Decatur Park District Master Plan

DECATUR PARK DISTRICTComprehensive Parks and Recreation 2013 MASTER PLAN UPDATE

Cover Image Credits All images courtesy of Flikr.com Shoes: OntarioOutdoorsman Boats: To Insanity and Beyond Soccer ball: M17CH3LL Golf ball: Espen Lodden White Oak leaves: Brian Corll Playground: Phalinn Wildfl owers: Bogdog Dan Bikes: Prince Georges County Dept. of Parks & Rec. Weights: LeMeridien Hotels and Resorts

620 East Riverside AvenueDecatur, Illinois 62521

518 Broad Street, Suite 200Saint Joseph, MI 49085269.932.4502www.edgewaterresources.com

Prepared by:

1754 North Washington Street, Suite 120Naperville, Illinois 60563630.606.0776

In association with:

One South Dearborn, Suite 2100Chicago, IL 60603312.212.4451

Decatur Park District COMPREHENSIVE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN October 2013

Decatur Park District Board of Commissioners

Chris Riley, President Jack Kenny, Vice-President Bob Brilley II, Commissioner Cindy Deadrick-Wolfer, Commissioner Chris Harrison, Commissioner

Decatur Park District Staff

William L. Clevenger, Executive Director Rick Anderson, Director of Golf Jill Applebee, Foundation Director Joe Attwood, Director of Airport Kevin Brewer, Food and Beverage Manager Rodney Buhr, Chief Financial Offi cer Mandy Childress, Freedom of Information Offi cer Jamie Davis, DISC Manager Lisa Gillen, Director of Marketing Jim Kiefer, Director of Operations Cliff Kretsinger, Chief of Park Rangers Becky Newton, Director of Recreation & Facilities Kristi Orrick, Human Resources Manager Ryan Raleigh, Risk Manager Dave Webster, Director of Scovill Zoo

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN ii

Focus Groups

Decatur Area Convention and Visitors Bureau: Jeff Hendricks, Executive Director

Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce: Mirinda Rothrock, President; and Carolee Misner

Economic Development Corporation: J. Craig Coil, CEO/ President

Decatur Public Schools: Donald Smith, Assistant Superintendent; Jeff Gaunt, Community Engagement Director; Frank Brown, Facilities Director; Michael Sotiroff, Director of Building and Maintenance

NAACP: Jeffrey Perkins, Decatur Branch President

DISC: Jamie Gower, DISC Manager; Steve Fox, Athletic Supervisor; Matt Christman, Recreation Supervisor; Dan Hale, Eastern Illinois University Intern; Becky Newton, Director of Recreation and Facilities; Mike Mulvaney, Department of Recreation Administration at Eastern Illinois University

West End Neighborhood Association: Kent West, resident

Clokey Neighborhood Association: Jason Butterick, resident

Neighborhood United (Garfi eld Park) and Fans Field Neighborhood: Sandy Shaw, President; Gloria Maddox, Secretary; and Charles Loury

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Decatur Park District COMPREHENSIVE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN October 2013iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction Inventory and Analysis Demographics and Needs Assessment

II. PARK DISTRICT VISION Introduction Master Plan Process

III. COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS Market Area Demographics

IV. COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT Demand and Economics Decatur Golf Demand Recommendations Community Peer Reviews Public Input

V. PARK SYSTEM INVENTORY/ASSESSMENT Introduction NRPA Guidelines Existing Parks: Sample Diagram Overall Park Map Park Page Index Assessment by Neighborhood

VI. RECREATION PROGRAMMING Introduction Program Statistics Summary Conclusions Program Evaluation Strategy Recreation Department Division Goals

VII. MASTER PLAN ACTIONS Introduction Social Equity Actions Environmental Actions Economic Actions Neighborhood Park Improvement Actions Neighborhood Park Standard Programming Enhanced Park Program Designs Funding Strategies Master Plan Actions Conclusion

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VIII. APPENDICESAppendix A

Programmed Near-Term Improvements Appendix B Decatur Tourism Appendix C Sport Participation Figures C1.1 - Court Sport Participation C1.2 - Diamond Sport Participation C1.3 - Field Sport Participation C1.4 - Indoor Sport Participation C1.5 - Track Sport Participation C1.6 - Other Sport Participation Appendix D Grant Park Neighborhood-Schematic Park Plan

INDEX OF TABLES Table 3.1 - Demographic Indicator: City of Decatur/ Macon County/State of Illinois Table 3.2 - Demographic Overview City of Decatur Table 3.3 - 2010 Household Size Table 3.4 - Population by Age Group in Percent City of Decatur Table 3.5 - Income Distribution by Income Table 3.6 - 2012 Owner Occupied Housing by Value Table 3.7 - 2017 Race and Ethnicity

INDEX OF FIGURES Figure 7.1 - Park Distribution Figure 7.2 - Sports Facility Distribution Figure 7.3 - Decatur Park District Revenue Sources Figure 7.4 - Illinois Park District Revenue Sources Figure 7.5 - Illinois Home-Rule Cities Revenue Sources

Decatur Park District COMPREHENSIVE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN October 2013v

LOCATION MAP

City of DecaturCity of Decatur

CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGION DECATUR CITY LIMITS

ForsythForsyth

Mt. ZionMt. Zion2 MILES20 MILES

Lake Lake DecaturDecatur

CHAPTER I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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CHAPTER I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


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INTRODUCTIONThe goal of the 2013 Decatur Park District Master Plan is to update the 2004 Master Plan to address the heart of the issues facing the District today, and facilitate the mission of the Decatur Park District. These issues include a population that is aging and has continued to decline and shift over the years, resulting in the need to assess the current distribution of parks and programming. Another signifi cant issue is broader community health declines that are a call to action for the Park District, which is ideally suited to take a leadership role in providing access to free or low cost health and fi tness opportunities.

These issues include the fact that Macon County has one of the highest levels of childhood obesity in the State of Illinois, a life expectancy for both men and women that is two years less than the Illinois average, and incidences of heart disease, infant mortality, teen pregnancy, and cancer that are all measurably higher than the State of Illinois average. Finally, with increasing numbers of school children eligible for free lunch programs, broader economic realities and their impact on demand for higher cost programs must be considered.

This plan proposes a set of strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Park District for today, tomorrow, and beyond. The focus of this plan is oriented towards addressing the physical needs of the Park District to identify actions necessary to maintain and improve service to the community, while at the same time reducing costs and increasing fi nancial performance where possible. The Plan recognizes and incorporates the recent Park District planning efforts for a number of specifi c facilities, including the Scovill Zoo Master Plan, Aquatics Plan, ADA Transition Plan, and the Nelson Park Master Plan. While not explicitly repeated within this overall master plan, these master plans have been adopted by the DPD Board and the actions and recommendations therein shall be considered a part of this Decatur Park District Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

The Plan will assess the Decatur Park District through the triple bottom line approach to sustainability, including social, environmental, and economic perspectives. Addressing sustainability from a social equity standpoint at the master plan level will involve assessing the shifting demographics of the community and ensuring that the Park District provides appropriate programming and relevant facilities for each of the neighborhoods served to address the challenges outlined above. Environmental sustainability requires assessing park properties, structures, and operational methods to incorporate lower maintenance native landscapes, improve the function of the park environments as habitat, assess existing structures for program suitability and reuse potential, and minimize energy and resource consumption. Finally, economic sustainability requires an assessment of the assets of the Park District to identify opportunities for improved fi nancial performance and reduction of costs.

