Teresa Penbrooke, GreenPlay; Webinar for Illinois Parks and Recreation Association

1. Teresa L. Penbrooke, PhD, MAOM, CPRE
Planning for your P & R
Agency as a Local Quality
of Life System
IPRA Webinar
2019

2. Outcomes Today
 The importance and relevance of parks,
recreation, and related public services in
providing quality of life
 Innovative planning tools and methods to help
 A look at what your action plan needs now

3. Who manages, plans, and maintains places
for social engagement, physical activity,
play, access to nature, alternative
transportation (trails), and other quality of
life amenities in your community?
Usually it’s P&R

4. 1954
Our Relevance is
greater Today
than Ever Before
We facilitate the
top three tiers for
human needs.

5. Evidence & Guiding Theory
P&R can help improve Quality of Life (QOL) and Public Health (PH) and through
various factors:
• Increasing physical activity and improving nutrition
• Providing psychological and physical benefits from nature
• Facilitating social benefits, learning, and engagement
• Addressing health equity issues, transportation, and safety
• Addressing stress management, smoking, addictions, etc.
Burns, 2016; Godbey & Mowen, 2010; Kuo, 2013; Penbooke, 2017; Sallis, Floyd, Rodriquez, & Saelens, 2012;
Slater, Ewing, Powell, Chaloupka, Johnston, & O’Malley, 2010; Wells, 2013; Young, Ross, Kim, & Sturts, 2013

6. Preventive
Health &
QOL
Local
Agencies &
Transport
Strategies
Medical Care
Transportation Schools /
Education
Academic
Research &
Methods
Partners &
Providers
Physical
Activity &
Nutrition
Social
Engagement
Public Safety
& Perception
of Safety
Modifiable
Factors
Spaces,
Programs, and
Policies
Actors
Facilitating
Partnerships
and outcomes in
the Community
Modifying
through Systems
Thinking for
P&R
Actions on all levels of the Social
Ecological Model
(Penbrooke, 2017)

7. Organizational
Balance
Financial/
Economic
Social/
RecreationEnviron-
mental
Concepts of Organizational Sustainability
Conservation/Passive Mixed Use Active
Triple
Bottom
Line

8. How do We Achieve this Balance?
Effective and Innovative
Planning Practices

9. Evidence-Based Planning Practice Models

10. A Comprehensive Approach

11. Typical P&R Master Planning Process

12. Community
Consensus Building for the Community

13. Vision and Mission
Consensus

14.  National and Local Data
 Local Demographics and
Relevant Trends
Community Profile

15. Information
Gathering and
Engagement

16.  Scientifically‐Valid Survey
 Administered by mail/web ‐ random and open links
 Specific to community issues including awareness, needs,
satisfaction, participation, desires, priorities and willingness
to pay
 Expect 10% +/‐ response
 95% level of confidence
 +/‐ 5% margin of error overall
 Intercept Surveys
Statistically‐Valid Citizen Survey

17. IMPORTANCE-PERFORMANCE MATRIX
High importance/ Low needs met High importance/ High needs met
Low importance/ Low needs met Low importance/ High needs met

18. Youth Activity and Nutrition
Survey (YANS)
• Middle School Students in Schools
• Significant findings
• Activities & Screen Time
• Nutrition – SSB & Breakfast frequencies
• Perception of Safety
• Active Transportation for Youth
• Parental Support and Modeling
Organized
Physical
activity
Outdoor
activity
Youth Group
activity
Park & Rec
Centers
Other
activities
Doing more
than one
activity
Total 44.2% 48.3% 18.3% 25.2% 32.6% 96.4%

19. Key Factors and Indicators
Healthy Communities ‐ MAUT Analysis
0.26
0.23
0.15
0.24
0.12
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Nutrition regimen Social interaction Transportation
services
Physical activity Safety
Key Factors in Arlington Heights, IL

20. ControlVariables:
• Age
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Household size &
Income
Perceived
Adequacy&
FrequencyofUse'
Layton,2016
Inventory and Level
of Service Analysis

