Great Parks of Hamilton County Comprehensive Master Plan

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

GREAT PARKS WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE CREATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN, INCLUDING PUBLIC WORKSHOPS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS, AND SURVEYS.

IN ADDITION, WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR SUPPORT, DIRECTION, AND GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS.

Advisory Committee

Linda Antus

Cincinnati USA Regional Tourism Network

Clifford Bailey TechSoft Systems, Inc.

Karen Bankston, PhD, MSN, FACHE University of Cincinnati

Cory Christopher

Cincinnati Nature Center

Jennifer Chubinski, PhD Interact for Health

Myrita Craig Sapientia Consulting Inc.

Eric Kearney

Greater Cincinnati Northern

Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce

Marian Leibold

The Yunker Group

Dave Neyer STNL Development

Tony Rosiello

Hamilton County Probate Court

Katrina Rugless

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Eric Russo

The Hillside Trust

Amy Searcy

Hamilton County Domestic Relations Court

Tim Steigerwald Messer Construction

William Thomas MORTAR Cincinnati

Amy Thompson

Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

Lincoln Ware Radio One

Melissa Wideman

Castellini Management Company

Kevin Wimmer ELMNTL Fitness

Board of Park Commissioners

William J. Burwinkel

HC Buck Niehoff

Joseph C. Seta

Marcus L. Thompson

Geraldine Warner

Great Parks Project Team

Jack Sutton Chief Executive Officer

Rebecca McDonough Chief Operating Officer

Bret Henninger Chief of Conservation & Parks

Todd Palmeter

Chief of Planning (Master Plan Project Manager)

Tim Zelek

Director of Design & Land Acquisition

Planning Team MKSK

PROS Consulting ETC Institute

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

IN 2016, HAMILTON COUNTY VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED THE GREAT PARKS’ REPLACEMENT LEVY. THIS HIGHLIGHTS THE COMMUNITY’S PASSION AND SUPPORT OF THE PARK DISTRICT. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1930, THE PARK DISTRICT HAS ESTABLISHED ONE OF THE STATE’S LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE INVENTORIES OF PARKS, NATURE PRESERVES AND CONSERVATION AREAS.

Great Parks of Hamilton County currently manages more than 17,600 acres of greenspace including more than 25 miles of river frontage along ecologically important and recreationally valuable riparian corridors across Hamilton County. Strong voter support, the establishment and growth of Great Parks Forever and strategic partnering on multijurisdictional initiatives have allowed Great Parks to continue to build what is one of the country’s finest regional park districts.

This Comprehensive Master Plan will guide parks, facilities, programming and services over the next 10 years ending in 2028. Through the course of an inclusive and thorough community planning process, the master plan engaged more than 2,200 members of the community.

Over the past 18 months, the planning team has worked with Great Parks staff, a community Advisory Committee, stakeholders and the residents of Hamilton County to tackle the following questions:

• How do we continue to build bonds between people and nature as Hamilton County grows and society changes?

• How do we advance the legacy of conservation while exploring opportunities for public use and education?

• How do we build on the cultural, natural and historical qualities of Hamilton County to create educational and exciting park experiences?

• How do we equitably improve physical connectivity and social access to the park district?

• How do we inspire the next generation of environmental stewards of Hamilton County?

Through community conversations, survey results and analysis, the following valuable insights emerged that helped to shape the recommendations of the Comprehensive Master Plan:

• There is strong public demand for conservation and preservation of natural lands. Preservation of greenspace and protection of the environment is recognized as one of the top benefits that Great Parks provides to county residents. Investing in natural areas and wildlife habitats is one of the top five priorities for the future.

• Great Parks has a higher visitation rate than the national average and a majority of park users rate the physical condition of Great Parks as excellent.

• While visitation is greater than average, the rate of participation in programs and activities is lower than the national average.

• The vast majority of visitors drive to reach parks and participate in programs and activities.

• Community members are seeking recreation programs that enable fitness and wellness, community events, and outdoor adventure.

• Community members are seeking more nature trails and paved walking and biking trails.

• These priorities are reflected by the support in the community to fund the updateding and upgradeding of park facilities and develop new trails and greenways with their tax dollars.

These insights, along with detailed analysis of demographics, trends, benchmarks and best practices, have resulted in a responsive, action-oriented plan for the delivery of updated and upgraded parks and facilities, premier outdoor recreation and education experiences, and leading-edge conservation and environmental practices. Perhaps more importantly, the Comprehensive Master Plan has created a model for the implementation of these improvements that allows for sustained engagement and inclusive decision making. This will enable Great Parks to advance its mission and continue to build the relationships and community partnerships that will cultivate a conservation ethic among the residents of Hamilton County and the region.

THIS IS A RESPONSIVE, ACTION-ORIENTED PLAN FOR THE DELIVERY OF UPDATED AND UPGRADED PARKS AND FACILITIES, PREMIER OUTDOOR RECREATION AND EDUCATION

EXPERIENCES, AND LEADING-EDGE CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES.

INTRODUCTION

THE GREAT PARKS OF HAMILTON COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN IS A CLEAR FRAMEWORK AND DECISION-MAKING GUIDE FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS. THE PLAN ADVANCES GREAT PARKS’ MISSION TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND PROVIDE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND EDUCATION TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

The Comprehensive Master Plan establishes five goals for Great Parks to...

BE A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN CONSERVATION

PROVIDE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING AS A GATEWAY TO NATURE EXPLORATION

CREATE OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCES

ADVANCE FISCAL HEALTH

OPERATE WITH HIGH STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE

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THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN IS TO OUTLINE A STRATEGY FOR GREAT PARKS’ FACILITIES, PARKS, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

THE PLAN WAS SHAPED BY AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT INVITED CURRENT AND POTENTIAL PARK GUESTS TO TAKE PART IN PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.

PROCESS

The 7-phase, 18-month process to complete the first Comprehensive Master Plan for Great Parks was led by a planning team in close coordination with the Great Parks Project Team and guided by the feedback from an Advisory Committee. The process combined analysis with community engagement that gathered ideas, feedback and priorities from more than 2,200 community members across the county and the region.

The Advisory Committee was comprised of 19 community and business leaders, representing a diverse cross section of the community. The committee provided advice and feedback throughout the process in a series of five meetings at major milestones during the development of the plan.

The plan was shaped by a creative and inclusive community engagement process that invited current and potential park visitors to take part in planning for the future.

Community members were reached in the following ways:

• Interactive displays at community events outside the parks

• Tables at Great Parks programs and events in the parks

• Presentations in multiple locations across the county

• Stakeholder conversations

• Online interaction at the dedicated website MyGreatParks.com

• A county-wide statistically valid survey

Analysis tasks included demographics and trends, level of service, benchmarking, examination of previous plans and Great Parks operations documents, GIS and mapping, and a program assessment.

The plan has compiled layers of analysis, comparison with peer agencies, local and national trends data, and community conversations to craft a series of goals, objectives and recommendations that are visionary, achievable, and tailored to the current demands of Great Parks users and future expectations of Hamilton County residents.

COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN PROCESS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

105 STAKEHOLDERS INTERVIEWED

216 ONLINE SURVEY RESPONDENTS

976 COMMUNITY EVENT ATTENDEES

801 COUNTY-WIDE SURVEY RESPONDENTS

109 COMMUNITY WORKSHOP ATTENDEES

2,200+ PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THE PLANNING PROCESS

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions are helpful for understanding both the discussion of plan analysis and plan recommendations.

BASELINE

A minimum starting point used to build upon or for comparisons within an organization. Metrics are identified, tracked and compared over time.

BENCHMARK

A standard point of reference against which metrics may be compared or assessed with outside sources.

BLUEWAY

Managed public access to a waterway. Suggests elements of both recreation and conservation of river and stream corridors for the greater public good. Also suggests established “trail” for public access to a river or stream with designated watercraft such as kayaks, canoes and stand up paddleboards, with formalized entry and exit points, maps, signage and other information critical to safe and successful blueway navigation.

COST OF SERVICE

A financial term for the total cost to provide a product or service to customers for purchase (i.e. Great Parks should know the cost of service in order to appropriately price programs and/or admissions).

COST RECOVERY

A financial term for methods to recover expenditures which a business takes on (i.e. Great

Parks has an above median cost recovery when comparing expenses to earned income).

CULTURAL HERITAGE/ CULTURAL HISTORY

Cultural heritage/cultural history encompasses several types of heritage—tangible, intangible and natural features that can be attributed to a particular society or phenomena in the past and remain important today.

• Tangible cultural heritage includes movable cultural heritage, such as paintings, sculptures, coins, or manuscripts; and immovable cultural heritage, such as monuments and archaeological sites.

• Intangible cultural heritage includes oral traditions, music, performing arts and rituals.

• Natural heritage refers to natural sites with cultural aspects such as cultural landscapes, physical, biological or geological formations.

Source: unesco.org

ECOTOURISM

Tourism characterized by deliberate spending, learning, volunteering or recreation activities aimed to increase the tourists’ understanding of the natural environment, promote sustainable environmental practices, or other similar sociological, ecological, and ethical practices.

FACILITY

A place or structure for a particular purpose (i.e. park, playground, dog park, trail).

INHOLDING

Privately-held land surrounded by publicly-owned land being held by an entity for future action (i.e. sale, development, partnership, conservation, etc.).

LIFECYCLE

A series of changes in the operating life of a program or facility, from introduction to elimination or replacement (i.e. the lifecycle replacement schedule identifies four playgrounds that need to be replaced in 2020).

PROGRAM

A planned series of future events, items or performances (i.e. leisure activity or service offered by a parks and recreation agency).

PARK DISTRICT

A political subdivision of the State of Ohio governed by a Board of Park Commissioners. See Chapter 1545 of the Ohio Revised Code.

CONSERVATION

The protection of natural resources. Conservation seeks the proper use of nature.

PRESERVATION

The protection of buildings, objects, and landscapes. Preservation seeks protection of nature from use.

GUEST OR VISITOR

A person who uses any park or facility or who attends or participates in a program

HOW TO USE THIS PLAN

The Comprehensive Master Plan has four sections:

PLANNING CONTEXT & ENGAGEMENT FINDINGS

As part of the Comprehensive Master Planning process, the planning team documented the Great Parks system within the context of the county geography and demographics. A wide-reaching stakeholder, staff and community engagement process enabled participants to inform the plan from the project launch to final documentation—creating a shared vision for the future of Great Parks.

PLANNING ANALYSIS FINDINGS

A statistically valid community survey supported the community engagement findings and provided data for prioritizing improvements based on results from participants that mirror Hamilton County’s demographic profile. A Level of Service Analysis, Program Assessment, Financial Assessment and Benchmark Analysis provide detailed findings of Great Parks’ operational issues and opportunities as well as their status in comparison with regional peers, national peers and national best practices.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations are comprehensive, with a series of strategies to support the achievement of the five master plan goals.

IMPLEMENTATION & NEXT STEPS

Carrying out the plan’s recommendations will take diligence, time and collaboration. The implementation section organizes the recommendations into a matrix that identifies potential partnerships, departmental roles and timeframes for completion.

SECTION 1: PLANNING CONTEXT & ENGAGEMENT FINDINGS

QUANTIFYING AND ANALYZING GREAT PARKS, LAND HOLDINGS, OTHER PARKS AND OPEN SPACE IN HAMILTON COUNTY, LOCAL AND REGIONAL TRAILS, AND COUNTY DEMOGRAPHICS IS ESSENTIAL TO GAINING AN UNDERSTANDING OF GREAT PARKS AND ITS ROLE IN THE REGION AND COMMUNITY.

To understand Great Parks’ impact in Hamilton County, the planning team documented and analyzed the park district. This not only informed the community engagement process, but also it formed a basis for the master plan recommendations.

The community engagement process reached more than 2,200 people, helping to shape the planning process from start to finish and directly informing the plan’s recommendations.

THE PARK DISTRICT

Great Parks of Hamilton County owns or manages 17,666 total acres of land, classified into four categories. This acreage averages to 21.43 park acres to every 1,000 residents of Hamilton County. Great Parks manages seventeen parks, four conservation areas, 25 miles of river frontage, and a 78mile trail system comprised of shared-use, nature, horse, mountain bike and fitness trails.

The four land categories are:

Regional Parks – Serve a large area within the county, or across multiple counties. Visitors will travel up to 60 miles to enjoy a regional park.

Conservation Areas – Include land that is protected with a defined purpose or limitations on development. Conservation areas can include land with cultural or environmental interests that have been identified as important.

Community Parks – Serve multiple neighborhoods with a focus on meeting communitybased recreational needs, as well as preserving unique landscapes and open spaces.

River Corridors – Include land adjacent to and including the course of a river. River corridors are mostly undeveloped due to being within a floodplain, but may include trails.

LEGEND

Regional Parks

Conservation Areas

Community Parks

River Corridors

14,356 Acres of Regional Parks

1,169 Acres of Conservation Areas

1,089 Acres of Community Parks

1,052 Acres of River Corridors

Greetings from Great Parks!

17,600+ acres of land managed

quality time

17 parks!

4 conservation areas

CONSERVATION

128,000

New trees planted since 2013

83% 10,000

Parkland preserved as undeveloped natural areas

Acres of forests

Miles of frontage on 4 major rivers

25 1,800

Acres of grassland

RECREATION

212,000 Rounds of golf per year

218,000

Athletics visits per year

79,000

Boat rentals per year

151,000

Visits to reservable picnic areas, shelters, or lodges per year

...HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER EVERYONE

7,500

Programs attracting...

135,000

Program attendees per year

134,000

Special Event attendees per year

195,000

Nature Center visits per year

47,132

Volunteer hours from...

1,775

Total volunteers (2018)

EDUCATION $91.9 M

Engaging & active programs

*

6 GOLF COURSES

4 DISC GOLF COURSES

2 DOG PARKS

4 CAMPGROUNDS

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Jobs supported

Total economic impact (2015)

2,065 $4.22

8.1 MILES OF MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS

RESERVABLE PICNIC SHELTERS

158 ACRES OF PARKLAND ACQUIRED IN 2018

7.8% of Hamilton County’s tree canopy is within a Great Park

LEGEND

Great Parks Land

Other Parks & Open Space

REGIONAL PARKS & RIVER/STREAM CORRIDORS

THE ROLE OF GREAT PARKS IN THE REGION

Great Parks of Hamilton County plays a substantial role in the provision of parks and open space and the conservation of natural areas and habitat. With over 17,600 acres of land holdings, the park district represents nearly one-third of the total parks and open space in Hamilton County. Of this total acreage, 83% is preserved as undeveloped natural areas, with 10,000 acres of forest and 1,800 acres of grasslands. Beyond the value of the acreage preserved, these land holdings contribute significantly to the total tree canopy coverage in Hamilton County, with 7.8%

contained within a Great Park. Plans to continually improve this tree canopy coverage are ongoing, with 128,000 trees planted within Great Parks since 2013.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

“Preserve as many natural areas as possible, as soon as possible. Please!”

RIVERS AND STREAMS

PUBLIC COMMENTS

“The Little Miami River is beautiful and I believe needs to be protected and preserved.”

“Improved access points on the Great Miami and Whitewater Rivers would be great.”

In addition to land preservation within Hamilton County, Great Parks plays an important part in protecting the county’s river and stream corridors. Every park has a river, creek, stream or lake, and Great Parks has 25 miles of river frontage. Protecting the county’s river and stream corridors is a strong focus in terms of land acquisition and park planning. Along these corridors Great Parks allows for multiple points of access, balancing recreation with the need to ensure the protection of water quality and valuable riparian habitat that defines the natural character of the county.

LEGEND

Great Parks Land

Rivers and Streams

FIGURE

20

1.1 MILLION

Trail Visits/Year

LEGEND

Great Parks Land

GREAT PARKS TRAILS & REGIONAL TRAILS

GREAT PARKS TRAILS

TRAILS AT A GLANCE

25 miles

Shared-Use

21 miles Nature

18 miles Horse

8 miles Mountain Bike

6 miles Fitness

Many of the parks contain a system of trails within them and some connect more than one park. In total, Great Parks operates 78 miles of trails. Shared-use paved trails are the greatest amount, with 25 miles. These trails are shared by a variety of users of all ages, including bicyclists, runners, dog-walkers, and more. There are also 21 miles of unpaved nature trails within the parks. These are unpaved, natural surface trails within the parks. An additional 18 miles of trails are dedicated for horseback riding. Mitchell Memorial Forest contains eight miles of mountain biking trails. Six

PUBLIC COMMENTS

“Create networks of trails within parks that give park users multiple route choices of different lengths and types of experiences.”

“It would be nice to have some longer trails within parts of parks that are not developed or at least have current trails make deeper forays into the wilder part of the parks.”

