Sheet1 renovated parksimilarity to poway park difference with poway

Sheet1Renovated ParkSimilarity to Poway Park Difference with
Poway ParkCurrent UsershipEquipment cost Amenities
Comparison Programs Comparison RevenueCost Participation
Data
POWAY COMMUNITY PARK STUDY
November 13, 2007
Prepared by:
RBF CONSULTING
Prepared for:
City of Poway
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Analysis of Existing and Future Community Park Facilities
2.1 Existing Park Facilities
2.2 Growth: Demographics and Land Uses
2.3 Comparison with National and Local Park and Recreation
Standards
2.4 National Park and Recreation Trends
2.5 Analysis Conclusions
3. Community Park Survey
3.1 Survey Description

3.2 Survey Findings
3.3 Survey Conclusions
4. Community Workshop
4.1 Workshop Description
4.2 Workshop Findings
4.3 Workshop Conclusions
5.
Recommendations
Poway Community Park was built 28 years ago, prior to City
incorporation. The Park currently offers public space, pathways
and a variety of recreational and event facilities. Now the
community is exploring the creation of a Town Center in the
heart of Poway, incorporating commercially zoned land, city
property, Valley Elementary School and the Community Park.
The Town Center is envisioned as pedestrian-oriented with wide
sidewalks, outdoor cafés, unique shops, offices, housing,
cultural, and/or civic uses. Public input in the Town Center
planning project has indicated that it is important for the
community to retain and improve the public spaces and
facilities in Community Park. At the same time, the Town
Center project has presented Poway with an opportunity to re-
orient these existing uses to use the available space more
efficiently, emphasize pedestrian connections with the park’s
surroundings, and seek joint-use opportunities. As these two
projects move forward, if the Town Center project is delayed or
determined not to be currently feasible, the Community Park
Master Plan will proceed forward as a separate project.

The City initiated the Poway Community Park study in the
summer of 2007 and sought to:
· Identify potential future park facility and program needs;
· Get a better understanding of who is using Community Park
and how;
· Identify future programs and facilities to meet the recreational
needs of residents; and
· Define programs and facilities that can fit into Community
Park without losing existing parkland.
The study consisted of three parts: a forecast of Poway’s future
facility and program needs based on anticipated demographic
changes and recreation trends, a survey about current and future
use of Community Park, and a community workshop to solicit
more detailed public input. Over 500 residents and park users
participated in the survey between July and October. These 500
residents represented approximately 1,300 family members’
opinions and thoughts. In addition, over 60 people participated
in the workshop sessions in September.
This section considers the current facilities in Poway’s parks,
with a close look at the facilities in Community Park;
anticipates the changing needs of Poway’s population; and
makes recommendations for Community Park that will help
accommodate those needs.
Poway has distinguished itself as the “City in the Country” and
is characterized by lush, mature landscaping; rolling foothills;
nearly 150 miles of hiking, riding and jogging trails; and over
5,000 acres of dedicated open space. It has many recreational
facilities, including 17 parks for all to enjoy. In Poway’s parks,
residents enjoy popular recreation amenities and community

events. Open space and “heritage lands” provide scenery,
education opportunities and other values.
Unique recreational experiences are offered at Lake Poway, the
Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, the Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive
Center of Pauwai and Old Poway Park. Lake Poway provides
fishing, boating, and camping. Residents can learn about local
history at the Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center and Old Poway
Park. Trails in the 700-acre Blue Sky Ecological Preserve allow
exploration of the natural landscape near Lake Poway. Just
outside Poway, further wilderness experiences are possible on
miles of trails in Goodan Ranch and Sycamore Canyon Open
Space Reserves.
Existing Park Facilities
Poway Community Park is a 22.3 acre community-serving park
with a combination of active and passive uses. It is located
southwest of the Poway Library and the Sheriff’s Station. On
the east side of the park is Valley Elementary School, whose
multi-use field is a joint-use facility. The Boys & Girls Club is
located to the south of the school on the park’s east side and
adds another 4.3 acres, for a total of 26.6 acres. Two creeks
flow through the park: Poway Creek, along the southern edge;
and Rattlesnake Creek, along the west side, emerging from its
channel to run through the northwest portion of the park. The
East Parking Lot provides 161 regular parking spaces and 12
handicapped spaces, while the West Lot provides an additional
63 regular spots and 4 handicapped spaces. A designated
handicapped lot provides an additional 11 handicapped parking
spaces. The Boys & Girls Club parking lot provides overflow
capacity for the park with 124 regular spaces and 5 handicapped
spaces. Combined, Community Park can accommodate 380
parked vehicles.
Athletic/Game Facilities
Ball Fields

