Author: zeceightinsights_l0pfvg

Bargersville, IN Parks and Recreation Master Plan (2022)

Why

The Town of Bargersville operates under the council/manager form of government. The Town of Bargersville, incorporated in 1880, has an estimated population of 7,085 and a land area of 18.7 square miles. As the Town continues to experience growth, the demand for additional recreational facilities will increase. The Town sought to identify additional funding sources to provide the facilities necessary to meet the demands of the population growth. Additionally, the Town sought to establish the necessary management and governance structure to deliver parks and recreation services.

HOW

The Master Plan utilized a comprehensive exploratory approach. First, context was established by conducting stakeholder interviews. Second, public engagement was conducted via online surveying, user intercept surveying, public meetings, and notifications via the Town’s water bill and special event fliers. Third, governance needs were determined based on the community’s vision for the future park and recreation system. Fourth, funding sources were identified to help the Town of Bargersville implement the community’s vision.

What

The final Master Plan provides an inclusive outline to smart growth in terms of functionality and governance. A connection to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) was established that supports the newly adopted land acquisition philosophy and approach. Additionally, the Master Plan process coincided with the Town’s five-year update up the Recreation Impact Fee (RIF). As a result, systematic growth, management and governance, and funding and financing represent the three key tenets of the overarching plan.

Reference
Julie Young, AICP
Town Manager
(317) 422-3101
jyoung@townofbargersville.org
24 North Main Street
Bargersville, IN 46106

Madison County, IN Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Natural Areas Master Plan (2024)

Why

The Forward Madison County 2035 Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2021 to guide growth and development within Madison County over the next 20 years. The plan outlined a number of goals and objectives intended to better position the County to achieve and foster anticipated growth. Included in the plan are recommendations to explore options for providing improving parks and recreational facilities throughout Madison County. As a result, the county sought a plan that would include the formation of a County Parks and Recreation Department, a county-wide review of the existing parks and recreational facilities, identification of underserved areas, and an implementation plan to ensure smart, cohesive facilities are provided.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with V3 Companies, Lehman & Lehman, and ETC Institute to develop the new parks department and corresponding master plan. Zec Eight Insights focused on working with the county team to identify the most appropriate organizational structure, maintenance standards and practices, and policies and procedures to fulfill the department’s operational needs and community vision. Additionally, guidance was provided for establishing the county’s first-ever Parks Board according to Indiana Code.

What

The final Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Natural Areas Plan focuses on trails and pathways development as a starting focus for the county park department. Land acquisition strategies and corresponding park classification typologies are included to help the county expand beyond trail connectivity when ready. Additionally, a growth strategy for department staffing is presented based on a functional organizational structure design and progression.

Reference
Jessica S. Bastin, P.E.
Madison County Engineer
(765) 646-9245
jbastin@madisoncounty.in.gov
16 East 9th Street
Anderson, IN 46016

Hamilton County, IN Parks and Recreation Master Plan (2022)

Why

For the fifth consecutive decade, Hamilton County, Indiana remained the fastest growing Indiana county in 2020 (with a 26.5% population increase). The county is also home to strong local municipal parks and recreation departments. As a result, Hamilton County residents are accustomed to a high level of service and quality of life expectations. Hamilton County Parks and Recreation (HCPR) desired to update its Five-Year Master Plan to be eligible for the Land and Water Conservation Fund monies established by Congress in 1964. HCPR sought to create a more robust land acquisition strategy, identify new funding and revenue considerations, and create a plan that provides direction for operations and maintenance.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with Lehman & Lehman along with ETC Institute. Lehman & Lehman is a landscape architect firm located in Mishawaka, IN. They provided their expertise in park assessments, mapping, and assistance with the overall plan’s development. ETC Institute is based in Olathe, KS and is recognized as an industry leader in community market research. They provided their expertise in statistically-valid surveying which resulted in 600 collected responses with a precision rate of +/- 4% at the 95% level of confidence.

What

The final Master Plan provides an updated land acquisition plan/policy, baseline for establishing staffing standards, funding and revenue guidelines to help fund the system, identified capital improvement projects by park location, and an implementable action plan with a phased approach over the five-year planning period. The plan is a direct result of a large internal and external engagement process coupled with technical assessments and research.

Reference
Chris Stice, Director
Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department
(317) 770-4400
chris.stice@hamiltoncounty.in.gov
400 Lafayette Road
Noblesville, IN 46060

New Haven, IN Parks and Recreation Master Plan (2023)

Why

New Haven-Adams Township Parks and Recreation has a unique organizational set-up compared to most Indiana parks departments. The department’s jurisdictional boundary contains New Haven’s city limits and Adams Township boundaries. As a result, the department has two residential stakeholder groups to plan recreational opportunities along with having a more complex funding structure. New Haven-Adams Township Parks and Recreation saw the Five-Year Master Plan as a way to better inform operational decisions in light of its organizational structure along with meeting the requirement for Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant opportunities.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with Designing Local for the planning process. Designing Local is a certified woman-owned business that helps communities create beautiful, functional places that engage and inspire. Together, the planning team analyzed park access, ALICE findings, levels of service, operational policies and procedures, financial projections, existing site conditions and constraints, and public engagement findings to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the parks system.

