KEY TAKEAWAYS AND

The process of asking the Lancaster community about their wants and needs in regard to the City Park system, and the conversations with internal stakeholders resulted in an energetic, enlightening and engaging endeavor People offered positive remarks around the fact that their park system cared about their opinions and the opinions of their families, regardless of age and demographics

It was encouraging for the staff and volunteers to learn that the community is satisfied with the services being provided by Lancaster Parks and Recreation, and that citizens also are looking to the future in hopes of seeing even more innovation and recreational offerings

After examining national trends for city park systems, it is apparent that both the wish list of and the opportunities for Lancaster Recreation and Parks are in line with those of comparable systems across the country

Below is a summarization of key themes that emerged from Think BiG! and issues to keep in mind as Lancaster Parks and Recreation plans and prioritizes for the near future

Water Feature Tops The Wish List

There certainly is no denying that the local public is anxious to see an aquatic feature of some type - splash pad, interactive fountain, sprayground or a full-blown water park - created and utilized in Lancaster As proof of their desire, many are already traveling to nearby cities to utilize similar facilities .

The Groveport Aquatic Center features a lazy river, water slides, splash fountains, and swimming pools There are zero-entry features and a toddler area It operates as a public pool with lifeguards, admission fees, and vending https://www.groveportrec.com/235/Aquatic-Center

The Splash pad in Mary Virginia Crites Hannan Park, located in Circleville, is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day and features the very basics - a concrete play area with drains and large, colorful metal features that spray water The splash pad is located in a 72-acre park that includes playgrounds and a dog park This is a basic water feature and operates only a few months out of the year . https://www.ci.circleville.oh.us/facilities/facility/details/Mary-Virginia-Crites-Hannan-Park-4

The Heath City Water Park features a large pool, waterslides, and a lazy river While it was among the most often visited by survey respondents, it currently operates just four hours a day and three months out of the year This could be due to a variety of factors That said, this park has many features, such as a sprayground situated in a wading pool, that makes it appropriate for people of all ages and abilities https://www.facebook.com/heathcitywaterpark

There are approximately 15 splash pads and fountains located in central Ohio - all of which differ from one another While a water feature in Lancaster for the community seems inevitable, it also may serve as a destination for people outside of Lancaster if it offers something different than the other water parks in central Ohio https://www.columbusonthecheap.com/splash-pads-columbus

In regard to the operation of a water facility like a splash pad, these features use a very small body of water, around 1,000 gallons instead of the 10’s of thousand gallons used in a swimming pool Considerations should be made as to whether a recirculating system or a fresh water system is used There are pros and cons to both Splash pads tend to operate more independently than pools because lifeguards are not required . They also are accessible to people of all abilities and ages More information can be found at: https://mysplashpad.net/pros-cons-fresh-water-recirculation-splash-pads

Trails And Green Spaces Are A Priority

While the summer months might see Lancaster residents swarming to a new water feature, the public still holds bike and walking trails, as well as clean green spaces, in high regard As previously mentioned, over 70 percent of those surveyed placed the highest value on these resources . This is aligned with the national findings .

The National Library of Medicine posts that “Overall, compared with parks without walking loops, on average during an hourly observation, parks with walking loops had 80% more users (95% CI: 42, 139%), and levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were 90% higher (95% CI: 49, 145%) The additional park use and parkbased physical activity occurred not only on the walking loops but throughout the park .” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5289910

While walking amenities and open spaces encourage physical exercise, they also have an impact on property value and the local economy .

Conservation Tools Organization published the results of a plethora of economic studies, which found the following:

• Trails increase the value of nearby properties

• Trails boost spending at local businesses Communities along trails, often called trail towns, benefit from the influx of visitors going to restaurants, snack shops and other retail establishments . On longer trails, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and outdoor outfitters benefit

• Trails make communities more attractive places to live When considering where to move, homebuyers rank walking and biking paths as one of the most important features of a new community

• Trails influence business location and relocation decisions Companies often choose to locate in communities that offer a high level of amenities to employees as a means of attracting and retaining toplevel workers • Trails can make communities attractive to businesses looking to expand or relocate, both because of the amenities they offer to employees, and the opportunities they offer to cater to trail visitors

• Trails reduce medical costs by encouraging exercise and other healthy outdoor activities

• Trails revitalize depressed areas, creating a demand for space in what were once vacant buildings .

• Trails provide transportation options and cut fuel expenses, offering reliable means of transportation for short distance trips Nearly half of all car trips are less than three miles and more than a quarter are one mile or less

• Trails provide low or no-cost recreation to families with low costs relative to other recreational services that could be provided by government .

• Trails increase tax revenues in the communities in which they are located

• These benefits represent a huge economic return on the money invested into trail projects . The costs of land acquisition for trails, trail construction and maintenance are far outweighed by the economic benefits generated by trails

These findings emphasize the importance of real estate developers inside the city limits contributing to the wellbeing of Lancaster Parks and Recreation through monetary donations or the setting aside of green space .