PUBLIC COMMENTS

“Would love a contiguous trail loop through the county.”

REGIONAL TRAILS

The existing and planned regional trail network in Hamilton County is impressive. When completed, it will provide strong linkages between Great Parks and the community. It will not only connect parks to other parks within the district, but also it will connect Great Parks to other parks outside the district. This will both enhance the Great Parks guest experience as well as provide a transportation alternative for residents of the county.

Great Parks is a key player in the partnership between other local governments and regional trail organizations that are building this critical system of trails. Of the 113 total trail miles that exist today, 22% are in within a Great Park. Of the planned 120 miles of additional trails, 15 miles are proposed to be within a Great Park.

LEGEND

Great Parks Land

Great Parks Trails

Regional Trails - Existing

Regional Trails - Proposed

DEMOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW

HAMILTON COUNTY’S POPULATION ANNUAL GROWTH RATE (0.39%) IS BELOW THE NATIONAL (0.87%) GROWTH RATE. THE POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO GROW BY AT LEAST 10,000 RESIDENTS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

THE COUNTY’S RACIAL DISTRIBUTION IS MARGINALLY DIVERSE COMPARED TO THE NATIONAL POPULATION, WITH THE 26% BLACK ALONE RACE BEING HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE NATIONAL (12.8%) AVERAGE.

HAMILTON COUNTY’S PERCENTAGE OF HISPANIC/ LATINO POPULATION (3.2%) IS NEARLY SIX TIMES LESS THAN THE NATIONAL (18.1%) AVERAGE.

THE COUNTY’S PER CAPITA INCOME ($32,205) IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE ($30,820), BUT MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME ($52,410) IS BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE ($56,124).

DEMOGRAPHICS & TRENDS

The demographic analysis summarizes the county’s total population and its key characteristics such as age segments, income levels, race, and ethnicity. Future projections are based on historical patterns, therefore unforeseen circumstances during or after the time of the analysis could have a significant bearing on the validity of the projected figures. This information provides critical understanding of the current and future potential users of Great Parks.

POPULATION

The county’s population experienced a marginal growth rate of 0.39% from 2010 to 2017 (0.055% per year), which is below the national growth rate of 0.87% annually over the same period. The total number of households also increased at a similar rate to the population in recent years (0.42% since 2010).

Currently, the population is estimated at 824,286 individuals living within 343,793 households. Projecting ahead, the total population and total number of households are both expected to have minimal growth over the next 15 years. Based on 2032 predictions, the county is expected to have 862,634 residents living within 361,423 households. Plan recommendations assume a population increase of 10,000 individuals over the next five years.

AGE SEGMENT

Evaluating the county by age segments, the population’s median age of 37.9 years old is below the US median age

of 38.2 years. The county is projected to undergo a gradual aging trend. Over the next 15 years, the 55+ population is expected to gain 6% of the distribution of the total population. This is largely due to increased life expectancies and a remainder of the Baby Boomer generation shifting into senior age groups.

RACE AND ETHNICITY

The county’s current population is marginally diverse. The 2017 estimate shows that 67% of the population falls into the White Alone race category, while the Black Alone race category (26%) represents the largest minority. The racial distribution of the county varies little from the national population except the Black Alone race (13%). The predictions for 2032 expect the population to continue to diversify, with increases among all other races and a 4% decrease in the White Alone race population. Based on the 2010 Census, those of Hispanic/Latino origin currently represent just over 3% of the county’s population, which is significantly lower than the national level of 18% Hispanic/ Latino. The Hispanic/Latino population is expected to continue growing over the next 15 years.

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

The county’s median household income is currently $52,410, which is below the national average ($56,124). Hamilton County’s per capita income ($32,205) is slightly above the national average of $30,820. Both median household income and per capita income are expected to continue growing over the next 15 years increasing 40.04% and 40.8% respectively.

COMMUNITY, STAKEHOLDER & STAFF ENGAGEMENT

Using the baseline understanding of Great Parks’ role in the region and informed by demographics, the planning and project teams conducted a robust community, stakeholder and staff engagement process. In order to appreciate how the community currently uses Great Parks and how services and facilities can be improved, the community engagement process was conducted as follows:

• A series of thirteen group conversations, with 105 stakeholders including municipal and township park leadership, park guests, non-profit organizations, volunteers and foundations.

• A series of four in-person workshops across the county, featuring handson visioning activities and conversations with Great Parks staff. Workshops were held in October 2017 at Rhinegeist Brewery, Mercy Health Hospital West, Princeton Administration Centre, and MadTree Brewing Company.

• A county-wide, statistically valid survey, reaching 801 county residents and closely matched to county-wide demographics and population density. Results identified parks and recreation attendance, needs, experience and priorities for Hamilton County residents.

• A series of four in-person workshops held in parks, featuring hands-on activities related to draft plan recommendations and conversations with Great Parks staff. Workshops were held in May 2018 at Fernbank Park, Miami Whitewater Forest, Lake Isabella, and Woodland Mound.

• Interactive displays for gathering input conducted by staff at 25 community events, throughout the planning process, across the county and in the parks.

• Online workshops and engagement, conducted throughout the planning process, that corresponded with all in-person activities on the dedicated website MyGreatParks.com.

Engaging Great Parks staff in the process was conducted as follows:

• SWOT analysis – a series of meetings by department, including staff from all departments, identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats currently facing Great Parks, and its future.

• Key staff member involvement in stakeholder interviews, coordinating meetings, Advisory Committee meetings, workshop on plan recommendations, and a draft plan workshop.

• Progress presentations by the project team at six staff level meetings and three Board of Park Commissioner meetings.

• Coordination with other departmental activities such as marketing research and diversity and inclusion reports.

WHAT YOU LOVE ABOUT GREAT PARKS

Winton

WE ASKED...

WHAT IMPROVEMENTS TO GREAT PARKS’ PARKS AND FACILITIES WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE THEM MORE OFTEN? (TOP 3)

Trail Improvements/More Trails

Facility Improvements & Maintenance

New Built Amenities

WHERE IN HAMILTON COUNTY SHOULD GREAT PARKS PRIORITIZE ACQUISITION OF LAND FOR CONSERVATION? (TOP 3)

Riparian corridors/rivers

Within Cincinnati city limits

West side of Hamilton County

“Connectivity is the key. Make it possible to access parks via trails.”

“Don’t forget the Ohio River. Look for opportunities to improve access for those paddling down the Ohio River.”

HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IT IS TO USE PROTECTED AREAS TO ALSO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING?

Connected network of trails (walking, hiking, biking, and nature trails)

98%

Very Important (71%) & Somewhat Important (27%)

Water access (canoeing, kayaking, and fishing)

90%

Very Important (44%) & Somewhat Important (46%)

Environmental protection only (no public access)

81%

Very Important (43%) & Somewhat Important (38%)

HOW STRONGLY WOULD YOU SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING EFFORTS?

Develop new nature trails

98%

Very Supportive (77%) & Somewhat Supportive (21%)

Use greenways in floodplains along rivers and creeks to develop trails and new access to water

95%

Very Supportive (65%) & Somewhat Supportive (30%)

Purchase land that protects the environment (no public access)

84%

Very Supportive (43%) & Somewhat Supportive (41%)

WE HEARD...

Key findings from what we heard in conversations with stakeholders, Hamilton County residents, Great Parks staff, partners, the Master Plan Advisory Committee and volunteers shaped the planning process and plan recommendations.

The following themes emerged throughout the engagement process as important items of focus for the plan:

PRIORITIZE GROWTH IN LAND AND PARKS

People value the existing parks, and they would love to see even more growth in land owned by Great Parks. In addition, they want to see more conservation within the entire county and believe that Great Parks is the organization best suited to lead conservation and conservation education in the county. Land acquisition and conservation is highly valued by the public and Great Parks staff.

PRIORITIZE CONSERVATION, BUT MAINTAIN MEASURED ACCESS

Great Parks patrons are strong conservationists and want to see the county’s precious resources protected. They also would like to access the beauty of these areas through programs and trails. A balance must be sought between public access to conservation areas and the protection of vulnerable habitats.

IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABLE DESIGN & POLICIES

Park visitors are very passionate about environmental protection and would like to see that more strongly represented in the parks through sustainable practices and design, like solar facilities, green roofs, fuel efficient vehicles, and recycling/ composting bins.

IMPROVE EXISTING TRAILS, BUILD NEW TRAILS, CREATE MORE TRAIL CONNECTIONS

Participants strongly support trails of all types. They would like to see existing trails continue to be well maintained, to see more connections made between trails and parks and longer natural trails within the parks. People would like missing trail connections completed to create a more cohesive system across the county.

IMPROVE TRANSPORTATION ACCESS TO AND WITHIN THE PARKS

People would like to have more access to the parks via alternative modes of transit, such as biking, walking, and public transportation. They would like to see easier connections from the cities to parks, and from adjacent neighborhoods into the parks.

EXPAND WATER ACTIVITIES AND WATER ACCESS

Park visitors want to be able to use the rivers, lakes, and streams for enjoyment and recreation. In addition, many people would be interested in the creation of blueways along the county’s river and stream corridors.

EXPAND PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES

Park users enjoy the existing programming and would like to see even more opportunities. Special consideration should be given to creating programs that cater to wide age ranges and at price ranges accessible to all income levels in the county.

EXPAND ADVENTURE AND WELLNESS

Participants in the planning process mentioned many activities that are also emerging national trends. These include outdoor adventure programming such as backpacking, hiking and mountain biking as well as fitness programming such as yoga, walking and a range of fitness classes.

BUILD NEW/UPGRADE` FACILITIES

Park visitors take inspiration from other parks and park districts they’ve visited and suggested some innovative ideas to implement in Hamilton County in order to meet programming needs.

Specific examples included nature centers, nature play opportunities, community gathering space, extended mountain bike trails, longer hiking trails, swimming opportunities, climbing opportunities, an event space along the riverfront, increased river access, and more.

IMPROVE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS

Community members and stakeholders interviewed would like to see collaboration between Great Parks and other municipalities and organizations. Examples included programming partners such as producers of special events and festivals, institutional partners such as schools and hospitals, and operational partners such as outfitters and local restaurants.

INCREASE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

The community and staff would like to see more racial diversity in both staff and program participants as well as programming options that appeal to the culturally diverse populations of Hamilton County. Suggestions for improvement included recruitment strategies, targeted outreach to neighborhoods surrounding the parks and underserved neighborhoods, partnerships with organizations, events tailored to diverse audiences and increased cultural heritage programming.

INCREASE SAFETY AND ENFORCEMENT OF RULES

While the parks get very high safety ratings from users, to ensure that all people have a safe and enjoyable visit to Great Parks, many would like to see more Rangers, pet restrictions, and enforcement of existing rules.

CONTINUE TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE

Hamilton County residents are very happy with the value of Great Parks and see it as a good use of tax dollars. Residents recognize the benefits they receive through park land and facilities and the conservation benefits Great Parks contributes to Hamilton County.

SECTION 2: ANALYSIS FINDINGS

TO COMPLIMENT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS AND ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, THE PLANNING TEAM CONDUCTED A STATISTICALLY-VALID SURVEY. THE SURVEY REACHED 801 RESIDENTS OF HAMILTON COUNTY AND VALIDATED MUCH OF WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS.

ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED ON: LEVEL OF SERVICE, PROGRAMS, FINANCES AND BENCHMARKING OF PEER PARK AGENCIES.

This section discusses the statistically-valid survey results and other analysis findings in order to provide context for understanding how they informed the Master Plan recommendations.

Countywide Survey, reached 801 residents of Hamilton County, representative of the county demographics.

Level of Service Analysis, measured a list of metrics including the number of park acres, trails, and indoor and outdoor facilities per 1,000 residents of Hamilton County with a comparison to national best practices.

Program Assessment, analyzed all current programs by description, age-segment appeal, participation, cost, importance to the community, and other factors, with a comparison to national and local market demand for programs.

Financial Assessment, studied Great Parks budget, cost recovery, and financial planning over the past five years.

Benchmark Analysis, compared Great Parks with four other park agencies on dozens of metrics including size, population, park type, trail miles, and program participation.

801

COUNTYWIDE SURVEY

The planning team administered a community survey for Great Parks of Hamilton County during the late fall of 2017. The survey was administered as part of Great Parks’ efforts to take a resident-driven approach when making decisions for the future of Great Parks. The survey asked participants a variety of questions about their park and recreation needs, as well as satisfaction levels with Great Parks and general demographic data.

METHODOLOGY

Q21. Demographics: Race/Ethnicity

49% 51% Male Female

The planning team mailed a survey packet to a random sample of households in Hamilton County. Each survey packet contained a cover letter, a copy of the survey, and a postage-paid return envelope. Residents who received the survey were given the option of returning the survey by mail or completing it online. Ten days after the surveys were mailed, the planning team sent e-mails and placed phone calls to the households that received the survey to encourage participation. The e-mails contained a link to the online version of the survey.

The goal was to obtain completed surveys from at least 800 residents. The goal was accomplished with a total of 801 residents completing the survey. The overall results for the sample of 801 households have a precision of at least +/- 3.4% at the 95% level of confidence.

RESULTS

The results of the survey closely aligned with the findings from the community engagement process. These include which parks people visit most often, what types of programming and recreation they participate in, their rating of the condition and quality of Great Parks facilities and programming, and their general priorities for improvements.

PRIORITY INVESTMENT RATING

Priorities for facilities and for programs are reported as two lists according to their Priority Investment Rating (PIR). The priorities emerged from the survey data using the sum of two survey question results— unmet needs plus importance.

For example, participants were given a list of 34 recreation facilities—including recreation facility types within Great Parks and types they currently do not provide. Survey respondents indicated whether they have a need for each type.

Then, they rated whether their need is being met on a fourpoint scale from “fully met” (4) to “not met” (1). Next, they chose which facilities are most important to them

The PIR is calculated by adding the results from these two categories—determining needs not met of highest importance. The PIR results can therefore point to priorities for investment the community has the highest need for and considers most important.

The PIR methodology for programming is the same as described for facilities. For these programs, participants were given a list of 17 types of programs to rate, including a space for “other.” The list

included program types currently offered and types currently not offered by Great Parks.

Following is an overview of a number of survey question results, including the PIR ratings for facilities and programs.

Survey Respondent

Population Density (People/Square Mile)

0 - 1,000

1,000 - 4,000

4,000 - 22,000

22,000 - 116,000

The 801 survey respondents were located across the county, with responses closely matching the county’s overall population density and demographic profile.

FIGURE

Q3. Reasons Members of Household Participate in Programs/Activities or Use Facilities/Amenities

Enjoyment of the outdoors

Close to our home/residence

Clean parks

Spend time with family & friends

Facilities are well maintained

Fees are a ordable

Safety of parks & facilities

Improved physical fitness & health

Park operating hours are convenient

Amenity o ered

Facility operating hours are convenient

Good customer service by sta Events Program o ered Registration for

Q9. Ways Respondents Travel to the Great Parks of Hamilton County Programs & Activities

REASONS MEMBERS OF HOUSEHOLDS PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS/ACTIVITIES OR USE FACILITIES/AMENITIES

Top answers for why household participants visit the parks include enjoyment of the outdoors, proximity to their home or residence, the cleanliness and proper maintenance of parks, to spend time with family and friends, and affordable fees.

WAYS

RESPONDENTS TRAVEL TO GREAT PARKS PROGRAMS &

ACTIVITIES

Park guests are using active transportation to reach parks at far higher rates than trips for work. Visitors primarily visit the parks by driving, however, 24% of visitors regularly walk to the parks and 18% ride bicycles. According to the US Census 2016 American Community Survey, only about 2.3% of people in Ohio walk to work and 0.3% ride a bicycle to work.

Q12. Most Important Benefits to Households

Improved physical health &

Preserve open space & the environment

Improve the quality of life in Hamilton County

Provide healthy recreational opportunities

Contribute to a sense of community

Improve water & air quality

Help reduce crime

Increase property values in surrounding area

Protect historical attributes

Help attract new residents & businesses

Provide tourism venues & contribute to the economy Other

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS THAT YOU AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD MAY RECEIVE FROM PARKS AND CONSERVATION AREAS. WHAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD?

More than 50% of households agree that their physical health and fitness is a primary benefit of parks and conservation areas.

By percentage of respondents who selected the items as one of their top three choices

Q1. Have You or Members of Your Household

Visited a Great Parks of Hamilton County Park or Facility/Amenity During the Past Year?

By

HAVE YOU OR MEMBERS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD VISITED A GREAT PARK OR FACILITY DURING THE PAST YEAR?