CHAPTER I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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INVENTORY AND ANALYSISThe Master Plan inventory and analysis process included a physical inventory and assessment of each park. Each park was reviewed with internal operations staff to identify key issues, program needs, and opportunities for improvement. Patterns were identifi ed where facilities were either particularly effective or struggling, and a series of guiding principles were established for improving existing parks and locating new facilities. The Plan also incorporates the results of the Decatur Park District program analysis prepared by Dr. Mike Mulvaney, which documents the performance of the Park District programs across a range of metrics.

DEMOGRAPHICS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENTThe Plan includes a detailed analysis of the demographic trends documented in the City of Decatur over the last ten years, and a broader assessment of those trends and how they affect park programming and recreational needs over the last thirty years since the population of Decatur began to decline and age. These trends were analyzed on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis and provide a sound rationale for establishing updated program recommendations for the residents living in each neighborhood now and in the coming years.

The needs assessment process included considerable community outreach, gathering information from the general public and community leaders through a series of public meetings, stakeholder interviews, small group workshops, and a community survey. The most common feedback received from the public was a call to improve maintenance across the system, and the most requested program elements revolved around water play, pools, and water parks. Community leaders called for the Park District to continue its leadership in addressing the major issues facing Decatur through ongoing partnership opportunities to improve services, share and reduce costs, and make the City of Decatur more competitive by improving the quality of life for residents.

Finally, an assessment and comparison of the existing parks and program facilities in each neighborhood were compared to widely-accepted national standards to establish a fair assessment of the Decatur Park District offerings on a community-wide and neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis. The result of this needs assessment identifi ed several overriding issues that this plan addresses:

The Decatur Park District is especially land-rich, providing more than double the national standards for park acreage for a community of its size (excluding non-park facilities such as the Airport). The generous size of the Park District land holdings directly corresponds to the challenges identifi ed by the community. The physical programming and facilities that currently exist were built for a population that has changed signifi cantly and now desires more focused athletic opportunities, interconnected trail systems, and quality indoor fi tness activities and programming. The community of Decatur/Macon County has the highest rate of childhood obesity in the State of Illinois.

Illinois park districts are special purpose governmental units designed to be separate from municipalities, with their own elected offi cials, dedicated tax rates, and autonomy. The State of Illinois has embraced comprehensive planning as a tool to help make park districts more effective. All park districts in Illinois are required to update their strategic master plan at least every ten years to qualify for ongoing state funding and ensure they are responding to the needs of the residents they serve. This Master Plan update will address the physical and programming needs of Decatur residents and create a road map of specifi c actions necessary to improve operational effi ciency and fi nancial effectiveness.

Decatur Park District COMPREHENSIVE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN October 2013 4

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CHAPTER II PARK DISTRICT VISION

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CHAPTER II: PARK DISTRICT VISION


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INTRODUCTIONThe Master Plan Vision establishes the following guiding principles that will address the challenges identifi ed in the Needs Assessment and provide a road map for addressing these needs and achieving the Mission of the Decatur Park District.

Social: The Decatur Park District will seek to provide an equitable distribution of high quality, accessible, and relevant parks and programming across all neighborhoods of the City.

Environmental: The Decatur Park District will seek to reduce resource consumption and improve the environmental performance and functional effi ciency of all Park District facilities.

Economic: The Decatur Park District will improve the overall fi nancial effectiveness of the system by focusing on core strengths, seeking partnerships, and improving facilities to reduce operating costs.

The Plan builds on these guiding principles to establish recommendations and specifi c actions for parks and programs based on the demographics of each neighborhood and the community as a whole.

Decatur Park District Mission StatementThe mission of the Decatur Park District is to enrich the communitys quality of life and economic vitality by providing outstanding parks, programs, facilities, and recreational opportunities.

The vision is to be a park district of excellence that enhances our communitys growth, prosperity, and quality of life. The values include integrity, sustainability, service, partnership, and safety. To fulfi ll this mission, the Decatur Park District has established the following goals:

Integrity: Execute duties ethically, with honesty and sincerity. Provide information readily to public, complete annual audits of fi nancial records.

Sustainability: Maintain effi cient and effective use of fi nancial, human, and environmental resources to ensure the long-term viability of the District. Protect and manage natural resources, utilize Master Plan Updates to make decisions for the long-term good of the District and the community.

Service: Provide outstanding service to our entire community. Provide excellent customer service, communicate effi ciently with public.

Partnering: Collaborate with citizens, governmental entities, and private businesses to maximize community resources. Encourage public input, strengthen partnerships to enhance cost savings.

Safety: Establish a safety awareness that is in the best interest of our visitors, employees, and facilities. Maintain accreditation, provide safe environments.www.pizzo.com

CHAPTER II PARK DISTRICT VISION

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MASTER PLAN PROCESSThe process of preparing this master plan update began with an extensive process of data collection, surveys, interviews, public meetings, fi eld inspections, and a comprehensive inventory and analysis of existing park facilities. The goal of these efforts was to inspect and document the condition of park facilities and ask the community directly what they feel is working and where improvements are necessary. An assessment of the Districts physical facilities was performed in relationship to nationally recognized park standards to determine where the District is meeting, exceeding, or not meeting national standards. This assessment provided a sense of how the District is performing in terms of providing suffi cient facilities and programs, as well as where the District might have more physical assets than the community can support fi nancially.

Parallel with these efforts, an analysis of the demographics of the community was performed, and an analysis of how the community of Decatur has evolved over the last thirty years since the population peaked in the late 1970s. The goal of this effort was to determine Decaturs identity as a community today and understand how the community has changed over the years. Finally, an analysis and an outline of a broad range of trends in recreation were developed, which clearly identify impacts to park facilities and help explain why parks are used differently today than in the past. An analysis of the existing recreation programming followed, including sports, fi tness, and arts, to determine patterns in usage and impact on facilities.

The data was then analyzed at the system level to create a set of guidelines for use by Park District staff in the long-term operation of the Park District. This plan provides strategies that are as effective today as they will be in fi ve or eight years. Rather than presenting an improvement plan for each park, which would provide only a snapshot in time of the needs of each neighborhood, this plan outlines a set of strategies for use by Park District staff in making decisions today and in the future as each park is improved.

As outlined in the Master Plan Actions section, there are a number of overall strategies for addressing the broadest issues facing the Park District, including maintenance, accessibility, and refi ning program/facility offerings. These strategies are supplemented by a planning approach for individual parks that is based on the changing demographics of neighborhoods, which provides a base layer of elements for each park depending on the core demographic characteristics of the neighborhood served. As such, individual parks will be enhanced based on the needs of each neighborhood.

The process, therefore, is ongoing. The Park District does not have the resources to update all of its parks at once, so priorities must be established based on providing the most access and improvements for the most residents.

CHAPTER III COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS

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CHAPTER III: COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS


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MARKET AREA DEMOGRAPHICSThe following analysis draws from the Arc View application of ESRIs Business Analyst. This national model generates data by linking demographic information with specifi c locations or areas. The data is updated continually using the benchmarks in the model that the software maker tracks and allocates the data geographically. The Master Plan consultant Market & Feasibility Advisors (MFA) applies this Geographic Information System (GIS) by defi ning a specifi c geographic area to which the program provides aggregated information.

Up to four markets are profi led on the tables in this section: the City of Decatur, Macon County (including the City), the State of Illinois, and the United States. The reason for the comparisons to the State and the US is quite simply for benchmarking purposes. Certainly the Illinois comparison includes metro Chicago, and the US comparison includes many metro areas, but both areas also include many smaller cities like Decatur and rural areas. One reason for the comparison is that in 40 years, the US population may grow 36 percent to 438 million from 322 million today.

