HomeMy Public PortalAboutCHAPTER FOUR STANDARD ANALYSIS CHAPTER FOUR
STANDARD ANALYSIS
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Level of Service Standards
Needs Analysis
Accessibility and Universal Design
Summary
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CHAPTER FOUR
STANDARD ANALYSIS
Level of Service Standards
Needs Analysis
Accessibility and Universal Design
Summary
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LEVELS OF SERVICE STANDARDS
Facility Standards
The facility standards developed for this plan are based on the National Recreation &
Park Association's (NRPA) "Recreation, Park and Open Space Standards and
Guidelines". Prior to the 2003-2007 Master Plan, all previous recreation planning in
Greencastle was completed without comparison to the National Standards. Utilization of
the national standards allows the planning process to set a benchmark of desired facilities
for a specific population. In table 4-1, the NRPA Facility Standards Table below shows
standards in terms of park acreage and the quantity of a specific facility or amenity
needed to serve a given number of persons. Facility Standards define the minimum
number of recreation facilities necessary to accommodate the community needs for
recreational activities.
The following standards will be used as a tool to assist in determining the current and
future community-wide recreation needs.
Table 4-1: NRPA Facility Standards Table
Acreage
Greencastle Park Facility Development NRPA Standards for Public Facilities
Categories Standards* in a 10,500 Person Community
Total City Park Land(Acres) 1 5.4 1,000
Baseball/Softball Fields 3.25 1 5,000
Outdoor Basketball Courts 0.25 1 5,000
Picnic Shelter Area 0.20 1 2,000
Playgrounds 0.20 1 2,000
Football Fields 2.00 1 5,000
Soccer Fields 2.50 1 4,000
Swimming Pool(Outdoor) 3.00 1 10,000
Swimming Pool(Indoor) 5.00 1 20,000
Gymnasium 5.00 1 10,000
Tennis Courts 0.25 1 2,000
Volleyball 0.20 1 5,000
Horseshoe Pits 0.05 1 5,000
Community Building 0.60 1 10,000
Skate Park 0.20 1 10,000
Amphitheater 4.00 1 5,000
Multi-Use Trails(in Miles) NA 1 3,000
Nature/Historic Sites 0.25 1 5,000
Fishing Facility/Access 8.00 1 20,000
Wooded/Green Space in Acres 1.25 1 1,000
Pond/River/Wetland in Acres 1.25 1 5,000
Restroom Facility 0.25 1 20 Acres
Maintenance Building 0.25 1 10,000
• *Acreage Development Standards include square footage for the facility,user parking,infrastructure,or
other support amenities
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NEEDS ANALYSIS
Utilizing the established Facility Standards, Greencastle's Community-Wide Needs for
the five-year timeframe of 2010-2014 are presented in the following Table 4-2. The
facilities included for these need projections were selected as the most warranted
facilities to meet current and future demand, and current trends in park and recreation
planning, further defined in the previous section of this Chapter entitled Facility
Standards. These trends were indicated and supported by city staff, public participation
results, and is reflective of changes created by the National Recreation and Park
Association (1995) and presented in the text taken from Park, Recreation, Open Space
and Greenway Guidelines (1996).
Acreage' NRPA Standards for Greencastle's 2010 Park New Inventory Acreage
Greencastle Park Facility Develop- Public Facilities in a Public Park Inventory NeMs/(Surplus) Allocation
Categories ment 10,500 Person Inventory for New
Standards Community 2010 Needs by 2007 Needs
Total City Park Land(Acres) 1 5.4 1,000 130 57 (73) (73.30)
Baseball/Softball Fields 3.25 1 5,000 9 2 (7) (22.75)
Outdoor Basketball Courts 0.25 1 5,000 2 2 0 0.00
Picnic Shelter Area 0.20 1 2,000 9 5 (4) (0.80)
Playgrounds 0.20 1 2,000 5 5 0 0.00
Football Fields 2.00 1 5,000 0 2 2 4.00
Soccer Fields 2.50 1 4,000 9 2 (7) (17.50)
,e^s, Swimming Pool(Outdoor) 3.00 1 10,000 1 1 0 0.00
Swimming Pool(Indoor) 5.00 1 20,000 0 0 0 0.00
Gymnasium 5.00 1 10,000 0 1 1 5.00
Tennis Courts 0.25 1 2,000 5 5 0 0.00
Volleyball 0.20 1 5,000 0 2 2 0.40
Horseshoe Pits 0.05 1 5,000 2 2 0 0.00
Community Building 0.60 1 10,000 1 1 0 0.00
Skate Park 0.20 1 10,000 1 1 0 0.00
Amphitheater 4.00 1 5,000 1 2 1 4.00
Multi-Use Trails(in Miles) NA 1 3,000 5 3 (2) NA
Nature/Historic Sites 0.25 1 5,000 1 2 1 0.25
Fishing Facility/Access 8.00 1 20,000 1 0 (1) (8.00)
Wooded/Green Space in Acres 1.25 1 1,000 12 10 (2) (2.50)
Pond/River/Wetland in Acres 1.25 1 5,000 8 2 (6) (7.50)
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Restroom Facility 0.25 1 Acres 3 3 0 (0.04)
Maintenance Building 0.25 1 10,000 2 1 (1) (0.25)
*Acreage Development Standards include square footage for the facility,user parking,infrastructure and other support
amenities
**Inventory Estimate includes acreage and facilities at Robe Ann Park,Jaycee Park&Big Walnut Sports Park
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The projections are intended to be a guide for estimating needs based on future growth in
the community, where the city population is estimated to reach approximately 10,500
persons by the year 2012. The needs presented in these tables will be utilized to help
determine appropriate park development recommendations for the next five years.