The percent of survey respondents who have visited a Great Park in the past year (89%) is eight percentage points higher than the national average for parks facility visitation.**

Q1a. How Many Times Have You Visited a Great Parks of Hamilton County Park or Facility During the Past Year?

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU VISITED A GREAT PARK OR FACILITY DURING THE PAST YEAR?

For the households who have visited the parks within the past year, 31% of them visited only one to five times. 18% of households visited the parks more than 26 times.

HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE PHYSICAL CONDITION OF ALL GREAT PARKS YOU HAVE VISITED?

Visitors rate the condition of Great Parks very highly. The “excellent” ratings exceed national average ratings for physical condition of parks by 12 percentage points and the “good” ratings exceed national average by 31 percentage points.

*All results for questions asking about “the past year” refer to the 12 months preceding November 2017.

**Data source for all results mentioning national average ratings: National Recreation & Parks Association (NRPA)

Q1c. How Would You Rate the Physical Condition of All Great Parks of Hamilton County Parks You Have

Top Priorities for Investment for Recreation Facilities

Natural

Indoor

Lake

Community gardens

Water access

Outdoor fitness equipment

Fishing/boating Mountain bike trails

Outdoor playground equipment & play areas

Campground Climbing

Nature center

Outdoor amphitheater

Outdoor sand volleyball courts

Outdoor spray ground

Outdoor

Baseball

Golf

Hunting

Football fields

Soccer fields

Pickleball

Based on the community’s unmet needs together with their ratings of most important facilities, the highest community priorities for facilities in the future include paved trails, nature trails, off-leash dog parks, historic sites, natural and wildlife areas and lake swimming opportunities. Fourteen categories are rated as medium priorities and include a number of adventure and fitness facilities as well as community gathering spaces, play and learning opportunities.

Q2. Have You or Members of Your Households Participated in Any Recreation or Nature Education Programs/Activities During the Past 12 Months?

By percentage of

HAVE YOU OR MEMBERS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD PARTICIPATED IN ANY RECREATION OR NATURE EDUCATION PROGRAMS/ ACTIVITIES DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS?

The large majority, 80%, of survey respondents had not participated in a Great Parks education program/activity in the past year. This is 15 percentage points lower than the national average for parks program participation.

HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF PROGRAMS/ACTIVITIES YOUR HOUSEHOLD HAS PARTICIPATED IN?

For the approximately 160 households who had participated in programs in the past year, they rated program quality very highly. The excellent rating is 11 percentage points higher than national average.

Q 2a. How Would You Rate the Overall Quality of Program s/Activities Your Household Has Participateded?

By

Top Priorities for Investment for Recreation Programs Based on the Priority Investment Rating

Fi tness & well ness programs

Speci al events/festi val s

Outdoor adventure programs

Seni or programs

Sel f-gui ded nature programs

Nature educati on programs

Art, dance, performi ng arts

Youth/teen summer camp programs

Sports programs

Educati on/Li fe skill s programs

Before & after school programs

Programs for peopl e wi th di sabili ti es

Marti al arts programs

Tenni s l essons, cli ni cs & l eagues

Based on the unmet needs of all survey participants, together with their ratings on the types of programming and activities that are most important to them, the high priority activities are fitness and wellness programs, events and festivals, outdoor adventure programs, senior programs, self-guided nature programs, nature education, and arts activities. Medium priority programs include sports, education and specialized programs.

Q15. Actions Households Are M ost Willing to Fund w ith Tax Dollars

ACTIONS HOUSEHOLDS ARE MOST WILLING TO FUND WITH TAX DOLLARS

by percentage of respondents who selected the items as one of their top three choices

By percentage of respondents who selected the items as one of their top three choices

Update/repair older park facilities

Develop new shared walking/biking trails

Use greenways in floodplains

Upgrade existing park amenities

Develop new nature trails

Purchase land that protects the environment

Purchase land for athletic fields/facilities

Develop new o -leash dog parks

Upgrade existing athletic fields

Develop new outdoor spray grounds

Develop new nature centers

Develop skate parks

Other

Most Willing

2nd Most Willing

3rd Most Willing

4th Most Willing

Survey participants were asked to rank the top three items they are most willing to fund with their tax dollars. The top six answers are updates to aging park facilities, new walking and biking trails, use of land along floodplains for green space, upgrades to existing park amenities, new nature trails, and purchase of land that protects the environment.

HAMILTON COUNTY EXPECTED PARTICIPATION RATE BY ACTIVITY

Walki ng fo r e xer ci se

Sw i mmi ng

Jo ggi ng/r unni ng

Fi shi ng ( fre sh w ate r)

B ic ycli ng (ro ad)

We i ght li ft ing

Expected percentage of resident participants in regards to recreational activities

According to the survey results and the demographics and trends data, a list of expected participation was calculated. In Hamilton County, more than 27% of residents are expected to participate in walking for exercise. Activities with expected participation levels above 10% of the population—i.e. more than 80,000 participants—are walking for exercise, swimming, jogging/running, fishing (fresh water), bicycling (road), weight lifting, and hiking.

LEVEL OF SERVICE ANALYSIS

Level of Service (LOS) standards are guidelines defining service areas based on population. For example, a level of service statement for park acreage reads “xx acres per 1,000 residents” with the total number of park acreage in a population divided into a number of acres per every 1,000 residents of that population. LOS standards support investment decisions related to parks, facilities and amenities. LOS standards change over time as facilities and amenities age, community demands change and community demographics change. An LOS analysis is conducted to determine the current level of service and project how much investment in any particular item must occur to meet the same level of service as a population grows. Then, the current LOS is used to inform recommendations of what future LOS the organization aspires to reach within a specified timeframe, and identifies specific investments needed to reach that goal.

PROCESS

The LOS analysis for this plan took an inventory of the parks, facilities, and amenities offered throughout Hamilton County, Ohio by Great Parks, Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC) and Cincinnati Park Board (CPB). The analysis determined how much of each item Great Parks is contributing to the county as a whole, after taking into consideration the other regional service providers (CRC & CPB). The current standards are based upon population figures for 2018 and 2023, the latest figures available at the time of analysis.

To create the future LOS recommendations, the planning team evaluated the current LOS standards using a combination of resources. These resources included market trends, demographic data, recreation activity participation rates, community and stakeholder input, NRPA’s Park Metrics benchmarking database, the statistically valid community survey, and general observations. This information allowed standards to be customized to Great Parks.

The recommended LOS standards should be viewed as a guide. The standards are to be coupled with conventional wisdom and judgment related to the particular situation and needs of Hamilton County. By applying these standards to the population of Hamilton County, gaps or surpluses in park and facility types are revealed.

CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE

PARKLAND

The planning team worked with Great Parks to classify park land into four categories; Regional Parks, Conservation Areas, Community Parks, and River Corridors. Currently, Great Parks has 14,356 acres of regional parks, 1,169 acres of conservation areas, 1,089 acres of community parks, and 1,052 acres of river corridors totaling 17,666 acres. This makes the Great Parks current LOS 17.42 acres of regional parks per 1,000 residents, 1.42 acres of conservation area per 1,000 residents, 1.32 acres of community parks per 1,000 residents, and 1.28 acres of river corridors per 1,000 residents.

Including CRC and CPB acreage, the county is being served by 24,089 park acres. This indicates an overall LOS of 29.22 acres per 1,000 residents. Great Parks accounts for 73% of total park acres in the county, with an LOS of 21.43 acres per 1,000 residents.

If Hamilton County grows at its projected rate, Great Parks will need to add 217 park acres by 2023 to maintain its current level of service to the county.

TRAILS

Trails continue to be one of the highest needs in communities across the country. In the LOS, trails were categorized as paved and unpaved, with Shared Use Trails being the only type of paved trail. Great Parks trails are classified as Shared Use Trails (25 trail miles). Nature Trails (21 trail miles), Horse Trails (18 trail miles), Mountain Bike Trails (8 trail miles), and Fitness Trails (6 trail miles).

Currently, Great Parks has a total of 77.6 miles of trails in the system, accounting for 50% of county trails.

Great Parks current level of service for trail miles is 0.09 miles per 1,000 residents—while national best practice is 0.5 miles per 1,000 residents.

CRC and CPB have a combined total of 76.75 miles of trails and individually 11.75 miles and 65 miles, respectively. Combined with Great Parks, the county holds 154.35 total miles of trails at an LOS of 0.19 miles per 1,000 residents.

When the current LOS for trails are applied to the estimated future population of 834,403 in 2023, Great Parks is projected to need only one (1) additional mile of trail to continue its current level of service. However, survey and community engagement data indicate not only that Hamilton County residents clearly prioritize additional trail miles over any other single improvement—the two highest priorities identified in the community survey are paved walking and biking trails and nature trails—but also they look to Great Parks to be the leader in trails for the county.

These data suggest increasing the future LOS standard to meet increased demand for trails. Further, as the benchmark analysis to follow in this section describes, at 0.09 trail miles per 1,000 residents, Great Parks is next to lowest compared to its peers in trail miles.

PARKLAND LOS

Regional Parks

14,356

17.42

Total Acres

Acres per 1,000 residents

Conservation Areas

1,169

1.42

Total Acres

Acres per 1,000 residents

Community Parks

1,089

1.32

Total Acres

Acres per 1,000 residents

River Corridors

1,052

1.28

Total Acres

Acres per 1,000 residents

Hamilton County (includes Great Parks, CRC & CPB)

24,089

29.22

TRAILS LOS

Total Acres

Acres per 1,000 residents

Great Parks Totals

77.6

0.09

Total miles of trails

Miles per 1,000 residents

Hamilton County (includes Great Parks, CRC & CPB)

154.35

0.19

Total miles of trails

Miles per 1,000 residents

In order to exceed the LOS of the next highest parks agency on the benchmark analysis list, Great Parks and regional trail partners would need to increase their trails LOS to 0.25 miles per 1,000 residents by adding 131 miles of new trails by 2023.

OUTDOOR FACILITIES

The LOS for outdoor facilities inventoried an expansive list of 30 facility types from sports fields to playgrounds, campsites and picnic shelters. Because many outdoor facilities and amenities do not have set best practices for what LOS an organization should strive for, the outdoor facilities LOS documents a baseline for Great Parks to use for future comparisons and data for setting LOS goals.

To set LOS goals for outdoor facilities, the plan sets priorities based on community engagement and PIR (priority investment rating) findings from the community survey analysis. The top-ten highest ratings for outdoor facilities in the community survey were:

• Off leash dog parks

• Natural areas & wildlife habitats

• Lake swimming areas

• Park shelters/picnic areas

• Community gardens

• Water access, general

• Outdoor fitness equipment

• Fishing/boating

• Playground equipment

• Campground

INDOOR FACILITIES

When looking at the indoor facilities, the future priorities from the survey results and PIR show only one high priority and that is historical sites (110). This high priority can be understood with Great Parks having 39 historical buildings. Other indoor facilities fall in the medium to low rating. However, it is worth noting that several indoor facilities fulfill a supporting role to parks, outdoor recreation, and outdoor facilities that are higher priorities in the PIR such as lodges, nature centers and other gathering spaces.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Approximately 26% of the Hamilton County population identifies as Black Alone. While the community survey findings and priorities are largely consistent across racial demographics, differences in preferences and priorities to African American/Black residents can help inform Great Parks decision making for improvements overall and promotion of diversity & inclusion in the parks.

African American/Black residents rated all programs with higher importance than Caucasian/White respondents, with the exception of golf and tennis lessons.

Programs that are most important to African American/ Black residents include:

1. Fitness and wellness

2. Senior programs

3. Youth/teen summer camp programs

These three types of programs also are rated very highly as programs for which the African American/Black community has a need. Of all programs, fitness and wellness and senior programs show the highest amount of need.

The results for facilities questions are much more consistent across demographics. Paved walking & biking trails are consistently rated highest in importance.

African American/Black residents rated the following higher in importance than Caucasian/White participants:

• Outdoor fitness equipment

• Indoor & outdoor play structures

Items of lower importance to African American/Black residents than Caucasian/White are disc golf, golf, and water access.

PROGRAM ASSESSMENT

The planning team conducted an Outdoor Education and Recreation Program assessment to offer an in-depth perspective of program and service offerings and identify programming strengths, challenges, and opportunities. The assessment also identified Great Parks current core program areas, program gaps within the portfolio, key system-wide issues, areas of improvement, and future programs and services.

The program findings and recommendations to follow are based on information provided by Great Parks including program descriptions, financial data, website content, statistically valid survey feedback, demographic information, and discussions with staff. The full report addresses the program offerings from a park district perspective for the entire portfolio of programs, including programming that is important to energize facilities.

CORE PROGRAM AREAS

The Program Assessment found Great Parks is currently operating programs primarily within the following ten Core Program Areas:

• Adventure Recreation: such as paddling, archery and outdoor skills

• Collaborative Programs: such as woodcarving, honeybees and Earth Day programs

• Cultural History: including education on all cultures that have inhabited the region in recent history, ancient history and prehistory

• Equine: including trails rides, group and private lessons

• Fishing: including tournaments and summer camps

• Golf: including leagues and classes by age group

• Health & Wellness: such as trail runs, yoga, and fitness series

• Natural History: including education on the habitats, flora and fauna of the region

• Special Events: such as dinners, concert series, holiday events and festivals

• Softball: including men’s, women’s and co-ed leagues

Core programming was determined by examining eight factors collected in the data regarding all programs offered by Great Parks in 2016 and 2017. Factors included program longevity, budget, demographic appeal, staffing, facilities, and market competition. This plan’s recommendations for programming take the Core Areas above as a baseline for future tracking. Then, a systemwide philosophy is set to evolve, update, and introduce programs based on community demand and regular evaluation against consistent metrics.

NATIONAL PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMMING

Information released by Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) 2016 Study of Sports, Fitness, and Leisure Activities Topline Participation Report reveals that the most popular sport and recreational activities include:

• Fitness walking

• Treadmill running/jogging

• Free weights

• Trail running/jogging

• Hiking (Day)

• Road Bicycling

From a traditional team sport standpoint, basketball ranks highest among all sports, with approximately 22.3 million people reportedly participating in 2016. Golf and tennis round out the top three.

NATIONAL PARTICIPATORY TRENDS

As shown in Figure 3.2, activities that have enjoyed a large increase in participation from 2011 to 2016 include:

• Stand-up paddling (181% increase)

• Adventure racing (149.5% increase)

• Non-traditional/off-road triathlon (108.2% increase)

Activities with declining participation include golf and fishing.

FIGURE 3.2 | NATIONAL PARTICIPATORY TRENDS - GENERAL SPORTS

FIGURE 3.3 |

LOCAL DEMAND BY CATEGORY

GENERAL SPORTS ACTIVITIES:

284,000 – 381,000 POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS

GENERAL FITNESS ACTIVITIES:

502,000 – 732,000 POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES:

341,000 – 489,000 POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS

LOCAL MARKET DEMAND

In order to identify local trends in park and recreation activities, the planning team examined Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) data for Market Potential. The Market Potential Index (MPI) measures the probable demand for a product or service in the county. The MPI shows the likelihood that an adult resident of the target area will participate in certain activities when compared to the US national average. In general, adult residents in the county are active and have a much higher than average potential to participate in several sports, fitness, and outdoor activities.

Residents in Hamilton County demonstrate a high potential to participate in the following activities (see figure 3.3):

• General Sports: including golf, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, football and soccer

• Fitness Activities: including Pilates, weight lifting, aerobics, Zumba, jogging/ running, yoga and walking for exercise

• Outdoor Activities: including backpacking, fishing, canoeing/kayaking, boating (power), bicycling (road), hiking and bicycling (mountain)

Across the county, 20 – 30% of residents (160,000 – 240,000) are expected to take part in walking for exercise. Between eight and twelve percent of residents are expected to use bicycles (road) for exercise, and up to five percent to enjoy mountain biking. Fitness and Outdoor activities generate the highest demand.

PRIORITY ACTIVITIES

In addition to the market demand identified above, the statistically valid survey asked respondents questions helping understand the need and importance of activity types. These questions create the Priority Investment Rating (PIR). The PIR equally weighs (1) the importance that residents place on recreation programs and (2) how many residents have unmet needs for the recreation programs. Based on this methodology, the priority need for programs and services are in the areas of:

• Fitness & wellness programs

• Special events/festivals

• Outdoor adventure programs

• Senior programs

• Self-guided nature programs

• Nature education programs

• Art, dance, and performing arts

• Youth/teen summer camp programs

• Sports programs

• Education/Life skills programs

• Before & after school programs

• Programs for people with disabilities

PROGRAM LIFECYCLE

The Program Lifecycle Analysis reviewed each program offered by Great Parks to determine the stage of growth or decline for each. See Figure 3.4 for definitions. This provides a way of informing strategic decisions about the overall mix of programs managed by Great Parks to ensure that an appropriate number of programs are “fresh” and that relatively few programs, if any, need to be discontinued. This analysis is not based on strict quantitative data but, rather, is based on staff members’ knowledge of their program areas. The following table shows the percentage distribution of the various life cycle categories of Great Parks’ programs. These percentages were obtained by comparing the number of programs in each individual stage with the total number of programs listed by staff members.

