HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.1 Public Plng Workshop
A
OF DUB~y AGENDA STATEMENT
JOINT MEETING OF THE
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~PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION
AND HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION
MEETING DATE: July 30, 2008
SUBJECT: Public Planning Workshop
Report prepared by Paul McCreary, Assistant Director of Parks and
Communiry Services
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Key Informant Interviews Component Report
2. Mail-In Survey Component Report
3. Mail-In Survey Additional Subgroup Analysis Report
RECOMMENDATION: Receive report and participate in the Public Planning Warkshop
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None
DESCRIPTION: The primary purpose of the needs assessment was to provide a
community-based assessment of the current recreation programs and recommendations far future
programs that should be designed and implemented. Engaging residents in focus groups and conducting a
statistically valid survey provided a comprehensive community-based description of recreation program
issues, needs and recommendations. The expected outcomes of the assessment were to:
• Assess satisfaction levels with the quality, quantity, and management of existing programs,
services, parks and facilities.
• Determine current resident usage levels of programs and facilities and appropriateness of when
and where these services are offered.
• Identify the community's interest in the addition of future facilities.
• Identify future interests regarding the implementation of new programs and services that meet the
needs of the community and respond to new trends in the leisure services industry.
• Determine how effective the City of Dublin is at communicating its products and services and
disseminating relevant information to current and potential customers.
• Obtain general demographic characteristics of both users and non-users, and identify perceptions
of the various market segments and cultural/ethnic groups of Dublin's programs, parks and
facilities.
• Identify what prohibits non-users from taking advantage of the City of Dublin's services, and if
they participate in other similar activities not sponsored by the City of Dublin.
COPIES T0: Youth Advisory Committee / Senior Center Advisory Committee/National Research Center
ITEM NO.: 8.1
G:\PARKS COMMISSION\AGNDSTM712008\7-30 Special Meeting Item 8.1 Public Planning Workshop.doc
• Investigate how citizens wish to use their discretionary time and how the City may provide
recreational opportunities that takes into account the economic and time constraints of the
community. '
• Provide residents the opportunity to offer suggestions, comments, and concerns about the
opportunities provided to them by the City of Dublin.
KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS
The first step in the needs assessment was to conduct 30 one-on-one interviews with a wide variety of
stakeholders including the Mayor and City Council Members; the Chairpersons of the Youth and Senior
Center Advisory Committees; City of Dublin executive, supervisory and line employees; Community
Leaders such as the School District Superintendent and Chamber of Commerce President; Dublin
employers and citizens at large. The script was designed to gain an understanding of the current and future
needs of the city, as well as feedback on current programs, services and facilities provided by the Parks
and Community Services Department.
Methodology
City staff in collaboration with the National Research Center, Inc. (NRC) developed an interview script.
The City staff selected the interviewees, all stakeholders in the community, and NRC conducted the
telephone interviews. Interviewees were encouraged to provide honest feedback and received assurance
that their responses would be completely confidential. Results were analyzed using quantitative and
qualitative techniques.
Key Findings
• Dublin's Parks and Community Services Department appears to be doing well in the eyes of
community stakeholders.
• City of Dublin employees, local employers and residents all spoke highly of the Department, the
staff, program offerings, festivals, events and facilities.
• Perceived strengths included the variety of programs, quality facilities and park maintenance,
excellent customer service, and responsiveness to citizen input.
• Respondents were generally unfamiliar with Dublin Parks and Community Services' efforts to
reach the "harder to reach" populations, especially people that speak languages other than English.
• Stakeholders generally believed efforts to reach the harder to reach populations may become
increasingly necessary asthe community becomes more diverse.
Respondents consistently reported the parks and facilities were well-maintained, accessible and clean.
Activities and events were perceived as well organized with quality instruction offered at a reasonable
cost. It was generally reported that Dublin's recreation offerings were on par with the private sector and
neighboring communities. Several respondents indicated the Department has developed strong
partnerships, which provides quality instruction at a much lower cost than the private sector.
Key Informants collectively described customer service as responsive. The recent addition of the dog
park, skate park and cricket pitch were all mentioned as evidence of the Department's responsiveness and
willingness to expand facilities based on community input and need.
Areas of improvement often mentioned by interviewees included the need to add more facilities and
meeting space, and expand teen programming. Additional gym facilities and a new sports park were
desired. Many interviewees felt the existing Dublin Swim Center was outdated and in need of
modernization.
