City of Davis

July Proclaimed National Parks and Recreation Month!

Did you know that a recent survey showed that 98% of Californians value parks and recreation as an essential community service? Well, that is no surprise to residents of Davis!

On Tuesday June 29, 2010 the Davis City Council proclaimed July 2010 as “National Parks and Recreation Month,” and urges all residents to enjoy and recognize the social, physical, mental, economic, and environmental benefits derived from the City’s many parks and recreation facilities and programs. The Community Services Department is also using this month to launch its “Parks Make Life Better!” campaign, encouraging residents to come out this summer, and enjoy the many acres of parks, greenbelts and open spaces, as well as the many recreation programs and services offered throughout the year. With the recent City re-organization, the functions of Parks, Urban Forest and Facility Maintenance will once again fall under the auspices of the Community Services Department, and provide the perfect compliment to the numerous recreational and community services offered throughout the City’s acclaimed parks, facilities and open space areas. The consolidation of these like services will provide the community with a one-stop shop for all their future parks and recreation needs!

Please feel free to share your stories of how “Parks Make Your Life Better!” by emailing them to chelweg@cityofdavis.org Your story may be used in future promotional materials for the Community Services Department.

Background
The City of Davis Community Services Department is a member of the California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS), a professional organization advancing and promoting parks and recreation services. One of the three overarching goals of CPRS is to give its members tools and resources to brand parks and recreation as essential community service. In order to develop tools and resources, CPRS conducted public opinion research in 2008-2009 to identify, from the consumer’s point of view, the public’s values about parks and recreation. CPRS is the first park and recreation organization to undertake such a comprehensive study of public perceptions of parks and recreation services. This research is the foundation for the “Parks Make Life Better” branding campaign that includes a brand promise, marketing slogans, key messages and logo. The branding will assist the parks & recreation profession in:

• Building loyalty for parks and recreation services
• Preserving our physical resources and outdoor spaces
• Stimulating growth of programs and services
• Attracting talented people to the profession
• Involving the public
• Achieving greater resources and support

How the Research was Conducted
CPRS engaged market researchers to conduct a multi-phased research project. The complete findings are included in the Report on Results of Market Research to Support CPRS Building the Brand Initiative . Phase One consisted of qualitative interviews with a representative sample of recreation program and park users throughout California as well as locally elected officials from a variety of governmental types (cities, counties, and special districts). Through one-on-one, in-depth interviews, this first phase focused on uncovering the values individuals held about parks and recreation programs. Branding research seeks to find the strengths of a product or service. Those that know the strengths are those who are familiar with the product and service. This is why the researchers interviewed and surveyed residents who were familiar with their local parks and recreation services.

Phase One served as the foundation for the development of questions that were asked through an online survey in Phase Two. This phase provided the quantitative data needed to craft the brand promise. CPRS sampled via an Internet survey, 848 Californians, a representative sample of the population at large, with a margin of error of +/-3.37% at a 95% confidence interval. This means there is only a 5% chance that the percentages reported in the study were off by 3.37% for the opinions of all Californians.

Market Research Key Findings: In reviewing the CPRS research findings, staff noticed similarities to the City’s findings during the 2007 City of Davis Resident Satisfaction Survey, where residents stated a 98% satisfaction rating for safe, high-quality parks, greenbelts and open spaces and a 92% satisfaction rating for recreational opportunities. Key findings of the CPRS study demonstrate that parks and recreation are essential to the lives of Californians:

1. Nearly all (98%) of California households reported visiting a park during the past year

• 68% visited a park at least monthly
• 42% of respondents visited a park at least several days a week
• 26% visited a park at least once a week

2. Half (50%) of California households reported that someone in their household participated in a structured recreation program at least once in the past year

• 38% of respondents attended a sports program for children or teens
• 29% attended a youth class, camp or instructional program
• 28% went to an adult art or fitness program; attended a lecture, class or other activity

3. Park visitation was recorded and showed the relationship between parks and family activities

• A majority of respondents (55%) went to a park with a spouse/partner
• 53% were accompanied by their children
• 48% went with family
• 46% went with a friend
• Only 5% went to a park alone

“Parks” and “Recreational Programs” offer distinct benefits.  Not all park users utilize recreation programs, but most program users are also park users. Californians see the benefits of parks and recreation as personal, rather than communal. Users struggle to describe how parks and recreation programs benefit their community, but they can easily describe how parks and recreation programs benefit their lives and those of their family and friends.

Identified Priorities
The research shows that the public views certain elements of the profession’s broad mission as more valuable to them and they already see the profession delivering these elements. This was important to know in order to craft the profession’s brand promise. These perspectives may also be useful for agencies when determining priorities for funding or staff resources.

Parks along with recreation programs provide tangible benefits that contribute to the quality of life that Californians enjoy. These benefits are personal and the surveys helped to show the highest priorities of Californians.

The top priority of Californians is the preservation of and access to outdoor space such as our parks, greenbelts and open spaces. The two types of outdoor spaces that were specifically indicated as valuable are those that are minimally developed or in a natural state and those with facilities for play, exercise, and group sports.

Non-structured or self directed use of outdoor spaces was the primary preference, except that programs and activities that are targeted toward juveniles are valued as a positive alternative to crime and mischief.

The benefits of parks and other outdoor places reported by survey respondents were:

• Parks make the community a better place to live now and in the future,
• The serenity and awe of nature must be available,
• Children especially, and adults need outdoor spaces for play and exercise,
• Friends and family need these spaces for group sports.

In addition to outdoor spaces and the recreation activities enjoyed there, respondents value activities which facilitate social/community connections and which advance human development, lifelong learning and other social objectives.

Summary
The research conducted by CPRS and the City in 2007 shows that Californians as a whole and Davis residents in particular have strong, well-informed opinions about what is most valued, what should be prioritized and about what is currently delivered. The branding initiative will help emphasize that the City recognizes the public’s values and priorities in the preservation of and access to outdoor spaces. This will reinforce the fact that the programs and services delivered by Community Services staff are essential to community residents.

For further information please contact the Community Services Department at (530) 757-5626 or by email at csweb@cityofdavis.org