Needs Assessment Survey Results Revealed

At a special meeting June 25 at the senior center on Golf Club Lane, consultant Ananda Mitra, Ph.D., president of Management Learning Laboratories, revealed the results of the community-wide Recreation and Parks needs assessment survey.

Focus groups "with different segments of the community," questionnaire development, adult data collection (paper and web) and an aggregate analysis of the adult data were the methods used in the needs assessment.

Sixty-five percent of those who completed the questionnaire said outdoor fitness was a top recreation interest; indoor fitness was mentioned by 64 percent. Aquatics and water-based recreation came in at 57 percent and 55 percent respectively.

Reasons for not using the village's facilities, such as the pool, playgrounds and neighborhood parks included hours of operation, facilities lacking modernization, the condition of such facilities and inconvenient timing of planned activities.

Between 80 and 96 percent of those who completed the survey thought the "well-maintained parks add to the quality of life in the community" (96 percent) and that parks and recreation is an "essential service to the village" (95 percent). Ninety-three percent of residents who completed the survey felt that non-residents should pay a higher fee for participation while 85 percent believed the village should continue to restrict the non-resident use of facilities rule.

Further, 72 percent of survey takers said recreation programs and facilities are adequately staffed while 70 percent are satisfied with the variety of programs offered.

Sixty-one percent want to see more after-school programs offered; 50 percent believe the village should have a teen center; 59 percent believe fitness programs should be made available to residents; 58 percent want athletic courts; and 57 percent want more senior programs.

Rental space and rooms were desired by 38 percent of survey takers; 36 percent wanted more meeting space.

Garden City Retired Men’s Club co-president George Salem attended the presentation. "In my view there were no bombshell revelations in the statistics," he said. "Outdoor and indoor fitness were at the top of the list ... Next most popular were aquatics and water-based recreation and sports and athletics and hobbies. Topping the 'wish list' was after-school programs.
There were interesting data regarding how to finance activities between fee-based and tax paid."

Salem said that during the question-and-answer period, Dr. Mitra said that the ideal set-up for indoor recreation is a large single building serving the needs of all residents. "This sounds wonderful but who will pay for this in GC?" Salem asked.

Though Salem believes much of the results could have been "predicted," he said the survey should be the basis of dialogue in Garden City in the next several months, and years.

A more detailed report will be sent to the village in the coming weeks. "This will be followed, later, by a list of their recommendations," Salem said.

The survey was mailed to all village households in April. Nine hundred responses were received, which Dr. Mitra said was a good "critical mass."

Some residents, however, say they never received the questionnaire in the mail. According to Kevin Ocker, chair of the board of cultural and recreational affairs, the department provided its normal mailing list to the consultant and the survey was mailed to all residents.

"We have heard that some did not get it," he said. "This happens from time to time with the pool brochure. In some cases it is possible that the piece was mistaken for junk mail, not sure but it is possible. The survey is also available online and the consultant will take electronic surveys and track them for one year."

To see the complete survey click here.