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In the area of arts and cultural opportunities, respondents reported that Dublin did not have as much to
offer as surrounding communities. Several respondents suggested that Dublin create its own niche, some
kind of arts and cultural opportunity not available in surrounding communities. Half of the key
informants felt it was important to make promotional materials available in multiple languages.
MAIL IN SURVEY
The second step in the needs assessment process was conducting a mail-in survey. The purpose of the
survey was to understand resident perception of current and potential features of Dublin's Parks and
Community Services Department. The survey allowed residents to rate the quality of life in Dublin, as
well as parks and recreation amenities and service delivery. Respondents were able to provide feedback
on what parks and recreation services they would like to see offered in the future, current leisure activities
and general barriers to participation. The survey was created using ideas generated from the Key
Informant Interviews and City staff.
Methodology
Approximately 3,000 households within the City limits were selected to participate in the survey using a
stratified, systematic sampling method on addresses within carrier routes. Attached housing units were
over-sampled to compensate for detached housing unit residents' tendency to return surveys at a higher
rate. An individual within each household was randomly selected to complete the survey. Households
received three mailings of the survey. Completed surveys were collected for eight weeks. About 9% of the
surveys were returned because the housing unit was vacant or the postal service was unable to deliver the
survey as addressed. Of the 2,726 eligible households, 452 completed the survey, providing a response
rate of 17%.
National Research Center, Inc. (NRC) maintains a database of comparative resident opinion data
comprised of perspectives gathered in citizen surveys from approximately 500 jurisdictions whose
residents evaluated local government services. NRC quantitatively integrated the results of Dublin's
survey with those that others have conducted. This provided normative comparisons when similar
questions on the Dublin survey were included in NRC's database and there are at least five other
jurisdictions in which the question was asked.
Conjdence Intervals
The mail-in survey had a 95 percent confidence level, which is no greater than plus or minus five
percentage points around any given percent reported for the entire sample (452 completed surveys). As
part of the analysis, subgroups were defined, such as location of residence (east or west of Dougherty
Road). Other examples of subgroups created for analysis were respondent age groups (18 to 34, 35 to 54
and 55+) and primary language spoken in the household (English or a non-English language).
Results for subgroups are less precise. For each specific demographic subgroup the margin of error rises
to as much as plus or minus 15% for a sample size of 44 (in smallest - households whose primary
language was not English) to plus or minus 7% for 207 completed surveys (in largest - residents living on
the east side of Dublin).
Respondent Demographics
There were 452 households that participated in the mail-in survey, and the sample appears to resemble the
communiTy profile. Dublin has experienced significant growth since the 2000 census. Therefore it is
difficult to determine if the sample is truly reflective of Dublin's current demographics.
The largest group of respondents were ages 25 to 34 (34%), followed by ages 35 to 44 (29%) then ages
45-54 (18%). It is interesting to note that although those respondents of possible child rearing years
made up 81 % of the respondents. However, only about 20% have children or teens in the household.
Approximately one in four respondents was of the baby-boomer age, while 6% were 65 and older.
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In regards to length of residency, 55% of respondents had lived in Dublin five or less years, with 14% of
respondents moving here within the past year. On the other end of the spectrum, 26% of respondents had
lived in Dublin for 11 or more years. For housing type, 53% of respondents lived in detached single
family homes; while 47% lived in attached higher density units such as aparhnents and condominiums.
This higher percentage of attached housing is unique in the suburban Tri-Valley region.
When asked about the total household income before taxes, 55% of respondents earn $100,000 or more,
with 27% earning over $150,000. Another one-third of respondents earned between $50,000 and
$99,000, while 11% earned under $50,000.
The two majar respondent races represented in the sample were White/European American/Caucasian
(69%) and Asian or Pacific Islander (26%). There were 4% of respondents indicating they are
Hispanic/Spanish/Latino. In 91% of households, English is the primary language spoken. Other
languages include Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, and Tagalog,
A significant proportion of the respondents are working full time (71%) and part time (10%). Of those
who are not working 8% are homemakers, 8% are retired, 2% aze students, and 1% are unemployed and
looking for work. Only 13% of respondents worked in Dublin, and 6% work from home.
