For Immediate Release: November 29, 2019
Every
other year, the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA) conducts
a needs assessment to determine how well it is meeting the community’s needs and
expectations for park, recreation, and art facilities and programs. The
information gathered helps determine priorities, develop budgetary needs, and
improve services.
In
the summer of 2019, RPCA worked with the National Research Center, Inc. to
design and administer a statistically valid survey with randomly selected
households. This information ensures that the survey results are
demographically representative of Alexandria. Additionally, this year's study
included feedback through an online engagement and mapping tool. The added information
provides greater detail and site-specific information to supplement the data
from randomly selected households. Both the results from the statistically
valid survey and the online engagement platform can be viewed here.
Major findings from the 2019
Needs Assessment include:
- Around
8 in 10 respondents and/or their household members reported they had visited a
City of Alexandria park, and about 4 in 10 had attended a special event or
visited a City recreational facility in the 12 months prior to the survey.
- Nearly
2 in 10 residents indicated they had participated in an RPCA class or program in
the 12 months prior to the survey. Most community members who had not
participated were unaware of the offerings and around one-third did not know
where the facilities were located.
- Of
those who had participated, more than 9 in 10 praised the quality of the
special events and programs or classes, and nearly as many commended the City’s
parks and recreation facilities.
- Compared
to 2017, satisfaction with RPCA programs or classes, special events and parks all
increased, and satisfaction with programs and classes increased by approximately
10% to 95%.
- Residents’
reviews of staff were glowing, with more than 8 in 10 providing excellent or
good reviews of the interaction. Ratings were slightly more positive in 2019
compared to 2017, with 43% providing excellent ratings in 2019 and 2017, but a
greater proportion giving good ratings in 2019 compared to 2017.
- RPCA’s goals that were deemed the most important to residents were
providing safe, inviting and
vibrant spaces; conserving and managing open space; and providing natural spaces that offer physical and mental health benefits,
with at least 8 in 10 stating these goals were very important. Notably, about three-quarters or more of respondents indicated
that RPCA was doing an
excellent or good job meeting these
goals.
Respondents were asked whether their
households have a need for specific types of programs and facilities, and how
well the need for each item is being met. They were also asked to choose the
four items from each list that are of greatest importance to their household.
The programs of
higher importance with higher unmet need include:
- Volunteer/community
projects
- Adult
continuing education programs
- Adult
creative and performing arts
- Adult
nature programs/environmental education
- Walking/biking
groups
- Adult
learn to swim instruction
- Programs
with pets
- Adult
day and weekend travel programs
- Adult
organized sports program
The facilities of
higher importance with higher unmet need include:
- Indoor
pools
- Indoor
exercise and fitness facilities
- Rock
climbing walls
- Outdoor
public art
- River/stream
activities (kayak launch, sailing, etc.)
- Nature
center
- Indoor
running/walking track
- Community
gardens
- Fishing
areas
- Indoor
facility for older adults
In support of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities' goals
to connect the community, improve well-being, and invest in our environment, the results of the 2019 Needs
Assessment will help inform future RPCA offerings.
For more information about the project and previous years’ results,
visit the Needs
Assessment Webpage.
For
reasonable disability accommodation, contact dana.wedeles@alexandriava.gov or
call 703.746.5491, Virginia Relay 711.
Translate