master plan project community survey report, november 2015

Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department

Master Plan Project

Community Survey Report

November 2015

Stephen A. Wolter Executive Director

Jeremy Hackerd Project Manager

Sally Pelto-Wheeler Project Team

Community Survey Report Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department Master Plan

2

Contents

COMMUNITY SURVEY REPORT ......................................................................................................................... 3

PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT ........................................................................................................................................ 3 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 3

SURVEY METHODS .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Objectives ...................................................................................................................................................... 3

Survey Population and Sample ................................................................................................................... 4 Survey Instrument and Distribution .............................................................................................................. 4

HOW THE SURVEY INFORMS KEY ISSUES ..................................................................................................................... 5

Trails ................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Maintenance ............................................................................................................................................... 14

Social and Cultural Events ......................................................................................................................... 17 Safety/Perception of Crime ....................................................................................................................... 19 Health ............................................................................................................................................................ 22

Youth Programs ........................................................................................................................................... 23 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................................................... 25

APPENDIX A.................................................................................................................................................... 26

SURVEY INSTRUMENT AND RESULTS .......................................................................................................................... 26

APPENDIX B .................................................................................................................................................... 47

Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department Master Plan Community Survey Report

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COMMUNITY SURVEY REPORT

Purpose of This Report This report represents research findings specific to the statistically valid Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department community survey. It will ultimately inform the content of the Parks and

Recreation Master Plan, but this report does not necessarily constitute the final narrative that will be presented in the plan. Table 1 depicts the progression of research and planning for this survey.

Table 1: Topical Area Research Progression

� Research methodology approved

� Preliminary research and analysis complete

� All data obtained

� Draft report

� Preliminary department leadership review

� Technical Review Committee meeting comments

� Steering Committee meeting comments

� Department leadership review

� Topical Report research and analysis complete

Introduction A critical component of the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update is civic engagement. Involving the public is essential to developing a plan that will receive the support of

residents and that will inform the department in delivering community-oriented park and recreation services to its citizens. Overall, the civic engagement process being used for this plan aims to be balanced, open, and collaborative. A community survey developed by the Eppley Institute and the

Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department was conducted to gauge public opinion, interests, and beliefs about the current parks and recreation system in Bloomington and to guide its future

direction. The survey is one part of a greater multi-dimensional effort to gather input throughout the community. Other public participation activities involved stakeholder interviews, public meetings, and online engagement.

Survey Methods

Objectives

The following objectives provided the framework for the survey component of public engagement by stating the nature of information needed to develop a comprehensive and well-grounded master


4

plan. The objectives were developed based upon input from the Eppley Institute’s research to date,

preliminary stakeholder and staff engagement efforts, and best practices in survey development for master plans.

The objectives identified for the survey included:

• Awareness of community parks and recreation resources, including the Bloomington Parks and

Recreation Department and its facilities

• Usage of those resources and facilities, particularly those of the Bloomington Parks and

Recreation Department

• Barriers (perceived and actual) to the use of parks and recreation resources, particularly those

of the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department

• Association of parks and recreation resources with public health, environmental sustainability,

economic sustainability, and social sustainability

• Importance of having certain parks and recreation resources in the community

• Satisfaction with community parks and recreation resources, particularly those of the

Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department

Survey Population and Sample

The population of the survey was defined as all individuals 18 years of age or older that maintained a primary residence in the study area (i.e., the City of Bloomington, Indiana and Monroe County, Indiana). Therefore, the survey population excluded minors 17 years of age or younger and those

who considered Bloomington to be a secondary residence.

The Eppley Institute employed a probability sampling methodology for the survey. The sampling frame (i.e., source of population information from which the sample was drawn) was comprised of a listing of all households in the study area provided by M-S-G Marketing Services, Inc. of Horsham, PA.

Populations that are traditionally under-represented in survey results, such as African Americans and Hispanics, were intentionally over-sampled in an effort to increase response rates.

The U.S. Bureau of the Census reported that the estimated 2013 population of the City of Bloomington was 82,575, and the number aged 18 or older (i.e., the survey population) was estimated to be 88.6%

of the total population, or 73,161. For this study, findings are generalizable to the entire study population with a 95% confidence level and a 5% confidence interval.1 As such, a sample size of 382

was required for the study.2 To achieve the necessary number of responses (i.e., 382), and considering that up to 10% of mailed surveys are non-deliverable, M-S-G Marketing Services, Inc. drew a sample of 5,000 for the study.

Survey Instrument and Distribution

Households included in the sample were mailed a postcard in mid-May stating they were randomly selected to participate. The postcard contained a URL that the recipient followed to complete the survey.

1 The confidence interval is sometimes referred to as the margin of error, and represents the range of values

within which the true population is estimated to lie. Confidence level helps estimate the probability that the

true population would fall within the confidence interval. So, in this research, we aim to be 95% certain that the

true population would answer between +/-5 percentage points of each survey result. 2 Sources: http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm and http://www.macorr.com/sample-size-calculator.htm


5

Each postcard featured a unique numeric identifier. Respondents completing the web-based survey were prompted to enter the unique identifier as one of the first questions. Only one response per

unique identifier was accepted. This method ensured the integrity of the sample and also allowed for any member of the general public without a unique identifier to take the survey. However, responses from surveys without an identifier have been kept separate from those in the random sample and are

not part of this report. The target length of the survey was not to exceed 15 minutes.

Distribution of the postcards began in mid-May with a follow-up postcard sent to members of the random sample a week before the survey closed on June 5. Originally, Eppley planned for a three-week open period. Due to insufficient responses and delays in mailing of cards, Eppley and the

Department extended the deadline to June 26 and sent a third postcard to prompt replies. A total of 388 useable surveys were returned, yielding a response rate3 of 7%. All survey results are presented in Appendix B.

How the Survey Informs Key Issues This section reviews select survey items that are relevant to emerging key issues to be considered in the Master Plan. Arguably, each question of the survey relates to these key issues, but part of the

ongoing planning process, particularly the needs assessment, includes identifying what specific information is needed to address key issues. This report, therefore, serves as an initial step in

determining what critical data from the survey could be used in developing solutions to the community’s needs. In this report, the Eppley Institute has identified six key issues for further consideration in the process. These issues are:

• Trails

o Respondents place a high value on the maintenance of current trails and the

construction of new trails to connect areas of the city that currently do not feature trails.

• Maintenance

o Respondents put an emphasis on the Department’s priorities in maintaining its parks and

facilities to extend the useful lifecycle of its assets.

• Social/Cultural Events

o Respondents value the Department’s programs and services that allow for socialization

and entertainment.

• Safety/Perception of Crime

o Respondents expressed concern regarding the safety of trails and two parks in

particular, Seminary Park and Peoples Park.

• Health

o Respondents value the Department’s facilities, parks, trails, programs, and services for

the positive impact they have on respondents’ health.

• Youth Programs

3 The American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) has multiple specific definitions for “response

rate” using different variables. Several definitions call for reporting the total number of undeliverable,

incomplete, late, or otherwise invalid responses. Although the established response period has closed, surveys

continue to be returned as this report is being developed. At this time, we are reporting a simplified response

rate of number of usable returned surveys divided by number of surveys distributed; the final master plan will

report additional measures of response rate using AAPOR definitions.


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o Though many in the survey do not have people in their household who participate in

youth programs, significant portions of the population recognize the value that these

programs provide for the community.

Trails

One of the most striking findings of the survey is respondents’ frequent use of trails and respondents’ interest in maintenance and expansion of trails within the City of Bloomington. The following questions

and their responses illustrate the importance that respondents placed on trails. Question #4 of the survey asks, “Do you USE this facility?” Results indicate:

• That trails are ranked as the 1st (B-Line Trail), 3rd (Bloomington Rail Trail), 4th (Clear Creek Trail)

and 7th (Jackson Creek Trail) most used Parks and Recreation Department facilities.


7

Figure 1: (Survey Question #4) “Do you USE this facility?”

Question #4 Part II of the survey asks, “How important is it to you to have the following in

Bloomington?”

Results indicate: • Trails are rated as three of the top four facilities in terms of importance to Bloomington.

• The B-Line Trail is listed as “Very Important” in 71.15% of responses, the most of any facility.

• Bloomington Rail Trail is listed as “Very Important” in 63% of responses, the second most of any

facility.

3.48%

3.52%

4.58%

5.26%

6.48%

6.62%

8.28%

10.27%

11.15%

11.19%

11.93%

14.29%

22.26%

23.02%

26.03%

26.44%

26.80%

34.25%

35.55%

38.64%

44.52%

56.77%

69.38%

80.70%

96.52%

96.48%

95.42%

94.74%

93.52%

93.38%

91.72%

89.73%

88.85%

88.81%

88.07%

85.71%

77.74%

76.98%

73.97%

73.56%

73.20%

65.75%

64.45%

61.36%

55.48%

43.23%

30.62%

19.30%

White Oak Cemetery

Crestmont Disc Golf Course

Meeting/Function Rental Space

Cascades Skate Park

Allison-Jukebox Community Center

Community Gardens (Willie Streeter, Butler Park)

Twin Lakes Sports Park (ballfields)

Banneker Community Center

Wapehani Mountain Bike Park

Olcott Park football/soccer fields

Mills Pool

Cascades Golf Course

Rose Hill Cemetery

Cascades Trail

Twin Lakes Recreation Center

Winslow Sports Park

Frank Southern Ice Arena

Jackson Creek Trail

Shelter houses in City Parks

Bryan Park Pool

Clear Creek Trail

Bloomington Rail Trail

Burkirk-Chumley Theater

B-Line Trail

Yes No


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• Clear Creek Trail is listed as “Very Important” in 58.55% of responses, the fourth most of any

facility.

Figure 2: (Question #4 Part II) “How important is it to you to have the following in Bloomington?”

15.87%

20.29%

16.44%

8.05%

19.67%

18.68%

18.18%

9.30%

14.10%

5.79%

3.81%

5.74%

7.41%

10.20%

4.26%

9.33%

1.56%

5.81%

4.61%

6.61%

1.32%

3.13%

4.76%

3.95%

31.75%

24.64%

24.66%

22.99%

24.59%

17.58%

13.64%

24.42%

23.08%

16.53%

16.19%

18.85%

13.58%

11.22%

14.89%

9.33%

17.19%

11.63%

12.50%

12.40%

9.87%

10.71%

9.52%

10.28%

30.16%

31.88%

28.77%

37.93%

24.59%

27.47%

28.79%

25.58%

21.79%

33.06%

35.24%

30.33%

33.33%

31.63%

30.50%

30.67%

28.91%

27.91%

26.97%

24.79%

30.26%

22.77%

22.22%

14.62%

22.22%

23.19%

30.14%

31.03%

31.15%

36.26%

39.39%

40.70%

41.03%

44.63%

44.76%

45.08%

45.68%

46.94%

50.35%

50.67%

52.34%

54.65%

55.92%

56.20%

58.55%

63.39%

63.49%

71.15%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Crestmont Disc Golf Course

Allison-Jukebox Community Center

Cascades Skate Park

Wapehani Mountain Bike Park

White Oak Cemetery

Cascades Golf Course

Meeting/Function Rental Space

Olcott Park football/soccer fields

Banneker Community Center

Twin Lakes Recreation Center

Cascades Trail

Frank Southern Ice Arena

Twin Lakes Sports Park (ballfields)

Rose Hill Cemetery

Shelter houses in City Parks

Community Gardens (Willie Streeter, Butler Park)

Jackson Creek Trail

Mills Pool

Bryan Park Pool

Winslow Sports Park

Clear Creek Trail

Burkirk-Chumley Theater

Bloomington Rail Trail

B-Line Trail

Not Very Important Somewhat Important Important Very important


9

Just as responses to earlier questions identified specific trails among the most used and most

important facilities, when asked about generic facility types, respondents rated trails as the most used facility type.

