About Brownsville Parks and Recreation Department Users

The City of Brownsville is a youthful, family-oriented community with a heavy Hispanic/Latino influence and a propensity to engage in team sports. There are two prominent features from the demographic analysis for the Department to focus on for the future: ethnicity and below average earnings of the service area. The local trends exhibit mixed results, as there is above average participation in many activities related to team sports and miscellaneous spending on recreation, but Brownsville residents are much less involved in fitness activities than the rest of the country. The population of Brownsville is predominately of Hispanic/Latino descent, which represent approximately 93% of all residents. This number is so substantial that it is clear the Department must largely cater to the needs, interests, and tendencies of this group.

Traditionally, Hispanic/Latino groups and families often enjoy large social gatherings at parks, however it will be imperative to continue to identify, and build upon, any unique qualities specific to Brownsville residents. It is also important not to lose sight of the minority segments by ensuring departmental offerings have a little something for everyone, and to follow closely any shifts in the racial composition of the population in the future. Based on the available data, it is clear that soccer should be a staple in the programming for Brownsville. The sport has the highest MPI among all recreational activities, which also compliments the cultural interests of the largely Hispanic/Latino population. The favorable market for soccer presents a strong opportunity to expand the existing programming and experiment with up and coming trends related to the sport. This might include, for example, capitalizing on the upward trend of indoor soccer nationwide, or introducing rising niche activities related to soccer, such as futsal. While the local population does demonstrate strong market potential for many recreational activities, there is a clear lag in the index figures for fitness related activities.

This is a trend that the Parks and Recreation Department should aim to reverse, given the nature of the Department and the role it plays in residents’ lives. It is important for the future of Brownsville to progress into a fitness-minded community and encourage an active/healthy lifestyle for all residents. Research and trends suggest that fitness programming is a critical component to a healthy community, and parks and recreation departments tend to be the driving force Any expansion of programming must proceed with care from a pricing standpoint, in that the income characteristics of the community are significantly lower than state and national averages. This discrepancy in earnings indicates a need to provide offerings that are affordable to ensure all residents are being served, which might require offering programs free of charge and/or scholarships. This could include drop-in programming that doesn’t require substantial financial or human resources from the Department, such as open field or court time for soccer and basketball. Based on the findings from the demographic and trends analysis, the landscape of the service area is very unique. The Department must provide services and programs that are custom tailored to the community, as well as utilizing data revealed in the demographic and trends analysis for making informed decision. Although the income characteristics are well below average, the user base also has a solid tendency to spend their time and money on activities that are well within the Department’s capabilities. The future success of the Department will rely heavily on its ability to capitalize on the specific market conditions of the service area by providing facilities, amenities, and programs that are geared toward the needs and interests of the local community.

Credit Pros Consulting Inc., 2015 BPARD Master Plan