ACCESSIBILITY AND UNIVERSAL DESIGN
Statement of Accessibility
The Greencastle Board of Park Commissioners and the Greencastle Parks &Recreation
Department supports the American with Disabilities Act by making reasonable
accommodations in serving individuals with disabilities. Program and facilities are
offered on a non-discriminatory basis. The designation"accessible"indicates access for
wheelchair users in compliance with the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standard(ADA).
A self-evaluation was conducted by the City of Greencastle Building Inspector on June
12, 2006. Evaluations were completed for Robe-Ann, Jaycee and Big Walnut Sports
Parks. These were updated on July 9, 2009.
All new construction or improved park facilities will be completed in accordance with
Accessibility and Universal Design Rules providing that funding is available to complete
the entire improvement project.
Current Accessiblity
Since the self-evaluations conducted on June 12, 2006 and July 9, 2009,the Greencastle
Parks & Recreation Department has constructed five parking lots at Big Walnut Sports
Park and two at Robe-Ann Park that have addressed some of the accessible route issues
all designating proper parking locations and signage. We have also completed two
shelter renovation projects at Robe-Ann Park that have addressed accessible route issues
with the installation of sidewalks to the shelters. In 2010, a 2.1-mile bicycle and
pedestrian trail that links four of the five community schools within Greencastle. This
trail followed INDOT and AASHTO guidelines.
Currently, Jaycee Park has many accessibility issues to address. When the proper
funding is allocated and authorization received, a complete Master Plan of Jaycee Park
will be conducted. In this plan,not only will we seek citizen input in regards to positives
and negatives, as well as future development; but we will also establish a written plan to
address A.D.A. faults.
Proposed Accessibility
The Greencastle Parks & Recreation Department, through the City of Greencastle
Building Inspector's office, will prepare and conduct a self-evaluation for the entire
municipal park system in 2011. The findings and conclusions will be published as an
amendment to the 2011-2015 Greencastle Parks & Recreation Department 5-Year Master
Plan. The reports will include,but not be limited to ...
• Policies
• • Employment
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• Programs
,-� • Facilities
• Estimated costs of compliance
• Potential funding sources
SUMMARY
In review of the Level of Service Standards and Inventory Needs Analysis it would
appear that the overall picture of recreation facilities available to the citizens of
Greencastle are far above the NRPA Standards for Public Facilities for a community of
10,500-person community; however, looks may be deceiving.
The overall acreage of recreational areas available to Greencastle citizens includes the
city-owned Robe-Ann Park at 30-acres, Jaycee Park at 22-acres, and Big Walnut Sports
Park at 78.80 acres. These three properties total approximately 130-acres of lands
devoted to recreation. The downfall to these figures is that although great in size, these
facilities aren't conveniently located to the user.
Robe-Aim Park is centrally located in Greencastle and is home to many of the
recreational facilities offered by the parks and recreation department and although many
of the facilities located in the park are easily accessible from the surrounding
neighborhoods, many people in town have to or still drive to the park to enjoy what is
offered. Jaycee Park is a wooded natural area great for passive recreational activities;
however the park is located approximately 1.5-miles outside of the municipal limits with
many accessibility hurdles to address. Big Walnut Sports Park offers many youth and
adult sports fields, however although accessible by the People Pathways Sports Park Link
Trail and the latest parking lot improvement projects, it is located approximately 1-mile
out of town. Big Walnut Sports Park also targets Putnam County as a whole and not just
the City of Greencastle citizens.
Therefore even though the overall acreage for Greencastle more than exceeds the
standard, the city does not have strategically located smaller neighborhood parks within
walking distance of their residential neighborhoods.
When examining the standards, a community the size of Greencastle should offer at least
two softball diamonds. The City, itself, operates an adult softball field, which is located
in Robe-Ann Park. The other eight (8) ball diamonds are located at Big Walnut Sports
Park. These softball / baseball facilities are again serving users and teams from all
around Putnam County and not just the citizens of Greencastle. Seven of the fields
located at the sports park target youth ball programs, while only one is sized large enough
to serve an adult softball program, like the Women's, Men's and/or Coed Softball
Leagues. When examining the user and team numbers, as well as the practice and game
schedules, one additional adult softball field is needed with regulation ASA fence, base
and pitching plate distances.
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The need for a community and recreation center and gymnasium are apparent when
,-� reviewing the standards. Currently, there are no facilities that are open to the public on a
regular basis for recreational use.
In regards to accessibility issues,the Greencastle Parks &Recreation Department has the
need to complete a self-evaluation, as well as evaluate,update and replace A.D.A.
signage within the municipal parks system.
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