Introduction
The District Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has contracted Michael Baker Associates to develop a comprehensive 5-year agency master plan. The master plan shall analyze current athletic and enrichment programs, and make recommendations for new programming opportunities. District park revitalization is also a critical master plan priority, which will address approximately 1,000 acres of District-owned and managed land, including 4 large District parks, 73 recreational centers, 22 pools, and more than 400 neighborhood and triangle parks.
Goals and Objectives
The DPR agency master plan will provide information regarding the recreation needs of citizens by Ward and Neighborhood Cluster as well as define the future planning strategy of DPR for program enhancement and park restoration. Demographic changes, population growth, development pressures, and shifting customer use patterns make it especially important to structure DPR plans so the agency's budget, program, and facility investments respond to the District's evolving needs. This master plan will provide the framework for accomplishing these goals.
Overview
- DPR Master Plan Public Engagement
Public engagement is a critical component of the overall success of DPR’s agency master plan. DPR will be reaching out to communities throughout the planning process to ensure that ideas, research, conclusions, and recommendations developed by the planning team are fair and accurate. Community involvement in the planning process will reinforce DPR’s implementation of this plan. It will guide the effective delivery of recreational opportunities to the visitors, participants, users of DPR parks, programs and facilities. Specific public engagement opportunities during the DPR master plan process will include staff and stakeholder interviews, a random mail survey to District residents, focus groups with under-represented groups of District residents, and large public meetings.
- Demographic and Economic Analysis
A critical component of any master plan is to identify population and economic trends. DPR is looking at current residential demographics and utilizing five-year projections to determine future community profiles. This analysis will then use these projections to describe demand and changes in demand on with regard to need for parks, programs, and facilities across the city.
- Program Analysis
An analysis of DPR programs will present the current state of recreation programming in the District. This analysis will present data about the current programs by major program type and then categorize programs into core and enhanced programs - programs that are offered in all facilities and programs tailored to the local site and neighborhood
- Property Analysis
DPR will review all current recreation facilities, and District-managed parks to determine the following:
- Accessibility of recreation centers, pools, playgrounds and parks to neighborhoods and communities citywide.
- Policies, management practices and techniques to preserve, protect and enhance natural resources and recommend educational programs created to encourage understanding of the sensitive nature of the environment.
- Facility Conditions Index Report - a comparative indicator of the relative condition of facilities. Facility Condition Indexes for DPR facilities will become a useful tool in determining annual investment in repairs and renovations versus removal and replacement of facilities. FCI values are the costs associated with repairing a facility versus replacement of a facility. A 50% FCI value would mean that it is half the cost to replacement versus repair, therefore showing that replacement of a facility is more feasible than repairing a facility.
- Financial Analysis
The purpose of the analysis of revenue sources is to match projected future funding needs, including maintenance, with projected future revenues and to assure that the Department’s programming needs and plans drive the capital investment process. This analysis will also examine the Department’s current policies and procedures related to the dedication of existing revenues to support program and open space activities, as well as the potential for enhancement of revenues through the creation of public/private partnerships and exploring grant opportunities.
- Benchmarking and Best Practices
Master plan consultants will conduct a benchmarking analysis of urban park districts with makeup similar to that of the District of Columbia, especially with respect to demographics, geographic orientation, and parks and recreation services.
The six cities identified for benchmarking analysis are:
Boston
http://boston.gov/parks/default.asp
http://www.bostoncanshare.com/BCYF/default.aspBaltimore
http://www.ci.baltimore.md.us/government/recnparks/Chicago
http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.comMinneapolis
http://www.minneapolisparks.org/home.aspOakland
http://www.oaklandnet.com/parks/Philadelphia
http://www.phila.gov/recreation/index.html
http://www.phila.gov/fairpark/recreation/index.htmlThree additional cities will be targeted for specific analysis:
San Francisco
Coordination with the National Park Services
http://www.parks.sfgov.org/site/recpark_index.aspDenver
Greenspace Initiatives
http://www.denvergov.org/Parks_Recreation/default.aspCincinnati
Environmental Education Initiatives
http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/parks/