Question #8 of the survey asks, “Do you USE this type of facility?”

Results indicate: • Walking and biking trails were the most used type of facility with 78.82% of respondents

indicating that they use trails.

Figure 3: (Question #8) “Do you USE this type of facility?”

1.97%

4.55%

4.55%

5.81%

7.12%

8.04%

8.28%

9.68%

10.16%

10.73%

12.05%

12.62%

12.99%

13.46%

13.74%

14.01%

18.21%

20.39%

20.97%

21.43%

21.73%

24.27%

27.83%

30.29%

30.70%

35.65%

42.44%

65.09%

68.73%

72.33%

78.82%

98.03%

95.45%

95.45%

94.19%

92.88%

91.96%

91.72%

90.32%

89.84%

89.27%

87.95%

87.38%

87.01%

86.54%

86.26%

85.99%

81.79%

79.61%

79.03%

69.64%

78.27%

75.73%

72.17%

69.71%

69.30%

64.35%

57.56%

34.91%

31.27%

27.67%

21.18%

Pickleball courts

Skateboarding park

Youth football fields

Disc golf

Indoor sports fields (synthetic turf)

Indoor waterpark

Adult softball fields

Indoor basketball/volleyball courts

Outdoor basketball courts

Community gardens

Youth soccer fields

Mountain bike or pump track park

Youth baseball and softball fields

Off-leash dog park

Facility rental space

Golf course

Indoor event/recreation space

Outdoor tennis courts

Outdoor fitness and exercise stations

Other:

Indoor running/walking track

Indoor ice arena

Nature center

Outdoor water parks

Indoor fitness and exercise facilities

Community theater

Playground equipment

Small neighborhood parks

Greenspace / natural areas

Large community parks

Walking and biking trails

Yes No


10

Not only do respondents use walking and biking trails the most of any facility type, they also rate trails

as the most important facilities that the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department has to offer.

Question #8 Part II of the survey asks, “How important is it to you to have the following in Bloomington?”

Results indicate: • Walking and biking trails received the most “Very Important” responses with 78%.

Figure 4: (Question #8 Part II) “How Important is it to you to have this facility in Bloomington?”

43%

34%

34%

20%

22%

15%

21%

9%

11%

7%

11%

6%

17%

11%

4%

3%

15%

7%

7%

10%

6%

4%

5%

5%

4%

2%

0%

1%

2%

1%

2%

30%

34%

25%

31%

28%

32%

22%

25%

28%

26%

19%

25%

20%

19%

16%

17%

22%

20%

20%

17%

14%

13%

16%

14%

9%

6%

4%

3%

2%

4%

4%

19%

20%

27%

32%

33%

30%

30%

39%

33%

38%

40%

38%

31%

37%

44%

43%

27%

34%

33%

33%

39%

37%

30%

29%

35%

32%

23%

22%

18%

18%

16%

9%

13%

14%

17%

17%

24%

27%

27%

28%

29%

30%

31%

32%

33%

36%

37%

37%

39%

40%

40%

41%

46%

50%

51%

52%

61%

65%

74%

78%

78%

78%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Pickleball courts

Disc golf

Indoor waterpark



Skateboarding park

Golf course







Indoor ice arena



Off-leash dog park


Outdoor water parks

Nature center


Youth soccer fields

Community theater

Community gardens



Other:







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Question #16 of the survey asks, “Which FOUR benefits are the most important to you and members

of your household?”

Results indicate: • “Improve physical health and fitness” is the top response with 66%.

• “Improve mental health and reduce stress” is the second highest response with 49%. Studies

have shown that physical activity improves mental health and reduces stress.4 Trails provide an

environment conducive to these activities that directly contribute to improved mental states

and reduced stress.

• “Provide access to the outdoors and nature” is the third highest response with 46%. Trails

certainly provide access to the outdoors.

Figure 5: (Question #16) “Which FOUR benefits are the most important to you and members of your household?”

Based on what respondents identified as the main benefits that they receive from the Parks and Recreation Department, it may be no surprise that trails are so popular.

4 Sharma, A., Madaan, V., and Petty, F.D. “Exercise for Mental Health.” Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2006;8(2):106 and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. “The Benefits of Physical Activity.” http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm#ImproveMentalHealth (accessed July 9, 2015).

1%

1%

2%

7%

9%

10%

11%

15%

15%

17%

23%

30%

37%

46%

46%

49%

66%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

None

Promote tourism to the City

Other:

Help attract new residents and businesses

Increase opportunities for people of different cultures to interact

Protect historical attributes of the City

Improve diet and nutrition

Improve social connections

Increase property values in surrounding area

Help reduce crime

Strengthen sense of community

Enhance community appearance

Preserve open space and the environment

Make Bloomington a more desirable place to live

Provide access to the outdoors and nature

Improve mental health and reduce stress

Improve physical health and fitness

Response %


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The connection between trails and a healthier lifestyle is further confirmed with responses to Question

#8a. Question #8a asks respondents to rank facilities that contribute the most to their health.

Results include: • Walking and biking trails are ranked as the type of facility that contributes the most to health.

• 71% of respondents identified walking and biking trails as being beneficial to their health. The

second most common response was greenspace/natural areas, with 51% of respondents

indicating that these contribute to their health.

Figure 6: (Question #8a) “”Which FOUR facilities contribute the most to your health?”

0%

0%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

2%

2%

2%

3%

3%

3%

3%

4%

4%

5%

6%

6%

7%

7%

11%

17%

18%

19%

33%

43%

51%

71%


Pickleball courts

Disc golf



Other:


Skateboarding park



Indoor waterpark

Youth soccer fields


Nature center

Off-leash dog park




Community gardens

Indoor ice arena


Golf course

Outdoor water parks


Community theater







Response %


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Based on survey findings, respondents use trails and value their importance to the community.

Respondents also want to ensure that the Bloomington trail system is expanded.

Question # 18 of the survey asks, “If it were up to you, how would YOU allocate $100 in taxes across these competing priorities?”

Results include: • Maintenance was rated the highest priority. On average people allocated $22.82 for

maintaining/renovating existing parks and $19.96 for maintaining and renovating existing

facilities (this includes trails).

• Outside of maintenance, the top dollar average was $15.09 for the construction of new

walking and biking trails.

Table 2: (Question #18) “”If it were up to YOU, how would you allocate $100 in taxes across these competing priorities?”

Priorities Average Value

Maintaining/renovating existing neighborhood parks (playgrounds, shelters, features, etc.) $22.82

Maintaining/renovating existing facilities (community centers, ice arena, sports fields, pools, golf course, etc.) $19.96

Constructing new walking and biking trails $15.09

Continuing to provide existing community events and recreation programs $12.80

Continuing to provide existing sports programs and events $10.62

Acquiring new parkland and open space $9.90

Constructing new parks and facilities to meet community needs $6.80

Other $2.52

Total $100.00

The survey also featured an open-ended question. Question 23 states: “Using a short sentence for

each issue, please list the three most important issues the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department must address with its five-year master plan.” Results to this question, like so many others, indicate the importance of trails.

Results include:

• 18.4% of comments were about trails. This number of comments is tied with Maintenance for

the highest occurrence of any topic in the survey.

• The comments regarding trails fall into several categories:

o Expanding/Building/Connecting

o Continued maintenance

o Increase safety

o Criticism of too much focus on trails (only 4)

With trails rating as the most used facilities and most valued facilities operated by the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, significant attention will need to be provided to these facilities in the master plan. Trails can play a primary role in delivering the top three benefits that people believe

they receive from the Department. This includes improved physical health and fitness, improved mental health and stress reduction, and access to the outdoors and nature. In addition, trails were


14

mentioned more than any other topic (besides maintenance) in responses to the open-ended

questions about the Department’s top priorities. Trail expansion on its own received 80 comments, which by itself outpaces all other topics except maintenance.

Maintenance

The maintenance of facilities under the care of the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department is

another top priority identified by the survey. This applies to trails and all other facilities that the Department administers. The strongest comment regarding maintenance comes from respondents’ opinion regarding allocation of $100 in a theoretical budget situation.

Question # 18 of the survey asks, “If it were up to you, how would YOU allocate $100 in taxes across

these competing priorities?” Results indicate:

• Maintenance is the area to which people would allocate the most tax dollars. In total, people

would allocate, an average of $43.93 for various maintenance projects.

• Of the $100 provided to respondents, $22.90 was allocated to “Maintaining/renovating

existing neighborhood parks (playgrounds, shelters, features, etc.).” This is the highest average

for any priority.

• Of the $100 provided to respondents, $20.03 was allocated to “Maintaining/renovating

existing facilities (community centers, ice arena, sports fields, pools, golf course, etc.).” This is

the second highest average for any priority.

Table 3: (Question #18) “”If it were up to you, how would YOU allocate $100 in taxes across these competing priorities?”









Other $2.52

Total $100.00

The survey also featured an open-ended question. Question 24 states: “Using a short sentence for

each issue, please list the three most important issues the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department must address with its five-year master plan.

Results include:

• 18.4% of comments mentioned maintenance, which is tied with trails for the most frequently

mentioned topic. Some mentions of maintenance involved multiple topics, such as

“maintenance of parks and trails.”


15

• Maintenance/improvements to Frank Southern Ice Arena received the sixth most comments in

response to this question, with 4.4% of responses.

It is important to note that this emphasis on maintenance is not necessarily an indicator that facilities,

trails, and parks are in poor condition. On the contrary, respondents generally rated the Departments parks, facilities, and trails in good condition with two notable exceptions: Peoples Park and Seminary Park.

Question #22 of the survey asks, “There are some things in life that make it easy for us to be healthy

and other things that make it more difficult to be healthy. Please indicate which of the following prevent you and members of your household from using park and recreation services (select all that apply).”

Results include:

• Inadequate or poorly maintained facilities are rated the second lowest of all potential barriers

to using Department services. Only 6% of respondents identified maintenance issues as a

reason. This provides evidence that the calls for maintenance are not a result of poor

conditions, but rather a call to keep facilities in continued good condition.

Table 4: (Question #22) “There are some things in life that make it easy for us to be healthy and other things that make it more difficult to be healthy. Please indicate which of the following prevent you and members of your household from using park and recreation services (select all that apply).”

Barriers to Participation %

Not enough time 59%

Programs that the Department offers do not interest me 21%

Personal safety concern – the park or trail is not safe 18%

My neighborhood does not have a park, recreation facility, or trail within a 10 minute walk 17%

Not enough money 17%

Personal safety concern – the walk to the park or trail is not safe due to traffic or roadways 15%

Other:________________________ 15%

Personal health problem 12%

Inadequate or poorly maintained facilities 6%

The Department’s programs, parks, or facilities are not accessible to people with disabilities 2%

Results found in Question #1 Part II also support the idea that the Department’s maintenance work is

good. Question #1 Part II asks, “How would you rate the condition of the park?” Results include:

• The majority of parks (15 of 23) received an average rating between 3 and 4 (out of 4), which

indicates that most respondents found conditions to be either “Excellent” or “Good.”