Currently, more than 30% of programs are saturated or in decline, as opposed to the best-practice distribution of 0 – 10%. On the other end of the spectrum, only 41% of programs are in the introduction and growth periods of their lifecycle, while best-practice suggests they should be targeting 50 –60%.

These findings suggest a more consistent approach to program evaluation, tracking, development and retirement would benefit Great Parks and its current and potential future program users.

The following Great Parks programs (organized by Core Program Area) are in the introduction, take-off or growth stage, whose success can indicate opportunities for growth:

• Adventure Recreation: corporate and school group programs, adventure day camp, trail run series

• Collaborative Programs: Earth Day, honeybees

• Cultural History: Public nonregistered and registered, school outreach, private organized groups – adult & child, impromptu

• Equine: HOPE program, private and semi-private lessons, Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA), pony rides

• Fishing: tournaments (child)

• Golf: Special needs programs, outreach programs

• Health & Wellness: trail run series, summer fitness series

• Natural History: impromptu, school outreach, public registered, private organized groups – adult & child

• Special Events: Bands, BBQ & Brews

The following Great Parks programs (organized by Core Program Area) are in the saturated or declining stage and should be cut or refreshed:

• Adventure Recreation: outdoor skills

• Collaborative Programs: Thanksgiving on the Ohio Frontier, Weekend in 1800, Holiday Music, Nature Next Door, Raptor Exhibit w/ Raptor, Inc.

• Cultural History: school inreach

• Equine: summer camp lessons, Special Riders Program (SRP), group lessons

• Fishing: summer camp

• Natural History: school inreach, public non-registered

• Special Events: Holiday Lights/Santaland, Halloween Nights, Pops concert, Shakespeare in the Park, summer concerts

• Softball: men’s softball, women’s softball, co-ed softball

FIGURE 3.4 | GREAT PARKS PROGRAM LIFECYCLE ANALYSIS

RECREATION PROGRAM PARTNERSHIPS

Great Parks currently works with several different types of partners throughout the region, such as the Raptor Exhibit with Raptor, Inc. and the lease of land in Sharon Woods for the Heritage Village Museum operated by Historic Southwest Ohio. While good detail was provided as part of the program assessment, a centralized database for tracking partnerships and assigning management to oversee the desired outcomes is not currently in use. Tracking partnerships more closely would help to demonstrate leadership, make budget decisions, and identify how well staff are able to leverage resources. In many instances, partnerships are inequitable to the public agency and do not produce reasonable shared benefits between parties. The adoption of a formal partnership policy—with tools

in place for identifying a few major partnership types and ideal, measurable outcomes for each type of partnership—could be a valuable resource for Great Parks moving forward.

MARKETING & PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Great Parks currently utilizes a robust marketing and public engagement strategy. Communications with park users and Hamilton County residents is done through the use of media such as seasonal program guides (print and online), the greatparks.org website, flyers and brochures, email lists, roadside signage, verbal communication with staff, advertisements, posters in facilities, public service announcements, and social media outlets. Not all methods are used for each core program area. There is an opportunity to use more social media for

Adventure Recreation, Fishing, Golf, and Softball. At present, marketing staff produce content for all marketing efforts including print materials, the website, and social media. Staff contribute content to assist marketing staff with telling the Great Parks story.

WEBSITE

In the statistically valid survey conducted for this planning process, participants identified the website as their primary source for Great Parks information, closely followed by the response that they hear about programs and events from friends and neighbors.

The site is user-friendly and quick links on the Parks and Recreation tabs make it easy for the user to access more specific information. The site’s ease of use has most likely contributed to it receiving the highest responses from the survey as the most used method by the community to learn of services. The Upcoming Events section, front and center with quick links, is a good practice which directly drives users’ attention to upcoming programs, meetings, or activities residents may have not previously known about. The site is mobile friendly, which is an essential function given internet users today access the internet on a smartphone more often than on any other device.

From friends & neighbors

Flyers/posters at park facilities

TOP 3 WAYS THAT HOUSEHOLDS LEARN ABOUT GREAT PARKS OF HAMILTON COUNTY PROGRAMS & ACTIVITIES

SOCIAL MEDIA

Over the last decade, social media has become one of the country’s fastest growing trends. With only 24% of the country using social media in 2008; today, an estimated 81% of the U.S. population is currently using some form of social media. With such a large percentage of the population using these online media platforms in their daily lives, social media can be a useful and affordable tool to reach current and potentially new system users. Such platforms as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter are extremely popular with not only today’s youth but also young and middle-aged adults.

Great Parks is ahead of many agencies across the country when it comes to maximizing the use of social media. The content created for social media regularly connects the

FIGURE 3.5 |

follower to nature, programs, facilities and environmental efforts of Great Parks. Consistent engagement with followers on social media by responding to questions and posts demonstrates a deeper understanding of customer needs and draws them into the culture of Great Parks and its services. It compares to excellent national agencies such as the National Park Service in sharing up-close views and snapshots into the primal activities of wildlife as well as programming activities and special features of parks.

PROGRAMS & SERVICES CLASSIFICATION

All Great Parks programs and services were classified in order to inform how each program serves the overall organization mission, the goals and objectives of each core

program area, and how the program should be funded with regard to tax dollars and/or user fees and charges. How a program is classified can help to determine the most appropriate management, funding, and marketing strategies.

Program classifications are based on the degree to which the program provides a public benefit versus a private benefit. Public benefit can be described as everyone receiving the same level of benefit with equal access, whereas private benefit can be described as the user receiving exclusive benefit above what a general taxpayer receives for their personal benefit.

Programs and services were classified into three categories shown in Figure 3.5 below.

PROGRAMS & SERVICES CLASSIFICATION METHODOLOGY

Access

COST OF SERVICES

A cost of services analysis was completed at a high level to understand the cost recovery of Great Parks programs. A cost of service analysis calculates direct (i.e. program-specific) and indirect (i.e. comprehensive, including administrative overhead) costs. Conducting this type of analysis regularly not only helps determine the true and full cost of offering a program, but also provides information that can be used to price programs based upon accurate delivery costs. The figure to the right illustrates the common types of costs to be accounted for in a detailed cost of service analysis.

COST RECOVERY TARGETS

Cost of service analysis combined with the classification of programs and services as described above will lead to cost recovery targets. Cost recovery targets reflect the degree to which a program provides a public versus private good. For example, programs providing public benefits (i.e. essential programs) are expected to be high to fully subsidized by Great Parks’ budget (desired cost recovery is none to moderate); while programs primarily providing private benefits (i.e. valueadded programs) should seek to recover costs and/or generate revenue (desired cost recovery is high to complete). Cost recovery policies will be guided by categories in Figure 3.6.

PRICING STRATEGY

The pricing of programs is established based on the cost of service analysis, overlaid onto program areas or specific events, and strategically

adjusted according to market factors and/or policy goals. With a set strategy, Great Parks can set variable pricing for programs and still reach cost recovery goals. The pricing strategy analysis found many opportunities for Great Parks to formalize and broaden their pricing strategy. For example, a program may have different

FACTORS INCLUDED IN COST OF SERVICE

prices on a weekday than it has on the weekends, group discounts, or a sliding fee scale based on need. Additionally, pricing strategy can be used to attract target groups of people, such as offering family discounts, senior discounts, and free or discounted events for neighborhood residents adjacent to the parks. TOTAL COSTS FOR

FIGURE 3.6 | COST RECOVERY ANALYSIS

Essential Programs Important Programs Value-added Programs

“We must offer this program”

“We should offer this program”

“It is nice to offer this program”

FINANCIAL ASSESSMENT

For the financial assessment, the revenues, expenditures and capital funds were analyzed to identify trends and assess Great Parks’ financial integrity. The planning team reviewed a detailed cost and activity information prepared by Great Parks staff. The following data was reviewed in this analysis:

• Financial statements for years ending 2012 through 2017

• Great Parks budget reports for years ending 2014 through 2017

The assessment found Great Parks’ revenues have increased over time while operating expenses and expenditures are kept lower to support the cash balance. The new millage adopted in 2017 will provide funds to continue the quality and quantity of Great Parks’ services into the future. The greatest concern for financial resources over the next 10 years is capital funding resources falling short of County resident’s expectations for upgraded and new facilities.

The Great Parks property values and assessment have remained constant over the study period. Should property values remain the same or decrease, this may require additional reliance on user fees and partnerships to maintain the quality of programs and facilities. New assets added to the system typically come with additional operation and maintenance expenses. This could create additional funding

gaps in operational budgets to support the new assets, if the tax revenue is insufficient. With respect to tax values, Great Parks is in a better position than other areas of the U.S.

Overall, the assessment found Great Parks is in a sound financial position with respect to operating revenues and expenditures, fund balance, and investments in capital projects. Because they maintain a strong cash balance, they have adequate funds to provide flexibility for managing programs, maintaining assets, and meeting the changing needs of the community except when it comes to capital needs. Great Parks should work toward implementing funding strategies identified as initially viable to fill current and future capital funding gaps.

Further, Great Parks’ total revenues are consistently in excess of the operating expenditures which indicate sound financial planning with respect to financial strength. The trend analysis shows that there is a decreasing gap between the operating revenues and expenditures which should be continually monitored to maintain the financial strength of the organization.

BENCHMARK ANALYSIS

The benchmark analysis compared Great Parks with four peer agencies. Two of the comparable agencies are peers from the state of Ohio, along with two additional best practice systems. Great Parks represents the benchmark median for total population (824,286) and ranks second in population density (1,996 residents per sq. mi.), while it has the smallest jurisdiction size (413 sq. mi.). The benchmark agencies include:

Oakland County Parks Northwest of Detroit, Michigan

Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation

County including Charlotte, North Carolina

Five Rivers Metroparks

Dayton, Ohio and surrounding areas

Metroparks Toledo Toledo, Ohio and surrounding areas

The analysis evaluated how Great Parks is positioned among peer agencies as it applies to efficiency and effectiveness practices. Information used was obtained directly from each participating benchmark agency. Due to differences in how each system collects, maintains, and reports data, variances may exist. The benchmark data collection for all systems was complete as of June 2018, and it is possible that information may have changed since the original collection date. The information sought was a combination

of operating metrics that factor budgets, staffing levels, and inventories. All agencies financial data was from fiscal year 2017, with the exception of Mecklenburg County, which was for fiscal year 2017 –2018. In some instances, the information was not tracked or not available.

The overview table lists each benchmark agency in the study, arranged by population density, and reveals key characteristics of each jurisdiction. The overview also indicates which agencies have achieved Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) Agency Accreditation through the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) along with the year of origination. Additionally, past NRPA Gold Medal recipients are also identified in the overview table.

FINDINGS

Great Parks is generally well positioned among its peers. The fact that Great Parks is average to above-average for the majority of metrics assessed is even more impressive when considering that residents served have other major recreation providers offering services in the area (i.e. CPB and CRC). Great Parks has a regional draw that is similar to State Parks and National Park Service lands. Since State and National Parks are not within Hamilton County, Great Parks has filled this gap.

Great Parks measured higher than other agencies in staffing levels, operational efficiency, revenue-generation, and delivery of programs. The ratio of staff and strong volunteerism, indicates resources dedicated to quality service delivery, well-maintained parks, and a high functioning team. This requires context with staff’s responsibility to manage, preserve, and maintain over 17,600 acres of land, 78 miles of trails, and several signature facilities. Great Parks operational budget represents Hamilton County resident’s willingness to invest in quality experiences.

Although Great Parks is high functioning for many points of comparison, the data also suggests some areas for improvement. Great Parks does demonstrate one of the lowest levels of service for trail miles per resident, which is below best practice in the industry. Great Parks has also seen a declining trend in capital investment in recent years, which is identified in the financial analysis as the area where efforts to incorporate alternative capital funding sources will greatly assist in meeting the needs of residents. Finally, Great Parks should strive to achieve CAPRA accreditation status and eventually strengthen the system to the point where it can compete for NRPA’s Gold Medal Award.

FIGURE 3.7 | BENCHMARK OVERVIEW

PARK ACRES

Great Parks represents the benchmark median for number of park sites (21) and has the second highest total acres owned or managed (17,666) among its peers. Great Parks ranks in the middle for percentage of developed acreage (17%).

TRAIL MILES

By comparing total trail miles to the population of the service area, the level of service provided to the community can be determined, which is expressed as trail miles for every 1,000 residents. Great Parks ranks fourth in total trail mileage, although it does offer a good balance of paved and unpaved trails. Great Parks also ranks fourth in for total trail mileage per capita (0.09 miles per 1,000) among benchmark agencies. This level of service for trail mileage is also significantly lower than the national best practice of 0.5 miles of trail per 1,000 residents (NRPA Park Metrics).

STAFFING

Among peer agencies, Great Parks has the highest amount of staffing relative to the population served, with 7.51 full time equivalent employees per 10,000 residents.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are critical to the livelihood of parks and recreation agencies. In order to provide the most effective comparison, total hours contributed were converted to total volunteer FTEs (full time equivalent hours), then compared to the population served to

FIGURE 3.8 | PARK ACRES

FIGURE 3.9 | TRAIL MILES

FIGURE 3.10 | STAFFING

FIGURE 3.11 | VOLUNTEERS

understand how significant volunteer contributions are for each agency. Great Parks has the greatest total number of volunteer hours per volunteer and represents the benchmark median with 0.33 volunteer FTEs per 10,000 residents.

OPERATING EXPENSE PER CAPITA

Dividing the annual operating expenses by each service area’s population allows for a comparison of how much each agency is spending per resident. Great Parks ranks second among peer agencies for total operating expense ($27.8M) and third for expense per resident ($33.71).

OPERATIONAL COST RECOVERY

Operational cost recovery is a key performance indicator, arrived at by dividing total nontax revenue by total operating expense, which measures how well each agency’s revenue generation covers the total cost of operations. Due to the agency’s strong earning capabilities, Great Parks is the outright leader for operational cost recovery, as the agency recoups 53% of it’s total operating expense. This level of cost recovery is recognized as best in practice and demonstrates the operational efficiency of Great Parks.

MARKETING

Marketing budgets for parks and recreation agencies are typically less than the private sector, but the industry is beginning to realize the value of investing in marketing and the potential return on investment (ROI) that can be achieved.

FIGURE

FIGURE 3.13 | OPERATIONAL COST RECOVERY

Note: Mecklenburg County figures are FY2017–2018, all others are FY2017.

FIGURE 3.14 | MARKETING

Compared to peers, Great Parks has the highest current budget ($986K), but its spending per resident ($1.20) is third among agencies in the study. Ideally, the agency will continue to invest in marketing and utilizing an optimal marketing mix to continue to strengthen program participation and non-tax revenue generation.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

This table reveals the annual capital budget from 20152018, as well as the four-year average budget, for each agency. Great Parks ranks near the middle of the study for current capital spending ($2 M) and its four-year CIP ($4.7 M); however, it is concerning that the capital investment has been consistently trending downward and its current budget is less than one-third of capital dollars spent in 2015.

PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

Program activity is measured in participations (versus participants), which accounts for each time a resident participates in a program and allows for multiple participations per individual. Great Parks has the second highest participation rate (0.30) among benchmark agencies, accounting for approximately one participation for every three residents.

PROGRAM REVENUE

As an additional indicator of revenue-generating capabilities of benchmark agencies, the total program revenue of each agency was compared to total residents within each jurisdiction. Great Parks ranks first among peers, with $1.97 in program revenue per resident.

FIGURE 3.15 | CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

FIGURE 3.16 | PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

Note: Mecklenburg County program participation was not available at time of study.

FIGURE 3.17 | PROGRAM REVENUE

Note: Oakland County program revenue was not available at time of study.

COST RECOVERY FOR PROGRAMS

Similar to the overall cost recovery, each agency’s recovery levels for programs were assessed by dividing total program revenues by the cost to provide them. Currently, Great Parks has the highest cost recovery level (62%) within the study.

FIGURE 3.18 | COST RECOVERY FOR PROGRAMS

Note: Revenue figures for Oakland County were not available at time of study.

SECTION 3: RECOMMENDATIONS

BASED ON WHAT WE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND STAFF ENGAGEMENT PROCESS COMBINED WITH THE ANALYSIS FINDINGS, THE PLANNING TEAM WORKED WITH GREAT PARKS STAFF TO DEVELOP DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS. THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THE FIVE PRIMARY GOALS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN.