What

The final Master Plan included the development of GIS base files, five-year capital improvement plan (CIP) project list, along with recommendations for increased financial investment, park system governance, adjusting programs and services, adding “missing” facilities/amenities to the system, and adopting a land acquisition philosophy. Recommendations for both the built environment and operational planning enable New Haven-Adams Township Parks and Recreation to be more successful with implementing action strategies and communicating with elected officials, staff, and the public.

Reference
Mike Clendenen, Superintendent
New Haven-Adams Township Parks and Recreation
(260) 749-2212
mclendenen@newhaven.in.gov
7500 SR 930 E
Fort Wayne, IN 46803

Aspen, CO Recreation Business Plan (2023)

Why

The Aspen Recreation Department has an agreement with the Recreation Advisory Committee that a Recreation Business Plan must be updated every ten years. The most recent Recreation Business Plan was set to be revaluated in 2025, but given the COVID-driven impacts on public recreation facilities, early funding was granted in order to proceed with an updated Recreation Business Plan in 2023.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with PROS Consulting and ePRepSolutions to update the Recreation Business Plan. Zec Eight Insights focused on conducting a customized recreation program inventory and analysis. Namely, Zec Eight Insights analyzed all available registration and usership data for a three-year period to develop a trend timeframe for program capacities, cancelation rates, utilization rates (space), resident vs. non-resident use, and program delivery and evaluation methods.

What

The final Recreation Business Plan provides a holistic understanding of the financial implications associated with operating the city’s recreation facilities. A detailed financial analysis conducted by ePRepSolutions, fiscal recommendations produced by PROS Consulting, and customized analytics reviewed by Zec Eight Insights provided specific directions for the next five to ten years of public recreation in Aspen.

Reference
Desiree Whitehead, Recreation Director
Aspen Parks and Recreation
(970) 429-2083
Desiree.whitehead@aspen.gov
585 Cemetery Lane
Aspen, CO 81611

Grove City, OH Recreation Program Plan (2022)

Why

Grove City Parks and Recreation was the fourth CAPRA accredited department in the state of Ohio (2006). Re-accreditation occurs every five years and the most recent re-accreditation process yielded a need to update the Recreation Program Plan to make it more comprehensive and functional for the department. Additionally, there was a desire to enhance the way the department created and evaluated programming along with utilizing key performance indicators.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights worked with the department to understand their point of view as they relate to public recreation programs and services. Community engagement ensued with stakeholder interviews and focus groups along with a community survey. Results indicated a preferred direction(s) for the department over the next five years. A custom data analysis was performed on reports produced via RecTrac to examine multi-year data trends in terms of program capacity, enrollments, day of the week participation, seasonality, and cancelation rates. This analysis was combined with both the internal and external stakeholder engagement process to produce the final Recreation Program Plan.

What

The final plan includes a multi-year implementation plan that focuses on a three-year timeframe while also providing more long-term strategies. In total, 17 strategies are articulated that span actions related to core program area service administration, strategies to develop/propose programs, enhanced evaluation metrics and processes, and decision-making attributes for current and future/potential collaborations and partnerships.

Reference
Kim Conrad, Director
Grove City Parks and Recreation Department
(614) 277-3051
kconrad@grovecityohio.gov
3226 Kingston Avenue
Grove City, OH 43123

Putnam County, IN Glenn Flint Lake Campground Study (2024)

Why

The Little Walnut Creek Conservancy District, located in Greencastle, Indiana, was established under Indiana statute as a unit of local government in 1967 for the purpose of flood control and recreation. As part of its purview, the District oversees Glenn Flint Lake. At the time of the study, Glenn Flint Lake had one public boat ramp and a few primitive camping spots. The District, in association with Putnam Parks & Pathways and the Putnam County Visitor Bureau, desires to see the lake’s public access enhanced and so a study examining a potential campground on location was commenced.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with V3 Companies to study the feasibility of locating a campground on location. Zec Eight Insights performed an environmental scan for similar providers and direct competitors while calculating market availability for such an amenity. After working with V3 to study the proposed site’s constraints, limitations, and opportunities, Zec Eight Insights developed a customized operational budget based on maintenance standards, market rates, utilization rates, and management decisions based on organizational/governance structure. Additionally, a revenue model was created that can be easily manipulated based on the number of revenue centers added on site.

