Alexandria Township Park and Recreation Commission

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Alexandria TownshipPark and Recreation Commission

• 2008 Survey Results Summary

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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
Demographics
Surveys mailed to all Township households 278
respondents via web and mail. Respondents
represent approx. 11 of Township residents.
Distribution of responses closely matches Census
Bureau Population distribution.
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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
Participation
Participation in Rec programs or use of Park
facilities, based on Survey responses, as a
percentage of the target population (e.g.,
Community Day target is all residents). This
reveals that almost every child in Alexandria has
used or uses Kidtopia, more than half of school
age children play on our fields and have fished
at our Derby, more than half the Township has
attended our Community Day. Other popular
activities and facilities include Soccer, Summer
Rec, the Parks Walking Trail, Basketball, Summer
Concerts, open spaces at the Park, and the new
Nature Trail.
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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
Participation
Participation in Rec programs or use of Park
facilities, based on Survey responses, based on
reported usage. This view shows the heaviest
usage in raw numbers. This view differs from the
prior slide due to differences in target
populations. Again, in raw numbers, it shows the
appeal of Community Day and the Walking Trail at
the Park, Kidtopia Playground, the Summer Concert
Series, open space, the Nature Trail, and
traditional usage of playing fields.
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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
Satisfaction
Satisfaction is uniformly high for all programs.
(Volleyball had 2 responsethe second respondent
abandoned the satisfaction response). Dissatisf
action was generally described by respondents in
positive terms want Walking Trail to be
longer want more shade at Kidtopia Derby
schedule date conflicts want Summer Rec to be
full day Nature Trail needs more mulch See
verbatim comments for a sampling of some of the
responses.
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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
Major New Projects
The Survey outlined two major new projects
Basketball Courts and a Pavilion. These three
charts outline respondents anticipated usage (as
a percent of target population), raw numbers,
and stated priorities (high and medium combined).
The Friends of Alexandria Park, Inc. will be
installing two full-sized basketball courts this
year fundraising continues, but sufficient
contributions have been raised to start the
project. The remaining major project, the
Pavilion, will be the focus of future fundraising.
New Stuff
Recommendations from respondents for new
facilities or programs. Response was fairly low
to this question. Inferences could include
relative satisfaction with completeness of
existing facilities, desire to avoid incurring
additional costs, etc.
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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
Verbatim Comments
The 2008 Survey allowed for a substantial number
of comments each section specifically requested
comments (programs and facilities, external
providers, major projects, new recreation
programs, new park facilities, and general
comments). Many of the comments had a common
theme. Below is a sampling of what respondents
were saying
Programs and Facilities Comments
Kidtopia is a great place for the kids...only
suggestion would be some sort of awning for
shade. Wish we had more time so we could use the
facilities more often! finish the walking
trail Used to participate in youth soccer and
baseball and was satisfied Although my kids have
outgrown the youth activities at the park, I am
still passionately in favor of improving the
park. It is a bright spot for Alexandria Twp.
To all who have helped make it what it is today,
we all owe a debt of gratitude. Summer concerts
and community day are also of interest to us.
Will also use additional programs in future with
grandchildren who will visit us. Summer rec is
great, but I wish it were longer and offered
different options for different age levels. No
need for any of these activities stop spending
and lower the tax more summer concerts slow
down traffic in park
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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
Major Project Comments
Giving kids and families opportunities to engage
in healthy and positive activities only makes us
better in the long run. These improvements do
just that. A pavilion like Kingwood would be
wonderful for the community....kitchen/bathrooms.
Could work as a fundraiser. There are
basketball courts at the schools. let's get'm
done!!!
New Recreation Program Comments
Programs for younger children, maybe a toddler
sports program in the summer (teaching soccer
skills, baseball, etc..) Bocce Ball court.
Concerts. Summer softball for adults summer
basketball, adult soccer, adult softball, annual
community yard sale horseback riding rec
program, kids that do not have horses that want
to ride, AEA do something with this? Open space
for this? If it involves raising taxes- none!!!
enough!!! would love to participate in youth
programs and rec opportunities but don't receive
information so we miss out our 7 year old
attends private school and so we don't receive
info from the school there is a nice mix of
programs you are doing a great job senior
programs walking, dancing, community yard sale
with advertising
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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
New Park Facility Comments
our grandchildren use the playground and walking
trail one is in a wheelchair so paved is
better more picnic tables in wooded areas a
track (trail) around the park- high
priority tennis courts- high priority notificati
on or activities by email or newsletters a more
challenging and advanced play area for children 8
yrs old-teens. Including a large rock climbing
wall, tire swings, maze, etc. dog park area high
and tennis courts- high priority restrooms
similar to kingwood park- high tennis courts-
low, community pool - High senior citizens
center- high bathrooms- high finish parking
project increase length of walking path we like
it very much more concert events, adult
volleyball outdoors and softball league
Horseshoes (Medium) Community Center High
Community Pool - Medium A pavilion and
bathrooms Adequate parking Improve the
entry/exit driveway (pole in the Middle is poor
planning). bocce courts, volleyball (sand) and
horseshoes should go in after the
pavilion Bathrooms would be nice. we want the
park to remain a PARK, not become a childrens or
adult "playground". We do NOT want to hear
noise moved to this part of the state to have
peace quiet nature get away from things
like this "park". It is not a PARK, its a
playground. more baseball/softball fields bike
path workout stations water fountain area for
camping for scouts with fire pits for camp fires
cookout grills
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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
General Comments
keep up the good job the park is a great place
for all ages! thanks for all the hard work, we
really appreciate it! thanks for all you are
doing the park is Great! I strongly believe that
we should minimize the use of the park for things
like a municipal court. This is a park for fun
and not for punishing/trying criminals. If the
township building must go there ok, but NOT
COURT. Beautiful Park The park is
awesome!!! thanks for doing a terrific job! the
park area is beautiful! Thanks! thank you for
your time and energy working for the township. It
is truly appreciated. thank you to all the
people who volunteer. Hopefully we can join you
in the future. with taxes as they are driven by
lack of funding control at the schools we don't
want any additional financial burden generated by
the township I am TIRED of people spending MY
money for things THEY want- KNOCK IT OFF! this
is a wonderful community park- it is something to
be proud of and preserved!!!
I would like to see many more trees, shrubs,
perennials, wildflower areas, meadowstoo much
open grass area the trees that have been planted
look great. I think the park has served the
township very nicely. Community Day has such a
good feeling. I look forward to it each year.
Thanks for the hard work. First I would like to
say I love having the Alexandria park and all of
its many contributions to our community but when
having this park entails our taxes going up I am
then put in a position of being closer to being
pushed out of the area all together. Great job
with what has been done so far with the park.
While we can't volunteer on a full time basis, we
will give our time whenever we can. You guys are
doing a great job with Parks Recreation at
little or no cost to taxpayers. Keep up the good
work! a fantastic job is being done by all
involved. You should be very proud of it. sees
lots of opportunities to keep scouts involved.
Info Kiosks are great, lots more for upcoming
eagle scouts As you can see I do not use the
park. I think the park is a necessary evil
caused by the people who have moved to Alexandria
in the past 10 years. It is a waste of my tax
money. The park is here and here to stay, but
don't make me pay for something I did not want or
plan to use.
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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
Conclusions