1. Be a recognized leader in conservation

OBJECTIVE: Establish Great Parks of Hamilton County as a system of connected and ecologically resilient conservation areas, river corridors and parks.

2. Provide innovative programming as a gateway to nature exploration

OBJECTIVE: Adopt a programming philosophy and approach dedicated to wellness, adventure and enrichment to ensure the development of impactful and evolving programming.

3. Create outstanding experiences

OBJECTIVE: Integrate nature, programming, and facilities to provide high quality and unique offerings in every park that instill lasting memories in all users.

4. Advance fiscal health

OBJECTIVE: Ensure the park system is financially balanced and sustainable.

5. Operate with high standards of excellence

OBJECTIVE: Maximize the efficiency and productivity of staff, volunteers, facilities and programming through performance management.

The following is a detailed discussion of the recommendations for achieving each of the five plan goals and objectives.

BE A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN CONSERVATION 1

2

PROVIDE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING AS A GATEWAY TO NATURE EXPLORATION

3

CREATE OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCES

ADVANCE

OPERATE WITH HIGH STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE

CASE STUDY: BATTELLE DARBY CREEK METRO PARK & NATURE CENTER GALLOWAY, OH

An environmental education nature center serves as the centerpiece for Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park—the largest park in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Park system. The nature center is a 14,000 square foot LEED Silver certified building, featuring climate responsive design, geothermal heat pumps, a green roof, bioswales, and rain gardens. At the heart of the nature center is a 53-foot living stream, which is stocked with aquatic creatures that can be found in the Big Darby Creek River. The stream is surrounded by other exhibits and interactive programs are held in the space. The park itself contains over 1,600 acres of restored wetlands and prairies. A herd of bison roam some of those prairies and visitors can catch of glimpse of them from the deck of the nature center or several other overlooks. A multi-use trail network within the park is highly used for both walking and biking.

1. BE A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN CONSERVATION

OBJECTIVE: ESTABLISH GREAT PARKS OF HAMILTON COUNTY AS A SYSTEM OF CONNECTED AND ECOLOGICALLY RESILIENT CONSERVATION AREAS, RIVER CORRIDORS AND PARKS.

Great Parks is in a unique position to be the regional leader for conservation and connections. Moving forward, the district-wide strategy will focus on connecting the county as a system of parks, conservation areas, paved trails, unpaved trails and blueways. This will protect the county’s natural resources through conservation and land use while inviting residents of, and visitors to, Hamilton County to connect with nature through both self-directed and guided exploration. It will also inspire users to adopt conservation practices in their homes and businesses.

These strategies are organized into three categories:

A) Protect

B) Connect

C) Explore

A. PROTECT

1A-1. FORMALIZE APPROACH TO LAND USE

Complete a natural resource management plan (NRMP) that inventories natural resources, documents existing conditions, and outlines management actions in order to enhance ecological diversity and ecosystem services.

1A-2. FORMALIZE CRITERIA AND METHODS FOR LAND ACQUISITION

Formalize a land acquisition process based on priorities for conservation established in the NRMP (1A-1) as well as other factors such as connectivity, proximity to water resources, and recreational enhancements. Examples of priorities may include using numeric criteria to prioritize the highest quality areas for acquisition, offering a regional park in an urban setting or focusing on the transformation of brownfield sites into unique park spaces.

1A-3. FOSTER SUSTAINABILITY AND ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCY

Great Parks will anticipate future threats and implement adaptive plans to increase the biological integrity of natural systems. Anticipated threats include climate change, invasive species and urbanization. Action items include utilizing green infrastructure, renewable energy, and fostering ecological resiliency by taking climate predictions into account for management plans.

1A-4. ESTABLISH A REGIONAL CONSERVATION COMMUNITY

Engage the public in conservation and participate in research that contributes to knowledge of conservation issues. Great Parks will seek regional partners to monitor, manage and implement conservation practices both inside and outside park boundaries. One potential example includes communicating results and facilitating increased use of internal research through workshops, publications, and internships. Another example may be facilitating cooperative action between public land management and private land management.

B. CONNECT

1B – 1. BE A LEADER IN TRAILS FOR THE REGION

As the largest parks agency in the county, Great Parks is in a unique position to think about the connection of people to parks and facilities. To accomplish this, Great Parks should formalize a Greenways & Trails initiative whose primary focus is funding, developing, and partnering on trails throughout the county.

1B – 2. INCREASE LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR TRAILS

Over the next 10 years, Great Parks should strive to reach 0.25 miles of trails per 1,000 residents. Trail miles LOS includes all types of

trails—paved and unpaved. LOS should be tracked so milestone achievements can be celebrated.

1B – 3. FOCUS ON TRAILS OF ALL TYPES AND COMPLETE MISSING CONNECTIONS

Trail expansion and connection should focus on trails of all types—paved and unpaved trails, and blueways along the county’s plentiful river and stream corridors. Trail development should focus on filling in missing trail connections in the system, connecting parks to other parks, and increasing trail/park access to underserved areas. Trails should also consider all user types, building a balanced system that works for a broad array of users including pedestrians, children, bicyclists, horseback riders, people with assisted devices, fitness enthusiasts and outdoor adventurists.

1B – 4. PARTNER WITH OTHER TRAIL-BUILDING AND MANAGING ENTITIES

When Great Parks is not building or managing trails on park district property, they should act as an advocate for other organizations’ trail expansion projects and act as a facilitator to ensure they connect into the larger system whenever possible.

CASE STUDY: METROPARKS TOLEDO ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION

LUCAS COUNTY, OHIO

Metroparks Toledo practices multiple methods of restoration to protect and restore habitats that support plant and animal biodiversity across Lucas County.

Since 2003, the park system has increased its land holdings by more than 60 percent to 12,000 acres. Acquisition has focused on reserving some of the best examples of habitats that remain in the northwest Ohio region.

Restoration methods include burning with prescribed fires, managing wildlife, cultivating and planting native plants and trees, and aggressively removing non-native, invasive species.

These practices are best exemplified in two parks. The Oak Openings Preserve includes examples of prairie and savanna restorations, where prescribed fires have removed excessive woody growth and stimulated regrowth of dormant plants. Pearson Metropark features 300 acres of once farmland that has been restored back into functioning wetland.

CASE STUDY: OZ MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

With hundreds of miles of mountain biking trails, Northwest Arkansas has become a mountain biking hotspot. The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) has designated Bentonville a Silver Level Ride Center with extensive facilities built for every skill level. The Slaughter Pen Hollow multi-use trail system near downtown Bentonville includes braided trails, with a main paved shared-use path and single-track mountain biking trails weaving around the shareduse path. Multiple access points along the shared-use path allow cyclists to ride to the single-track trails easily. This mix of trails caters to a variety of cyclists at all different skill levels. Additionally, Bentonville features a bike playground for children to experience the sport. Nearby, the Railyard Bike Park opened in Rogers, Arkansas, and features exciting obstacles for all riders and bicycle types. Mountain bike rental companies, shuttle services, and bike-friendly hotels add to the local biking culture and provide necessary services to visitors.

C. EXPLORE

1C – 1. PROVIDE MEASURED ACCESS TO CONSERVATION AREAS

Provide access to explore conservation areas— emphasizing their beauty and importance. However, access must be measured against potential negative outcomes for the habitats and species that are being protected. Measured access to conservation areas may include improved parking and trails, special programs, and technological resources. Accessible areas should be prioritized based on season, the best opportunity for interpretation and highest impact for conservation education. Any new trails should connect people to the greatest features of the parks including overlooks and scenic vistas, heritage trees, wildflowers and native species. In areas where physical access has been determined to be detrimental to important species or habitats, digital access via filmed events, live webcams and photography can help connect people to conservation areas.

1C – 2. ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE OF USING TRAILS FOR EXERCISE

Using trails for exercise is one of the most common activities within the parks and is the activity expected to attract the highest number of Hamilton County residents. Physical and technological improvements designed to enhance the experience for these users may include apps and signage with conservation messages, connection to collaborative, affiliated apps to promote group activities, or other social elements and organized programming.

Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park Nature Center

2. PROVIDE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING AS A GATEWAY TO NATURE EXPLORATION

OBJECTIVE: ADOPT A PROGRAMMING PHILOSOPHY AND APPROACH DEDICATED TO WELLNESS, ADVENTURE AND ENRICHMENT TO ENSURE THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMPACTFUL AND EVOLVING PROGRAMMING.

The programming philosophy will guide Great Parks’ staff to provide innovative programs based on community interests and desires for enrichment— including a focus on adventure and wellness. Systems of tracking and measuring success will enable programs to grow and evolve, to meet shared goals across the park district and to be informed by national best practices.

The programming philosophy recommendations are organized into two categories:

A) Programming Evaluation + Lifecycle

B) Program Types + Locations.

A. PROGRAMMING EVALUATION + LIFECYCLE

2A – 1. MAKE DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS

Evaluate existing programs, and create new programs, in context with county demographics, trends data, community survey and participant survey results. Data should be updated regularly and used to inform unmet needs,

the best location for programs and how to reach each target audience.

Create mini business plans for all core program areas to formalize program operations and evaluation. The plans should include desired program outcomes for participants, cost recovery goals, percentage of the market and business controls, cost of service, pricing strategy for the next year, and marketing strategies. Plans should be used to evaluate programs on a regular basis.

2A – 2. ESTABLISH A PROGRAM EVALUATION CYCLE (WITH LIFECYCLE STAGES)

Conduct program evaluation regularly to determine program mix and understand successful and unsuccessful programs. Declining programs should be modified or cut. New programs should be added to ensure a balanced mix of new and growing programs. (See lifecycle discussion on page 45.)

2A – 3. INCREASE PARTICIPATION BY INSPIRING USERS TO TRY SOMETHING NEW

Increase program attendance by attracting new users and marketing new programs to current program participants. Reach wide audiences through program cross-promotion, marketing and community engagement. Refresh program offerings by creating new programs that reflect emerging trends and revitalizing essential programs that are currently in decline.

CASE STUDY: SLATE RUN LIVING HISTORICAL FARM

CANAL WINCHESTER, OH

Operated by Columbus & Franklin County Metro Parks, Slate Run Living Historical Farm allows visitors to experience life on an Ohio farm in the late 1800’s. The farmhouse that sits on the site was built in 1856 and was later restored by Metro Parks. Guests can tour the farmhouse, barns, and gardens while interacting with costumed staff and volunteers as they tend to the farm and the animals who also live there. The farm is a popular destination for groups, including school field trips. The full historical programming runs from April through October annually.

CASE STUDY: CLEVELAND METROPARKS PROGRAMMING

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH

Cleveland Metroparks offers a wide variety of programming to serve their visitors. Some of their outdoor recreation programming includes a Youth Adventure Seeker Series, which teaches various outdoor recreation skills from kayaking and rock climbing to mountain biking, navigation, and camp cooking. They also offer skillsbased classes for adults, such as orienteering, kayaking, backcountry cooking, and mountain biking. They also have recreation events, like fishing festivals and different types of race events.

2A – 4. TRACK SIMILAR PROVIDERS AND DUPLICATION OF SERVICES

Track the program offerings of other parks agencies and private organizations in the area to decrease the number of services that are duplicated in the county and identify potential partnership opportunities. The database should be updated at least annually.

Benchmark against regional and peer park agencies annually to understand best practices and inform level of service goals.

B. PROGRAM TYPES + LOCATIONS

2B – 1. EXPAND AND ENHANCE THE CORE PROGRAM AREAS WITH A FOCUS ON TRENDS IN RECREATION AND DEMOGRAPHICS

Consider becoming a home for non-traditional sports that would be unique to the area or attract users of diverse cultures such as cricket, rugby, or field hockey.

Add additional programs for specific demographics in the county such as seniors, teens and young professionals.

2B – 2. INCREASE ADVENTURE AND WELLNESS RECREATION EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

Provide new fitness, wellness and adventure programming and incorporate adventure and wellness into existing programs. Activities may include Pilates, yoga, special events, adventure course races, and advanced paddling courses.

Include fitness and wellness programs that will attract the market interested in adventure programming such as trail running, highintensity fitness training, and educational programming to promote the interdependence of conservation and outdoor adventure.

Also consider the addition of creating “gateway” outdoor experiences for people of all ages to 1) introduce them to new activities and 2) increase their knowledge to reach higher levels of proficiency. Instruction may include fishing, survival, hiking, biking, climbing, canoeing, kayaking, camping, flora/fauna identification, archery, mountain biking orientation, hunting, gathering, and backyard ingredients cuisine.

2B – 3. ENHANCE CURRENT USER EXPERIENCE BY MAINTAINING POPULAR FACILITIES

Popular and growing activities should be maintained and updated, along with their current facilities as needed to continue a high level of satisfaction for users. Examples include opportunities to work with mountain biking groups to add value to the experience of existing trails and fishing groups to increase bank fishing opportunities.

2B – 4. APPROACH PROGRAMMING FROM A SYSTEM-WIDE PERSPECTIVE

Allow programming needs to inform the need for, and design of, facilities. Facility placement and design should rely on programming functions as well as the needs of self-directed activities.

3. CREATE OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCES

OBJECTIVE: INTEGRATE NATURE, PROGRAMMING AND FACILITIES TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY AND UNIQUE OFFERINGS IN EVERY PARK THAT INSTILL LASTING MEMORIES IN ALL USERS.

The placemaking strategy focuses on the creation of outstanding experiences that connect people with nature through learning and exploration. The strategy combines permanent improvements such as trails, buildings and play structures with temporary activities such as events and programs.

The placemaking recommendations are organized into three categories:

A) Placemaking Strategies

B) Equitable Access

CASE STUDY: SUMMIT PARK NATURE PLAYSCAPE

BLUE ASH, OH

A. PLACEMAKING STRATEGIES

3A – 1. ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCES THAT GIVE EACH

PARK AN IDENTITY

Establish a process to promote the outstanding experiences of each park. Highlights may include health and wellness opportunities, nature as a positive impact on mental and physical health, unique habitats, seasonal changes, signature programming, nature center or educational opportunities, adventure opportunities, nature-based tourism, and exceptional views or overlooks.

3A – 2. CREATE A FRESH APPROACH TO CURRENT VISITOR CENTERS

Explore the feasibility of renovating or repurposing visitor centers to enhance their effectiveness in welcoming users into the park. Visitor centers should advertise the types of experiences offered within the property, educating visitors on where to go within the park and how to use the facilities.

Designed with adventurous kids in mind, the nature playscape at Summit Park includes two child-sized ziplines, a shallow creek, sand pits, log play structures, underground hobbit hole, and a rope spinner. The nature playscape utilizes natural elements and building materials, such as water, grass, sand, mud, sticks, and timber. The park helps to encourage unstructured play in a safe environment, connect children with nature, teach risk taking, and promote imagination and creativity.

Parklands of Floyd’s Fork

CASE STUDY: THE PARKLANDS OF FLOYDS FORK

JEFFERSON COUNTY, KY

The Parklands of Floyds Fork is a 20-mile, 4,000-acre public park along the Floyds Fork River corridor. The Parklands project connected four regional parks with over 100 miles of trails along the Floyds Fork River corridor, including a blueway trail. Signage on the river, at access points, and on the park website help to direct visitors. Online, userfriendly information provides access locations, water level conditions, and safety information. Canoe, kayak, and paddleboard access points can be found along the river and a private rental company (Blue Moon Canoe & Kayak) is situated nearby for any equipment needs. A publicprivate partnership was crucial in the implementation of the project, with operations funded by community contributions and a private endowment fund.

3A – 3. INVEST IN NEW PLAY & EDUCATION EXPERIENCES

New play and education experiences should ensure wide and inclusive audience interaction through multiple, immersive methods including: audio narration via web applications, interactive exhibits, hands-on learning experiences, and highly graphic, quick-fact learning opportunities.

New or renovated facilities should include indoor and outdoor play and educational activities where visitors of all ages can interact with nature. Existing playgrounds should be updated to incorporate more nature play experiences.

3A – 4. EMBRACE THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF EACH PARK

Promote historic assets as part of the Great Parks story. Establish education and research partnerships to conduct programs that include tangible cultural heritage (e.g. sculpture, artifacts), intangible cultural heritage (e.g. music, oral history, cultural traditions), and natural heritage (e.g. earthworks, geological formations).

Activate and preserve historic facilities and cultural sites in new and existing parks with site enhancements, educational signage, programs, digital storytelling and marketing.

3A – 5. INCREASE ADVENTURE RECREATION EXPERIENCES

Build facilities to enable selfguided adventure recreation and to host outdoor adventure events and programs.