• Peoples Park and Seminary Park are the exceptions to the overall positive appraisals of the

parks. Peoples Park, with 17 ratings, and Seminary Park, with 19 ratings, are the only parks to

receive more than two “Poor” ratings for park condition. They also received the most “Fair”

ratings (Peoples Park with 29 and Seminary Park with 11). These lower ratings could be

associated with the next topic of this report, safety/crime. Many who cited safety/crime as an


16

issue also specifically mentioned Peoples Park and Seminary Park. Based on comments

provided in the survey, these parks are also perceived to be locations where large numbers of

homeless individuals gather, which may contribute to the parks’ lower ratings.

Figure 7: (Question #1 Part II) “For any parks that you and members of your household have used in the past year, please rate its condition.”

The findings from the survey suggest that respondents understand the need to provide substantial

funding for the purpose of maintaining parks, trails, and facilities. Based on comments and condition assessments from respondents, the need for money is not necessarily a reflection of poorly kept Department property. Instead, it appears to be born from a desire to see well used facilities kept in

good condition so they can be used for years to come.

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

17

19

9

22

18

1

6

3

8

6

6

2

12

7

5

4

4

4

9

7

11

7

8

29

11

76

57

58

26

26

21

19

17

12

8

57

32

10

5

6

6

33

21

20

11

8

21

5

80

46

31

39

11

13

7

6

8

4

21

8

2

2

1

2

26

10

7

5

4

1

1

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180

Bryan Park

Cascades Park

Griffy Lake Nature Preserve

Olcott Park

Winslow Woods Park

Goat Farm

Building and Trades Park (2nd Street)

Southeast Park

Park Ridge Park East

Schmalz Farm Park

3rd Street Park (Waldron, Hill & Buskirk)

Sherwood Oaks Park

Latimer Woods

Crestmont Park

Highland Village Park

Broadview Park

Leonard Springs Nature Park

RCA Park (formerly Thomson)

Rev. Ernest Butler Park (9th Street)

Ferguson Dog Park

Park Ridge Park

Peoples Park

Seminary Park

Poor Fair Good Excellent


17

Social and Cultural Events

The Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department offers a wide array of programs and services for the community. By a significant margin, respondents utilize programs that are focused on large

gatherings with multiple options for activities. This conclusion is supported by responses to Question #9. Respondents were only asked this question if they indicated that they participated in Department

programs. 44% of survey respondents indicated that they participated in Department programs. Question #9 of the survey asks, “Do you use this program/service?”

Results indicate:

• Large gatherings are the most popular programs that are offered.

• Except for the Farmers’ Market; concerts, movies, and art fairs; and community events, no

program or event has more participants than non-participants.

Figure 8: (Question #9)”Do you use this program/service?”

0.00%

3.73%

6.11%

9.16%

9.77%

9.77%

11.19%

12.03%

14.39%

14.93%

19.70%

22.96%

24.26%

31.82%

78.10%

82.61%

90.14%

100.00%

96.27%

93.89%

90.84%

90.23%

90.23%

88.81%

87.97%

85.61%

85.07%

80.30%

77.04%

75.74%

68.18%

21.90%

17.39%

9.86%

Special event consulting

Services for people with disabilities

Programs with your pets

Self-directed sports activities for youth

Preschool programs

School vacation programs (daycamps/breakdays)

Guided nature programs for individuals

Self-directed sports activities for adults

Organized adult sports leagues/programs

Community Gardening/Classes

Environmental education taught to groups

Volunteer activity

Health and wellness programs

Organized youth sports leagues/programs

Community events

Concerts, movies, and art fairs

Farmers’ Market

Yes No


18

In addition to being the most used programs, the Farmers’ Market; concerts, movies, and art fairs;

and community events received the most “Very Important” ratings when respondents were asked to rate how important the Department’s various programs and services are to Bloomington.

Ratings for all of Bloomington’s programs/services are quite high. This includes the most used programs mentioned in this section.

Question #11 of the survey asks, “How would you rate the overall quality of the recreation programs

and services that you and members of your household have participated in?” Results indicate:

• Participants have a very favorable opinion of the Department’s services and programs. 91 of

respondents rated programs/services that they have attended or used as either excellent

(43%) or good (48%). Only 9% of respondents provided negative (fair or poor) ratings.

Table 5: (Question #11) “How would you rate the overall quality of the recreation programs and services that you and members of your household have participated in?”

Program/Service Quality%

Poor 2%

Fair 7%

Good 48%

Excellent 43%

Total 100%

This satisfaction with the Department’s programs and services is also apparent in the open-ended question regarding the three most important issues that the Department must address with the master

plan. Question # 24 of the survey asks, “Using a short sentence for each issue, please list the three most

important issues the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department must address with its five-year master plan.”

Results indicate:

• The fourth most mentioned issue is continuation of the current programs, cultural events, and

concerts with 10.1% of respondents writing comments supporting these topics.

Interestingly, while the farmers’ market; concerts, movies, and art fairs; and community events are the

most popular programs offered by the Department, they are, in that same order, the three programs most cited as contributors to respondents’ health. Much like the way in which trails are the most

utilized facilities and also contribute to health, connections are evident between the top three most used programs and the health benefits of those programs. For the Farmers’ Market, the nutritious food certainly plays a part, but that event also encourages social interaction and walking. For Concerts

and Community Events, the health benefit derived from the activity is probably more closely related to mental wellbeing and stress reduction.


19

Figure 9: (Question #9A) “Which of the FOUR programs listed above contribute the most to your health?”

Safety/Perception of Crime

If there is one issue that is preventing respondents from participating in recreational activities at a higher rate, it is safety/perception of crime. Safety is a concern that is specific to parks and trails. Other facilities are not typically mentioned in the context of safety issues.

Of the participation barriers listed regarding the use of recreation services, safety is near the top of the list, just behind “Not enough time” and “Programs that the Department offers do not interest me.”

Safety is an issue both at the park or trail being used and when the walk to the park/trail is unsafe due to traffic. Combined, these safety concerns total 33% of the responses, which would be second only

to a lack of time as a barrier to participation.

0%

1%

2%

2%

3%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

7%

8%

10%

15%

22%

48%

51%

73%



Other:





Preschool programs



Volunteer activity





Community events


Farmers’ Market

Response %


20

Question # 22 states, “Please indicate which of the following things prevent you or members of your

household from using park and recreation services.” Table 6: (Question #22) “Please indicate which of the following things prevent you or members of your household from using park and recreation services.”

Barriers to Participation %

Not enough time 59%

Programs that the Department offers do not interest me 21%

Personal safety concern – the park or trail is not safe 18%

My neighborhood does not have a park, recreation facility, or trail within a 10 minute walk 17%

Not enough money 17%

Personal safety concern – the walk to the park or trail is not safe due to traffic or roadways 15%

Other:________________________ 15%

Personal health problem 12%

Inadequate or poorly maintained facilities 6%

The Department’s programs, parks, or facilities are not accessible to people with disabilities 2%

Respondents’ perceptions of parks and trails could contribute to the idea that there are safety issues. When asked what benefits respondents receive from parks, trails, facilities, programs, and services,

the lowest-rated benefit was reduction of crime. “Help reduce crime” received the most “Strongly Disagree,” “Disagree,” and “Don’t know” responses for this question.


21

Figure 10: (Question #16) “The following are some of the benefits that you and your household may receive from parks, trails, recreation facilities, programs, and services. For each potential benefit, please indicate your level of agreement.”

The need to address safety also manifested itself in question #24, which asks respondents to list the

three most important issues that the master plan must address. “Reducing Crime/Addressing Safety” is the third most mentioned topic with 7.3% of specific mentions by respondents. This is surpassed only by Trails and Maintenance. Many of the specific comments are focused either on trail safety or on

perceptions that homeless people pose a threat to others in Seminary Park and Peoples Park.

6%

3%

2%

3%

4%

2%

3%

3%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

3%

6%

7%

9%

8%

7%

3%

5%

4%

2%

1%

0%

2%

2%

1%

1%

6%

44%

37%

43%

36%

37%

38%

33%

30%

28%

27%

21%

22%

23%

20%

30%

36%

36%

38%

40%

47%

48%

54%

59%

65%

68%

70%

71%

71%

74%

22%

10%

15%

9%

13%

11%

6%

7%

6%

4%

2%

4%

3%

3%

3%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Help reduce crime















Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree Don't Know


22

Despite concerns raised regarding safety, particularly as it relates to trails, these concerns are not

completely deterring people from using parks and trails. Safety concerns could be a problem borne of perception, owing primarily to the occurrence of a few isolated, well publicized incidents involving

trail assaults and to the observable tendency of members of the city’s homeless population to gather in specific parks.

Health

In the public health realm, particularly in the United States, there is considerable effort to encourage people to be more active in order to reduce obesity and prevent diabetes. There are programs such

as Walk with a Doc, which physicians offer to get people moving around. For respondents to this survey, the positive impact that the Parks and Recreation Department’s trails, facilities, parks,

programs, and services have on their health is of paramount importance. Question #17 of the survey states, “Which FOUR benefits are the MOST important to you and

members of your household?” Results indicate:

• Health benefits are the top two rated benefits that respondents identified in the survey.

Figure 11: (Question #17) “Which FOUR benefits are the MOST important to you and members of your household?”

With 66% of respondents selecting improved physical health and fitness and 49% indicating improved mental health and reduced stress, these two health categories rank higher than all other benefits reported. Interestingly, trails are the most popular and most used facilities that the Department has,

and they address the top three responses to this question. They facilitate physical activity, which reduces stress and improves mental health, and they provide access to the outdoors. With 88% of

respondents reporting “Good” or “Excellent” health and 83% of respondents reporting less than four

1%

1%

2%

7%

9%

10%

11%

15%

15%

17%

23%

30%

37%

46%

46%

49%

66%

None


Other:







Help reduce crime








Responses


23

days of poor health in the last month, the Department’s facilities and programs could be contributing

factors to positive health outcomes by users in the community.

Youth Programs

The services that the Department provides for youth, including programs and facilities, are rated as

important offerings even though many of the people who completed the survey did not report having directly benefited from them. Results indicate that there is a perceived value in providing youth with specific programs and facilities. This dichotomy (low personal use/high value) is illustrated

by the responses to question #9 Part II “Please indicate if YOU or members of your HOUSEHOLD use the programs and services listed below. For each program/service please rate its importance.”

Results indicate:

• “Organized youth sports leagues/programs” is the fourth most used program, yet it is the

second most important program with 72% of respondents indicating it is “Very Important.”

• “School vacation programs” were only reported as having been used by 13% of respondents,

yet 70% of respondents reported that these programs were “Very Important” to have in

Bloomington.


24

Figure 12: (Question #9 Part II) “How Important is it to you to have this program in Bloomington?”

The same phenomenon occurs regarding facility types. Playground equipment is rated the fifth most used facility type yet is rated as the fourth most important facility type to have in Bloomington. Youth

baseball and softball fields are ranked as the 18th most used facility type yet are ranked as the eighth most important facility type to have in Bloomington. For all youth-centered facilities, the importance of having the facility ranks either the same as or higher than its ranking in terms of actual use.

The Bryan Park Pool, which is used heavily by youth, is rated as the fifth most used facility in the City

and fifth most important facility for Bloomington to have.

24%

23%

7%

7%

10%

6%

5%

4%

2%

4%

4%

2%

1%

1%

4%

1%

0%

33%

30%

27%

26%

20%

18%

16%

10%

13%

12%

15%

11%

6%

9%

5%

5%

6%

22%

26%

34%

28%

27%

30%

32%

36%

28%

27%

22%

22%

25%

21%

21%

22%

13%

21%

21%

32%

39%

43%

46%

48%

49%

57%

57%

59%

66%

68%

69%

70%

72%

80%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%










Volunteer activity

Preschool programs

Community events





Farmers’ Market



25

Conclusion The survey for the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department’s Master Plan provided valuable

results that should inform and influence the final Master Plan itself. Responses regarding trails, maintenance, community/social events, safety, and youth programming/facilities are of particular interest, as outlined in this report. Overall, the survey’s respondents have a very favorable view of the

Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.

