool Programs and Day Camps were offered by both the City and County parks and public libraries (afterschool only). Public schools
also indicated that they provide afterschool programs. Private schools, daycares, churches and non-profit organizations also provide afterschool and day camps programs for youth. The
provision of afterschool programming and day camp options seemed to be balanced between the public and private providers.
Table 4.7 shows gaps in the provision of recreation programming
in some program areas. Many programs are highly dependent on public agencies. Examples of program types are: Aquatic/swimming; Recreational Sports Leagues, Drop in Family Recreation
and Teen Centers.
Public Input/Trends: Recreation Programs & Activities
2011 Jefferson County Community Questionnaire results/survey input
There is a high value placed on parks, recreation programs and natural areas in relation to quality of life in Jefferson
County (Q:9) with 79.0% of those who responded to the question indicating that they are “very important to quality of life.”
Printed materials (particularly newspapers and posters) are
important sources of information for respondents (Q: 8). Word of mouth is also a critical factor. Websites and electronic newsletters are reaching about ¼ of respondents.
40% of respondents
indicated that “Providing programs and activities” was a focus area for parks and recreation (Q: 10).
(Q: 16) 43% is a high level of participation.
Responses to Question 17 indicate
a need for targeting activities and marketing.
Indoor swimming pool (46.9%) is the most important indoor recreation space identified (Q: 18) followed by gym space (31.6%) and teen activity
space (28.2%) which are essentially tied.
Additional recreation programs (Q:19) top five responses are very close and should be considered essentially a tie (Outdoor/Environmental Programs,
Aquatics, Before and After School, Fitness Classes, Special Events) which can help focus programming decisions.
Few people (Q: 19) believe that no new programs are needed.
The top
ranked activities (Q:20 & 21) centered on trial activities (walking/biking/hiking), wellness and fitness (swimming, exercise, dance)
When asked about the long-term solution to funding
recreation facilities and services (Q: 22) 45.2% listed a definite “Yes” and 21% a definite “No”. 24% gave no answer. (Those listed as non-completed exited the questionnaire before reaching
this question).
The cross-tabulated analysis (Q: 22 by Q: 2) community most closely identified with) the overall results are fairly similar in Jefferson communities with larger numbers
of respondents. Less than 30% are in the “No” category.
Cross-tabulated with length of residency (Q: 22 by Q: 3) the responses were similar regardless of how long respondents have lived
in Jefferson County.
The MIG, Inc. planning staff looked at the general nature of this question. It informs more about the negative response that could be expected. 21% of respondents
indicating a district should not be considered, which is considered a relatively low number.
2010 Port Townsend Teen Opinion Survey:
Team sports were the highest in “weekly” participation
and were popular for either gender and relatively high across all grades.
The survey (Q-9) with several suggested activities the average youth wants 4.17 of the suggested activities,
with a 24 hour internet café being the most desired by all grades.
The youth activity advertising section in the newspaper was also strongly supported.
In general, females want more
activities than males and the most popular was an arts and crafts shop.
Activities by grade differed; 6th graders/arts & crafts shop, 7th and 12th graders/youth advertising section
of the newspaper, 8th graders another bookshop, 9th graders arts & crafts shop, and 10th and 11th graders Ultimate Frisbee team.
The most frequently attended locations were parks (40.95%)
and the pool second at 15.16% with pool attendance highest in 6th and 7th grades and declines to a low of 11.32% by 11th grade.
2010 City of Port Townsend Park & Rec Functional Plan Public Survey:
When asked what types of programs should the City offer, #1 was After School programs (87%), then teen programs (83%),
youth day camps (74%), youth/teen enrichment classes (71%), youth sports leagues (65%), senior programs (62%) and adult enrichment classes, outdoor adventure and adult sports leagues.
When
asked if they would likely take advantage of the programs offered the list changes to: Adult enrichment classes as number one then in priority senior programs, adult sports leagues,
youth sports leagues, youth/teen enrichment classes, after school programs, youth day camps and teen programs.
When asked (Q:12) about use of the Mountain View Pool and aquatic program
involvement in order of priority they stated lap swim, aqua fitness class, swim lessons and then recreation/open swim.
Trends: Recreation Programs & Activities
It is important to deliver
benefits that address important community issues and meet fundamental human needs.
For efficiency, it is important to develop outcome-oriented performance measures and to provide “evidence-based”
justifications for budget requests.
Providing assistance to smaller towns in planning, designing, building and marketing outdoor recreation opportunities in their area, in collaboration
with non-governmental organization when appropriate.
One of the greatest challenges among recreation providers over the next decade will be meeting the demands of an ever-increasing
population in Washington, especially increases in urban residents, older residents, and minority residents.
Demand and Need: Recreation Programs & Activities
To meet the need for indoor
recreation classes, gymnasium space, aquatics, sports, events, fitness, after-school programs and community meetings traditional recreation center space needs to be maintained. Demand
for youth programing continues to be a need in Jefferson County. Interest in recreation programming continues to reflect a supportive interest by the citizens. The ability to meet the
demand and needs is limited by the resources available to fund continuation at current levels. Knowing the support for programming, and with a commitment of resources, staff needs to
continue to provide recreational programs and look at opportunities for partnerships for sustainability of year-round service levels.