Increase trail miles such as mountain bike trail miles, unpaved trails, “braided trails” —natural trails parallel to paved greenway trails—and trails with backpacking campsites. Host events and programs that feature trails include mountain bike races, trail running programs and group backpacking events.

Create other adventure opportunities with facilities such as high ropes course, parkour course, obstacle course, zip line, and rock climbing. Host events and programs that feature these facilities including beginner, intermediate and advanced instruction, team building events, races and competitions.

3A – 6. ESTABLISH A DEFINED BLUEWAY SYSTEM

Establish a defined blueway system by increasing access points along Great Miami, Little Miami, Whitewater and Ohio Rivers, and Mill Creek. Establish routes to put in and remove watercraft with “paddle & pedal” opportunities that encourage users to bike back to their car after navigating a blueway in a kayak or canoe.

Add signage within parks and along the water for where to access and get out of the water in a safe environment.

Make the blueway system userfriendly and safe by adding realtime water activity information including water level/paddling safety guidance and water quality information, access point maps, paddle & pedal loops and rental opportunities to the Great Parks website.

B. EQUITABLE ACCESS

3B – 1. INCREASE ACCESS TO PARKS

Consider new nature-based opportunities near underserved populations.

3B – 2. ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS TO PARKS

Enhance pedestrian connections between adjacent neighborhoods and parks for ease of access.

Facilitate comprehensive pedestrian access into, and within, all parks. This includes sidewalks and greenway connections to surrounding neighborhoods to get people into the parks, as well as pedestrian circulation connecting people to facilities within the parks.

3B –3. INCREASE ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION ACCESS TO PARKS

Advocate with regional transit providers to increase the number of bus stops near parks and facilitate walkable connections into parks from existing nearby bus stops.

3B – 4. EXPAND ACCESS FOR USERS WITH MOBILITY AND ABILITY CHALLENGES

Enhance accessibility for all ages and abilities by investing in specialized equipment to enable aging and differentlyabled users to participate in regular programming. Consider all ranges of user needs in signage design and placement.

CASE STUDY: MERWIN’S WHARF

CLEVELAND, OH

The Cleveland Metroparks launched its first full-service restaurant in 2014 on the banks of the Cuyahoga River in Rivergate Park. The park district decided to open the restaurant to offer park-goers a food option built into their outdoor experience. Merwin’s Wharf serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday and includes a private dining room available for rent. The restaurant seats 110 inside and 60 on the patio that features a view of the river. Metroparks received federal transportation funding and contributions from other groups to purchase the land and the existing building. Site preparation and construction cost a total of $1.7 million.

4. ADVANCE FISCAL HEALTH

OBJECTIVE: ENSURE THE PARK SYSTEM IS FINANCIALLY BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE.

Great Parks has an exceptional record for fiscal responsibility and earned revenue, as well as strong public support of its funding strategies. The fiscal health recommendations focus on the financial balance of Great Parks and sustainability of the park district in the future by examining opportunities to expand partnerships and other funding and revenue sources, revising pricing strategies, developing business plans and operations strategies and continuing to utilize financial planning best practices.

The fiscal health recommendations are organized into three categories:

A) Financial Planning

B) Partnerships

C) Pricing Strategy

A. FINANCIAL PLANNING

4A – 1. TRACK ASSETS AND COST OF OWNERSHIP ACROSS LIFE OF FACILITIES

Create a master asset list that enables staff to do predictive modeling for projecting future capital improvement. Use the service classification and cost of service model based on the last two levy cycles to develop a total cost of ownership and unit cost for future capital development and operational costs for the full life of the assets.

Conduct a feasibility study for all new facilities to understand the total cost of ownership from the beginning, including lifecycle costs and preventive maintenance programs.

4A – 2. EXPAND, EXPLORE AND IMPLEMENT VARIED FUNDING STRATEGIES

Continue to monitor and expand the funding strategies currently being implemented by Great Parks including:

• Corporate sponsorships

• Partnerships

• State and Federal funding

• Private donations

• Volunteerism

• Fees/charges

• Admissions

• Reservations

• Equipment rental

• Local nonprofit, private foundation and other untapped grants

• Levy efforts

• Naming rights

• Interlocal agreements

Explore new opportunities to generate revenue from concessions in parks utilizing catering permits and services, concession management and private concessionaires. Research and implement other new viable opportunities in funding strategies including: special use permits, partnership enhancement monetary grant program, advertising sales and crowd funding.

4A – 3. IDENTIFY PROGRAMAND FACILITY-SPECIFIC OPERATIONAL FUNDING STRATEGIES

Utilize business development team to drive earned income, establish business policies, create/manage partnership agreements and train the appropriate staff to the outcomes.

Explore contracting out services based on public cost vs. private cost, including concessions, programs and recreation services.

For new facilities, seek all opportunities for revenue generation including special use permit fees and facility fees.

Continue to monitor closely the cost recovery of all facilities and programs. Develop plans to address each based on future need, community importance, alternative funding opportunities and partnership opportunities.

Establish cost recovery goals and incorporate into program decision making matrix (see 5A – 3).

4A – 4. DEVELOP REGIONAL PARK BUSINESS PLANS

Develop business plans for regional parks to manage the properties to identified outcomes including maximizing use and revenue capacity targeting the offset of operating and capital costs. Include new capital development and operational funding sources as they are identified.

B. PARTNERSHIPS

4B – 1. ADOPT A COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP PHILOSOPHY

A comprehensive partnership philosophy for Great Parks would focus on operational and service partners, vendor partners, cross-promotion partners, and Great Parks Forever as follows:

• Operational & Service Partners: Seek out other entities and organizations, including non-profits and friends groups, that can support Great Parks to maintain facilities and assets, promote park usage, provide

programs and events, and maintain the integrity of natural/cultural resources through in-kind labor, equipment, or materials.

• Vendor Partners: Seek out service providers and contractors that can gain brand association and notoriety as a preferred vendor or supporter of the agency in exchange for reduced rates, services, or some other agreed upon benefit. Examples may include local restaurants, event planners and caterers.

• Cross-Promotion Partners: Seek out private, for-profit organizations that can gain brand association and notoriety as a supporter of the agency in exchange for sponsorship or crossmarketed programs, events, marketing and public engagement, and/ or advertising opportunities. Examples may include hospitals and health-care providers.

• Great Parks Forever: Promote philanthropic partnership between Great Parks Forever and Great Parks to leverage private sector resources, grants, and resources from individuals and groups within the community to support the goals and objectives of the agency on mutually agreed strategic initiatives.

Adopt comprehensive written policies for establishing and managing partnerships including expectations, outcomes, staffing, marketing and promotion, fees and revenue generation, time frames, and contracts.

CASE STUDY: SCIOTO AUDUBON METRO PARK COLUMBUS, OH

The 160-acre Scioto Audubon Metro Park sits on a reclaimed brownfield site and is the result of a partnership between the City of Columbus, Metro Parks, and the Audubon Society of Ohio. What was once a blighted industrial site has been transformed into a natural oasis with restored wetlands and prairies that provide ample habitat for birds. The park also features a nature education center, aviary observation deck, outdoor climbing wall, observation tower, play equipment, a dog park, and other unique features.

CASE STUDY: HERO USA COLUMBUS, OH

HERO USA, Inc., a Columbusbased nonprofit organization, provides opportunities for youth to participate in outdoor sports in order to give them a safe place to socialize, exercise, and develop lifelong skills. They are specifically devoted to making a difference for youth who face social, physical, and economic challenges. They focus on sports like kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding. In partnership with the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, they offer paddling experiences along the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers through downtown Columbus. Other programs offered include adaptive adventures, safety education classes, and special events. They also work closely with other community organizations to combine fundraising and philanthropic efforts, like river cleanup events.

4B – 2. EMPHASIZE COLLABORATION AND LEVERAGE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Seek partnerships by appealing to shared goals and finding mutual opportunities. Establish more opportunities to work with other agencies to share strengths across the park district and benefit all partners.

Strategic partnerships may include:

• Collaboration with the community through amenity friends groups that focus on aspects of experiences within regional parks to raise awareness, dollars, and volunteer support. These groups are highly-motivated supporters of specific parks/ programs/amenities that raise funds for local projects and partner for operations and volunteering.

• Collaboration with the community and non-profits through special events, facilities and activities.

• Collaboration with educational institutions by focusing on student projects.

• Opportunities for health and wellness collaboration with hospitals, rehabilitation centers, organizations on aging, and corporations with staff wellness promotion budget.

• Partnership opportunities with organizations conducting trending activities, such as yoga studios, parkour groups, paddling outfitters, arts and entertainment and outdoor recreation clubs.

• Partnership opportunities for special projects such as brownfield redevelopment, solar fields, and implementing parks/trails facilities.

C. PRICING STRATEGY

4C – 1. EXPAND EXISTING PRICING STRATEGY

Increase the distribution of pricing strategies including more diverse variable pricing for facilities and popular programs to incentivize use and attendance.

As part of the program development process, identify the pricing strategy for each individual program. Reassess pricing strategies regularly based on program participation expectations. Conduct in-house training to teach staff how to communicate prices to the users.

4C – 2. ADOPT INCOME, PRICE AND COST RECOVERY POLICIES

Establish an earned income policy that addresses the cost of service, cost recovery, reviewing fees and charges annually and updating as needed. Include an approved pricing policy based on the cost of service, classification of services, and market value. Train all staff to understand both policies so their program development and other related work is measured against established goals.

4C – 3. UPDATE NAMING RIGHTS POLICY

Evaluate and update naming rights policy and terms to reflect Great Parks funding needs, expected value of rights per facility or program, and appropriate time frames in order to seek private capital improvement dollars.

5. OPERATE WITH HIGH STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE

OBJECTIVE: MAXIMIZE THE EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, PARKS, FACILITIES, AND PROGRAMMING THROUGH PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT.

Great Parks of Hamilton County aspires to be a nationallyrecognized agency. To support this aspiration, multiple levels of recommendations have been developed to increase performance. The operations recommendations ensure Great Parks has systems in place for decision making that are consistent across departments, foster efficient and effective management and team dynamics, utilize technology, expand diversity and inclusion, and enhance customer satisfaction.

The operations recommendations are organized into five categories:

A) Program Management + Evaluation

B) Technology

C) Organizational Structure

D) Diversity + Inclusion

E) Efficiency + Effectiveness

A. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT + EVALUATION

5A – 1. CONDUCT ANNUAL EVALUATIONS

Evaluate core program areas and individual programs as described in program philosophy recommendations.

5A – 2. DEVELOP PROGRAM STANDARDS

Key components of program standards could include arrival time, set up, cross promotional materials, staff attire, greeting participants, agenda of activities, human conveniences, scheduling, booking facilities, thanking participants, personal invitation to participate in other programs and participant surveys.

Establish annual training for staff and volunteers on program standards, expectations and tracking to ensure implementation.

5A – 3. CREATE A PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT & DECISIONMAKING MATRIX

Lifecycle, age segment, classification, and cost recovery goals should all be tracked, and this information along with the latest demographic trends and community input should be factors that lead to program decision-making.

If a program is determined to have strong priority, appropriate cost recovery, good age segment or demographic group appeal, good partnership potential, and strong market conditions, the next step is to determine the marketing methods for the program based on target age and demographic groups.

5A – 4. IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

Develop and implement a written formal program development process that includes core program area standards and a quality control audit process.

CASE STUDY: DIVERSITY & INCLUSION INITIATIVE

GREAT PARKS

In 2017 – 2018 Great Parks engaged Pope Consulting to facilitate a Diversity and Inclusion initiative. A Diversity and Inclusion Committee made up of select Great Parks staff and leadership were engaged in the process. The effort included analysis of staff performance evaluations, executive interviews, focus groups, an employee survey and a two-day facilitated seminar. The summation of this effort will be a Diversity & Inclusion Plan with specific action items to be implemented by staff.

The initiative asked: “What should Great Parks do to attract, retain, develop and grow a diverse workforce in a highly-inclusive work environment?” Recommendations from Pope’s findings include:

» Provide unconscious bias training for all employees

» Form a D&I council to act as internal and external ambassadors for guests and employees

» Develop a plan for internal succession planning, mentoring and professional development

» Utilize non-traditional recruiting tactics

Great Parks can support diversity within the organization by implementing and regularly updating this plan, and by expanding its support of diversity and inclusion in parks and programming.

B. TECHNOLOGY

5B

– 1. USE TECHNOLOGY TO GATHER PARTICIPANT DATA

Develop a customer service application for visitors and participants to articulate their experience in Great Parks parks, facilities and programs. Use WiFi connection interface to ask users survey questions in order to track participant data. Questions might ask users about basic demographics, what neighborhood or community they live in, and what brought them to the park that day.

5B – 2. COMMUNICATE PROGRESS & CHANGES

Continue to keep the staff apprised of the direction of the organization and any course adjustments that have had to be made along the way. Expand use of the Great Parks intranet and learning management system for staff communications and training. Establish a progress metric dashboard as it applies to maintenance operations, facility operations, program services and the agency for real time tracking and increased responsiveness.

5B – 3. INCORPORATE PARTNER ORGANIZATION DATA

Incorporate widgets to embed partner organization information on Great Parks website, such as friends groups that provide real-time data to programs and facility users. Participate in app development for similar purposes as is beneficial to Great Parks programming and participants.

C. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

5C

– 1. CONTINUE TO ENHANCE CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Continue to evaluate and adjust the organizational structure to address future needs and direction for the agency. Educate all staff on recently established functions such as business development, Great Parks Forever, and grants. Institute employee development plans to gauge interest in professional development and begin coaching to fill gaps in knowledge, experience, ability.

5C – 2. ARTICULATE ORGANIZATIONAL FUNCTIONS

Formalize current development team with stated goals, internal organization protocol, and metrics to measure success. Align and measure organization and staff performance based on the Great Parks mission and values, and goals of the Comprehensive Master Plan. Establish a formal onboarding process with facilitator

lead orientation, video lead orientation, and which existing staff members will help with specific areas of the process.

D. DIVERSITY + INCLUSION

5D

– 1. TRACK PARTICIPATION

Track the level of participation in programs by demographics (age, race, etc.) to determine the level of diversity occurring within the park district.

5D – 2. SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONAL DIVERSITY

Integrate diversity and inclusion strategies in staff recruitment, performance management, leadership assessment, and training. Complete the Diversity and Inclusion Plan and review and revise regularly to ensure goals are aligned with human resources best practices.

5D – 3. DEVELOP GATEWAY AND IN-DEMAND PROGRAMS

Seek to develop gateway programs, new programs, activities and community events to attract diverse segments to experience Great Parks in a safe and inclusive environment. Increase programming and

facilities in demand from minority demographics that are currently underserved such as African American/Black and Hispanic populations in Hamilton County (see page 41).

E. EFFICIENCY + EFFECTIVENESS

5E – 1. ENHANCE STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Continue to invest in staff training and professional development as part of the employee development plans described previously. Improve how data is used for decision making involving facilities programming and park management. Include training in statistics and appropriate interpretation of data gathered from various sources. Establish quality assurance and quality control protocol to be completed by designated staff prior to wider use of data.

Train staff to implement program evaluation methods as described in program philosophy recommendations, ensuring decision-makers have the most up to date data as possible to consider. Train all

staff on the best practices to attain the cost recovery goals established for each core program area. Conduct training with open dialogue and staff input to make policies and procedures understandable and relevant to staff functions.

5E – 2. ESTABLISH KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Establish key performance indicators for each new facility and program for future baselining against Great Parks past performance and also to begin benchmarking against other similar agencies.

5E – 3. CONDUCT A CAPACITY DEMAND ANALYSIS

Analyze the use of space by day, month and year to determine gaps in primetime and non-primetime use and volume to create a stronger program strategy for attracting new businesses and users. Consider utilizing an outside hospitality/booking firm to market underutilized spaces. Underutilized facilities should be considered for removal and repurposing through a plan or process.

5E – 4. ENHANCE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Consistently conduct post program evaluations to determine the customer satisfaction level and increase customer retention.

5E – 5. STANDARDIZE LABOR TRACKING

Create a method for tracking labor toward assets or costcenters to provide basis for cost/benefit analysis.

SECTION 4: IMPLEMENTATION & NEXT STEPS

THIS IMPLEMENTATION SECTION SERVES AS A GUIDE FOR THE GREAT PARKS OF HAMILTON COUNTY AS IT BEGINS TO CONSIDER THE IMPROVEMENTS AND INVESTMENTS RECOMMENDED BY THE MASTER PLAN OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

The Top 8 Priorities on the opposite page distill all the plan recommendations into eight overall priorities for implementing the plan. These are targeted, focused summaries of the top priorities for focused implementation.