Question #19 states, “Please rate your satisfaction with the overall value your household receives from the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.”

Results Indicate: • Respondents have a very high opinion of the value they receive from the Department.

• 91% of respondents indicated that they are either “Satisfied” or “Very Satisfied” with the

Department.

• Only 5% of respondents indicated that they were “Very Dissatisfied” or “Dissatisfied.”

Table 7: (Question #19) “Please rate your satisfaction with the overall value your household receives from the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.”

Overall Satisfaction Level%

Very Dissatisfied 2%

Dissatisfied 3%

Satisfied 38%

Very Satisfied 53%

No Opinion 4%

Total 100%

By engaging in the master planning process, the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department is

taking meaningful steps to ensure that its users retain this high level of satisfaction.


26

APPENDIX A

Survey Instrument and Results This appendix features the results from the sample survey conducted by the Eppley Institute and the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.

1. From the following list of City of Bloomington parks, please select All PARKS that you and

members of your household have used during the past year. For any parks that you and

members of your household have used, please rate its condition.

Name of Park Do you use this

park? If YES, how would you rate the condition of the

park?

Yes

No

Poor Fair Good Excellent

Bryan Park 169 44 0 9 76 80

Cascades Park 127 81 0 22 57 46

Griffy Lake Nature Preserve 109 99 0 18 58 31

3rd Street Park (Waldron, Hill & Buskirk) 87 118 1 12 57 21

Leonard Springs Nature Park 69 133 2 9 33 26

Olcott Park 67 132 0 1 26 39

Peoples Park 67 133 17 29 21 1

Sherwood Oaks Park 46 151 1 7 32 8

Winslow Woods Park 43 155 0 6 26 11

RCA Park (formerly Thomson) 37 163 2 7 21 10

Rev. Ernest Butler Park (9th Street) 37 163 2 11 20 7

Goat Farm 33 165 0 3 21 13

Building and Trades Park (2nd Street) 32 166 0 8 19 7

Seminary Park 30 170 19 11 5 1

Southeast Park 29 171 0 6 17 6

Park Ridge Park East 24 177 0 6 12 8

Ferguson Dog Park 23 179 2 7 11 5

Park Ridge Park 17 180 2 8 8 4

Latimer Woods 16 184 1 5 10 2

Schmalz Farm Park 12 185 0 2 8 4

Crestmont Park 11 186 1 4 5 2

Highland Village Park 11 189 1 4 6 1

Broadview Park 7 192 1 4 6 2

None, do not use any parks (skip Q2) 25 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A


27

2. Which FOUR parks have you and members of your household used the most during the past

year?

Four Parks Selected as Used the MOST in Past Year

Responses %

Bryan Park 60 34%

Cascades Park 50 29%

Griffy Lake Nature Preserve 39 22%

Leonard Springs Nature Park 21 12%

Olcott Park 21 12%

Building and Trades Park (2nd Street) 12 7%

Sherwood Oaks Park 10 6%

Winslow Woods Park 10 6%

Rev. Ernest Butler Park (9th Street) 9 5%

RCA Park (formerly Thomson) 8 5%

Ferguson Dog Park 7 4%

Goat Farm 7 4%

Southeast Park 7 4%

Park Ridge Park East 6 3%

Peoples Park 5 3%

3rd Street Park (Waldron, Hill & Buskirk) 3 2%

Schmalz Farm Park 3 2%

Crestmont Park 2 1%

Park Ridge Park 2 1%

Broadview Park 1 1%

Highland Village Park 1 1%

Latimer Woods 1 1%

Seminary Park 0 0%

Total 788


28

3. Have you or other members of your household participated in any recreation programs and

services offered by the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department in the past 12

months?

Participated in BPRD Program in Last 12 Months

Responses %

Yes 148 44%

No 188 56%

Total 336 100%

3a. If yes, how would you rate the overall quality of the recreation programs and services

that you and members of your household have participated in?

Program/Service Quality Rating Responses %

Poor 3 2%

Fair 10 7%

Good 69 48%

Excellent 63 43%

Total 145 100%


29

4. Please indicate if YOU or members of your HOUSEHOLD have used any of the following

recreation facilities listed below in the past year. If YOU or members of your HOUSEHOLD have

used a facility in the past year, please indicate how important the facility is to your family’s

recreational needs.

Name of Facility

Do You Use this Facility?

How Important is it to you to have the following in Bloomington?

Yes No

Not Very Important

Somewhat Important

Important Very

Important

B-Line Trail 255 61 10 26 37 180

Burkirk-Chumley Theater 213 94 7 24 54 142

Bloomington Rail Trail 172 131 9 18 42 120

Clear Creek Trail 130 162 2 15 46 89

Bryan Park Pool 114 181 7 19 41 85

Shelter houses in City Parks 107 194 6 21 43 71

Jackson Creek Trail 100 192 2 22 37 67

Frank Southern Ice Arena 78 213 7 23 37 55

Winslow Sports Park 78 217 8 15 30 68

Twin Lakes Recreation Center 76 216 7 20 40 54

Cascades Trail 67 224 4 17 37 47

Rose Hill Cemetery 65 227 10 11 31 46

Cascades Golf Course 42 252 17 16 25 33

Mills Pool 34 251 5 10 24 47

Olcott Park football/soccer fields 32 254 8 21 22 35

Wapehani Mountain Bike Park 32 255 7 20 33 27

Banneker Community Center 30 262 11 18 17 32

Twin Lakes Sports Park 24 266 6 11 27 37

Allison-Jukebox Community Center 19 274 14 17 22 16

Community Gardens 19 268 7 7 23 38

Cascades Skate Park 15 270 12 18 21 22

Meeting/Function Rental Space 13 271 12 9 19 26

Crestmont Disc Golf Course 10 274 10 20 19 14

White Oak Cemetery 10 277 12 15 15 19


30

5. Which FOUR facilities from Question #4 have you or members of your household used the most

during the past year?

Facilities Selected as Most Used in Past Year Responses %

B-Line Trail 198 70%

Burkirk-Chumley Theater 108 38%

Bloomington Rail Trail 68 24%

Clear Creek Trail 60 21%

Bryan Park Pool 50 18%

Jackson Creek Trail 46 16%

Winslow Sports Park 35 14%

Shelter houses in City Parks 32 11%

Frank Southern Ice Arena 31 11%

Rose Hill Cemetery 25 9%

Twin Lakes Recreation Center 23 8%

Cascades Golf Course 22 8%

Cascades Trail 19 7%

Olcott Park football/soccer fields 12 4%

Banneker Community Center 11 4%

Twin Lakes Sports Park 10 4%

Mills Pool 9 3%

Wapehani Mountain Bike Park 8 3%

Allison-Jukebox Community Center 6 2%

Cascades Skate Park 6 2%

Community Gardens 4 1%

Crestmont Disc Golf Course 2 1%

White Oak Cemetery 2 1%

Meeting/Function Rental Space 1 <1%

Total 788


31

6. Please select ALL of the ways that you CURRENTLY learn about City of Bloomington Parks and

Recreation Department programs and services.

Way Respondents Currently Learn about BPRD Offerings

Responses %

Seasonal Program guide 251 74%

Newspaper articles 196 58%

From friends and neighbors 151 45%

City of Bloomington Website 129 38%

Newspaper advertisements 80 24%

Fliers/Posters 79 23%

Radio 78 23%

Parks Department e-mail bulletins 57 17%

Facebook or Twitter 51 15%

Conversations with Park and Recreation staff 29 9%

Other 14 4%

Television 12 4%

Blogs 3 1%

Total 1130

7. Please select all of the ways that you WOULD PREFER to learn about City of Bloomington Parks

and Recreation Department programs and services.

Way Respondents Would Prefer to Learn about BPRD Offerings

Responses %

Seasonal Program guide 239 72%

Newspaper articles 167 50%

City of Bloomington Website 145 44%

Parks Department e-mail bulletins 112 34%

From friends and neighbors 90 27%

Fliers/Posters 88 26%

Radio 85 26%

Newspaper advertisements 82 25%

Facebook or Twitter 80 24%

Television 22 7%

Conversations with Park and Recreation staff 19 6%

Other 14 4%

Blogs 9 3%


32

8. Please indicate if YOU or members or your HOUSEHOLD use the facility types listed below.

Please rate the importance of having each of the facility types in Bloomington, no matter if you

use them or not.

Type of Facility Do You Use This Type of

Facility?

How Important is it to you to have this facility in Bloomington?

Yes No Not Very Important

Somewhat Important

Important Very

Important

Walking and biking trails 253 68 7 10 46 223

Large community parks 230 88 2 10 48 212

Greenspace / natural areas 222 101 6 6 47 204

Small neighborhood parks 207 111 5 15 84 161

Playground equipment 132 179 2 7 53 179

Community theater 113 204 11 37 71 119

Indoor fitness and exercise facilities 97 219 15 34 92 96

Outdoor water parks 93 214 16 43 73 88

Nature center 86 223 22 40 75 92

Indoor ice arena 75 234 24 41 80 71

Indoor running/walking track 68 245 15 45 76 86

Outdoor fitness and exercise stations 65 245 24 59 70 60

Outdoor tennis courts 63 246 7 38 94 80

Indoor event/recreation space 57 256 13 52 80 65

Golf course 44 270 45 47 63 56

Facility rental space 43 270 15 53 77 60

Off-leash dog park 42 270 32 46 57 79

Youth baseball and softball fields 40 268 8 18 74 109

Mountain bike park 39 270 40 63 66 35

Youth soccer fields 37 270 8 27 75 94

Community gardens 34 283 11 31 64 111

Outdoor basketball courts 31 274 8 33 90 75

Indoor basketball/volleyball courts 30 280 18 51 80 55

Adult softball fields 26 288 22 39 83 63

Indoor waterpark 25 286 70 52 55 29

Indoor sports fields 22 287 43 54 65 34

Other:

19 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Disc golf 18 292 64 65 38 24

Skateboarding park 14 294 29 62 58 46

Youth football fields 14 294 33 39 62 63

Pickleball courts 6 299 79 55 35 16


33

8a.From the list above, which FOUR facilities contribute the most to your health?

Facilities that Contribute the Most to Respondents’ Health

Responses %

Walking and biking trails 208 71%

Greenspace / natural areas 149 51%

Large community parks 127 43%

Small neighborhood parks 95 33%

Indoor fitness and exercise facilities 55 19%

Playground equipment 52 18%

Community theater 50 17%

Indoor running/walking track 32 11%

Golf course 20 7%

Outdoor water parks 20 7%

Indoor ice arena 17 6%

Outdoor fitness and exercise stations 17 6%

Community gardens 16 5%

Outdoor tennis courts 13 4%

Mountain bike park 12 4%

Adult softball fields 10 3%

Nature center 9 3%

Off-leash dog park 9 3%

Youth baseball and softball fields 9 3%

Youth soccer fields 6 2%

Indoor basketball/volleyball courts 5 2%

Indoor waterpark 5 2%

Disc golf 3 1%

Facility rental space 3 1%

Indoor event/recreation space 3 1%

Other: 3 1%

Outdoor basketball courts 3 1%

Skateboarding park 2 1%

Youth football fields 2 1%

Indoor sports fields 1 <1%

Pickleball courts 0 0%


34

9. Please indicate if YOU or members of your HOUSEHOLD use the programs and services listed

below. For each program/service that you use, please rate its importance.