While the US will continue to grow, Decatur and Macon County are not currently expected to capture this growth. This is a critical consideration for the community as it will continue to separate Decatur from the US demographic norm.

Table 3.1 illustrates several important points. While the number of

households in the State of Illinois is expected to grow even in the short interval between 2012 and 2013, the number of households in the City is expected to stay around 32,000, growing only by 100-200 households. This is relatively true for Macon County as well, where the number of households is expected to grow from 45,000 to 46,000. In 2012, the estimate for the median household income in the City was $38,000. In the County, the fi gure was higher at almost $43,000, but even that was below the State median of $53,000.

Typically, average household income fi gures are above the median. That is the case for the 2012 estimates for the City, County, and State, which are $53,000, $58,500, and $72,000 respectively. That the median is signifi cantly below the State fi gure is an indicator that Decaturs households are paid relatively less than others in the State. That the average is similarly below the States is an indicator that Decatur does not have a signifi cant number of high wage jobs that draw a populations average up.


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Table 3.2 documents population change over three years (2010, 2012, and 2017), and outlines the percent of housing that is owner occupied, average household size, and the median age for the City, County, and State. Decaturs population is expected to remain statistically unchanged between 2010 and 2017. The percent of owner-occupied housing is below that of the County, strikingly so given that the City fi gure includes the City statistic. It is interesting that the County fi gure of 69% home ownership is expected to be higher than the States (67% in 2017) and was in 2010, as well. The median age of City residents is signifi cantly higher than overall residents of the State, and by 2017, City residents are projected to be a full three years older than State residents when they cross the 40 year old mark. The average household size in the City is much lower than the States, as there are fewer children and young people in Decaturs households.

In fact, as shown in Table 3.3, Decatur has a signifi cant number of single person households at 35% of all households, and the fi gure is similarly high for the County. For comparison, the percentage of single person households in the State and the US are 28% and 27% respectively. The statistical differences between the State and US continue as the City has far fewer 4 7 person or more households than the State and US.


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Table 3.4 presents population by age cohort. Perhaps the most striking fi gures are for ages 65 and above. By 2017, 1/3 of Decaturs population is expected to be aged 65 and older, while 27% of individuals in the State are expected to be in this age demographic. The city has a lower percentage of its population in every age cohort from age 5 through 65 than the State save one. In 2017 it is expected to have a notably higher percentage than the State in the age 25-34 age cohort. The lower percentage of the population in some of the younger aged cohorts is interesting, as the impression exists that the city has many children. In fact the projection is that the age group 0 to 14 will make up 18% of the Citys residents in comparison to 18.5% for the County and almost 20% for the State of Illinois.

The opposite phenomena can be seen at the other end of the income categories. By 2017, almost 15% of the Citys households are projected to have incomes of $100,000 or more. This compares to the statewide fi gure of 26%. Interestingly, about 32% of all City household incomes are clustered in the middle income $35,000 to $75,000 category compared to 30% for the state as a whole.

As noted previously, the home ownership rate in the City is signifi cantly less than the comparison jurisdictions. It was also noted that household income was as much as one third below the State median. These two factors come together in the Table 3.6. It shows that the average home value in Decatur, at $108,000, is less than half that of the State and the US as estimated for 2012. The fi gures for the County, State, and US are $132,000, $222,000 and $224,000 respectively. The most dramatic difference can be seen in the lowest value category. Nineteen percent of the Citys homes are worth less than $50,000. The fi gure improves a bit for the County to 13% but the comparable State and US fi gures are surprisingly less at 4% and 5% respectively. This low value trend continues into the next higher value category, where 37% of

Table 3.5 illustrates that household income in Decatur is concentrated in low wage jobs. By 2017 40% of all City households will have a household income of less than $35,000. That compares to 35% for the County and 28% for the State of Illinois as a whole.


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the Citys houses are valued at $50,000 to $99,000. This fi gure drops to 31% for the County. The State and US percentages are 16% and 19%. In short, 56% of the Citys houses are worth $99,000 or less. This compares to 44% for homes in Macon County and 20% and 24% respectively for the State and the US.

Alone category. Interestingly, the County as a whole is higher at 78% than the City, State, and US, which are 70% or 71%.

At 24%, the African American percentage of the Citys population is far higher than the State and the US, which are 14% and 13% respectively, while the County is between the fi gures at 17%. Decatur has very few Asians, which make up 1% of the population. This compares to 5% for the State and the US. Similarly it has only1% in the Some Other Race Alone category compared to 8% and 7% respectively for the State and the US.

Lastly it is notable that the City and County both have very few people in the Hispanic category at 3%. This is well below the State and US fi gure of 18%.

Racial and ethnic composition is an important consideration when projecting demand for sports programming and facilities. In Table 3.7, a projection for 2017, the City of Decatur is shown to have about the same percentage of its population as the State and US in the White

CHAPTER IV COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

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CHAPTER IV: COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT


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DEMAND AND ECONOMICSMFA completed a review of long-term participation trends in US and Illinois sports with a focus on six key factors: Lifelong sports participation Popular sports activities Gender neutral sports An economically driven desire to develop multi-activity facilities The need to keep people active year round The need for facilities near where people live

Based on the data gathered, we identifi ed three clear sets of facilities that should be available to Decatur residents. The fi rst set should be available on the neighborhood level, the second on a community level (three to fi ve geographically dispersed locations across the DPD territory), and the third with two to three locations across the community.

Key Facilities:Neighborhood Multi-generational playgrounds Trails for walking, running, bicycling and blading Basketball courts

Community (three to fi ve locations District-wide) Indoor Fieldhouse space with turf fi elds (when possible) and court surfaces Indoor cultural activity space classrooms and performance practice spaces Outdoor multi-sport fi elds for soccer, football, lacrosse, and other fi eld sports

District-wide (two to three locations within the District) Pool facilities Central Fieldhouse with two or more turf fi elds Baseball/softball diamonds Golf courses Tennis courts/Pickleball courts

Two outliers should be noted. One is that swimming participation is the highest of any sports activity, yet it has landed in the category where the fewest facilities are recommended by MFA. This is a result of the higher cost of operating pools and aquatic centers. Note also that these facilities are most popular and effi ciently run when they are large-scale, rather than neighborhood- or community- scaled facilities. This allows for a larger complex that targets special markets such as people in rehab, young children, and lap swimmers.

The other notable outlier is baseball/softball. The halcyon days of baseball as a neighborhood sport are gone, in part because of the societal change from spontaneous casual play to larger organized


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league play as the basis for the activity. Unlike many other sports, baseball needs a special facility to play the diamond that works only for that sport (and softball). A well-designed team sports facility with a large fi eld, on the other hand, can be used for half a dozen sports.

The Shift from Land to FacilitiesThe principal characteristic of most park systems is that they are major landowners within communities. This is especially true in Decatur, where the Districts landholdings exceed the national standard by more than double what would be expected for a population of its service area. Land ownership (more acreage) was the aspirational measure when the Decatur Park District reached its apex of population in the 1970s. In the more than 40 years since, recreation and society have undergone tremendous changes. These changes, hard to detect as they were happening but fully clear today, have fundamentally changed what parks and recreation mean to the Decatur population The aspirational focus now, whether one is in economic development trying to positively present the community or a resident looking for a place to recreate is no longer acreage. Rather, facilities make recreational activities possible.

The Privatization of RecreationAs in elementary and secondary education, where there are charter and private schools and as well as home schooling, a shift has occurred towards privatization in parks and recreation. Some of the ways this has occurred include the proliferation of playgrounds and swing sets in backyards, and private golf courses, gyms and health clubs targeting different market segments. There is a debate as to whether public recreation should recede in response or strive to match offerings. Since the private sector offerings thrive in the existence of market demand, public recreation should respond as well.

