SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF THE COMMUNITY SURVEY

WHAT THE COMMUNITY VALUES:

Over 630 people responded to this question and, while this question was designed specifically for Lancaster, the priority placed on green spaces and accessible/safe playgrounds is in line with the national findings In fact, according to The National Benefits Hub, there is “…a positive impact of as much as 20% on property values abutting or fronting” a city park In most cases, properties near parks or park facilities tended to show increases in value when compared to properties outside a park’s service www.benefitshub.ca/entry/the-impact-of-parks-on-property-values-a-review-of-empirical-evidence

Which City Park facilities are most important to you and those in your household?

636 responses

SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF THE COMMUNITY SURVEY WANTS AND NEEDS:

The results of this question indicated that almost two-thirds of respondents would like to see a splash pad or water recreation feature be built, in addition to the swimming facilities already operated by Lancaster Parks & Recreation Unlike swimming pools, splash pads (sometimes called spraygrounds) have no standing water, so they do not require lifeguards and are accessible to people using mobility devices In addition, they can be used by people of all ages, although the median age for usage is 12 years and under [https://recmanagement com/feature/201604FE01/4] Currently there is no interactive fountain or splash pad outside of a swimming pool in Lancaster

In addition, more than 40% of those surveyed responded that they would like to see additional walking and biking trails in Lancaster This is in keeping with the National Recreation and Park Association, which reports that nationally 51% of park-goers list walking or biking on trails as the primary reason they will visit a park .

Other areas in which residents stated they have a need included programming for youth ages 12 and under, arts opportunities, and a ninja warrior-type, obstacle-themed park.

Which of the following facilities or programs do you and your family MOST have a need for?

SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF THE COMMUNITY SURVEY THINKING BIG!:

At the heart of the survey was an open-ended question designed to give participants the opportunity to provide answers without suggestions That said, out of the 431 answers provided, 177 respondents used the word “splash” in their answers, 40 used the word “water,” 17 used the word “pool,” and 3 used the word “river.” Consequently, this resulted in over half of the answers given pertaining to a water feature of some type. Because this was an open-ended question, a word cloud was created to ensure each response was noted, but also to emphasize the most widely-given answers . A complete list of answers can be found at the back of this report . Application: classic.wordcouds.com

What is something NOT currently offered by Lancaster Parks and Recreation that you and your family would use if provided?

435 responses

An additional question was asked pertaining to some of the types of parks and facilities currently trending across the country and whether or not local residents would have a want or need to see similar facilities created in Lancaster Below are the responses

Would you or your family use any of the following?

607 responses

Summary Of The Findings Of The Community Survey

SEEKING NEARBY FACILITIES:

Survey respondents were asked about recreational facilities they used outside of Lancaster . A two-year time frame was given to accommodate the increase of park usage during the 2020 pandemic, and also the timeframe when many people returned to a normalized work routine with less free or recreational time More than two-thirds of respondents have traveled outside of the city to take advantage of a park or program not offered in Lancaster.

In the past two years, have you or someone in your household traveled to a park outside of Lancaster to use a facility or program NOT offered in our city?

628 responses

WHAT AND WHERE:

As a follow-up, respondents who replied that someone in their household had traveled outside Lancaster to utilize a recreational facility in the past two years were asked the open-ended question: If you answered YES, please tell us what you traveled to use and where it was located. There were 431 responses to this question, with the most frequent reply being some type of splash pad or water park. A word cloud was generated to include every answer while emphasizing the frequency of responses A complete list of answers can be found at the back of this report In addition, a deeper look into the operations involved in a splash pad are examined further in this document

SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF THE COMMUNITY SURVEY MEETING THE NEEDS:

The variety and breadth of vital programming, services, and offerings that local parks and recreation professionals provide are evident in the sheer number of people who visit parks and/or other recreation facilities every year According to the 2022 National Recreation and Parks Engagement Survey, 83 percent of survey respondents — the equivalent of 275 million people in the United States — visited a local park or recreation facility at least once during the 12-month period ending in May 2022 People engage with the City Parks in a plethora of ways, depending on both needs and offerings, as well as demographics . More than half of U S adults have personally — or have a member of their household who has — participated in a park and recreation offering in the past year Eighty-three percent of national survey respondents who report that they have personally participated — or have a member of their household who has participated — in a park and recreation program or offering within the past year did so within the three months (February 2022 to May 2022) prior to taking that survey . Because of the high level of usage, the question of how well Lancaster City Parks is meeting the needs of local community members was posed Overall, 65.6% of respondents said that Lancaster Parks & Recreation is meeting their needs at a level of four or out of five.