Type of Program Do You Use

This Program? How Important is it to you to have this

program in Bloomington?

Yes No Not Very Important

Somewhat Important

Important Very Important

Farmers’ Market 128 14 0 8 17 103

Concerts, Movies, and Art Fairs 114 24 4 13 26 39

Community Events 107 30 2 12 25 75

Organized youth sports leagues/programs 42 90 1 4 18 60

Health and wellness programs 33 103 2 11 24 49

Volunteer activity 31 104 3 10 23 48

Environmental education taught to groups 26 106 8 17 23 36

Gardening/Classes 20 114 4 13 26 39

Organized adult sport leagues/programs 19 113 3 8 28 38

Self-directed sports activities for adults 16 117 5 19 24 23

Guided Nature programs for individuals 15 119 5 20 21 30

Preschool programs 13 120 3 11 16 43

School vacation programs (daycamps/breakdays) 13 120 3 4 15 51

Self-directed sports activities for youth 12 119 4 13 21 33

Programs with your pets 8 123 16 21 18 15

Other:__________________ 7 N/A 1 0 1 8

Services for people with disabilities 5 129 1 4 18 48

Special event consulting 0 133 16 22 15 14


35

10a. From the list above, which FOUR contribute most to your health?

Programs/Services that Contribute Most to Health

Responses %

Farmers’ Market 98 73%

Concerts, Movies, and Art Fairs 68 51%

Community Events 64 48%

Organized youth sports leagues/programs 29 22%

Health and wellness programs 20 15%

Gardening/Classes 14 10%

Organized adult sport leagues/programs 11 8%

Self-directed sports activities for adults 10 7%

Volunteer activity 9 7%

Environmental education taught to groups 8 6%

Preschool programs 7 5%

Self-directed sports activities for youth 6 4%

Guided Nature programs for individuals 4 3%

School vacation programs (daycamps/breakdays) 4 3%

Other:__________________ 3 2%

Services for people with disabilities 3 2%

Programs with your pets 2 1%

Special event consulting 0 0%

Total 360


36

10. Which FOUR programs from Question #10 DO YOU CURRENTLY PARTICIPATE IN MOST OFTEN?

Programs/Services Participated Most Often Responses %

Farmers’ Market 87 64%

Concerts, Movies, and Art Fairs 74 54%

Community Events 61 45%

Organized youth sports leagues/programs 32 23%

Health and wellness programs 13 9%

Gardening/Classes 9 7%

Volunteer activity 9 7%

Organized adult sport leagues/programs 8 6%

Self-directed sports activities for adults 7 5%

Environmental education taught to groups 6 4%

Preschool programs 6 4%

School vacation programs (daycamps/breakdays) 6 4%

Other:__________________ 5 4%

Self-directed sports activities for youth 5 4%

Services for people with disabilities 3 2%

Guided Nature programs for individuals 2 1%

Programs with your pets 1 1%

Special event consulting 0 0%

Total 328

11. How would you rate the overall quality of the recreation programs and services that you and

members of your household have participated in?

Program/Service Quality Responses %

Poor 3 2%

Fair 10 7%

Good 69 48%

Excellent 63 43%

Total 145 100%


37

12. Please indicate how often you and members of your household have used the Twin Lakes

Recreation Center during the past 12 months.

Frequency of Twin Lakes UseResponses %

Never 230 68%

1-9 Times 71 21%

10-24 Times 22 6%

25-49 Times 9 3%

50+ Times 8 2%

Total 340 100%

13. Please indicate ALL reasons that prevent you or other members of your household from using

the Twin Lakes Recreation Center.

Reasons Twin Lakes is not Used

Responses %

Too far from our residence 93 41%

Use another fitness facility 71 31%

Other 56 25%

Programs do not meet my needs 39 17%

Traffic in/out of the facility is a challenge 26 12%

I am not physically active 21 9%

I did not know that this facility exists 20 9%

Access by walking/biking not available 14 6%

Facility lacks the right equipment 9 4%

Lack of parking 9 4%

Program times are not convenient 7 3%

Facility operating hours not convenient 4 2%

Registration for programs is difficult 2 1%

Classes are full 1 <1%

Poor customer service by staff 1 <1%

Lack of quality programs 0 0%

Total 340


38

14. From the following list, please check ALL of the organizations that you or members of your

household have used for indoor and outdoor recreation programs and services during the past

year.

Organizations Used Responses %

City of Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department 171 52%

Cultural arts facilities (e.g., John Waldron Arts Center, Buskirk-Chumley Theater)

166 51%

Karst Farm and other county parks 117 36%

YMCA (Northwest or Southeast) 111 34%

Indiana University (SRSC, Wildermuth Intramural Center, Woodlawn Field, etc.)

91 28%

School facilities (MCCSC or RBB) 85 26%

Other health/fitness center 70 21%

Churches 69 21%

None 28 9%

Travel sports teams/clubs 26 8%

Other 23 7%

Boys and Girls Club 13 4%

Total 969

15. Which TWO of the organizations do you and members of your household use THE MOST for

indoor and outdoor recreation programs and services?

Organizations Used Responses %

City of Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department 113 41%

Cultural arts facilities (e.g., John Waldron Arts Center, Buskirk-Chumley Theater)

73 26%

YMCA (Northwest or Southeast) 72 26%

Indiana University (SRSC, Wildermuth Intramural Center, Woodlawn Field, etc.)

47 17%

Karst Farm and other county parks 43 16%

Other health/fitness center 32 14%

School facilities (MCCSC or RBB) 28 10%

Churches 19 7%

Other 7 3%

Travel sports teams/clubs 6 2%

Boys and Girls Club 2 1%

None 0 0%

Total 969


39

16. The following are some of the benefits that you and your household may receive from parks,

trails, recreation facilities, programs, and services. For each potential benefit, please indicate

your level of agreement.

Benefits Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree Strongly Agree

Don’t Know

Provide access to the outdoors and nature 8 2 64 237 9

Improve physical health and fitness 5 3 76 231 9

Preserve open space and the environment 8 5 70 227 11

Make Bloomington a more desirable place to live 8 6 68 225 14

Enhance community appearance 8 1 87 220 6

Improve mental health and reduce stress 6 3 90 211 14

Help attract new residents and businesses 8 8 96 191 20

Strengthen sense of community 8 13 105 171 22

Improve social connections 9 17 122 155 18

Increase property values in surrounding area 7 10 119 149 35

Protect historical attributes of the City 12 23 114 128 48

Promote tourism to the City 8 26 136 120 30

Improve diet and nutrition 8 29 120 117 49


11 22 141 114 31

Help reduce crime 20 44 89 98 71

Other:

1 0 4 10 7


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17. Which FOUR benefits are the most important to you and members of your household?

Benefits Responses %

Improve physical health and fitness 215 66%

Improve mental health and reduce stress 159 49%

Make Bloomington a more desirable place to live 149 46%

Provide access to the outdoors and nature 149 46%

Preserve open space and the environment 119 37%

Enhance community appearance 99 30%

Strengthen sense of community 75 23%

Help reduce crime 54 17%

Improve social connections 48 15%

Increase property values in surrounding area 48 15%

Improve diet and nutrition 35 11%

Protect historical attributes of the City 32 10%

Increase opportunities for people of different cultures to interact 29 9%

Help attract new residents and businesses 23 7%

Other: 5 2%

Promote tourism to the City 4 1%

18. If it were up to you, how would YOU allocate $100 in taxes across these competing priorities?









Other $2.52

Total $100.00


41

19. Please rate your satisfaction with the overall value your household receives from the City of

Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.

Overall Satisfaction LevelResponses %

Very Dissatisfied 6 2%

Dissatisfied 10 3%

Satisfied 122 38%

Very Satisfied 171 53%

No Opinion 14 4%

Total 323 100%

20. Would you say that in general your health is:

Health Rating Responses %

Poor 1 <1%

Fair 36 11%

Good 185 57%

Excellent 100 31%

Total 322 100%

21. During the past 30 days, for approximately how many days did your poor physical or mental

health keep you from doing your usual activities, such as self-care, work, or recreation?

Days of Poor Health Responses %

0-3 days 266 83%

4-7 days 31 10%

8-14 days 17 5%

15-21 days 3 1%

22-30 days 2 1%

Total 319 100%


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22. There are some things in life that make it easy for us to be healthy and other things that make

it more difficult to be healthy. Please indicate which of the following things prevent you or

members of your household from using park and recreation services. Check all that apply.

Barriers to Participation Responses %

Not enough time 167 59%

Programs that the Department offers do not interest me 59 21%

Personal safety concern – the park or trail is not safe 52 18%

My neighborhood does not have a park, recreation facility, or

trail within a 10 minute walk

47 17%

Not enough money 47 17%

Personal safety concern – the walk to the park or trail is not

safe due to traffic or roadways 43 15%

Other:________________________ 42 15%

Personal health problem 33 12%

Inadequate or poorly maintained facilities 16 6%

The Department’s programs, parks, or facilities are not

accessible to people with disabilities 5 2%

23. Thinking about how public money has been spent on recreation parks and facilities in the

past 5-10 years, which of the following statements is most accurate…

Neighborhood Gets Fair Share of Tax DollarsResponses %

Don’t Know/Not Sure 151 47%

My neighborhood often gets its fair share 77 24%

My neighborhood almost always gets its fair share 43 13%

My neighborhood seldom gets its fair share 36 11%

My neighborhood never gets its fair share 14 4%


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24. Using a short sentence for each issue, please list the three most important issues the

Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department must address with its five-year master plan.

See Appendix B for a full list of issues. The information below has been organized under the

most consistently referenced topics by the survey respondents.

Important Issues Responses %

Build/Expand Trails 128 18%

Focus on Maintenance 128 18%

Reduce Crime/Address Safety 51 7%

Continue Current Programs 48 6%

Continue Current Practices 39 5%

Frank Southern Operation and Possible Replacement

31 4%

Add and Maintain Greenspace 28 4%

Build Switchyard Park 23 3%

Support of Cultural Events and Concerts 22 3%

Build Parks, Trails, and Facilities 18 2%

Address Homeless in Parks 15 2%

New Dog Park 10 1%

Senior Center 10 1%

Upgrade facilities 9 1%

Acquire land/open space 8 1%

Connect Trails 8 1%

Other 116 16%

Total 692


44

25. Counting yourself, how many people in your house are:

Number of People in Household Responses %

Under age 5 46 6%

Ages 5-9 64 8%

Ages 10-14 44 6%

Ages 15-19 36 5%

Ages 20-24 23 3%

Ages 25-34 80 10%

Ages 35-44 106 14%

Ages 45-54 99 13%

Ages 55-64 135 18%

Ages 65-74 89 12%

Ages 75+ 40 5%

Total 762 100%

26. What is YOUR age?

Age of Sampled Individual Responses %

Under age 5 0 0%

Ages 5-9 0 0%

Ages 10-14 1 <1%

Ages 15-19 0 0%

Ages 20-24 3 <1%

Ages 25-34 31 8%

Ages 35-44 58 15%

Ages 45-54 45 12%

Ages 55-64 70 18%

Ages 65-74 42 11%

Ages 75+ 20 5%

Refused to answer 118 30%

Total 388 100%


45

27. What is YOUR sex?

Sex Responses %

Female 161 41%

Male 139 36%

Prefer not to answer 88 23%

Total 388 100%

28. What is your race/ethnicity?

Race/Ethnicity Responses %

American Indian and Alaskan Native 2 <1%

Asian 4 1%

Black or African American 7 2%

Hispanic or Latino 4 1%

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0 0%

Two or more races 6 1%

White (not Hispanic or Latino) 271 66%


Total 408 100%

29. Are you a full time student at Indiana University?

Student at IU Responses %

Yes 4 1%

No 317 81%

No answer 87 18%

Total 388 100%


46

30. How long have you lived in Bloomington/Monroe County?

Years lived in Bloomington/Monroe County

Responses %

Less than one year 7 2%

1-5 years 38 10%

6-10 years 35 9%

11-15 years 37 10%

16 or more years 204 53%


Total 388 100%

31. What is your household income?

Household Income Responses %

Under $25,000 28 7%

$25,000-$49,999 61 16%

$50,000-$74,999 44 11%

$75,000-$99,999 41 11%

$100,000 or more 88 23%


Total 388 100%


47

APPENDIX B

The survey featured a question that asked respondents to list the three most important issues the

Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department must address with its five-year master plan. The table below features all unedited responses from this answer in alphabetical order.