Long-Term Trends Changing Parks and Recreation The following 25 long-term trends are reshaping recreational needs in Decatur and across the US. After each trend, one or more sports facility recreation responses are suggested. The Actions section of this Master Plan responds to the top ten trends that apply to each neighborhood in the Districts service area.

1. The decline of children as the dominant market force in parks and recreation. As youth age cohorts are a smaller percentage of the population, and fewer households have children, park programming needs to focus on broader multi-generational activities to be responsive to the Decatur community.

2. Rise of adult participation in sports activities and rise of all-hours recreation Facilities and programs are needed for adults of all ages Facilities need to be operated to accommodate the schedule of working adults One or more indoor Fieldhouse facilities with work-out equipment and sports courts should be open 24/7 in a town with three-shift workers in factories and hospitals

3. Perception of reduced safety in public areas Concentrating neighborhood activities in one park More defensible space designs, which engender a sense of personal security Lighting Monitoring systems Eyes on the park


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4. Rise of adults engaging in trail sports Safe trails needed in neighborhoods Trails need to be linked together to provide distance capacity for biking and runners, as well as supporting alternative transportation/commuting Trail distance markers needed to facilitate benchmarking and motivation Post and maintain good maps, not everyone carries GPS or has good mental GPS

5. Rise of work-out clubs Add work-out facilities either free outdoor systems or pay-to-play indoor equipment facilities Determine whether local for-profi ts are willing to join the District on a management contract as long as they keep the facilities affordable and are not partnering simply to shift people to their own private facilities Add adult and senior playgrounds that enable exercise a national trend Provide trails leading to and from indoor facilities

6. Rise of semi-pro youth recreation Rent space in the indoor and outdoor facilities to privately run speed and agility camp programs, or have DPD run them

7. Rise of soccer and other fi eld sports Add fi elds where needed Consider a top-notch tournament facility for its economic impact

8. Rise of personal benchmarking Incorporate technology into new paths and structures that give people feedback on what they have done and how well they are doing Create a DPD app that shows facility location and availability

9. Rise of day care for children Be sure there are well maintained, quality destination playgrounds in areas likely to have a good deal of child day care (both formal and informal). This is especially true for areas where it is likely that there are informal day care arrangements, since people who watch a half a dozen kids informally are not likely to have legally-required play equipment.

10. Rise of day care for seniors Playgrounds and walking paths for seniors with plenty of benches

11. More working women More evening and weekend programs targeted at women plus one during the day for shift workers

12. More working mothers Places for kids to wait for parents after programs More full-day programs for children during summer months including ones in the regional indoor facilities proposed

13. Increase in seniors due to longer lives Playgrounds and trails should be programmed and equipped for seniors Seek out program support from groups that share an interest in helping seniors age in place, which allows seniors to live as independently as possible at home for as long as possible Pools are excellent for seniors in general, but especially so for the many seniors who have chronic ailments of many kinds -- from arthritis to auto-immune diseases -- as water allows freer motion while it carries some of the weight


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14. Market segmentation of seniors Depending on defi nitions, seniors fall into three or four categories as they become progressively less able. Recognize this by providing targeted programs based on ability.

15. Far more senior housing Be cognizant of senior housing complexes that hold large numbers of seniors and partner with management to provide programs If senior residences have pools, offer to run pool fi tness programs if insurance issues can be overcome and you can bring in other seniors from the neighborhood

16. Rise of medical post-injury or operative rehab Indoor and outdoor spaces for people doing or continuing personal rehab, including trails and outdoor adult playgrounds, encouraging stretching and exercise, and fostering development of social networking among people on similar rehab trajectories Provide indoor and outdoor pools to support those in rehab, those with chronic illnesses, and seniors Many neighborhoods do not have sidewalks or at least good continuous ones these should be an early priority

17. Rise of lifelong sports Promote track and cross country sports in high school programs to get people off to a good start in life; start bicycle teams if there arent any Develop, encourage and market walking clubs for adults and seniors as if they were a team sport

18. Rise of year-round individual and team sports Provide indoor facilities to continue practices and games through the cold weather months Consider setting up centralized practice facilities/training parks for team sports

19. Rise of social sports Zumba, Pilates and other similar activities can be offered in indoor facilities

20. Rise of many specialty sports Many of the less popular sports such as lacrosse, fi eld hockey, and rugby can be accommodated on fi elds in the summer and at indoor fi eldhouses with turf in the winter Other sports, like volleyball, yoga, and gymnastics, can be accommodated in fi eldhouses with mats on hard surfaces year-round Some sports, like cricket, handball, and pickleball, require specialty facilities that are justifi ed in areas with high demand or are provided in the private sports facilities market

21. Rise of womens sports/the new athleticism of women Women are doing everything men have done. Whether its by providing more restrooms or an awareness of a desire for a higher level of personal safety, meet the needs/take down the barriers. Find a centrally located park in a perceptually safe area with diamonds that would work well for softball as a home for a womens/mixed softball league. Target downtown businesses to form teams.

22. The rise of personal athleticism in general Be sure trails are well marked for distance Become an informal clearinghouse for personal trainers and nutritionists let them advertise on your website if they have an appropriate certifi cation (determine whether or not you want to be able to weed out bad ones)


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23. Multiculturalism - the demand for respect for others cultures The two largest minority groups, Hispanic and African-American, have different levels of participation in some sports. Neither golfs as much as Caucasians. Some Hispanic sub-groups have higher baseball participation and others have higher soccer participation. The origin of Decaturs Hispanic population suggests soccer is more prevalent. African-Americans have a higher than typical interest in basketball and football. Cultural programs should be respectful of all participants

24. Declines in household size Adequate parking is needed at community- and District-wide facilities, from pools to trailheads, as arriving cars will typically contain small parties of one to three Marketing and programming need to be well-targeted toward individual participation

25. Programmed Society Pushing deeper into online registration and record-keeping right down to a My DPD Fitness Program for individuals will be rewarding. Since many households do not have digital or internet access, a paper system can still be used. Use existing, widely distributed community assets like schools and libraries to help get people in programs. The cultural side of DPD may have a lot of common programming interest with libraries.


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DECATUR GOLF DEMANDFor many years, the golf program has been a point of pride for the Decatur Park District. At the height of the golf boom in the 80s and 90s, Decatur was home to a thriving public golf system of fi ve courses that exceeded all expectations for a community of 91,000. In the years that followed, the Park District began to feel the effects of national golf trends, where golf participation and frequency of play fell more than 20% since 2000, and signifi cant ongoing local impacts that include a population that is aging, shrinking, and less affl uent. The loss of several major employers contributed to a lower average household income and a signifi cant decline in the 25-44 year age group (the age segment with the highest golf participation rate nationally). Finally, as the number of seniors increases in Decatur, the current discounted rate structure is fundamentally fl awed, with average revenues per round that are well below course operating expenses per round.

Over the past ten to fi fteen years, the Park District has attempted to proactively respond to the ever-evolving golf market. In a strategic effort to right-size the program and attract new golfers, the Park District closed a languishing Nelson Park Golf Course, which saw just 13,000 rounds per year, and converted a small, 9-hole facility to a unique, Prairie style signature course. This new course, Red Tail Run Golf Club by Raymond Floyd, has attracted an average of 26,000 rounds per year since its opening in 2006. Partnerships with Decatur Memorial Hospital (golf platform partner) and Ameren (First Tee sponsor) provide a valued fi nancial boost, while collaboration with the Decatur Area Convention & Visitors Bureau contributes to the attraction of hundreds of Stay & Play rounds each year.