The Implementation Matrix in the pages following catalogs all of the goals, objectives and strategies introduced in the Recommendations section of this report, with a prioritization scale of 1 to 3 for each recommendation.

The matrix provides detail in terms of internal divisional responsibilities and external partners that will collaborate and cooperate on implementing each

recommendation. The priorities for each recommendation in the Implementation Matrix begin to establish action items to enable success.

Priority 1 recommendations represent early action items that either are quick to implement or are necessary to enable other improvements.

Priority 2 recommendations represent action items that take more time to implement or are reliant on completion of priority 1 action items.

Priority 3 recommendations are ongoing considerations and long-term improvements for the continued success of Great Parks. These may or may not be implemented within the 10

year time frame of this plan, but are important to document and pursue over time.

In addition to implementing the Comprehensive Master Plan recommendations across the park district, this matrix will also guide improvement plans for each park.

An immediate next step upon the completion of this Comprehensive Master Plan will be to develop park and facility master plans that apply these recommendations to specific concepts, designs and improvements for parks, nature preserves and conservation areas. The process for completing these master plans is found at the conclusion of this section.

TOP 8 PRIORITIES

The recommendations of this plan have been distilled into the following top eight priorities for implementation:

BUILD MORE TRAILS

Trail expansion and connections should create a balanced system of trails of all types. Improvements should include paved and unpaved trails, with a focus on trails within the parks, filling in missing trail connections across the county and increasing trail/ park access to underserved areas and adjacent neighborhoods.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

ADD PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS FOR DIVERSE AUDIENCES

New and renewed programs should reflect community interests and emerging trends in nature-based recreation and education. These include gateway programs to reach new audiences, programs focusing on wellness and adventure, community events and non-traditional sports.

PROVIDE ACCESS TO CONSERVATION AREAS

Provide access to explore and understand conservation areas—emphasizing their beauty and importance, while measuring against potential negative impacts to habitats and species. Access may include improved parking and trails, special programs and technological resources.

ESTABLISH A DEFINED BLUEWAY SYSTEM

Increase watercraft access points along the Great Miami, Little Miami, Whitewater and Ohio Rivers, and Mill Creek. Establish safe and user-friendly routes with defined places to put in and take out watercraft, signage systems, and online safety and real-time water conditions information.

FOCUS ON PARTNERSHIPS

Establish relationships with operational and service partners, vendor partners, cross-promotion partners and Great Parks Forever. Partnerships can be utilized for programs and events, cultural resources, capital projects, marketing and public engagement.

BUILD ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Continue to acquire and protect the natural assets of Hamilton County. Anticipate future threats and implement adaptive plans to increase the biological integrity of natural systems. Engage the public in conservation education and research.

EXPAND ACCESS FOR ALL USERS

Pursue new nature-based opportunities near underserved populations. Enhance pedestrian connections from neighborhoods to parks. Advocate with regional transit providers for increased transit stops near parks. Enhance accessibility of facilities and programs for all ages and abilities.

PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF EVERY PARK

Use the Comprehensive Master Plan to guide Park and Facility Master Plans for all parks—including specific improvements and action steps for enhancing experiences in every park.

1 | BE A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN CONSERVATION

Objective: Establish Great Parks of Hamilton County as a system of connected and ecologically resilient conservation areas, river corridors, and parks.

RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Protect

1A-1

1A-2

Formalize approach to land use

Formalize criteria and methods for land acquisition

Complete a natural resource management plan (NRMP) that inventories natural resources, documents existing conditions, and outlines management actions in order to enhance ecological diversity and ecosystem services.

Formalize a land acquisition process based on priorities for conservation established in the NRMP (1A-1) as well as other factors such as connectivity, proximity to water resources, and recreational enhancements. Examples of priorities may include using numeric criteria to prioritize the highest quality areas for acquisition, offering a regional park in an urban setting or focusing on the transformation of brownfield sites into unique park spaces.

Environmental organizations, trail groups, private land owners

1A-3

Foster sustainability and ecological resiliency

1A-4

Establish a regional conservation community

Great Parks will anticipate future threats and implement adaptive plans to increase the biological integrity of natural systems. Anticipated threats include climate change, invasive species and urbanization. Action items include utilizing green infrastructure, renewable energy, and fostering ecological resiliency by taking climate predictions into account for management plans.

Engage the public in conservation and participate in research that contributes to knowledge of conservation issues. Great Parks will seek regional partners to monitor, manage and implement conservation practices both inside and outside park boundaries. One potential example includes communicating results and facilitating increased use of internal research through workshops, publications, and internships. Another example may be facilitating cooperative action between public land management and private land management.

B. Connect

1B-1

Be a leader in trails for the region

1B-2

Increase Level of Service for Trails

As the largest parks agency in the county, Great Parks is in a unique position to think about the connection of people to parks and facilities. To accomplish this, Great Parks should formalize a Greenways & Trails initiative whose primary focus is funding, developing, and partnering on trails throughout the county.

Over the next 10 years, Great Parks should strive to reach 0.25 miles of trails per 1,000 residents. Trail miles LOS includes all types of trails—paved and unpaved. LOS should be tracked so milestone achievements can be celebrated.

Municipalities, State Gov., Federal Gov., park and recreation districts, property owners, developers

Trail groups, municipalities, State Gov., Federal Gov., park and recreation districts, property owners, developers

Lead: CP

Support: ADM, PLN

Lead: CP

Support: ADM, PLN

Lead: CP

Support: PLN

Lead: CP

Support: PLN

Lead: PLN

Support: ADM

Lead: PLN

Support: ADM

1 | BE A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN CONSERVATION

Objective: Establish Great Parks of Hamilton County as a system of connected and ecologically resilient conservation areas, river corridors, and parks.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1B-3

Focus on trails of all types and completing missing connections

1A-4

Partner with other trailbuilding and managing entities

C. Explore

Trail expansion and connection should focus on trails of all types—paved and unpaved trails, and blueways along the county’s plentiful river and stream corridors. Trail development should focus on filling in missing trail connections in the system, connecting parks to other parks, and increasing trail/ park access to underserved areas. Trails should also consider all user types, building a balanced system that works for a broad array of users including pedestrians, children, bicyclists, horseback riders, people with assisted devices, fitness enthusiasts and outdoor adventurists.

When Great Parks is not building or managing trails on park district property, they should act as an advocate for other organizations’ trail expansion projects and act as a facilitator to ensure they connect into the larger system whenever possible.

Trail groups, municipalities, State Gov., Federal Gov., park and recreation districts, property owners, developers

Lead: PLN

Support: CP, GE, ADM

1C-1

1C-2

Provide measured access to conservation areas

Provide access to explore conservation areas— emphasizing their beauty and importance. However, access must be measured against potential negative outcomes for the habitats and species that are being protected. Measured access to conservation areas may include improved parking and trails, special programs, and technological resources. Accessible areas should be prioritized based on season, the best opportunity for interpretation and highest impact for conservation education. Any new trails should connect people to the greatest features of the parks including overlooks and scenic vistas, heritage trees, wildflowers and native species. In areas where physical access has been determined to be detrimental to important species or habitats, digital access via filmed events, live webcams and photography can help connect people to conservation areas.

Enhance the experience of using trails for exercise

Using trails for exercise is one of the most common activities within the parks and is the activity expected to attract the highest number of Hamilton County residents. Physical and technological improvements designed to enhance the experience for these users may include apps and signage with conservation messages, connection to collaborative, affiliated apps to promote group activities, or other social elements and organized programming.

Municipalities, State Gov., Federal Gov., park and recreation districts, property owners, developers

Environmental organizations, trail groups, Private land owners

Lead: PLN

Support: ADM

Education and environmental organizations

Lead: PLN

Support: GE, CP, RGR

Lead: PLN

Support: GE, CP

2 | PROVIDE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING AS A GATEWAY TO NATURE EXPLORATION

Objective: Adopt a programming philosophy and approach dedicated to wellness, adventure and enrichment to ensure the development of innovative and evolving programming.

RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Programming Evaluation + Lifecycle

Evaluate existing programs, and create new programs, in context with county demographics, trends data, community survey and participant survey results. Data should be updated regularly and used to inform unmet needs, the best location for programs and how to reach each target audience.

2A-1

Make data-driven decisions

2A-2

2A-3

Establish a program evaluation cycle (with lifecycle stages)

Increase participation by inspiring users to try something new

Create mini business plans for all core program areas to formalize program operations and evaluation. The plans should include desired program outcomes for participants, cost recovery goals, percentage of the market and business controls, cost of service, pricing strategy for the next year, and marketing strategies. Plans should be used to evaluate programs on a regular basis.

Conduct program evaluation regularly to determine program mix and understand successful and unsuccessful programs. Declining programs should be modified or cut. New programs should be added to ensure a balanced mix of new and growing programs.

Increase program attendance by attracting new users and marketing new programs to current program participants. Reach wide audiences through program cross-promotion, marketing and community engagement. Refresh program offerings by creating new programs that reflect emerging trends and revitalizing essential programs that are currently in decline.

Lead: GE

Support: PLN

Lead: GE

Support: FIN, PLN

2A-4

Track similar providers and duplication of services

Track the program offerings of other parks agencies and private organizations in the area to decrease the number of services that are duplicated in the county and identify potential partnership opportunities. The database should be updated at least annually.

Benchmark against regional and peer park agencies annually to understand best practices and inform level of service goals.

Municipalities, State Gov., Federal Gov., park and recreation districts, property owners, developers

Municipalities, parks and recreation agencies, townships

Parks and recreation agencies

Lead: GE

Support: PLN

Lead: GE

Support: PLN

Lead: GE

Support: ADM

Lead: GE

Support: ADM

2 | PROVIDE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING AS A GATEWAY TO NATURE EXPLORATION

Objective: Adopt a programming philosophy and approach dedicated to wellness, adventure and enrichment to ensure the development of innovative and evolving programming.

RECOMMENDATIONS

B. Program Types + Locations

2B-1

2B-2

Expand and enhance the core program areas with a focus on trends in recreation and demographics

Consider becoming a home for non-traditional sports that would be unique to the area or attract users of diverse cultures such as cricket, rugby, or field hockey.

Add additional programs for specific demographics in the county such as seniors, teens and young professionals.

Provide new fitness, wellness and adventure programming and incorporate adventure and wellness into existing programs. Activities may include Pilates, yoga, special events, adventure course races, and advanced paddling courses.

Increase adventure and wellness recreation events and programs

Include fitness and wellness programs that will attract the market interested in adventure programming such as trail running, high-intensity fitness training, and educational programming to promote the interdependence of conservation and outdoor adventure.

Also consider the addition of creating “gateway” outdoor experiences for people of all ages to 1) introduce them to new activities and 2) increase their knowledge to reach higher levels of proficiency. Instruction may include fishing, survival, hiking, biking, climbing, canoeing, kayaking, camping, flora/fauna identification, archery, mountain biking orientation, hunting, gathering, and backyard ingredients cuisine.

2B-3

2B-4

Enhance current user experience by maintaining popular facilities

Approach programming from a system-wide perspective

Popular and growing activities should be maintained and updated, along with their current facilities as needed to continue a high level of satisfaction for users. Examples include opportunities to work with mountain biking groups to add value to the experience of existing trails and fishing groups to increase bank fishing opportunities.

Allow programming needs to inform the need for, and design of, facilities. Facility placement and design should rely on programming functions as well as the needs of self-directed activities.

Sports organizations

Senior service orgs., family service orgs., schools

Outfitters, schools, environmental organizations

Outfitters, schools, environmental organizations, parks and recreation agencies

Lead: GE

Support: CP, PLN

Lead: GE

Support: PLN

Lead: GE

Support: CP, PLN

Lead: GE

Support: PLN

Lead: GE

Support: PLN

User groups, State Gov., outfitters

Lead: PLN

Support: CP, GE

Lead: GE

Support: CP, PLN

3 | CREATE OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCES

Objective: Integrate nature, programming, and facilities to provide high quality and unique offerings in every park that instill lasting memories in all users.

RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Placemaking Strategies

3A-1

3A-2

Enhance the experiences that give each park an identity

Create a fresh approach to current visitor centers

Establish a process to promote the outstanding experiences of each park. Highlights may include health and wellness opportunities, nature as a positive impact on mental and physical health, unique habitats, seasonal changes, signature programming, nature center or educational opportunities, adventure opportunities, nature-based tourism, and exceptional views or overlooks.

Explore the feasibility of renovating or repurposing visitor centers to enhance their effectiveness in welcoming users into the park. Visitor centers should advertise the types of experiences offered within the property, educating visitors on where to go within the park and how to use the facilities.

New play and education experiences should ensure wide and inclusive audience interaction through multiple, immersive methods including: audio narration via web applications, interactive exhibits, hands-on learning experiences, and highly graphic, quick-fact learning opportunities.

3A-3

Invest in new play & education experiences

3A-4

Embrace the cultural heritage of each park

New or renovated facilities should include indoor and outdoor play and educational activities where visitors of all ages can interact with nature. Existing playgrounds should be updated to incorporate more nature play experiences.

Promote historic assets as part of the Great Parks story. Establish education and research partnerships to conduct programs that include tangible cultural heritage (e.g. sculpture, artifacts), intangible cultural heritage (e.g. music, oral history, cultural traditions), and natural heritage (e.g. earthworks, geological formations).

Activate and preserve historic facilities and cultural sites in new and existing parks with site enhancements, educational signage, programs, digital storytelling and marketing.

Build facilities to enable self-guided adventure recreation and to host outdoor adventure events and programs.

Health providers, environmental organizations, outfitters

Lead: GE

Support: CP, PLN

Private business advertisers, State Gov., Federal Gov., user groups, Great Parks

Forever

Health providers, environmental organizations, outfitters, State Gov., Federal Gov., user groups, Great Parks

Forever

Health providers, environmental organizations, outfitters, State Gov., Federal Gov., user groups, Great Parks

Forever

Historical societies, environmental organizations, contractors, colleges, universities, municipalities

Historical societies, environmental organizations, contractors, colleges, universities, municipalities

Lead: PLN

Support: GE

Lead: PLN

Support: GE

Lead: PLN

Support: CP, GE

Lead: GE

Support: CP, PLN

Lead: PLN

Support: GE

Lead: PLN

Support: GE

3A-5

Increase adventure recreation experiences

Increase trail miles such as mountain bike trail miles, unpaved trails, “braided trails” —natural trails parallel to paved greenway trails—and trails with backpacking campsites. Host events and programs that feature trails include mountain bike races, trail running programs and group backpacking events.

Create other adventure opportunities with facilities such as high ropes course, parkour course, obstacle course, zip line, and rock climbing. Host events and programs that feature these facilities including beginner, intermediate and advanced instruction, team building events, races and competitions.

Trail groups, municipalities, State Gov., Federal Gov., park and recreation districts, property owners, developers

Outfitters, user groups, and adventure businesses

Lead: PLN

Support: CP

Lead: GE

Support: PLN

3 | CREATE OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCES

Objective: Integrate nature, programming, and facilities to provide high quality and unique offerings in every park that instill lasting memories in all users.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Establish a defined blueway system by increasing access points along Great Miami, Little Miami, Whitewater and Ohio Rivers, and Mill Creek. Establish routes to put in and remove watercraft with “paddle & pedal” opportunities that encourage users to bike back to their car after navigating a blueway in a kayak or canoe.

Municipalities, State Gov., Federal Gov., park and recreation districts, property owners, developers

3A-6

Establish a defined blueway system

Add signage within parks and along the water for where to access and get out of the water in a safe environment.

Municipalities, State Gov., Federal Gov., park and recreation districts, property owners, developers

Make the blueway system user-friendly and safe by adding real-time water activity information including water level/paddling safety guidance and water quality information, access point maps, paddle & pedal loops and rental opportunities to the Great Parks website.

B. Equitable Access

3B-1

Increase access to parks

Consider new nature-based opportunities near underserved populations.

Enhance pedestrian connections between adjacent neighborhoods and parks for ease of access.

3B-2

Enhance pedestrian connections to parks

3B-3

3B-4

Increase alternative transportation access to parks

Expand access for users with mobility and ability challenges

Facilitate comprehensive pedestrian access into, and within, all parks. This includes sidewalks and greenway connections to surrounding neighborhoods to get people into the parks, as well as pedestrian circulation connecting people to facilities within the parks.

Advocate with regional transit providers to increase the number of bus stops near parks and facilitate walkable connections into parks from existing nearby bus stops.

Enhance accessibility for all ages and abilities by investing in specialized equipment to enable aging and differently-abled users to participate in regular programming. Consider all ranges of user needs in signage design and placement.

Municipalities, State Gov., Federal Gov., park and recreation districts, property owners, developers, HOAs

Municipalities, State Gov., Federal Gov., park and recreation districts, property owners, developers, HOAs

Go Metro, user groups, schools, social service agencies, senior services

Special needs providers, private businesses, health providers, foundations, State Gov., Federal Gov.

