Districtwide Comprehensive Master Plan 57 Needs Assessment
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) released their 2013 Parks
and Recreation Database Report, a report summarizing trend information derived
from their online PRORAGIS application. PRORAGIS is a tool designed to assist park
and recreation leaders in their need to continually examine and communicate the
value of parks to their communities. The report is derived from an online database
of information provided by park and recreation professionals about their respective
district, departments, or organizations. In all, 383 agencies are represented in this
data.
Based on the information received over the past three years, the following trends
were concluded:
• Areas of increased park and recreation agency responsibility include
conducting special events, maintaining public jurisdiction areas, and
administering community gardens.
• Area of decreased park and recreation agency responsibility include
managing major aquatic complexes and providing environmental education
and natural history programs.
• Staffi ng and hiring, while still lower than 2010 numbers, is increasing while
volunteer numbers are continuing to decline.
• November 2012 saw the largest number of park and recreation capital ballot
referendums since 2008. In general, they passed with about 67% of electoral
support. This indicates an improved public confi dence in the future economy
and their support of park and recreation services.
• While attendance at programs, classes, and events is rebounding from past
decline, the actual number of program off erings has declined in every major
category since 2010.