The thinking from the National Golf Foundation (NGF) in the 1990s was not only that golf looked like it would continue to grow for decades, but that there would be an additional push when the Baby

Boomers started to retire in 2010. The rationale was that retirees play a lot more golf than people who work full time, but fewer people than expected have actually retired, and those that have retired are spending less on golf, and playing much less than anticipated.

Compounding the problem, youth and senior golfers generally play at a discount and do not contribute as much revenue per round played when compared to the 25-44 year age group. These price discounts result in revenue that is less than the cost of the round played, which is not fi nancially sustainable for the Park District or any operator. This is similar to the challenges inherent in basing a museum budget on school group charges. Both seniors and school groups are good markets to serve, but both require a higher than typical level of customer service, and the customers are generally unaware that their use of the facility is being subsidized by others. Unfortunately in Decatur (and across the nation), the number of golfers paying the higher rates to offset the discounted groups has dropped signifi cantly.


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In summary, golf play is declining across the country. While in the 80s and 90s people played more golf and paid more for the opportunity, the sport has been in decline for the last ten to fi fteen years in terms of volume of play and revenues. The recent economic downturn changed many recreational habits, and discouraged the rising workforce from taking up the sport. Many former golfers reverted to walking, running, biking and other trail sports, which cost little money or time. Among potential golfers, women in particular switched to a variety of exercise and well-being programs at places like the DISC. No recent American generation has engaged in as wide of a variety of sports as the Baby Boomers, and they have created the demand for a diversity of sports and activities that Generations X and Y have followed.

Decatur Golf TodayWhile the fi nancial performance of the golf system in the 1990s was sound, the golf program has lost money nearly every year since 2000. Where golf was once fi nancially viable, today it has joined baseball and softball as sports that remain popular, but cost money to provide and require the support of a custom facility. The average direct cost to the Park District to provide a round of golf across the three courses is $18.75 in FY 2012/13. The individual cost fi gures for the three separate courses is $22.49 for Red Tail Run, $17.62 for Scovill, and $16.51 for Hickory Point in FY 2012/13. Course length, layout, and the facilities provided affects the cost per course, as does the number of rounds played. Courses with more rounds played have a somewhat lower cost per round compared to courses with fewer rounds played. However, while the average direct cost per round is $18.75, it is important to note that direct costs only cover the direct wages for staff on the courses and expenses occurred on the individual facilities (utilities, materials, chemicals, etc). This fi gure does not include administration costs or labor burden (social security, insurance, pension, etc) costs associated with operating the golf courses. These

factors increase the cost to produce a round of golf by a minimum of $10 per round, or at least $28.75. Capital costs (long term physical improvements to the facilities, equipment (mowers, etc) and long term debt service are other costs above and beyond all of the additional costs noted, increasing the price per round to well above $30.

It is often suggested that the key to resolving the fi nancial challenges of the golf system lies in increasing the number of golf rounds played by reducing the cost of play. However, this logic is fundamentally fl awed. Currently, the average revenue generated per round of golf is $19.39, including greens and cart fees, and the cost per round is in excess of $28.75. While it is true that many of the costs are fi xed and would not increase as the number of rounds played increases, that is not true of all costs, such as maintenance. Even if the number of rounds played increased by 40%, the direct cost per round would only decrease to around $13.48 per round, or $23.48 per round with indirect costs included. As this is still in excess of the current average revenue per round of $18.75 by nearly fi ve dollars per round, it is clear that simply increasing the number of rounds played without increasing the revenue generated per round will not solve the problem.

Simply stated, patrons of the Park District golf system in FY 2012/13 who paid less than the cost to produce a golf round received a subsidy from the Park District. While this is similar to many other Park District programs and sports such as soccer and baseball, which are more heavily used by youth and subsidized by the Park District, public golf courses are more frequently used by adults and are not generally operated at a loss. This trend is occurring nationally, and golf course closures are increasing at an alarming rate, far exceeding the number of new courses opening. At Scovill Golf Course, 87% of all rounds played were discounted in FY2012/13, up from 83% in FY 2008/09. At Hickory Point, 83% of the rounds played in FY2012/13


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were discounted, compared to only 71% fi ve years ago. This trend also applies at Red Tail Run, where discounted rounds were up to 81% in FY 2012/13 compared to only 69% fi ve years ago.

In addition to the fact that the vast majority of golf rounds are played at a discount, golfi ng is down overall in Decatur. In FY 2012/13 there were just 76,800 rounds played across all three courses, including 28,300 rounds at Hickory Point, 24,300 rounds at Red Tail Run, and 24,200 rounds at Scovill.

Over the past thirteen years, the Park District golf program has incurred approximately $2.6 million in operating losses. In order for the golf program to break even fi nancially in the future, the average price charged for a round of golf must obviously be commensurate with the average cost of providing it. There are several possible approaches that would achieve this, including reducing operational costs, increasing the number of golf rounds sold, increasing the revenue generated per round, reducing the number of golf holes, and engaging a third-party operator to run the facilities at a lower cost.

Reduce Operating Costs Over the past thirteen years, the Park District has taken many steps towards reducing operating costs within the golf system. This includes a shift towards turf grass species that require less supplemental irrigation and mowing, and switching to pumped gray water from treated potable water. Energy saving strategies such as replacing incandescent lighting with compact fl uorescents have been implemented. There are few remaining opportunities for further course improvements to reduce maintenance.

The existing golf pro shops at each course provide an amenity and convenience to the golfers, but these facilities require an inventory worth several hundred thousand dollars and do not generate a meaningful profi t. In many cases, both hard and soft goods merchandise is sold at a break-even or a loss due to low demand. With the emergence and aggressive impact of the on-line and discount marketers, the Park District should consider repositioning the shops to refl ect a philosophy of providing merchandise necessary for playing the game and the availability of quick ship ordering from a variety of manufacturers. It is recommended that the shops stock items such as balls, gloves, tees, hats, sunscreen and limited hard (clubs) & soft (clothing) goods. In the hard goods area, it is recommended that the District provide club fi tting and custom order with quick ship delivery that eliminates the need to carry large numbers of on-hand clubs. In similar fashion, soft goods can be merchandised through events such as trunk shows where the line can be shown and orders taken for quick ship. Both of these methods provide redemption opportunities for golfers redemption of gift certifi cates.


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Finally, the Park District has reduced its full time staff from 24 employees in 2000 (when the system had 81 holes), to eleven employees in 2013 (currently 54 holes). Additional mowing and maintenance staff are employed on a part-time basis, and staff time required to maintain the courses is somewhat weather dependent. Short of reducing the number of golf courses, there are no opportunities to further reduce the number of staff without signifi cantly diminishing the level of service golfers expect, with the possible exception of shifting the entire golf course operation to an independent operator.

Increase the Number of Rounds SoldAs outlined above, existing golf participation has declined both locally and across the nation. The golf market in Decatur has been particularly hard hit, as the overall population has declined signifi cantly, and the specifi c demographic shifts accompanying that decline in population all contribute to reduced golf demand and profi tability. In addition to the fact that Decaturs population is aging, incomes are down, and a large percentage of students in Decatur Public Schools are eligible for the free lunch program. Most signifi cant for the golf program is that the largest decline in Decaturs population occurred in the 25-44 age group, which is also the age group with the highest participation rates in golf. This age group also pays the most for a round of golf, as they are generally not eligible for any discounts. This segment of the golf market, the golfers that pay full price and use a cart, are the backbone of the fi nancial performance of any golf program, and this is where Decaturs population has been hardest hit.