Adult Activity Center

A huge draw to this community is the number or parks and walking/biking trails, the maintenance and upkeep of

these will continue to bring families to our community.

Acquire and develop new properties

Acquire more land to expand greenspace and walking/biking trails.

Acquire more open space

Acquire more parkland

Acquiring and creating new parks as the city expands

Acquiring and preserving the existing greenspace in Bloomington

Acquiring more green space

Acquisition of new parks/open space

Activities for young adults to participate in together

activity based center for the disabled.

Adapting programs for changing demographics

Add addition mileage to the bike trails while the land is still available

Add walking/running and biking trails

Ads. Better advertisement of events

allocating resources throughout the city fairly

Angry homeless people "owning" parks and areas

aquisition

are trails transportation or just recreation?

attractive plantings

B line could stand to look nicer down south. Flowers?

balancing needs of all ages for recreation, from elderly birdwatchers to active toddlers

Banneker Community Center needs more investment in its appearance and programming- it is a great place for

families!

Better promotion of existing programs.

Bicylces

Bike lanes

Bryan Park pool chairs should be replaced. They are in very poor condition.

Bryan Park Tot -Lot requers more sand and mulch - it is one of the most used parks in our city

Build it and they will come is not working.

Build more trails

Build park for kids in Blue ridge subdivision

Build space for Winter Farmers Market

Build Switchyard Park

Building more biking and walking trails that connects the different areas of the city.


48

building new neighborhood parks

Building/improving new park facilities south of 2nd street and west of College.

Building/maintaining neighborhood parks

Building/maintaining walking trails

Bulletins to inform

Careful balance between maintenance and expansion of Parks and Rec facilities. (Ex. - Lots of extra features/special

brick, etc. on b-line could have been used to make the trail itself stretch further instead.)

Cascades must get an upgrade on course conditions and new fairways

Cater to not only college students but to the residents who are going to be here after they are gone.

children's programs

City Parks leaders have a tendency to overstate the importance of their operations with regard to the community's

overall quality of life

City Parks officials are likely to spread the department's limited resources too thinly then seek large influxes of tax

revenues

Clean up parks like Peoples Park and Seminary Park

Close cascade golf course and expand it into a park that far more people can use and reduce pesticides now used.

COB has some great aspects to Parks and Rec. My family has used and enjoyed Parks and Rec Services for over 20

years. The City as a whole though, needs to get real about the other issues that it invites.

community gardens / education

Commuter friendly opportunities -- biking and hiking trails. With the hospital moving what opportunities for

walking/biking to the hospital/outpatient facilities/classrooms? Will the City attempt to partner with IU and IUHealth

to have green space and recreational facilities that can be utilized by staff and visitors? Classes devoted to healthy

eating/living/recreational opportunities? Community/education/business partnerships need to be explored.

completing existing plans for growth

Connect all paths/trails to make a loop around Bloomington.

Connect all the trails and expand them

Connect existing bike trails and provide better ways to navigate the college mall area.

Connect existing hiking trails/expand trail system

Connect existing trails into a county-wide system

connect existing walking/biking trails for alternative transport through and around the city. /

connect green trails so people can walk safely from area to area.

connect parks by trails

consider offering some of the activities at Twin Lakes over on the East Side (not the Y). If it's close we will go.

Construction, being environmentally proactive in new construction and in retrofitting older facilities

Continual Maintenance, Updating and Improving Parks, Trails, Facilities etc.

Continue bringing cultural events

continue excellent efforts on trail and bike path development

Continue excellent work maintaining city parks

Continue operation and expansion of programs for youth.

Continue summer music concerts!

Continue support of Frank Southern Ivce Arena

continue to acquire and develop new spaces for parks, trails and outdoor use

Continue to advertise offerings through all types of media

Continue to bring great adult events like the New Belgium Clips tour to Bryan Park

Continue to build and extend trails that connect with each other.


49

Continue to grow and/or expand it's facilities to meet the communities needs

Continue to grow the system with the new parks that have been planned

Continue to improve local parks, gardens, forests, other natural environment

Continue to increase community gardening participation and donations to food pantries.

Continue to maintain existing facilities

continue to maintain safety and cleanliness of existing parks

Continue to offer recreational opportunities to our youth

Continue to offer summer music programs in the park

Continue to preserve green space in Bloomington

Continue to promote and create walking trails in parks and near downtown

Continue to provide many services and events for the community to enjoy

continue to provide programs for youth, family, seniors

Continue to reach out to Bloomington citizens and tourists

Continue to receive input from concerned citizens

Continue to support the arts and cultural events. /

Continue to support the farmer's market and other initiatives for healthy living (gardening/diet classes, community

gardens, yoga and other stress-reduction classes).

Continued acquisition of open land before it disappears under new developments.

Continued expansion of trails.

Continued programs offered for kids and adults in the evening and on weekends.

Continued safety on BLine trail

Continued trail development

Continuing family-friendly community events. /

continuing the Parks and Rec Program Guide I think this publication has been compiled very well

continuing to connect walking/biking trails around the city

Continuing to keep green space in Bloomington and not allowing everything to be so built up and developed.

Continuing to keep what parks, trails, gardens, facilities, events and activities in good running order,safe, and user

friendly.

continuing to offer affordable, high quality camp experiences for working families

continuing to renovate parks and increase accessibility

continuing to support most popular events

Convert farms to parks instead of developing them. More projects like the goat farm

Convert unused city property to green space

Create more biking and walking trails

Create more walking trails like the B-Line, which is very popular with so many people.

Create parks and programs that encourage social interaction, not just education about nature. People need to

interact.

creating and protecting green space

Creating more biking/hiking trails and encouraging use

Creating more trail options

Creating new neighborhood parks and community gardens

Creating programs for a wide variety of people and interests with accessibility and sports for fun, not competition

Creation of the Switchyard park.

Creation of the switchyard park.


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crime

crime

Crime seems to be escalating in Bloomington

Criminal activity in People's Park needs to be eliminated

Current facilities (playgrounds, trails, etc) need to be well-maintained so there isn't broken equipment, etc.

Deal with homeless problem in People's Park and Seminary Park.

Dealing with homelessness and its affect on certain parks

determining what money-losing facilities are important to maintain despite the loss, and which should be cut

Develop a city park in the center of the city.

Develop a neighborhood park close to Hoosier Acres.

Develop other modes of transport besides automobile

Develop Switchyard Park

develop the rail yard in a natural way

Developing more general family spaces rather than just sports parks

Developing programs for Senior Citizens

Developing the many acres by the b-line trail.

Developing the Switchyard park

development of switchyard park

Development of Switchyard Park.

Development of switchyard south of Grimes as parkland.

Development of walking and biking trails

Do mostly what you best know how to do but don't totally avoid innovation.

Do nor change parks into playgrounds.

Do not turn the Blue Field at Winslow into a softball field!

dog park (maybe on the south side?)

Don't forget the potential of events, programs, and facilities like Frank Southern and Wapehani can offer to attract

other segments of the community - diversify your portfolio .

Don't know - we're relatively new residents.

Don't let the switchyard park take all the energy at the expense of all the other great parks, facilities, and programs

Don't overbuild facilities to the point they won't be maintained.

Double number of youth baseball fields so children under 12 are not playing baseball until 9-10 o'clock at night, (not

healthy, not safe)

Drug dealer

East side of town is neglected

east-west walking paths, not for bicycles

easy access

Educate bikers to pedestrian traffic and their right of way.

emphasize programs and playgrounds for kids more than adults

Encourage interest in area activities and results. Ie game scores, game time,etc

Encouraging and supporting non-fossil-fuel dependent transportation.

Enhance/create outdoor spaces in areas that don't have them, and enclose spaces for kids.

Enhanced green space

enhancement of existing facilities

Enhancing existing facilities


51

Ensure biking and vehicle safety by creation of bike paths and enforcing laws

Ensure safety of participants on trails

Ensure that children are more involved/price wise

Ensure that parks are safe and accessible to all.

Ensuring facilities are available for all residents/areas of community

Ensuring that usable green space is integrated in the areas being developed in the community. For instance the South

Walnut corridor, which is very ugly and could use more green space. Peoples park is a disgrace, does not feel safe, and

Kilroys blaring music across the street makes it even worse.

Environmentalism and climate change

Establish a plan for appropriately addressing the perceived homeless/threatening populations from many of the cities

parks (seminary square, people's park)

Evaluate and follow suggestions from this survey

evening events for young auluts/professionals

Expand current network of trails and parks.

expand facilities

Expand trail system

Expand/maintain existing indoor and outdoor sports facilities

Expanded space and parking for Farmer's market.

expanding the walking trails

expansion beyond fund limitations

Expansion of walking and biking trails.

Explore feasibility of a new indoor swimming pool

Extending access to existing trails.

Extending b-line to make more of Bloomington accessible

Extending the Polly Grimshaw Trail all the way to Smith Road or even New Unionville and beyond would be great.

extension of trails: east-west

Facilities

Facilitiy, events and programs for 60+

Facility maintanence

fees

Figure out a way to turn off the tennis lights at Winslow at a reasonable hour and reduce light pollution and waste

Finding a way to keep track of people who don't use a leash for their dog. Fines. Husband got bitten by dog who didn't

have her shots. Scary.

Finish expansion of Cascades Park between Softball field on monastery.

Finish Switchyard Park!!! I go there often riding my bike and right now, I have to imagine what it will look like when

finished. I think that can be a really nice facility.

finish the switchyard park, and I don't like the idea of putting in a road at hillside.

fiscal accountability and control

For future park or the Switchyard Plan - see Pullen Park in Raleigh, N.C. They have an amazing park there. Worth a

look at their design.

forward looking programs

Frank Southern is overdue. A better facility with year-round ice would encourage so many positive things.....including:

/ 1) Additional options for summer recreation / 2) Opportunities for local ice-sports to grow stronger teams, host

camps, tournaments...... / 3) Increased tourism and local enthusiasm stemming from IU teams / 4) Year-round

opportunity for COB in terms of employment, facility rental, corporate events, birthday parties etc.


52

Free activities

Free events such as The Farmers' Market, art fairs and such are a wonderful way to keep the community engaged and

allow people to come together to support our local community.

Freguson Dog Park - more shade

Funding needs to be used to maintain the quality of parks

Funds to keep existing property/equipment at present levels.