What

The final Glenn Flint Lake Campground Study was deemed feasible based on-site availability, market need, and operational implications. The intent of this study is to serve as a lead-in to a larger Glenn Flint Lake Site Master Plan that will examine all publicly-accessible areas surrounding the water to determine the best public uses. This study is also being used to procure financial resources for public recreation development of the lake and campground in particular.

Reference
Mike Richmond, Marketing Director & Destination Development
Putnam Parks & Pathways
(765) 620-4653
mike@goputnam.com
12 W Washington Street
Greencastle, IN 46135

New Hampshire Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (2023)

Why

In the 1960’s, the Kennedy Administration proposed legislation that would eventually become the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act of 1965 (Public Law 88-578). Among other guidelines meant to safeguard natural areas, water resources, and cultural heritage, the law established the LWCF State and Local Assistance Program which is used to provide matching grant funds to state and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. In recent years, the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act and Great American Outdoors Act have permanently reauthorized and fully funded the LWCF program, respectively. Under this landmark legislation as well as its subsequent reiterations, any state that desires to participate in the LWCF program must complete a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) every five years.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with University of New Hampshire to develop the next five-year SCORP. Zec Eight Insights was primarily used as a SCORP writer and document developer. That is, Zec Eight Insights worked with the University of New Hampshire partners to identify relevant data organization, overarching recommendations, and report sequencing to produce the physical final deliverable and document for public consumption, including layout and design.

What

The final New Hampshire SCORP identifies major issues and challenges facing the state’s outdoor recreation and natural resources; assesses the existing supply of, and demand for, outdoor recreation opportunities; evaluates recreation trends, deficiencies, underserved areas, and desired improvements; conducts an inventory of current outdoor recreation facilities, trails, and wetlands; establishes priorities based on outreach efforts, data research, and previous plans; and ensures accountability in measuring success using publicly issued annual benchmark reports.

Reference
Michael D. Ferguson, Ph.D., Associate Professor
University of New Hampshire
(603) 862-1644
Michael.ferguson@unh.edu
4 Library Way
Durham, NH 03824

South Suburban Parks & Recreation District, CO Recreation Programming Plan (2023)

Why

South Suburban Parks & Recreation District (SSPRD) received Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) accreditation in 2019. In preparation for their first reaccreditation in 2024, SSPRD wanted to produce a more robust Recreation Programming Plan to align with CAPRA standard 6.1. As a District that covers 42.5 square miles and includes six cities and towns along with unincorporated areas of three counties, a unified Recreation Programming Plan is a must have and best practice.

HOW

First, a systemwide tour was conducted to better understand the available recreation program spaces. Second, ten internal staff focus groups were conducted for each core program area. Third, external engagement included an online survey and interactive activity sessions at three large community events within the District. Finally, a custom program assessment was conducted that analyzed over 18,600 registered activities for enrollment trends by activity format and capacities (based on length of activity and comparisons to stated minimums and maximums, respectively).

What

The final Recreation Programming Plan resulted in recommendations for SSPRD’s program delivery model, performance and evaluation mechanics, marketing and communication methods, staffing levels, space enhancement considerations, and needed administrative support. Additionally, the Recreation Programming Plan updates SSPRD’s program and service determinants based on all information gained through the planning process.

Reference
Mindy Albert, Recreation Programs and Special Project Manager
South Suburban Parks & Recreation District
(303) 483-7010
mindya@ssprd.org
4810 E County Line Rd
Littleton, CO 80126

US Army Corps of Engineers S3 Project (2022)

Why

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) manages public recreation sites across the country. Many of their properties are “legacy” sites meaning they have been in the system for a long time and they serve as a mechanism to provide public access to water and land resources. With a vast portfolio of project sites, a large staff, the necessity to manage and provide oversight for contracted services, there was a need to take a deep dive into what it really takes to manage and operate these public spaces.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with Woolpert along with ePRepSolutions and PROS Consulting to develop unconstrained budgets for five USACE project sites. The intent behind the process was to evaluate what it should cost to maintain the types of project sites contained in the USACE portfolio. This was an important concept to consider because federal agencies are dependent upon federal budget appropriations and are also in the public eye so transparency with how they spend public monies is of utmost importance. Additionally, USACE’s budget is developed every two years. This stresses the importance of forecasting costs as they do not have an opportunity to necessarily adjust each year.

What

The final unconstrained budgets provide detailed costs based on USACE asset types, position level(s) performing the work, estimated completion time, and recommended maintenance frequencies based on a three-tiered maintenance system. The USACE can use the information to examine existing budget targets and service levels to determine operational efficiencies and needed adjustments in terms of staffing, service levels, maintenance standards, and budget requests.

Reference
Ryan Hartwig, Recreation Program Manager
US Army Corps of Engineers
(404) 275-5589
ryan.d.hartwig@usace.army.mil
60 Forsyth Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303