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COMMUNITY INPUT <br />A goal of the planning process was to <br />ensure that the plan reflects resident's <br />vision for parks and recreation. To that <br />end, over 800 residents participated in the <br />process during 2013-2014. Community <br />input included: <br />• Guidance from a Parks and Recreation Task <br />Force made up of community members and <br />elected officials who met 16 times during the <br />process <br />• A statistically valid city-wide parks needs <br />assessment survey <br />• On-line input <br />• Eleven community open houses <br />• Outreach to teens <br />• Focus group meetings with topics on arts and <br />culture, environment and natural resources, <br />and athletics <br />• Business community outreach <br />• Input from the Parks and Recreation <br />Commission and City Council <br />PARKS & RECREATION <br />CITIZEN SURVEY <br />To inform the master plan a statically valid <br />survey was conducted during the winter of <br />2014. The survey gauged residents' attitudes <br />towards supporting improvements to the <br />parks and recreation system with tax dollars. <br />KEY FINDINGS: <br />• 70% of households have visited parks and <br />preserves in the last 12 months. <br />• Walking, hiking and biking trails are the most <br />used amenity (86%).After trails, neighborhood <br />parks are the most needed (61 %). <br />• Residents have unmet needs for a wide variety_ <br />of parks, facilities, and activities. <br />• Developing a new large destination park with <br />city-wide amenities is the most important <br />major addition to the system. <br />• Priority for funding should be for improvements <br />to existing parks, preserves, and trails. <br />• 34% of respondents would vote in favor <br />of a tax to fund the types of projects most <br />important to their household over the next 10 <br />years. <br />Improvements Most <br />Desired at Parks Near Home <br />ResUooms 45"6 <br />Part: security kyhtin3 32% <br />Picnic tables/benches 30", <br />Drinking fountains 2B'; <br />Shack structures 28% <br />Picnic shelter. 27% <br />hlo1ura1 meas <br />Trails <br />Parking <br />Playground equipment <br />Sidewalks <br />Park entrance signs <br />Bike racks <br />Increased accessibility <br />Sand volleyball courts -13"; <br />Spans field li?hung - 10% <br />Basketball courts -lax <br />Tennis cowls <br />Horseshoe pits MEM 7% <br />Pickle ball court ME 4% <br />OIhe1 <br />None chosen <br />JANUARY 2015 <br />MAPLEW00 <br />PARKS & prr'PrAtlt)N <br />System Master Plan Executive Summary 13 <br />