Key Findings
Oualitv of Life and City Services
Overall, residents were pleased with the community and the City's parks and recreation offerings. Quality
of life ratings were positive and higher than average compared to comparative ratings for other cities.
Customer service and communications were also viewed favorably. Seven in 10 felt the City's customer
service was excellent or good, and two-thirds felt the City communicated parks and recreation
information effectively.
In general, respondents felt that Dublin should continue the current level of spending for each of the
services they were asked to rate, which may be attributable to resident satisfaction with City services.
There were two areas respondents were interested in expanding spending including open space
preservation, and park acquisition and development.
Existiny, Parks and Facilities
Respondents were also asked to rate various recreation facilities. The quality of the parks and the quality
of the sports fields were rated higher than the national benchmark. The Dublin Senior Center had the
highest quality ratings, and received a higher rating than the average of other communities across the
country. The Dublin Public Library had the highest percentage of use by respondents with 95% of
respondents rating it as excellent or good. The Dublin Swim Center received the lowest ratings, but was
still considered excellent or good by the majority of respondents. Residents in western Dublin were more
likely to give positive quality ratings to the Swim Center than those living in eastern Dublin.
Existing Department Programs
Programs in which the most respondents had participated included the Summer Concert Series (83),
Winter Concert Series (83), Youth Sports Programs (62), Swim Lessons (60), and Heritage Center
Event/Program (42). Programs with the least amount of participation by respondents included Shamrock
Preschool (10), Student Union (10), Senior Center Lunch Program (14), Teen Special Events (14) and
Junior Warriors Youth Basketball. Therefore, when assessing the quality ratings, it is important to
consider the number of respondents providing that opinion.
For the programs with the most participation, there is a much higher ratio of good rather than excellent
responses. This indicates that although customers value existing programs and services, there is still room
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for improvement, which could be tied back to customer expectations. Programs that received the most
favorable ratings included the Shamrock Preschool, Dublin Heritage Center, Concert Series, Senior
Center activities, trips and the lunch program. ,
The Dublin Swim Center swimming lesson program had the highest percentage of respondents (12%)
rating the program as poor. However, the swim lesson program was rated as excellent or good by 63% of
those who had taken lessons during the past twelve months.
Future Park Amenity Priorities
Respondents' top priority for park amenities was multiple-use trails, with 89% indicating trails are
"essential" or "very important." This was consistent across subgroups, including different ages and
geographic location of residence in Dublin. Other top priorities for park amenities included passive areas
such as lalces and open space meadows, lighted sports fields, group picnic areas and shade structures. The
least important park amenities included cricket fields, lacrosse fields, bocce ball courts and volleyball
courts.
Future Facility Priorities
At least half of the respondents indicated that a gymnasium, outdoor water park, community theatre or a
social hall/ rental space were "essential" or "very important." The least important facilities among
respondents were a cafe/juice bar, indoor running track, rock climbing wall and dance studio.
Respondents were also asked to indicate their top three priorities for facilities. The top priority facilities
were not always deemed as essential or very important by the highest percent of respondents. A fitness
center with exercise and weight machines, a game room, a community theatre and an outdoor water park
were most frequently rated as a number one priority. Residents living in western Dublin were more likely
to give a higher importance rating to a community theatre.
Current Leisure Habits of Respondents
In analyzing the activities in which residents already participate, hiking/walking (66%) and running (40%)
activities were most frequently engaged in at a City of Dublin park or facility rather than another public or
private facility. It is likely the high level of participation in hiking/walking and ruruiing is why residents
place such high value on multi-use trails.
Fitness training such exercise classes and weight training were more likely to have been done at a private
facility than at either a City of Dublin facility or other public facility. This is likely because there are no
municipal fitness/wellness centers in the Tri-Valley. However, developing a fitness center was ranked by
the highest number of respondents as a number one priority.
Another key finding was that attending a play or concezt, touring a museum or historic site, and visiting
an art gallery or exhibition was done more frequently at other public facilities rather than those operated
by the City of Dublin. This correlates to the low priority ranking for an art gallery facility, as these needs
are being met elsewhere. However a community theatre is considered essential or very important by 52%
of respondents.
