2022–2032 Lynchburg Parks & Recreation Master Plan Executive Summary

Prepared by: Lose Design

Blackwater Creek Trail, photo by Kipp Teague

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1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this master plan is to evaluate the Lynchburg public parks and recreation system and submit recommendations designed to increase the level of service across the community. This master plan provides recommendations regarding parks and recreation facilities, operations, programming, and administration in the community from present to 2032.

This document serves elected and appointed officials and City staff as both a strategic plan and an action plan. The plan provides the City of Lynchburg with guidelines and strategies for future program and activity expansion efforts and planning of major capital improvement projects. The plan also serves City residents as a benchmark of current recreational offerings and future recreational goals.

Assessments were performed that targeted different aspects of a parks and recreation system. These assessments included:

• Community profile

• Public engagement

• Park Classifications and Service Criteria

• Programming Review

• Staffing Assessment

• Recreation and Program Trends

• Health Equity Assessment

• Budget and Funding Analysis

• Cost Recovery Assessment

• Capital Improvement Plan

Girls on the Run

Upon completion of the above referenced tasks and assessments, determinations regarding the parks and recreation system were made.

LYNCHBURG DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION

MISSION

The Lynchburg Parks and Recreation Department’s Mission is to improve the health and happiness of our diverse community by stewarding parks, public spaces, and trails, and offering comprehensive recreation services.

VISION

The best parks and recreation department for our community.

2. BENEFITS OF PARKS

Recreation improves overall physical and mental health.

Parks support social equity by providing recreational opportunities for the whole community.

Parks support wildlife, conservation, and provide open space for future generations.

Parks engage communities and reduce crime.1

Parks create jobs.2

Recreation facilities, programs, and events support local businesses.3

Parks can increase property values by 5% or more.4

Parks keep cities cool.5

See footnotes on page ES-13.

Blackwater Creek Bikeway, photo from VDOT

3. COMMUNITY PROFILE

To gain a better understanding of the park and recreational needs of the City of Lynchburg, a community profile was developed. The demographic factors in this section include population, economic, and health trends and are summarized below.

Age

Race

• 42% of the population in Lynchburg is comprised of residents ages 15 to 34.

• Lynchburg is the youngest major city in Virginia. 6

• Programs and facilities that serve this age group should be a priority.

• Lynchburg’s population is diverse compared to Virginia and the nation.

• Participation deomographics should be reviewed against racial composition to confirm equal access among various groups.

Income

• The Median Value of Owner-Occupied Housing is lower in Lynchburg than in Virginia.

• Poverty rates in Lynchburg exceed state and national numbers.

• These rates suggest a greater need for recreation fee reductions or waivers.

The role of the built environment is important in encouraging physical activity. Improved parks, recreation amenities, sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and greenways can help suppor t residents overall physical and mental health. Continued strategic investment in parks and recreation should be a priority in an effort to improve health outcomes.

While Lynchburg’s obesity rate and inactivity rate are higher than the State of Virginia, Lynchburg has more access to exercise options than Virginia. However, although Lynchburg residents have more access to exercise options, limitations such as time, cost, and location can deter residents from accessing parks and facilities.

Lynchburg vs. Virginia

Obesity Rate Access to Exercise Options Inactivity Rate

See footnotes on page ES-13.

4. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

The public engagement effort for the master plan successfully involved residents in numerous ways including a project website, pop-up events, and focus groups. Hundreds of responses gathered demonstrated significant public support for improvements to existing parks and trails. Residents of Lynchburg love their parks and trails and want to see the park system grow.

COMMON THEMES

Improvements to existing parks and facilities are the top priority.

Nature programs and trails to facilitate walking, hiking, and bicycling are highly desired.

There is a need for new parks in specific areas of Lynchburg.

Seventy percent of Lynchburg residents travel outside of Lynchburg to use parks and recreation facilities.

Pop-up engagement results indicate that special events like movies in the park and concerts are desired.

Residents of Lynchburg overwhelmingly love their parks and trails and support efforts to improve them.

Pop-Up Events Focus Groups Project Website

The community survey provided detailed information regarding levels of utilization and the value of recreational services.

Pop-up events provided insight on the program and facility needs of the community.

The six focus groups provided the planning team with a clearer understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing various park user groups and partners.

5. SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS

To understand the community’s program and recreation service coverage, density maps were used to show participation across the City of Lynchburg. Overall, the registration map shows that participation is distributed evenly throughout the community.

The following investments are recommended:

Recommendations were made for individual park properties

Recommended: ways to increase trail connectivity

Recommended: a new indoor multipurpose facility

Recommended: expansion of the Templeton Senior Center

7. PROGRAMMING RECOMMENDATIONS

Programming is an important component of a complete park and recreation system. The following key recommendations are suggested for Lyncburg Parks and Recreation to consider.

Expand programming dedicated to active seniors and recent college graduates.

Continue to provide programs and services at price points that meet the needs of all income levels.

Mitigate transportation barriers to participants, such as purchasing an accessible vehicle and providing additional multipurpose neighborhood fields.

Improve access to seasonal programs by expanding the printed guide and developing an app for classes and programs.

Create a phased staffing plan.

Add indoor programming space.

Increase access to local bodies of water for kayaking and canoeing.

The Lynchburg Parks and Recreation Department currently has a broad-based cost recovery plan that is currently used as a guideline for setting fees and systemic resource allocation. The graphic below illustrates the Department’s philosophy establishing expectations for cost recovery. The bottom of the pyramid represents a variety of programs providing community benefits with no expectation of revenue generation. Proceeding up the pyramid, the intended audience narrows, the level of subsidy is reduced, and expectations for cost recovery increase.

LPRD Cost Recovery and Subsidy Allocation Philosophy

Considerable

10. CONCLUSION

The pandemic of 2020 has reminded us all just how important our parks and recreation departments are to our physical, emotional, and mental health. Through the plan’s significant public engagement efforts, our residents have echoed the importance of these services and facilities to Lynchburg. This master plan document provides direction for Lynchburg Parks and Recreation to meet these priorities through staffing, operations, facilities programming, and partnerships.

Footnotes from page ES-2 and ES-3: 1- Shepley, Sachs et al. (2019). The Impact of Green Space on Violent Crime in Urban Environments: An Evidence Synthesis. International jour nalof environmental research and public health, 16(24), 5119. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16245119 2, 3, 4 - Conservation Tools. (n.d.). Economic Benefits of Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2022, from https://conservationtools.org/guides/98-eco nomic-benefits-of-parks#:~:text=Proximity%20to%20parks%20increa%20ses%20property,to%20proximity%20to%20a%20park

5 - National Recreation and Park Association. (n.d.). Climate Resilient Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2022, from https://www.nrpa.org/our-work/ Three-Pillars/conservation/climate-resilient-parks/

6 - Lexington is the Youngest Place in the Country, Census Bureau says. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://cardinalnews. org/2022/07/26/lexington-is-the-youngest-place-in-the-country-census-bureau-says/

Biggers Neighborhood Park, photo by Kendall Warner

Ciy of Lynchburg Parks and Recreation Master Plan

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