Get an indoor facility that is more centrally located..like the YMCA

Get Parents to be parents so this teenage crime/drug will slow down or quit and I know this is impossible because

people want kids but DONOT want to be the ones to raise them

Get rid of the bums in the parks

Getting more money for improvements and maintenance

Golf course needs improvements

GOOD maintenance of existing parks and rec areas

good upkeep on existing parks, facilities

Graffiti along the B-line trail

Greatly enhancing and expanding the local food system using the Bloomington Food Charter as a Guide.

Greatly expanding rain gardens, water catchment, and other sustainable landscaping techniques.

Growing/improving parks on NW side of town

Have A facility that has camps and sports leagues that kids are pick up from home and dropped off. So many adults

can't send their children due to cost and lack of vehicle to drop them off/pick them up.

have adequate staff

Have at least one small park in every neighborhood.

Having more adult-friendly activities (for people without children).

Homeless community in the parks and on the trails

Homeless people

Homeless population taking over a park, so I do not feel safe

Homelessness and food insecurity (more shelters and community gardens would be amazing)

How to bring on board new properties/trails

How to develop the Switchyard property/park.

How to increase spending at a time of shrinking revenues?

How to preserve more forest and wooded area

I am in my early 80s and I get all the exercise I need in my home and walking almost anywhere I need to go. We

attend local sports etc. when we have friends or neighbors participating. The facilities always seem to in fine

condition.

I don't know about what goes on with Parks and Rec

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I have no opinion on this



I visit parks all year round in a variety of weather, and I think it's important for the bathrooms to be available year

round to make it easier to spend more time at the park.

I would like to see a trail in the eastside of town


53

I would like to see another dog park area that is more assessable.

I would love more options for swimming areas on the lakes.

I would really like a wooded park (or many) that can be walked to from town (Prospect Hill, Near West Side, Campus,

etc.)

Ice rink (year round)

Ice rink (year round)

Ice Rink Convert Frank Southern Ice Arena to a year-round facility

Ice rink Create a year-round ice arena

I'd like to see Parks work more closely with IU. The two are terrific resources within our community--together they

could be GREAT.

Identifying and acquiring space for future parks

If you have any influence - more sidewalks and walking areas. These should be separate from biking areas.

Improve appearance

improve maintenance/equipment

Improve safety

improve safety of parks, especially B-line

Improve safety on B-line and other trails

Improve safety on the B-Line trail.

Improve security for south end of B-Line Trail.

Improve trails that are decaying

Improving communication about special events.

Improving walkability of the city (interconnects to the b-line trail from all directions)

improving youth programs, some i have seen are poorly supervised

Improving/maintaining playground areas at neighborhood parks.

In some areas of town there are no recreational areas kids may safely use independently.

In the parks I use, it is necessary to replace trees lost over the years, and plant new trees. This is Tree City after all.

Inadequate funds

Include skatepark features in a more central part of town, like along the B-line, Cascades is good, but quite isolated

for youth to use.

including more accessible downtown activites for older people.

Increase bicycle trails and lanes

Increase protected bike lanes; design better lanes; increase number of bike boulevards.

Increase security on the B-Line/Switchyard Park

Increase the extent of bike paths on city streets.

Increase the green spaces throughout the city

Increase the number of bike paths/trails.

increase walking/biking trails

increase walking/biking trails

Increased safety on b-line, clear creek, and rail trails in evenings.

Increasing bike and walking trails/lanes, especially making it less dangerous to bike across 37 and on the west side.

Increasing use of existing parks & facilities

indoor exercise and fitness facility

Indoor pool facility

Intergenerational recreation opportunities need to be expanded.


54

Internal Accountability / Transparency

Issue 1

Issue 2

Issue 3

It would be nice to have closer hiking trails.

Keep athletic leagues for children.

keep doing the same excellent job - don't mess up things that are working well!



keep doing what you're doing!

Keep facilities accessible

Keep facilities and programs affordable

Keep facilities safe

Keep informed about needs and preferences such as is being done with this survey

Keep parks safe and clean.

Keep the B-Line and other properties safe for all persons at all times.

Keep the Buskirk Chumley. More live music. More live theater.

Keep the green spaces green

keep the parks safe with spot checks for drug use, crime. I see that B line is patrolled - I appreciate that.

keep the shrubs from blocking sidewalks

Keep the weeds down-some of us have allergies

Keep trails clean and safe. /

Keep up maintenance of parks; continue popular programs like farmers market, outdoor concerts/movies, etc.

Keep up the already good work!

keeping children's sports affordable/scholarship for low income households

Keeping drug dealers and firearms out of Bryan Park...and all the parks in general.

Keeping existing parks and facilities maintained, clean, safe.

Keeping our parks safe at night. Ex. RCA Park tends to have undesirable visitors at night.

Keeping parks clean and safe

Keeping parks safe and maintained

Keeping playground/exercise equipment up to date

Keeping programming and arts alive

Keeping programs for our youth.

keeping the community safe in all parks - some are not great

Keeping the cost down for use of programs and facilities.

Keeping the grounds clean from animal feces.

Keeping viable options for 13-18yr old boys to place baseball

Kinser pike needs a pedestrian crossing section where the trail head begins across the street from the power washing

folks. It is dangerous to cross there, but more dangerous up the road at the skate park. drivers go fast and it is hard

for me to see oncoming traffic when i am walking my dogs.

Lack of diversity of activities within exisiting parks.

Landscape replacements

Last I looked, Twin Lakes and the YMCA wanted over $200 a year for membership, plus classes cost money on top of

that. Can something be done to make access to such facilities more affordable?


55

Lessen overpopulation of deer in area.

lighting on walking/biking trails

Look at the poverty level

Look to develop small neighborhood parks

Love the free concerts in the park. Keep those up!

Love the trail system but think the planners get a little carried away with trail embellishment. The important thing

about trails is that they are long and continous, rather than short and "wide". Put the funds in right of way rather than

stabs at art and architecture. (Shade would always be welcome though.)

Lower the ramp fee at Griffy significantly, and provide an annual ramp permit if not already available!

Maintain facilities, parks, trails and grounds

Maintain adequate staff

Maintain all playground equipment for children

Maintain and acquire new green space and natural areas

maintain and expand walking and biking trails

maintain and improve toilet facilities in all of the parks. reinstate the toilets by the Winslow tennis courts

Maintain current all outdoor facilities: i.e. parks, trails, etc.

maintain current facilities

Maintain current indoor/outdoor sports venues

maintain current outdoor parks and trails

Maintain current parks & facilities.

Maintain current parks.

maintain current properties

Maintain equipment and facilities

Maintain existing building

Maintain existing facilities

maintain existing facilities - don't let them get run down or neglected

Maintain existing facilities and programs

maintain existing facilities/assets

Maintain existing parks

Maintain existing trails and parks.

Maintain existing trails, increase trails, maintain parks.

Maintain facilities.

Maintain green space

Maintain in excellent condition current facilities.

maintain leadership as a friendly outdoor city

Maintain nice, safe outdoor places for me - including benches, sidewalks. Don't go overboard on programming.

Maintain open/green space within many areas of the city. /

Maintain or increase number of employees and their pay scale

Maintain parks and facilities at an good/excellent level for all those who use them

maintain parks and rec centers

maintain parks in good condition, especially those with aging equipment

Maintain playground equipment for children

Maintain playgrounds in smaller neighborhoods


56

Maintain programs in response to usage

Maintain quality

Maintain security of all public parks

Maintain water fountains. Add water bottle filling stations

Maintain what we have

Maintain what we have

maintain/improve community and neighborhood parks

Maintain/increase playground equipment for children with disabilities.

maintain/protect/acquire more green space for humans and wildlife

maintaining / increasing green space

Maintaining and expanding B-Line Trail and other walk/bike trails

Maintaining and updating playgrounds

Maintaining current facilites

Maintaining current facilities

maintaining current facilities

maintaining current parks

Maintaining current parks and facilities.

maintaining current trails, facilities, etc

Maintaining equipment at current parks

maintaining existing facilities

Maintaining existing facilities

Maintaining existing facilities and programs

Maintaining existing facilities and services.

maintaining existing park facilities and outdoor spaces

maintaining existing parks

maintaining existing parks, ect

maintaining existing parks, facilities and programs

Maintaining existing trails.

maintaining green space and access to green space in a growing city

Maintaining older, or creating new, parks in less wealthy neighborhoods.

Maintaining playground equipment at large and small parks

Maintaining the B-Line Trail.

maintaining the budget level

maintaining the facilities we presently have

Maintaining the park lands and facilities we have

Maintaining the parks facilities (shelters, trails, etc).

Maintaining the properties that already exist

Maintaining what it already has

maintaining what we already have

Maintaining what we now have

Maintaining/improving conditions at Griffy Lake

maintanence

maintenance


57

Maintenance

Maintenance

maintenance

maintenance & ongoing renovation of existing parks/facilties

Maintenance and renewal of existing facilities, esp. ice rink.

Maintenance of current properties.

Maintenance of existing facilities

Maintenance of existing trails...do not allow them to deteriorate as you add new ones

maintenance of facilities

Maintenance of facilities.

Maintenance of parks and trails

maintenance of the existening parks

Maintenance on existing parks.

Maintenance, repair

Maintenance/enhancement of facilities and programs

make all of Bloomington accessible by bike (safely get to trails)

Make events affordable

Make facilities of the public schools, ie: wood shop, auto shop, welding shop, etc., available to low income people.

Make fitness classes more assessible in terms of times, prices, & locations.

make sure facilities of all kinds are as evenly distributed as possible in neighborhoods around town

Make sure fees for childrens programs do not exclude the impoverished.

Make sure people feel safe in all the parks and trails.

make sure spaces such as B-line trail, people's park, etc are safe for all citizens

Make sure the Buskirk-Chumley and concert series are adequately funded and maintained

make sure trail system is well maintained and safe; expand if possible

Make the B-Line safer.

Make west side of Bloomington more park friendly and trail friendly.

Making class times more accessible during midday hours.

Making classes affordable on all budgets.

Making fee based programs available to individuals and families that are economically distressed.

Making improvements and adding to lands and facilities

Making sure all parks and trails stay safe.

Making sure places are safe

Managing breadth vs depth of programming

Marketing/Advertising public resources that are available and how many people are using them

Match the dog health and safety requirements of the Karst Farm Dog Park (e.g., vaccinations, key-card monitoring for

behavior complaints, and proof of neutering) or at least perform spot checks to ensure compliance. We don't feel that

dog park is safe for our dog.

Methods to increase awareness/interest of programs and use of facilities

More accessibility to walking trails, like sidewalks

More bike friendly roads

More challenging playground equipment in all parks

More community events; movies in the park, guided informative nature hikes, B-Line/downtown historical walks,

seasonal festivals/carnivals.


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More community garden space.

more connection between existing properties/facilities

More facilities for all to share

More facilities need to be bike and pedestrian accessible.

More festivals. Especially ones involving food and drink!

MORE FUNDING FOR THE PEPOLE

more green space

more green space

more green space

More inviting/welcoming

More large scale events, such as 4th St Arts Fair, that brings in outside tourism dollars, esp. in the off season (June-

Aug.)

More natural landscaping to eliminate use of pesticides and fossil fuels.

More options for adults 30-50

More parklands or natural sites

More parks and walking/running trails on the eastside of town.

More programs for seniors (60 plus years) who are still working full-time.

More programs free of charge

more user fees, less taxes

More variety of programs - for all ages, singles, neighborhoods, etc.

More walking trails on north side of city

More youth programs

Moving forward with Switchyard Park

Must fix dangerous baseball field conditions at Bryan Park.

Need a buzzer to open door for people with a walker

Need better bike lanes. And we don't need them in neighborhoods.

need handicapped activites

need indoor pool, not theY

Need more bike trails, connecting more places.