Reversing these long-term trends in Decatur will require a concerted effort across the whole community, including the City, Park District, local businesses, and individual residents. Major efforts underway by the City and Park District include the downtown improvements and

Lakeshore Landing project, which is specifi cally intended to make Decatur a more desirable place to live, support employee recruitment and retention efforts by local businesses, and create a major tourism destination.

The Park District has several programs geared towards attracting more golfers within the current population, and encouraging those already golfi ng to play more rounds. Programs such as the First Tee program are effective at introducing younger golfers to the game, and marketing outreach efforts are targeted towards adult golfers. Other strategies to attract more golfers include offering new ways to play the game in less time, such as three-hole short course play. Reducing prices further may entice additional golfers onto the course, but as outlined above, this is not a fi nancially viable strategy.

Increase Revenues GeneratedClearly, with over 80% of all golf rounds now sold at a discount and average annual losses in excess of $200,000 per year over the last thirteen years, the current revenue structure is in need of an overhaul. However, rate increases alone will not solve the problem. For example, with around 200 season passes sold annually, a $200 per year increase would only generate an additional $40,000 per year. The coupon book program has been successful at bringing the revenue for a round of golf closer to the price to provide the round, but they are still sold at a loss. Other facilities sell passes that limit weekend play, which creates more opportunity for the full price player to get on the golf course.

In general, rate increases alone will not solve the problem, but a meaningful increase must be a part of the long-term solution.


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Reduce the Number of Golf HolesA fi nancially successful golf course generally requires a minimum of 30,000 rounds per year, and with only 76,800 rounds per year, there are simply not enough people golfi ng to support three public courses in Decatur. Coupled with the very high rate of discounted play and ongoing competition from three local private facilities and nearby municipal facilities, the current number of golf rounds is simply not enough to justify three courses.

Should efforts to decrease costs and increase the number of golfers and revenues generated fail to make up the yearly shortfall, the Park District must seriously consider closing nine or eighteen holes of golf. It may make sense to mothball a portion of a course so that it can be relatively easily reopened when demand warrants, or it may be best to close a facility permanently and repurpose the facility for other uses.

Third-Party OperatorThe option of engaging a third-party independent operator to run the golf operations for the Park District may be a viable way to provide a public golf program at a lower cost. A private operator may have lower labor costs than the Park District, and a larger national operator may be able to take advantage of effi ciencies of scale and buying power to further reduce operational expenses beyond what the Park District is capable of. Further, they may be able to increase the number of rounds played by the existing population through more effective national marketing strategies, and they may be able to provide better training to staff to improve the quality of service to the customers.

In some cases, private operators are able to return a yearly profi t over and above all of their costs and fees. However, if a private operator could simply achieve breakeven status, or even signifi cantly cut the losses, it may be a worthwhile approach.

The bottom line for the Park District is that revenues must be increased by reducing discounts or increasing play if golf is to break even fi nancially. If that is not possible, and a subsidized program is acceptable to the Park District, then further analysis should be completed to see if the subsidy for a round of golf is fair and proportional compared to the subsidy given a child or adolescent in a game of soccer or baseball.


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RECOMMENDATIONSNotwithstanding the ideas outlined above to encourage increased golf play, our principal recommendation is to direct primary golf play to Red Tail Run and Hickory Point, while reinventing Scovill Golf Course as a more casual facility. More specifi cally, for Red Tail Run and Hickory Point, we suggest continued efforts to reduce maintenance costs without sacrifi cing quality of play and adding fi tness and cultural programs. At Hickory Point we also suggest engaging the City of Forsyth to help support Hickory Point improvements such as a new improved hiking and biking trail around the course and improving the short course as a teaching facility for beginning players.

At Scovill, basic golf should continue in the form of nine-hole fast play targeted to younger casual players just getting into the game. Three, six, and nine hole routing should be considered to enhance fast play/practice play concept. Outdoor hiking and biking trails should be added and upgraded and linked into the rest of the Decatur trail system. The

Audubon birding designation and the topography of the course should make this a very appealing trail system candidate. The indoor spaces should be re-programmed (using DISC and cultural arts staff ) as an all-ages cultural program and activity/fi tness space Active Living Senior Center with an emphasis on senior programs. The existing restrooms with showers and lockers, large room, high ceilings, and foodservice support this re-purposing very well.

Finally, a fall 2013 update to the 2009 AECOM Decatur Park District Golf Analysis contains specifi c demographic analyses, along with current data on income, costs, and rounds played in the Park District golf system. This report will update specifi c demographic analyses, along with current data on income, costs, and rounds played in the Park District golf system. In the context of this document, the report will be utilized as part of the ongoing monitoring of the fi nancial performance of the golf system, and provides key metrics necessary to make long term decisions on maintaining a fi nancially sustainable golf program.


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COMMUNITY PEER REVIEWSPublic offi cials in seven communities across the Midwest, all of them facing similar challenges as Decatur such as a loss of blue collar industry and declining population, were interviewed to determine how their parks and recreation offerings (facilities & programming) were impacted and what their response was. The objective was to learn how other communities responded to these challenges, and to identify strategies that may be helpful in Decatur or possibly approaches that should be avoided.

Anderson, Indiana Anderson, Indiana is located approximately 30 miles north of Indianapolis, and is the county seat of Madison County, Indiana. According to the U.S. Census, the population of Anderson peaked in 1970 at 70,787 residents. The city at one point had 20,000 manufacturing jobs at General Motors, but by 2000, the population declined to 59,734, and the U.S. Census places the 2010 population at 56,129, representing a six percent decline over 2000 fi gures.

Anderson is well positioned logistically for companies along the I-69 corridor. According to economic development offi cials, the City recently opened a business incubator that is geared toward technology-based companies. The Flagship Industrial Park is currently home to companies such as Bright Automotive, a plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) maker, and Altairnano, an advanced lithium-ion cells developer. In addition, Nestl has constructed a new one million square foot production and warehousing facility located in the Flagship Industrial Park. Nestl originally invested $359 million to construct an 880,000 square-foot factory, making it Nestls largest single capital investment in its history. Recently the company announced it would invest an additional $170 million to expand the facility to more than one million square feet by 2011. Finally, Hondas Greensburg plant will begin making the Civic hybrid, and GTI Anderson will play a signifi cant role in helping to meet those production targets.

Historic Parks and Facilities DevelopmentsThe Parks and Recreation Department lists 32 parks on their website, and there is also a state park in Anderson. Shadyside Recreation Area encompasses approximately 87 acres, including 63 acres of lake surrounded by a fi tness trail with connection to the White River Trail system. It serves as a regional park, and attracts visitors from outside of Anderson and Madison County to fi sh, walk, or ride the level, paved loop around the lake.

Though statistics are not available on the number of parks operated by the Parks and Recreation Department in the past, the number of parks in the system has remained relatively steady even as the population declined. The most recent development in the Anderson Parks and Recreation Department is that the division is now more focused on parks and not on recreation. Budget cuts have caused the department to reduce its programming over the years, and it now offers only fee-based activities. In terms of improvements, maintenance, and infrastructure, the park system has been neglected over last ten years. While the city once operated two or three pools during the summer months, one was recently closed down. The Parks and Recreation Department is working to increase its programs and activity offerings in the community by creating partnerships with churches, non-profi ts, government entities, and community leaders.

Lessons LearnedA budget reduction strategy that cut personnel, programs and maintenance instead of selling off holdings to generate revenue that could have maintained parks and recreation funding has created a system where the parks and recreation department is now going to charities and seeking partnerships to replace programming that has largely been eliminated. When cutting budgets too far could create a situation where core functions of an organization are nearly eliminated, alternate strategies for generating additional funding should be pursued to maintain core services.