Programming Is Essential To Sustaining City Parks

Though it was not a primary focus of the Think BiG! survey, the area of programming, and a desire for an increase in free, family-friendly programming and events, rose to the top of the findings Close to 73 percent of people surveyed said they wanted to see more free events, and close to 50 percent seek an increase in outdoor education Additionally, many staff members expressed the opinion that if programming in city parks increased and was made available in some of the neighborhood parks, the use of those parks and the benefit gained from community members would increase as well

Beyond the personal and societal benefits of recreation programming, programs are essential to sustaining the parks and recreation system Revenue generated from fee-based recreation programs represents the highest non-tax revenue source for parks and recreation departments (Source: NRPA 2018 Agency Performance Report) Programs bring people together and build community, activate public spaces, and optimize the use and benefits of the community’s investment in parks and facilities

In addition, programming in parks infuses communities with positive activity and crowd out negative, unsafe behavior “Well maintained, well programmed parks and recreation amenities activate our communities and our city, attracting positive behavior, investment in neighborhood revitalization and healthy, happy and engaged children and adults. This is also about fairness – families in every neighborhood deserve quality, safe places for play.”

- WHYY/National Public Radio in Philadelphia

Trends in programming across the country are changing, according to a report published by Mobile Alabama’s Park and Recreation Department and the National Recreation and Park Association

• Parks and recreation departments are seeing a rapid growth in interest in pickleball, especially among seniors Archery has risen in popularity, lacrosse teams are vying for field space, and interest continues for life sports - biking, kayaking, tennis, swimming, jogging/walking

• Young professional adults are participating in non-traditional sports such as kickball, dodgeball, and futsal Social interaction, co-ed, and less structured and managed opportunities are popular .

• The baby boomer generation embraces an active lifestyle and does not necessarily identify themselves as “seniors” Many of them continue to work and others enjoy rewarding volunteer experiences But social and health and wellness programs are needed for the older and more elderly seniors

• Intergenerational programming such as camping, scavenger hunts, nature discovery, and family hikes are trending, likely as an escape from busy lifestyles and urban environments

• Programs to improve the quality of life for the underserved will continue to be an important focus for parks and recreation departments Outreach activities require overcoming access, communication and affordability barriers Strategic community partnerships play important roles

• Parks and recreation departments are partnering with health agencies to develop programs to combat obesity

Finally, in a tight economy, community organizations, schools and park systems are pulling resources to provide programming year-round, indoors/outdoors, free and fee-based, and in a wider variety of locations and facilities These partnerships can reduce costs while also allowing more people access to programming Lancaster Parks and Recreation has excellent rapport with community organizations and might find even greater benefit by taking those relationships further

Find New Ways To Reach The Public

One final theme that surfaced during discussions with both City Parks staff and with Friends of the Parks volunteers was a need to get information about parks, programming, and events into the hands of community members more efficiently .

Currently, Lancaster Parks & Recreation is operating two websites, an online program guide, and three Facebook accounts Streamlining this process and investing in some basic marketing techniques will help this process along Currently, over 80 percent of the public gets their news and information online In fact, according to Pew Research, about two-thirds of U .S . adults say they get news at least occasionally from news websites or apps (68%) or search engines, like Google (65%) About half (53%) say they get news from social media, and a much smaller portion say they get news at least sometimes from podcasts (22%) https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/12

LARGE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS GET NEWS ON DIGITAL DEVICES

% of U.S. adults who get news from...

Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Aug. 31 – Sept. 7, 2020 PEW RESEARCH CENTER

As the print news subscriptions in Lancaster continue to dwindle and the community is forced to compete with all of central Ohio to access media coverage, being strategic about messaging through social media, marketing plans, and advertising is essential . In addition, collecting data, addresses, and emails of park users will continue to play a major role in sustaining support for the City Park System

Thank You

In closing, it was a pleasure for Krile Communications to undertake the Think BiG! project Our thanks to the entire Lancaster Parks and Recreation team - The Board Members, Friends of the Parks Board and volunteers, employees, community members, and community partners It is our hope that the findings here will have a positive impact on the future of Lancaster Parks and Recreation and our community

LIST OF RESOURCES USED IN THE THINK BIG! PROJECT AND REPORT

https://www sciencedirect com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091743519301033 https://www .ci .lancaster .oh .us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4931 https://www planning org/pas/reports/report194 htm https://worldpopulationreview com/us-cities/lancaster-oh-population

Philadelphia Park Alliance Activating Parks & Open Spaces Through Programming June 2015 https://www civicplus com/blog/pr/parks-and-rec-tech-advancements

The Outdoor Foundation . 2016 Outdoor Recreation Participation Report . 2016 .

Center for Disease Control Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults and Youth: United States, 2015–2016

October 2017 Caryn Ernst, Peter Harnik, and Linda Keenan Active Parks, Healthy Cities 2018 www benefitshub ca/entry/the-impact-of-parks-on-property-values-a-review-of-empirical-evidence www nrpa org/parks-recreation-magazine/2022/january https://recmanagement com/feature/201604FE01/4 https://cityparksalliance org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/active-parks-healthy-cities https://conservationtools org/guides/97-economic-benefits-of-trails https://www ncbi nlm nih gov/pmc/articles/PMC5289910/ https://www pewresearch org/fact-tank/2021/01/12/ pdf?pdf=report