Need more dog poo drop off cans

Needs an America Ninja Warrior facility and very reduced prices for rock climbing facility.

Needs free or very reduced facilities for families with free daycare and many choices. Cost and children should never

be an excuse why people can't get in shape.

new bike ways

New ice facility

new official size ice arena with longer access

No more walking/biking trails

No opinion

None

None

None

north side does not have a park that you can walk to with swings (cascades is inaccessible from north side

neighborhoods). Other areas do have this access within the city.

Not enough advertising


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Offer later times for those that work 9-5 jobs

Offer more inclusive programs that are TRULY inclusive.

offer more programs on weekends

offer tai chi/mediation in park areas

Ongoing assessment of community needs

open space/natural areas for people to actually see nature at work - karst, pollination, native wild plants

Organizing and promoting more community events

Other than those two complaints, the city is doing a great job!

Outreach to lower income families

P&R seems to have a lot of hats -- maybe you should narrow your mission

Panhandlers who may not be homeless

park & trail maintenance

park at switchyard park

park safety

Park wildlife management

parking downtown - the city makes you pay park ANYWHERE downtown, so why would I want to use the parks/trail?

Parking meters make it difficult for some to want to do things but have to pay to park.

parks and rec is not hip at all

Parks and trails should be safe, especially for women and children.

Parks and trails should be safer.

Parks don't have to have ridiculously expensive or elaborate features, and should NEVER compete with the private

businesses.

pave the Rail Trail to connect the B-line and Clear Creek trails

Paving and/or maintaining pavement on walking trails. Winslow Trail finally got paved, thank you!

Peoples Park is frequently a spot with violent altercations.

Personnel

physical maintenance of the Banneker building

Please bring back the mowing and weed eating

Please continue to not use pesticides and herbicides in our green areas. Expand naturalized areas. Add bird houses in

parks!

Please put trash cans on the B-Line south of 2nd St.

Please renovate the ice arena! It is in very poor condition, and it is very much enjoyed and used.

Please stop building walking paths and bike trails. Except for downtown they are all empty.

Possibly expand bike and walking trails.

Prepare appropriately for the future now, while relatively vacant space is available for new parks and facilities.

Preservation of existing green space within the city.

Preserve and maintain what we have

Preserving Griffey Lake area

prevent encroachment of businesses into Wapahani

preventing parks and programs from becoming a place where low income, mentally ill or alt people feel unwelcome

Prioritize useage of Switchyard Park space

Programs for adults should cover a wider variety of interests.

Programs for young children through teens to help them be involved with something positive.


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Promote more things like the Hudsucker Possee in Bryan Park. What about free yoga in the park? Free dances in the

park?

Promote open greenspace in city parks and downtown.

Properly maintain facilities, including restroom facilities.

Properly maintaining the existing park infrastructure.

protecting the personality of the town from box stores and buildings

Protecting the Waterman neighborhood from JB Salvage/Waste Facility and noise from the highway.

Protection of natural areas in a natural state, not developed for sports etc.

Provide a vision for Switchyard Park

Provide and east/west trail - in addition, a trail that circles Bloomington and connects all trails

Provide facilities in new areas of town.

Provide more access to community gardens and programs on self-sufficiency

provide more indoor play space for basketball and walking when it's hot/cold out. Open schools with some

supervision?

Provide more informational classes.

Provide more trash cans in the parks. This is especially important to dog walkers.

provide pow-cost options

Provide programs that interest a majority of people.

Provide public transportation to reach parks like Griffy lake/trails

Provide trash service

Providing greater access to parks and natural areas. For example, bus routes to Griffey and Cascades on Saturdays and

Sundays.

providing inexpensive/free programs for low-income children

providing programs and services that the public is interested in

Public participation on new projects.

Public safety

public safety at seminary park & peoples park

Public safety on the trails--particularly the B-Line trail.

Put soap and towels back in restrooms

Quiet will kept walking paths for elders

reaching out to schools with event info

Reasonably priced indoor water part would make a great addition to the list of possible fall/winter/early spring

activities.

Recruiting well trained and supportive coaches for youth programs

Reduce homeless in the public park areas and increase safety.

Refurbishing the old rather than building new, which entails more waste

Renovate Buskirk Chumley Theater

Replace bike path/trail-road intersections with overpass/underpass.

Replacement of trees /fallen/disease etc.

Requiring downtown development to include new parks

Restore Cascades Park

Review potential for better outdoor ampitheater

Safe access to everyone in public parks

safe environment on the B-line trail


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Safer bike routes through city (i.e. reduce chances of accidents between cars and bike riders)

Safer walking trails after dark some people cant walk until after dark.

Safety

safety

safety

safety

Safety

Safety and accessability

Safety and security on trails and at parks

safety features

Safety for all P & R facilties

Safety for all who use the parks and at all times

Safety for all.

safety I hate the walking trails of Bloomington. They are very unsafe.

safety in parks and recreational facilities

safety is a concern, especially in Peoples Park and Seminary Square, but also in Brian Park and B-Line trail

Safety issues on B-line trail

Safety of cyclists and pedestrians along B-line trail from motorists.

safety on b-line

Safety on b-line trail

Safety on the b-line trail.

Safety on the more remote parts of the B-line

safety on the rail trial

Safety on the trails. We have beautiful trails in wooded areas many say they are unsafe I have not experienced this

but it creates a little paranoia each time I ride or walk them some I don't go on because of rumors. /

Safety on trails

Safety on trails and parks

Safety on trails in high traffic areas specifically crossing roads

Safety.

safety. The trails are wonderful, but I hestitate to use them alone even in daylight. In some parks, homeless people

are a deterrent--perceived danger.

securing green space now in areas marked for high development

securing new parks or park -like areas

Securing sufficient funds for maintenance of existing parks & facilities

Security along B-line and Rail Trail in more remote areas

Security of people using the facility

security of persons on premises

Security.

senior center construction.

Senior Citizen activities for active seniors more centrally located.

Senior Citizen Center ... not a place in the basement to play majong.

Senior trips should include trips to festivals, museums, baseball games; rather than trips to gamble.

Seniors need a place to gather and socialize during the day.

sidewalks


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sidewalks in my area need to be cleared for walking (trees & bushes)

Sidewalks- still not everywhere- you often have to drive somewhere to walk

Small renovations and repairs to the upper Cascades Skate Park.

Some of the parks with palygrounds don'd have a restroom (Park Easst Ridge)

space

Space. Set it aside now, release it later if not needed.

Spend within your means, like everybody else (except the rest of the city offices, of course)

Spending too much on things that few citizens use

Sports programs for youth

Spread awareness of offered opportunities and activities.

Stop focusing solely on trails.

Stop spending money on anything bicycle related

Stop spending on unused bike trails

stop using pesticides and herbicides

Striving for being bike/walking friendly is obviously not important for 99% of residents.

subsidizing live arts/performance spaces/facilities downtown is important

support existing facilities by improving infracstructure

Switch yard park

Switch yard park

Switch yard park to improve south side neighborhoods

Switchyard and north Showers P&R developments meet budget, focus on helping business, not new apartment

complexes.

Switchyard Park

switchyard park

Switchyard Park

Take care to not allow I 69 to cut the city in two,that is keep all sections of Bloomington accesible without having to

use I 69 for local travel thus avoiding conjested intersections

The B-Line trail trail is a complete waste of money. I wouldn't take my family there if you paid me. The crime

encouraged by some of the COB's choices are kind of insane.

The City of Bloomington website is extremely user unfriendly (and our family is comfortable with technology)

The city should expend recreational facility, especially tennis court west of the IN-37 highway. All available courts are

located middle of the city or on the east side of the town. The renovation of RC made some progress however I don’t

consider it a safe place for late evening activates.

the concerts are terrible and no fun

The ice arena continues to improve its facility in small ways and I believe use, interest, and enjoyment continue to

grow; however the limited amount of ice (both during the skating season and year-round) prevent Parks from

developing this sport to its fullest--especially considering how many user groups there are and how many continue to

commute to the Columbus facility thru the off-season.

The ice arena should be open for a longer period each year, preferably for the full year, as they do in Columbus.

The needs and wishes of the more and more older people. Is there shuffleboard anywhere?

The new park should be clean and family-oriented with loitering not tolerated.

The problem of homeless people congregating in city parks. Seminary Square is unusable due to all the drunks that

hang out there.

The proposed park in the old RCA area should be an important asset for not only that neighborhood but the entire

city.


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The rail-trail road crossings aren't well marked for the walkers - they like to walk right in front of my car...

The renovation, extension of operation time of indoor ice arena. The facility starts to operate early in the fall when

most of the possible participants don’t even think about winter sport yet. On the other hand it’s close early March

when I should keep operating at last for another 2 months!

The switch yard park

the way in which bands are chosen to play the parks and rec shows is outdated and no longer works.

There is very little shade on most of the playgrounds. The lower playground in Bryan park in the morning is good, but

otherwise they are mostly unbearably sunny.

they need to try to make the park more safe from the many homeless and poor the loiter in them much of the time

too many parks to maintain, but I love them all ...

Too much development of apartment buildings that take the space of what could be parks.

Too much expansion and hiring too many people

traffic flow and management

Traffic light at twin lakes so seniors have better access in and out of sports plex.

trail Bike trails (exclusive of cars) east to west across Bloomington and interconnecting. Columbus is a good example.

trail bike transportation amenities at switchyard park!!!

trail Bike/walking paths to connect neighborhoods to parks and other parts of the city.

Trail Safety / Crime

Trails Better connection of trails

Trails Better east/west walking/biking corridors.

Trails should be expanded to reach all areas of the city and ideally connect to areas in the county.

Trails, Because Griffy Lake and Lower Cascades Park can feel isolated and unsafe, more walking/biking trails are

needed on the northside.

Trash can quantity and location, plus education of the using public to make parks a cleaner, more welcoming place.

Turning the rail yard into a park.

Twin Lakes needs to be more affordable for seniors with smaller incomes.

update & maintain current parks & recreation areas

update playground equipment

update softball fields and concessions

update winslow baseball fields

Update/maintain facilities and parks

updated facilities

Updating facilities

Updating old structures/facilities

Upgradeing where necessary

upkeep and maintenance /

upkeep of facilities

Upkeep of the areas

upkeep on existing properties and facilities

Using parks to attract young professionals.

Vast area of responsibility

Walking path connecting Cascades Park with Mill Showers Park.

Walking trail safety

walking/biking accessibility


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We are retired and rarely use sports facilities. / /

We as runners/walkers have almost been hit by bikers several times recently as they no longer alert us to their

presence.

We have good sidewalks, but they need to enforce clearing them so you don't have to walk in the street

We must preserve green space.

We need a courthouse dog to help individuals to come forward in difficult situations physical /sexual assult cases.

We need a year-round ice rink.

We need baseball/softball fields that drain better.

We need more performance spaces. A choral performance, or a small musical, has a very difficult time finding a good

inexpensive space. Churches are really the only venue possible in most instances. Even so the expences can be just

too much. I really have no solution, but it is a problem. Bloomington is such a vibrant community and needs more

performing spaces.

We need multiple, easily accessible (walkable), dog parks, perhaps even incorporated into some current park space.

we need year-round ice at Frank Southern

When you construct the park going into the Railyards, I'd like to see ample green space.

Wholesome family space for exercise and outings are a priority.

winslow woods park - playground equipment

Work to provide housing for the homeless who currently live in some of our parks

Would love to see more/connected paved multi=use trails

Year round pool services

master plan project community survey report, november 2015

Documents