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Canton, OhioCanton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately 60 miles south of Cleveland. Canton became a manufacturing center because of its numerous railroad lines, and after the decline of heavy manufacturing, the citys industry diversifi ed into a service economy including retailing, education, fi nance, and healthcare.

According to US Census fi gures, the population peaked in 1950 at 116,912 residents. By 1980, it was down to 94,730 residents and in 2000 it was reported to be 80,806. According to the 2010 census, Cantons population declined 9.7 percent over 2000 levels, down to 73,007 residents. Despite this decline, the 2010 fi gure actually had moved Canton up from 9th to 8th place among Ohio cities, as nearby Youngstown in neighboring Mahoning County, once considerably more populous than Canton, suffered a larger decline in population.

Historic Parks and Facilities DevelopmentsIn 1890 there were only six city parks in Canton. The Canton Park System has grown over the years and now includes 60 park locations totaling roughly 800 acres both inside and outside the city limits. While the number of parks in Canton has remained fairly steady over the decades, relatively few improvements have been made to the parks themselves. However, in March of last year it was announced that a new ADA compliant playground project would be constructed in the city thanks to a grant from the federal government.

Lessons LearnedDespite the declining need for parkland acreage due to major population loss, Canton has maintained its existing park system at the expense of personnel and programming and now relies on the federal government for some basic improvements in the system.

Youngstown, OhioYoungstown lies 10 miles west of the Pennsylvania state line, and is situated on the Mahoning River approximately 65 miles southeast of Cleveland and 61 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

According to the US Census, the population of Youngstown peaked in the 1930s at 170,002 residents. The population remained relatively steady until 1970, when it declined to 139,788. By 1990, the resident population had dropped below 100,000 and declined to 82,026 by 2000. The 2010 US Census estimate places the population at 66,982, representing a decline of 18.3 percent in one decade. Despite this decline, Forbes.com recently ranked Youngstown, Ohio, 4th among the best cities in the US for raising a family.

Historic Parks and Facilities DevelopmentsAccording to the citys website, Youngstown maintains 44 parks totaling 485 acres. This includes twelve parks that are equipped with a total of ten tennis courts, twelve basketball courts, fi ve Little League hardball fi elds, and one Little League softball fi eld. According to City staff, a number of parks have been eliminated over the past few decades, and seven rental facilities have also shut down between the months of September through March.

Lessons LearnedA balanced approach of park closures and strategic closure of other facilities has allowed them to maintain staff and programming to the extent that it is a highly rated community in which to live.


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Lorain, OhioLorain is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland. The population peaked in 1970 at 78,185 residents, but by 2000, it had declined to 68,652 and was 64,097 in 2010.

Historic Parks and Facilities DevelopmentsLorain currently has over 56 parks and facilities totaling 600 acres. However, the city does not currently have a dedicated parks department, which was closed due to budget constraints under the previous mayoral administration. In 2000 the Parks & Recreation department had roughly 21 full-time employees and budget of $1.51million. By 2012, the budget was slashed to $324,000.

Lessons LearnedParks and recreation is a low priority for some communities under extreme economic duress. If the Decatur Park District was a unit of city government and not an independent unit of government, it could possibly have faced far more signifi cant budget issues similar to this or the previously described communities.

Battle Creek, MichiganKnown as Cereal City because it is home to a number of breakfast cereal makers, Battle Creek is located off I-94 in southwest Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 52,347, while the MSA population was 136,146. In 1982, voters approved merging Battle Creek Township with the city of Battle Creek, partially due to pressure from the Kellogg Company, which threatened to move its headquarters away from Battle Creek if the city and township did not merge.

Historic Parks and Facilities DevelopmentsThe city currently has 28 parks. The main change has been in the budget, which has declined over several years from $5.5 million to about $2.86 million. Maintenance has been most greatly impacted, and the parks have suffered as a result. To compensate, the city has formed partnerships with the public and non-profi t sectors to keep the parks operating.

The largest park is Bailey Park, which has more than 80 acres. This park features three full-sized baseball stadiums (including the 6,000 seat C.O. Brown Stadium), two quadra-plex softball diamonds, four sand volleyball courts, a playground and twelve shuffl eboard courts.

Lessons LearnedMerging governmental units that have lost population due to sprawl can help save facilities and programs in the face of severe budget cuts. Major employers can be brought in to help facilitate change. While not directly comparable, Decatur has experienced population loss to surrounding communities. As in Battle Creek, the result was that a smaller tax base is supporting a legacy system. A similar solution in Decatur would be a major corporation in town pushing the surrounding communities to fi nancially support the Park District. In Decatur, this would be more like a merger of park systems rather than one of municipal governments.


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PUBLIC INPUTThis section outlines a comprehensive review of the Decatur Park System from two perspectives. The fi rst is from the perspective of the users, obtained through the community survey, stakeholder interviews, and public meetings. The second is an objective analysis of the physical facilities within each park, including an assessment of the demographics of the neighborhood, proximity of users to the parks, park size, comparison to national standards, amenities provided, and capital improvements required.

Stakeholder InterviewsThe Park District and planning team conducted extensive interviews with a wide range of community leaders and partner organizations with an interest in the Park District facilities. The goal of these interviews was to obtain feedback on how the Park District can improve services, expand partnerships, and build on existing successes.

Interviews were held with the following organizations, with key points listed: Decatur Area Convention and Visitors Bureau o Recommends a broader focus on increasing tourism in DPD Parks o Support for more sporting events, especially Bass Masters Tournament type events o Continue improvements to the lakefront Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce o Improved maintenance is key to the Citys image o Improve communication to let the community know which parks are public o Offer more places for area teenagers to hang out

Grow Decatur o Focus on improving Decaturs competitiveness across the region o Focus on supporting employee recruitment and retention o Support for a broader focus on increasing tourism in DPD Parks NAACP o Main concern for inner city parks, especially Jasper, Johns Hill, Mueller, and Nelson o Improve access to parks, including safe walking routes o Partnership with a local neighborhood organization will be essential to improving Jasper Park Decatur Economic Development Corporation o Focus on improving Decaturs competitiveness across the region o Focus on supporting employee recruitment and retention o Improved mixed use residential on the lake will be a major employee draw Decatur Public Schools o Continue excellent partnership between DPD and DPS o Expand outdoor classroom and learning environments near schools o Improve walkability of neighborhoods to promote safe routes to school Eisenhower High School o Demand for water parks and swimming facilities o Confi dential vandalism reporting systems are needed o More activities to engage teens are needed MacArthur High School o Add more lights to basketball courts to expand use o Teens interested in Park related jobs o Surveillance cameras are ineffective due to lack of police response


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Robertson Charter School o Partnership between the school and DPD is highly benefi cial to both o Upgrades to Grant Park are needed o Drawing a wider user base to Jasper Park will help improve safety and reduce vandalism in the park West End Neighborhood Association o Improve quality of Lake Decatur, restore the reputation of the lake o Improve current dock situation, but maintain access to the lake for all boaters Clokey Neighborhood Association o Expand program opportunities in Clokey Park o Provide benches and sidewalks Neighborhood United and Fans Field Neighborhood o Candy shop is very successful, and is a local neighborhood treasure o Safer street crossings are needed o Older residents need events to help them interact

Public MeetingsA series of public meetings were held over a period of a few weeks to supplement the community survey. The meetings were held at three locations around the community, and were generally attended by groups of 20-30 individuals. Participants were encouraged to submit surveys, which were included in the community survey as non-random or self-selected participants. As one would expect of a self-selected group, the responses tended to be either very much for or against particular issues compared to randomly selected respondents.