• Existing programs and facilities are satisfying
  Township residents
• High degree of Township resident usage (both Park
  and Programs)
• Key investments in (and donations of) facilities
  are major satisfiers Playground, Walking Trail,
  Nature Trail, playing fields
• Largest programs are major satisfiers Community
  Day, recreation soccer and basketball
• High survey response rate 2-1/2 times higher
  than a good direct marketing effort. Response
  closely resembles Census Bureaus population
  estimates.
• Respondents are satisfied with external
  recreation providers programs.
• Respondents support our planned facility projects
  (basketball and pavilion)
• Pavilion support was uniformly positive given
  our design for both picnic and rest rooms
  included, appeal is even stronger.
• Basketball appeal was narrower, but this is a
  case of voting with our wallets given the
  support the community has shown.

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Alexandria Township Park Recreation
Commission2008 Survey Summary
Conclusions

• New Recreation Programs there was no consensus,
  or even a strong vote for any specific program.
  Comments mentioned longer Summer Rec more summer
  concerts, programs targeted to under-served
  demographics (toddlers and senior citizens)
• New Facilities again no consensus, but more
  votes here for tennis, rest rooms, finishing the
  walking trail, etc.
• Low-hanging fruit Bocce courts, horse shoes and
  volleyball facilities.
• Less than 10 of the respondents could be
  considered hostile negative responses
  across-the-board. Frequently the respondents
  were in the 61 demographic, and felt ill-served
  by programs and facilities. Frequent tax pressure
  mentioned. Seems to be either low awareness of
  (or low acceptance of) the fact that majority of
  our work is thru donations and volunteerism.
  None of the negative respondents were willing to
  volunteer to help reduce their tax burden.
  Contrast this to the survey from 8 years ago,
  where 1/3rd of the respondents were hostile to
  the Park plans at the time
• Communication of events and programs continues to
  be a problem, especially for residents who dont
  have children in the Alexandria schools.