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Level of Service Assessment
LEVEL OF SERVICE ANALYSIS
The Level of Service (LOS) Analysis was developed to determine standards for the Parks and Recreation Department to strive for in serving the communities recreational needs. Determining the LOS can also assist the Department when evaluating relative success of its strategies. Although the benchmark study can be helpful in determining the LOS for West Lafayette it should only be one of the considerations. Parks and recreation facilities are very specific to each individual community. Determining the wants and needs of the community is a large part of developing LOS standards for a community. Updating the parks master plan on a regular basis allows the LOS standards to also be updated to meet the changing needs of residents.
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NRPA (National Recreation & Park Association) Park Metrics, formerly PRORAGIS, offers data standards and insights for park and recreation agencies. Based on the 2021 NRPA Agency Performance Review Key Findings, the typical park and recreation agency offers:
• One park for every 2,277 residents served
• 9.9 acres of park land per 1,000 residents • Operating expenditure per capita of $88.30/ year
• Revenue-to-operating expenditure of 22.9%
• 48 full-time equivalent employees
Level of Service standards can be developed using a variety of metrics including land per capita, facilities, and access. The LOS standards included in this master plan include land per capita and facilities or amenities. Parks within the City are distributed throughout the city with the exception of more rural areas in the northwest portion of the city. Trails connect the parks and the different areas of the city creating safe and convenient access to all parts of the city without having to use a motor vehicle. Because of the distribution of parks and the developed trail network, the LOS standards will not include access standards. Acreage LOS is one of the most commonly utilized metrics in parks and recreation planning. It is generally thought that the higher the amount of acreage, the higher the quality-of-life for the community’s residents. However, this doesn’t take into account the amenities that are provided throughout the community or the location of the parks in relation to residents. As with the amenity LOS, the acreage LOS should take into account the needs of the city and should be reviewed on a regular basis.
The previous parks and recreation master plan established a 2020 Acreage LOS of 9.0 acres per 1,000 residents. The current LOS of park acreage is 10.4 meaning the parks system has a surplus of acreage in comparison with the Acreage LOS. The recommended Acreage LOS for West Lafayette is to remain at 9.0 acres/1,000 residents. As the city continues to grow, additional land will need to be acquired to meet this LOS.
AMENITY LOS
The Amenity LOS is outlined in Figure 12 on the adjacent page. Target ratios were developed utilizing the benchmark study and the input received during the community engagement process. At the current population the city has a slight deficit in amenities that were identified by the public as needed including a splash pad, playgrounds, additional dog park, and additional community gardens. The community center is showing a deficit which reflects the need to expand the Wellness Center in the future.
Amenity Current Inventory # per 1,000 Population Target Ratio Surplus/Deficit
Baseball Field
1 0.02 Basketball Court 2 0.04 Community Center 1 0.02 Community Gardens 78 1.61 Dog Park 1 0.02 Football Fields 0 0.00 Ice Rink (Outdoor) 1 0.02 Multi-Purpose Fields 5 0.10 Nature Center 1 0.02 Playground 8 0.16 Restroom Buildings 3 0.06 Soccer Fields 0 0.00
Softball Fields
2 0.04 Swimming Pool (Outdoor) 1 0.02 Tennis Court (Outdoor) 0 0.00 Fitness Equipment (Outdoor) 1 0.02 Shelter 14 0.29 Canoe/boat launch 3 0.06 Trails - Paved (Miles) 27 0.56 Trails - Unpaved (Miles) 3.53 0.07 Skate Park 0 0.00
Splash Pad
Figure 12 0.02 0.00 0.15 -0.11 0.03 -0.01 1.65 -0.04 0.02 0.00 0 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.1 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.3 -0.14 0.12 -0.06 0.13 -0.13 0.08 -0.04 0.02 0.00 0.08 -0.08 0.04 -0.02 0.37 -0.08 0.1 -0.04 0.25 0.31 0.12 -0.05 0.02 -0.02 0.04 -0.04 0.16 -0.16 0.02 -0.02
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