A summary of the feedback provided follows: Far and away, the participants called for improved maintenance of existing facilities more than anything else. Positive comments provided on the new bike trails, including from individuals who stated they initially opposed the construction of the trails. Focus on the long term growth of the community when planning for the future, not the currently poor economic conditions and use patterns. A desire for more programmed facilities, including trails, soccer fi elds, splash pads, and aquatic facilities was identifi ed. Ongoing concern about the cost of programs and access to facilities and programs by inner city youth. Continue support for performing arts programs. Make improvement of our parks a priority to create a wow factor to aid in recruiting and retention of employees. Expand big draw events like the fi shing tournament and boat races Desire for a greater park ranger presence. Strong support expressed for the DISC. Signifi cant concern over childhood obesity and general health of community provide more low cost fi tness opportunities like trails and exercise facilities.

In summary, the feedback received in the Stakeholder Interview Sessions and Public Meetings generally paralleled that received in the Community Survey. There is extensive support for the existing system of parks, but much concern about the ability of the Park District to maintain them due to the extensive landholdings and current economic downturn. There is also very strong support for the cultural and recreational program offerings, but concern for expanding access to low income youth. Many residents recognize the value of the parks in making the overall community more competitive, and for supporting the recruitment and retention of employees, which both support the


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economic recovery of the area. Finally, it was recognized that some of the most successful elements in the Park District are those where partnerships with other community organizations exist, and building on these relationships can be a key part of improving the District moving forward.

Community SurveyThe Public Research Group gathered data as part of the community needs assessment process for the 2012-2017 Decatur Park District Comprehensive Master Plan. Community survey data was gathered online through email instruments and by landline telephone calls, of which 626 surveys were initiated and 519 completed, providing a margin of error of 3.5%. The demographics of the respondents indicated that the average age of respondents was 50.3 years of age, about 94% lived in single family homes, and 44.7% of respondents had children in their households.

In terms of familiarity with the Decatur Park District, the data showed traditional media, such as program guides and newspaper articles, are still observed by high percentages of the public. Social media usage is still relatively low. About 95% of those responding rated the Park District as very important or somewhat important to the quality of life in the community, with a much higher percentage of respondents rating the maintenance of existing services as more important than acquisition of new or expansion existing parks.

Participation in existing recreation programs showed that walking for fi tness and fi tness center usage were high, with 7.5% of those responding using programs on a daily basis and 34% on a weekly basis. Price points were the most important considerations in program participation, with 90% of respondents rating Decatur Park District programs as excellent or good. Participation in summer programs was low, though, with only 20% of households with children saying their children participated in them.

Of parks and facilities operated by the park district, 59% of respondents said they had visited Scovill Zoo at one time or another. The second highest used facility was the Decatur Indoor Sports Center, at 42%. Overall, the survey showed that park usage was high with nearly 80% of those responding saying they used parks or facilities at least once a year. Convenience of location was the second highest rated reason that respondents said they used parks or facilities.

The improvements preferred by survey respondents at Nelson Park were led by expanded walking trails and improvements to the lakefront. The fi ndings show there should be improvements to the trail system.

Open-ended comments at the end of the survey showed more residents support favoring improvements than are averse to spending money. The comments support the importance of the Decatur Park District to the quality of life in the community and that its continued development is important.

New Program IdeasIn Question 8, when asked what programmatic improvements respondents would like to see, many people in both random and non-random samples said they would like to see park improvements more than actual program improvements. Several said they would like to see a water park.

Programs suggested included music events, family events, bringing back the boat races, camping, horseback riding, yoga, fi shing classes, as well as a number of classes the Decatur Park District already offers. Since the park district offers a very comprehensive list of recreation programs currently, the suggestions for these new programs is an indication of a slight communication gap that could be bridged through continued outreach to the community. In some ways, the Park District must continually introduce itself to new residents, and re-introduce itself to current residents as their needs change over time.


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Summer ProgramsQuestion 15 asked in which summer programs respondents children participated. Considering that survey data showed that only 20% of households with children used summer programs, it is intuitive that there would be relatively few responses to this question from random and non-random respondents.

A few respondents said their kids participated in summer baseball or swimming, some mentioned the parks to which their children went, and others mentioned the specialty summer camps their children attended, such as the DISC camp.

Final Survey CommentsThe fi nal comments were particularly enlightening as open-ended responses. Several people took the opportunity to say how impressed they are with Decatur Park District parks, facilities, programs, and staff. A few others offered their critiques of services. There were respondents who expressed their fears that fees or taxes would go up, something which they opposed.

But other than general praise or criticisms, there were far more suggestions about what improvements should be made and where they should occur. Scovill and Nelson parks had the most comments, but there were also comments about Lake Shore Drive, the construction of a new water park, getting out of the airport business, safety in the parks, and a number of other issues. Many of the comments had no corroboration, suggesting they were one persons point of view.

The emergent themes were that, based on the overwhelming importance of the Decatur Park District to the quality of life in the community, there were far more people who favored making further improvements than curtailing improvements due to the economic condition of the community or their aversion to increasing taxes. Public Research Group interprets the fi ndings to support continued development of the Park District.

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CHAPTER V PARK SYSTEM INVENTORY/ASSESSMENT

CHAPTER V: PARK SYSTEM INVENTORY/ASSESSMENT


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INTRODUCTIONThe purpose of this chapter is to assess the current content and distribution of Decatur parks and analyze how effectively those parks serve their neighborhoods.

The Decatur Park District has been divided into roughly one square mile study areas based on geographic and transportation boundaries. These study areas, or neighborhoods, may contain multiple smaller neighborhoods as recognized by Decatur residents. Population estimates and median ages for each neighborhood have been established using 2010 Census data and 2011 Esri Business Analyst data. Predominance of specifi c age groups was determined from the same data, and shows which neighborhoods have large numbers of a specifi c age group compared to other neighborhoods.

Once population estimates were determined, minimum park guidelines were established for each neighborhood using National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) standards. These standards were established as suggested minimums to meet the recreation needs of most populations. These park guidelines are followed in order to provide a high quality of life for Decatur residents, but also to ensure that the Decatur Park District remains eligible for the maximum grant funding available. Meeting minimum guidelines will align the Park District with the priorities of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), as outlined in the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).

The SCORP is required to maintain Illinois eligibility to participate in the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program. The SCORP is prepared as a fi ve-year document by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and establishes priorities for the use of LWCF funds. These priorities also guide the use of State Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) funds. The two programs

represent a successful partnership among federal, State, and local government in Illinois. In order for local agencies such as the Decatur Park District to receive funds, they must demonstrate compliance with SCORP goals.

The NRPAs rule-of-thumb minimum for park acerage is 10 acres per 1,000 population. The average statewide supply of community outdoor recreation lands in Illinois is 11.35 acres per 1,000 population. This includes park district and municipal lands, which primarily serve community-based recreation needs. This statewide average is the number that IDNR utilizes during the review and rating of an agencys grant application, unless the agency has formally adopted a separate standard or included the standard in a current comprehensive plan. This number may increase in the 2015 2020 IDNR SCORP.

These standards provide common-sense benchmarks for how parks can best serve their populations. When neighborhoods do not meet minimum standards, vulnerable communities may show declines in health and wellness. However, when neighborhoods far exceed guidelines for park acerage, there may be drawbacks. The excess park space tends to be under-utilized and neglected, leading to improper use and vandalism. These parks put strain on the budgets of

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Decatur Park District Master Plan

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