Essential Classes and Activities
Respondents were asked to rate the classes and activities that were most essential for the Department to
offer. The azea rated as the most essential ar very important was cultural festivals and events (56%). This
was followed by Adventure trips/outdoor recreation (54%), science/math/engineering classes (47%),
student academic tutoring (47%), nutrition/weight loss training (47%), cooking classes and culinary
events (44%), hobby/special interest and social clubs (44%), and nature programs (43%). Programs
deemed as least essential and rated by the greatest number of respondents as not at all important include
synchronized swimming (74%), cricket (73%), lacrosse (69%), flag football (62%), and water polo (60%).
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When comparing responses by location, residents on the eastern side of the City placed higher importance
on activities such as adult soccer, cricket, cycling/spin classes, foreign language classes, cultural
festivals/events, and music lessons. This may be due to the higher level of diverse races and ethnic
backgrounds in eastern Dublin. The higher demand for festivals and events may be due to the higher
proportion of new residents living in eastern Dublin. They are moving to the community seeking these
types of events that create a sense of community and help them make connections to others in the City.
Reasons for Non-Participation
Respondents were asked to indicate the frequency of use in the past twelve months of various City
programs and facilities. For those programs or facilities they had never participated in or used, they were
asked to indicate what reason(s) best described why their household at not participated. Most respondents
(48°/a) indicated they are too busy working and do not have enough time. This correlates to the fact that
7 1 % of respondents are working full-time, and 3 1 % are commuting at least 30 minutes each way.
This coupled with the fact that 33% of respondents indicated the days or times of activities are
inconvenient, underscores the challenge of providing programs for dual career households. When asked
about scheduling preferences, 70% of respondents indicated that Saturday mornings were the most
convenient to participate in a class or activity. This was followed by Saturday afternoon (68%) and
weekday evenings (67%).
There were 42% of respondents indicating they never participate in any of these types of activities or
facilities, even outside of Dublin. This means that it is likely over 40% of residents will never be
customers of the Department.
Customer Expectations
Respondents were asked what influenced their decision to enroll in a program to determine their top
expectations. Essential program characteristics included quality of instruction/teaching, having fun,
safety, cleanliness of facility and competitive price. It is interesting to note that quality instruction is
more important than competitive price. This may indicate that customers would be willing to pay more
for higher quality. Other important customer expectations included flexible scheduling and the ability to
drop in, ease of registration and responsive customer service. The least important expectation was
availability of private lessons; however 67% still valued individualized attention from the instructor.
Information Sources
Residents were asked which sources of information they were most likely to use for information and
parks, recreation and cultural arts activities provided by the City. Three in five respondents were very
likely to get their information from the quarterly edition of "The Guide", while 90% indicated they were
very likely or somewhat likely to use The Guide. Other popular methods included direct mail (78%), CiTy
of Dublin website (74%), and the DublinRecGuide.com website (66%). The least likely sources included
Community Television (22%), other television stations (24%), flyers from schools (34%), and
SFGate.com/BayInsider.com and other what-to-do websites (34%).
FOCUS GROUPS
While the mail-in survey provides a glimpse at what residents think about parks and community services,
it does not explain why they think it. Three focus groups made up the next stage of the needs assessment
to gain a better understanding of residents' reasons behind their ratings and priorities. Other outcomes
were to understand more fully the types of activities in which people participated; the types of programs
and facilities residents would like to see in Dublin, the factors influencing people's decisions to
participate and sources of residents' information about parks and recreation in Dublin.
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Methodo[ogy
Three resident groups were identified as target participants for the three focus groups. The first group was
composed of residents who lived around Bray Commons Park and were between the ages of 25 and 40.
The second group contained parents who were new customers with the Parks and Community Services
Department since January 2007. The final focus group was dedicated to adults between the ages of 45 and
60, referred to as "Boomers" in this report.
Residents living near the Bray Commons Park neighborhood were mailed postcards to alert them to the
upcoming focus group. Additionally, flyers were posted throughout the neighborhood, focusing on high
visibility areas, such as grouped mailboxes at apartment complexes. The Boomer group, consisting of
adults who were between 45 and 60 years of age, was recruited through flyers posted around the city, at
community centers, and through an advertisement in the City's quarterly activiTy guide. Approximately
125 parents were randomly selected from a database of new customers. Participants for the parent focus
group were recruited through email.