22. Human Dosing from Parks

23. Geospatial
analysis of
walkability
access to
activities
- historical
- cultural
- interpretive
- active
- passive
Washington DC
CapitalSpace Plan
including tourism
elements
- Monuments
- Fort Circle Parks
- Memorials
- National Attractions
- Trails
- Water access
- Blueways

24. Identifying
access, equity,
and
walkability
Golden, CO

25. Community-Specific Measurements
Longmont, CO
Open Space Master Plan
Qualitative and Quantitative Measures
Self Report Survey
Proximity and Components Analysis
Tools &
Methods

26. Analysis of
physical
activity energy
expenditures
per component
Floyd et al., 2015
Layton, 2016
Penbrooke et al., 2017

27. Identifying gaps
and areas of
opportunity
Cook County
Forest Preserve
District

28. Organizational, Partnerships, & Policy Analysis
• Organizational Structure and
Staffing Analysis
• Partnerships and Other Providers
• Programs and Maintenance
Analysis
• Policy Framework
• Fees & Charges Analysis
• Marketing & Communications

30. Strong Financial Assessments Strong Financial Assessments
• Present & Projected Fiscal Resources
• Alternative Funding
• Feasible Partnerships
• Cost Recovery & Resource Allocation
• Fees & Charges Study
• Capital Cost Estimates
• Replacement and new
• Projected O & M Impacts

31. • Key Issues Analysis
Matrix
• Review Findings
• Visioning Workshop
• Determine vision &
potential action steps
Findings & Visioning

32. Prioritization of RecommendationsPrioritization of Recommendations
• Land Acquisition Analysis
• Parks & Recreation Facilities
• Low Scoring Amenities
• Renovations
• New
• Additional Programs & Partners
• Organizational Structure
• Staffing levels
• Policies
• Strategic practices - Objectives

33. Summary of Key Themes
 To be sustainable, an agency needs to have sound,
current planning practices in place
 Include community engagement, collaboration, and
equitable access
 Systematic community assessment and implementation
 Services Assessments, Pyramid Methodology, and
component-based geo-spatial assessment tools
 Focus on modifiable preventive health factors
 Include benefits and access to nature, physical
activity, nutrition, and social engagement

34. Departmental
Action Plan

35. Questions? Thoughts?
Teresa L. Penbrooke, PhD, MAOM, CPRE
TeresaP@GPRED.org
www.gpred.org
www.greenplayllc.com
303‐870‐3884

36. Sustainable Department Action Planning Elements Date Notes Responsibility Timeline Funding
Master/Strategic Plan ‐ all items in black
Public Meetings
Focus Groups
Key Stakeholder Interviews
Statistically‐Valid Survey
Other Engagement Tools (e.g. user surveys, online)
Trends Summary
Demographics Summary
Adminstrative Benchmarking Comparisons
Ongoing Evaluation
Component‐Based Assets Digital Inventory
Composite‐Values Method LOS Analysis
Assets Benchmarking (capacity and/or PRORAGIS)
Resource Maps
Analytical Systemwide Maps and Perspectives
Assets Management Plan
Site Specific Plans
Financial Budget Summary Analysis
Programs and Services Inventory (Service Menu)
Services Assessment
Vision, Values, Mission Validation
Cost Recovery/Resource Allocation Process and Policy
Services Portfolio
Annual Operational Budgets / Business Plans
Programming Plans
Partnership Policy
Sponsorship Policy
Maintenance Standards and Plan
Marketing, Communications, and Social Media Plan
Risk Management and Disaster Readiness Plan
Succession Plan
Technology Plan
Public Art Policy
Staff Workplans
Departmental Systemwide Action Plan
Orange items may be completed separately from master plan. Green Shaded items are part of Resource Allocation and Cost Recovery work
Needs Assessment and Community Engagement
Assets Inventory and Level of Service Analysis
Management and Operations Analysis
Departmental Sustainability Action Planning www.GreenPlayllc.com (c) 2011 GreenPlay, LLC