Lead: CP

Support: PLN, GE, RGR

Lead: CP

Support: PLN, RGR

Lead: CP

Support: PLN, GE, RGR

Lead: GE

Support: PLN

Lead: PLN

Support: ADM

Lead: PLN

Support: ADM

Lead: PLN

Support: ADM

Lead: PLN

Support: CP, GE

4 | ADVANCE FISCAL HEALTH

Objective: Ensure the park system is financially balanced and sustainable

RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Financial Planning

4A-1

Track assets and cost of ownership across life of facilities

Create a master asset list that enables staff to do predictive modeling for projecting future capital improvement. Use the service classification and cost of service model based on the last two levy cycles to develop a total cost of ownership and unit cost for future capital development and operational costs for the full life of the assets.

Conduct a feasibility study for all new facilities to understand the total cost of ownership from the beginning, including lifecycle costs and preventive maintenance programs.

POTENTIAL PARTNERS

GREAT PARKS DIVISIONS

Lead: FIN

Support: CP, GE, PLN

PRIORITY

4A-2

Expand, explore and implement varied funding strategies

Continue to monitor, enhance and seek new opportunities in the funding strategies currently being implemented by Great Parks including; corporate sponsorships; partnerships; State and Federal funding; private donations; volunteerism; fees/charges; admissions; reservations; equipment rental; local nonprofit, private foundation grants and other untapped grants; levy efforts; naming rights; and interlocal agreements.

Explore new opportunities to generate revenue from concessions in parks utilizing catering permits and services, concession management and private concessionaires.

Research and implement other new viable opportunities in funding strategies including: special use permits, partnership enhancement monetary grant program, advertising sales and crowd funding.

Utilize business development team to drive earned income, establish business policies, create/manage partnership agreements and train the appropriate staff to the outcomes.

Explore contracting out services based on public cost vs. private cost (cost benefit) including concessions, programs and recreation services.

4A-3

Identify program- and facility-specific operational funding strategies

For new facilities, seek all opportunities for revenue generation including special use permit fees and facility fees.

Continue to monitor closely the cost recovery of all facilities and programs. Develop plans to address each based on future need, community importance, alternative funding opportunities and partnership opportunities.

Establish cost recovery goals and incorporate into program decision making matrix (see 5A – 3).

Concessionaires, operating contractors

State Gov., Federal Gov., user groups

Lead: PLN

Support: CP, GE

Lead: FIN

Support: ADM, GE, PLN

Lead: GE

Support: FIN

Lead: FIN

Support: ADM, GE

Lead: FIN

Support: GE, PLN

Lead: GE

Support: FIN

Lead: FIN

Support: GE, PLN

Lead: GE

Support: FIN, PLN

Lead: GE

Support: ADM, FIN

4A-4

Develop regional park business plans

Develop business plans for regional parks to manage the properties to identified outcomes including maximizing use and revenue capacity targeting the offset of operating and capital costs. Include new capital development and operational funding sources as they are identified.

Lead: FIN

Support: CP, GE, PLN

4 | ADVANCE FISCAL HEALTH

Objective: Ensure the park system is financially balanced and sustainable

RECOMMENDATIONS

B. Partnerships

A comprehensive partnership philosophy for Great Parks would focus on operational and service partners, vendor partners, cross-promotion partners, and Great Parks Forever as follows:

Operational & Service Partners: Seek out other entities and organizations, including non-profits and friends groups, that can support Great Parks to maintain facilities and assets, promote park usage, provide programs and events, and maintain the integrity of natural/cultural resources through inkind labor, equipment, or materials.

Vendor Partners: Seek out service providers and contractors that can gain brand association and notoriety as a preferred vendor or supporter of the agency in exchange for reduced rates, services, or some other agreed upon benefit. Examples may include local restaurants, event planners and caterers.

POTENTIAL

GREAT

Lead: FIN

Support: GE, PLN

Lead: FIN

Support: GE, PLN

Lead: FIN

Support: GE, PLN

4B-1

Adopt a comprehensive partnership philosophy

Cross-Promotion Partners: Seek out private, for-profit organizations that can gain brand association and notoriety as a supporter of the agency in exchange for sponsorship or crossmarketed programs, events, marketing and public engagement, and/or advertising opportunities. Examples may include hospitals and health-care providers.

Great Parks Forever: Promote philanthropic partnership between Great Parks Forever and Great Parks to leverage private sector resources, grants, and resources from individuals and groups within the community to support the goals and objectives of the agency on mutually agreed strategic initiatives.

Adopt comprehensive written policies for establishing and managing partnerships including expectations, outcomes, staffing, marketing and promotion, fees and revenue generation, time frames, and contracts.

Lead: FIN

Support: GE, PLN

Lead: ADM

Support: GE, PLN

Lead: FIN

Support: ADM, GE, PLN

4 | ADVANCE FISCAL HEALTH

Objective: Ensure the park system is financially balanced and sustainable

RECOMMENDATIONS

Seek partnerships by appealing to shared goals and finding mutual opportunities. Establish more opportunities to work with other agencies to share strengths across the park district and benefit all partners.

Strategic partnerships may include:

Collaboration with the community through amenity friends groups that focus on aspects of experiences within regional parks to raise awareness, dollars, and volunteer support. These groups are highlymotivated supporters of specific parks/programs/ amenities that raise funds for local projects and partner for operations and volunteering.

POTENTIAL PARTNERS

GREAT PARKS DIVISIONS

Lead: ADM

Support: FIN

Friends groups

Lead: ADM

Support: CP, GE, HR

PRIORITY

4B-2

Emphasize collaboration & leverage strategic partnerships

Collaboration with the community and non-profits through special events, facilities and activities.

Collaboration with educational institutions by focusing on student projects.

Opportunities for health and wellness collaboration with hospitals, rehabilitation centers, organizations on aging, and corporations with staff wellness promotion budget.

Partnership opportunities with organizations conducting trending activities, such as yoga studios, parkour groups, paddling outfitters, arts and entertainment and outdoor recreation clubs.

Partnership opportunities for special projects such as brownfield redevelopment, solar fields, and implementing parks/trails facilities.

C. Pricing Strategy

Increase the distribution of pricing strategies including more diverse variable pricing for facilities and popular programs to incentivize use and attendance.

4C-1

Expand existing pricing strategy

4C-2

Adopt income, pricing and cost recovery policies

4C-3

Update naming rights policy

As part of the program development process, identify the pricing strategy for each individual program. Reassess pricing strategies regularly based on program participation expectations. Conduct inhouse training to teach staff how to communicate prices to the users.

Establish an earned income policy that addresses the cost of service, cost recovery, reviewing fees and charges annually and updating as needed. Include an approved pricing policy based on the cost of service, classification of services, and market value. Train all staff to understand both policies so their program development and other related work is measured against established goals.

Evaluate and update naming rights policy and terms to reflect Great Parks funding needs, expected value of rights per facility or program, and appropriate time frames in order to seek private capital improvement dollars.

Community nonprofits

Schools, universities

Health providers, social services, agencies, senior service agencies

Outfitters, user groups, adventure businesses

State Gov., Federal Gov.

Lead: GE

Support: CP, PLN

Lead: CP

Support: GE, PLN

Lead: GE

Support: ADM, FIN

Lead: GE

Support: ADM, FIN

Lead: PLN

Support: ADM, FIN

Lead: GE

Support: FIN

Lead: GE

Support: FIN

Lead: FIN

Support: GE

Lead: ADM

Support: FIN

5 | OPERATE WITH HIGH STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE

Objective: Maximize the efficiency and productivity of staff, volunteers, parks, facilities and programming through performance management.

RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Program Development + Evaluation

5A-1

Conduct annual evaluations

Evaluate core program areas and individual programs as described in program philosophy recommendations.

5A-2

Develop program standards

5A-3

Create a program development & decisionmaking matrix

Key components of program standards could include arrival time, set up, cross promotional materials, staff attire, greeting participants, agenda of activities, human conveniences, scheduling, booking facilities, thanking participants, personal invitation to participate in other programs and participant surveys.

Establish annual training for staff and volunteers on program standards, expectations and tracking to ensure implementation.

Lifecycle, age segment, classification, and cost recovery goals should all be tracked, and this information along with the latest demographic trends and community input should be factors that lead to program decision-making.

If a program is determined to have strong priority, appropriate cost recovery, good age segment or demographic group appeal, good partnership potential, and strong market conditions, the next step is to determine the marketing methods for the program based on target age and demographic groups.

5A-4

Implement a program development process

B. Technology

5B-1

Use technology to gather participant data

Develop and implement a written formal program development process, core program area standards, and a quality control audit process.

Develop a customer service application for visitors and participants to articulate their experience in Great Parks parks, facilities and programs. Use WiFi connection interface to ask users survey questions in order to track participant data. Questions might ask users about basic demographics, what neighborhood or community they live in, and what brought them to the park that day.

Technology development businesses

Lead: GE

Support: HR

Lead: GE

Support: HR

Lead: HR

Support: GE

Lead: GE

Support: HR

Lead: GE

Support: PLN

Lead: GE

Support: HR

Lead: GE

Support: PLN

5B-2

Communicate progress & changes

Continue to keep the staff apprised of the direction of the organization and any course adjustments that have had to be made along the way. Expand use of the Great Parks intranet and learning management system for staff communications and training.

Establish a progress metric dashboard as it applies to maintenance operations, facility operations, program services and the agency for real time tracking and increased responsiveness.

Lead: ADM

Support: HR, PLN, GE

Lead: ADM

Support: HR, PLN, GE

5 | OPERATE WITH HIGH STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE

Objective: Maximize the efficiency and productivity of staff, volunteers, parks, facilities and programming through performance management.

RECOMMENDATIONS

5B-3

Incorporate partner organization data

Incorporate widgets to embed partner organization information on Great Parks website, such as friends groups that provide real-time data to programs and facility users. Participate in app development for similar purposes as is beneficial to Great Parks programming and participants.

C. Organizational Structure

5C-1

Continue to enhance current organizational structure

5C-2 Articulate organizational functions

Continue to evaluate and adjust the organizational structure to address future needs and direction for the agency. Educate all staff on recently established functions such as business development, Great Parks Forever, and grants. Institute employee development plans to gauge interest in professional development and begin coaching to fill gaps in knowledge, experience, ability.

Formalize current development team with stated goals, internal organization protocol, and metrics to measure success. Align and measure organization and staff performance based on the Great Parks mission and values, and goals of the Comprehensive Master Plan. Establish a formal onboarding process with facilitator lead orientation, video lead orientation, and which existing staff members will help with specific areas of the process.

D. Diversity + Inclusion

5D-1 Track participation

5D-2 Support organizational diversity

Track the level of participation in programs by demographics (age, race, etc.) to determine the level of diversity occurring within the park district.

Integrate diversity and inclusion strategies in staff recruitment, performance management, leadership assessment, and training. Complete the Diversity and Inclusion Plan and review and revise regularly to ensure goals are aligned with human resources best practices.

5D-3 Develop gateway and in-demand programs

Seek to develop gateway programs, new programs, activities and community events to attract diverse segments to experience Great Parks in a safe and inclusive environment. Increase programming and facilities in demand from minority demographics that are currently underserved such as African American/Black and Hispanic populations in Hamilton County.

Social service providers, data collecting businesses, colleges/ universities

Social Service providers, data collecting businesses, colleges/ universities

Municipalities, parks and recreation agencies, colleges/ universities, ethnic service providers, social service providers, ethnic businesses,

Lead: PLN

Support: GE

Lead: ADM

Support: HR, PLN, FIN

Lead: ADM

Support: HR, GE, PLN

Lead: GE

Support: HR

Lead: HR

Support: ADM

Lead: GE

Support: HR, PLN

5 | OPERATE WITH HIGH STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE

Objective: Maximize the efficiency and productivity of staff, volunteers, parks, facilities and programming through performance management.

RECOMMENDATIONS

E. Efficiency + Effectiveness

5E-1

Enhance staff training and development

Continue to invest in staff training and professional development as part of the employee development plans described previously. Improve how data is used for decision making involving facilities programming and park management. Include training in statistics and appropriate interpretation of data gathered from various sources. Establish quality assurance and quality control protocol to be completed by designated staff prior to wider use of data.

Train staff to implement program evaluation methods as described in program philosophy recommendations, ensuring decision-makers have the most up to date data as possible to consider. Train all staff on the best practices to attain the cost recovery goals established for each core program area. Conduct training with open dialogue and staff input to make policies and procedures understandable and relevant to staff functions.

5E-2

Establish key performance indicators

5E-3

5E-4

5E-5

Conduct a capacity demand analysis

Enhance customer satisfaction

Standardize labor tracking

Establish key performance indicators for each new facility and program for future baselining against Great Parks past performance and also to begin benchmarking against other similar agencies.

Analyze the use of space by day, month and year to determine gaps in primetime and non-primetime use and volume to create a stronger program strategy for attracting new businesses and users. Consider utilizing an outside hospitality/booking firm to market underutilized spaces. Underutilized facilities should be considered for removal and repurposing through a plan or process.

Consistently conduct post program evaluations to determine the customer satisfaction level and increase customer retention.

Create a method for tracking labor toward assets or cost-centers to provide basis for cost/benefit analysis.

Parks & recreation agencies

Lead: ADM

Support: FIN, HR, PLN, CP, GE

Colleges/ universities

Lead: GE

Support: HR, ADM

Lead: ADM

Support: FIN, PLN

Lead: GE

Support: FIN, CP, PLN

Lead: GE

Support: HR

Lead: FIN

Support: HR

NEXT STEP: INDIVIDUAL PARK MASTER PLANS

The Park and Facility Master Plans will ensure that the recommendations of the Comprehensive Master Plan are reflected in the operation and physical design of all parks and facilities. Where the Comprehensive Master Plan is visionary and looked across all Great Parks, The Park and Facility Master Plans will look at each Great Park with additional detail and specialized information.

The following ideas for specific improvements emerged in the Comprehensive Master Plan process. They are documented here as draft recommendations for consideration within the process of developing the Park and Facility Master Plans.

IDEAS FOR SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS

FOUR SEASONS PARKS PROGRAM

Establish a program, facility and marketing strategy to get people into the parks year-round. Include special programs and events such as holiday events and interpreterled winter hikes, as well as promotion of self-guided activities such as hiking trails that are available year-round and indoor play facilities.

ESTABLISH WELLNESS WITHIN EACH PARK

Additions in parks to promote wellness may include trail markers that show how far users have traveled, “heart healthy trails” or other trail names that identify partnerships with health care providers, exercise play stations, and signage promoting the health benefits of active recreation within the parks.

NEW AND RENOVATED EVENT SPACES

Designate and design spaces for gatherings, large special events, and festivals to include play structures, adequate infrastructure, and outdoor gathering spaces. Rent spaces for community events and individual use.

Determine the cost of service for Great Parks to provide for reservation of existing event spaces. Partner with reputable event planning and facility promotion firms to brainstorm ideas for renovation/updates to increase use of these spaces.

VIEWING PLATFORMS

Promote and maintain major overlooks and scenic areas for the view, bird watching and other attractions.

EXPAND AND ENHANCE CAMPING EXPERIENCES

Continue to improve infrastructure in existing camping areas including roads, concrete pads, full hook-up, additional camping loops/ spaces, etc. Add new campsites in parks where possible, including backpacking camping opportunities along designated routes.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CENTER

Expand Adventure Outpost or build a new Outdoor Adventure Center that contains a number of outdoor facilities for self-guided recreation and programming. Include multiple challenges for all ages and abilities such as fitness equipment, mountain bike trails, ropes course, obstacle course, climbing facilities, and blueway access.

EXPLORE LOCAL FOOD OPPORTUNITIES

Establish the parameters for incorporating local food opportunities within parks. Parameters may include local ownership, locally-sourced food or custom design to correspond with parks branding. Evaluate Great Parks concessions and make changes as needed to complement restaurant offerings, not compete against them. Explore opportunities to provide a permanent or temporary beverage garden or tasting event in close proximately to the best feature in a designated park. This could be a temporary “pop-up” event in partnership with a local brewery, winery or restaurant.

GOLF COURSE IMPROVEMENTS

Consider club house renovation and restaurant partnerships to transform the user experience of golf course clubhouses and banquet centers. Improvements may include renovating driving ranges to have real greens for game simulation, covering the tee boxes at the range, adding heating and providing television and hospitality.

Consider areas in current courses that could be naturalized to cut costs and create more challenging course experiences. Achieve Audubon International certification for all courses.

GREAT PARKS OF HAMILTON COUNTY