Residents could call or email to schedule participation in the focus groups. Focus groups were scheduled
for approximately 90 minutes each and a thank you gift of $40 was given to each participant. NRC
worked with City staff to develop three focus group scripts. The focus group scripts shared many common
themes with a few unique questions and probes designed for each group. The Bray Commons Park group
had four participants, the Boomer group had 12 participants and the Parent group had five. There were a
total of 21 participants, which was less than anticipated due to several no-shows. Groups were lead by a
facilitator; and all groups were audio recorded and later transcribed. The transcripts were then analyzed
qualitatively.
Key Findings
The focus groups were asked about the types of recreational activities they participate in, including those
provided by the City, by private companies or activities they did on their own. Adults in all three groups
currently participate in walking, ruruiing, biking, basketball, softball, yoga, tennis and weight lifting.
Children participated in soccer, dance, basketball, judo, Spanish classes and swimming.
There were many common barriers in all groups to participation in City activities. Cost was cited in both
the Boomers and Parents groups. Boomers felt the City activities were more expensive than activities at
private companies, while people in the other groups felt that classes offered by private entities were more
expensive than City-sponsored activities. Scheduling was an obstacle to participation for all three
demographics. Adults mentioned it can be difficult to find the time to commit to an eight-week long class.
When asked if the commitment of time required inhibited them from enrolling, most participants felt
commitment was less of an issue than cost. Participants suggested timing programs to fit with work
schedules, and coordinate parents' programs so that corresponding kids' activities are held at the same
time. Most participants in all groups wanted additional wellness activities unrelated to exercise, such as
cooking, meditation, massage, gardening and lectures. Most Boomers preferred to be active in the
morning, noting that the temperature is too hot later in the day to enjoy outdoor activities.
For parents of school aged children, having childcare available, especially during the suimner was
important. Currently most of the camps offered are only half-day programs which don't meet the needs of
working households. One participant mentioned a problem with classes being cancelled on a regular basis
due to lack of enrollment. Another participant mentioned safety and the need to provide responsible adult
supervision for the after school recreation program.
Location was an important factor in deciding to participate in parks and recreation activities. For some,
east to west travel seems difficult. For others, neighborhood proximity was most important. Some still felt
Dublin was small enough to get around for recreational classes and activities.
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Nearly all focus group participants knew about or had attended the St. Patrick's Day Festival and the Day
on the Glen Festival. Residents appreciated the entertainment and wide variety of activities. Parking for
the St. Patrick's Day Festival was noted as a problem by many focus group participants. Participants had
attended several festivals and activities in other cities, including sumuier concerts, antique fairs, street
festivals and farmer's markets.
When discussing new recreation facilities and where to deliver services, most Boomers were strongly in
favor of a single, upscale facility, centrally-located with state-of-the-art amenities. On the other hand,
residents in the other two groups would prefer having programs and facilities scattered throughout Dublin
with basic amenities, such as bathrooms, lighting and competent instructors (as opposed to "world-class"
instructors). Some residents noted that the new Shannon Community Center will be more convenient for
those living in western Dublin. Boomers preferred the Shannon Community Center to the Senior Center,
as there seemed to be a stigma associated with the ward "senior," and it was unclear as to which programs
at the Senior Center were for the general public as opposed to the senior population. When classes were
for the general public but offered at the Senior Center, extra effort should be taken to let everyone know
that the class is not age restricted.
For recreation information a majority of the participants used The Guide and felt it was an extremely
useful tool. It was considered easy to read, well-organized and focused. The City's website was
mentioned by many others. Other sources included local newspapers, newsletters, word-of-mouth, the
library and the Senior Center.
At the end of each focus group meeting, participants were asked to name one thing, regardless of cost that
Dublin must have. Following is a summary of the responses.
Boomers Parents Adults by Bray
Commons
¦ A single, upscale facility ¦ Telephone registration ¦ A labyrinth
¦ Olympic pool • Better supervision ¦ Racquetball courts
¦ Farmer's market ¦ Full-day summer ¦ A bigger dog park,
¦ New location for the St. schedules separate from the
Patrick's Day festival ¦ More structured playgrounds
¦ More parking for activities and programs (i.e., playing ¦ Trails for people with
festivals soccer games not just disabilities
the kicking ball) ¦ Better lighting around
stage for plays and theater 0 ¦ Cultural center that includes a Timing of classes (i.e., to the city
facilitate parent-child
¦ Transit-oriented development schedule coordination)
¦ Different cancellation
policies
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Commissioners receive the report and
participate in the Public Planning Workshop.
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