Facilities – Two Junior/Senior ball fields. Night lighting. Only
three ball fields in Poway have night lighting, including Poway
High School baseball field, which is not a joint use facility.
Hours – 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Can be reserved.
Use – During the spring and summer, used by 13,14 and 15 year
olds to play Junior/Senior League baseball; by Poway Youth
Soccer for summer camps; by Cub Scouts Summer Camps; and
by City of Poway Day Camps. In the fall and winter months, it
is used by Pop Warner football.
Basketball Court
Facilities – One basketball court. Night lighting.
Hours – 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Use – The basketball court is heavily used after 5 p.m. on
weekdays and all day on weekends by youth and adults.
Bocce Ball Courts
Facilities – Two bocce ball courts. Night lighting. These are
the only bocce ball courts in Poway.
Hours – 8 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. Can be reserved.
Use – The bocce ball courts are primarily used during the
weekday evenings and weekends by the two local bocce ball
clubs.
Skate Park
Facilities – The park features 12,500 square feet of pool-style

concrete bowls along with invert and street elements.
Unsupervised; safety gear required. Bathrooms. Night lighting.
The Poway Teen Recreation Club helped to raise funds for the
construction of this park. The Poway Skate Park was rated
among the “Top 20” skate parks in Southern California by
www.socalskateparks.com.
Hours – 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.
Use – The park is heavily used by youth during afternoons and
older skaters generally in the early and late evenings. The City
provides monthly Freestyle Skate Days for youth 14 years old
and younger.At other times, children under the age of 14 must
be supervised by an adult.
Multi-Use Field
Facilities – Valley Elementary Field, a joint use facility.
Community Park staff monitor the field and schedule the
leagues that play at the school. Night lighting. Only three
soccer fields in Poway have night lighting; two of them, Poway
High School football stadium and the Meadowbrook Middle
School field, are joint use facilities.
Hours – Year-round: Monday through Friday, 5-10 p.m. Days
when school is not in session: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Can be
reserved. The field is closed for sixty days each summer for
turf maintenance by the school district.
Use – This field is heavily used every afternoon and evening by
youth and adult soccer leagues.
Swim Center
Facilities – 50-meter by 25-yard pool with attached diving well
and shallow children’s area. One-meter and three-meter diving

boards, open swimming areas, lap swimming lanes. Eighteen-
inch deep wading pool. Shower and dressing area. Daily
admission for residents: $2 for adults (18+), $1.50 for children
and seniors (60+). Season and yearly passes available. This is
the only public pool in Poway.
Programs - Learn to swim programs, swim team practices, open
recreation swimming, lap swimming and birthday parties for all
ages.
Hours – Vary by activity (e.g. classes, open swim, lap swim),
season and day—as early as 5 a.m. and as late as 10 p.m. The
50-meter pool is open 11 months out of the year; the separate
wading pool is closed in the winter.
Use – Typically utilized 8 a.m. to closing time, daily. Staff
estimates that the Swim Center is used in the summer by as
many as 2,000 people per day, morning to night. Staff also
reports that swim lessons are routinely sold out and they are
struggling to meet demands for competitive swim.
Tennis Courts
Facilities – Two tennis courts. These courts are the only public
tennis courts in Poway that have night lighting.
Hours – Sunrise to 10 p.m. To allow more people to use the
court, reservations are no longer accepted, as of August 2007.
Use – The tennis courts are generally filled with City lessons
during the day in the summer and in the late afternoons in the
fall, winter and spring. The courts are filled with singles and
doubles tennis players every evening of the week.
Other Recreation Facilities
Dog Park

Facilities – This 1.75 acre park provides three fenced off-leash
areas, one each for small, medium and large dogs. Drinking
water for dogs, picnic tables. Volunteers raised funds to install
night lighting. In 1998, the park earned two awards: second
place in the state for innovative facility design from the
California Park and Recreation Society, and first place in the
county for facility design from District 12 of the San Diego
Park and Recreation Society.
Hours – Sunrise to 9:30 p.m. Can be reserved for events.
Use – The Dog Park is highly used during the evenings and
weekends and is also the location for the annual Poway Dog
Day Celebration.
Adventure Playground
Facilities – Large themed playground above Rattlesnake Creek
with rubberized ground surface that is wheelchair-accessible
from the path. Three canopied structures that include slides,
bridge, suspension bridge, and metal climbing features. Two
swing sets, set of metal gymnastic rings, rocking spring
animals. Boulders. Ground surface includes compass feature.
Hours – Sunrise to sunset. Not lit for evening use.
Use – Playground is heavily used throughout the day and into
the evening hours.
Upper Playground
Facilities – Playground between Senior Center and Swim
Center. Sand, wood chip and sculpted ground surfaces. Two
structures that include slides, bridges, climbing features. Swing
set, rocking spring animals.

Use – Playground is heavily used throughout the day and into
the evening hours.
Picnic Facilities
Facilities – A total of 52 picnic tables and 11 barbecues. Seven
picnic tables and six barbecues are located in the northeast
corner of the park, around Adventure Playground. Five picnic
tables and one barbecue are inside the fenced bocce courts; park
staff can unlock the area for other users by request. Other
picnic tables are located in the center of the park, near the
basketball courts, ball fields, and buildings. This includes a
cluster of seven tables with two barbecues that is shaded by
trees. There is one picnic table with a shelter, by the upper
playground.
Use – Picnic areas are most heavily used during weekends and
summer weekdays by day camps and the general public.
Trails/Paths
Facilities – Cement path around the perimeter of the park that
connects to Poway Creek Trail via bridges at the southwest and
southeast corners of the park. Path also connects to Buckley
Street via bridge across Rattlesnake Creek, and connects to
sidewalks on Slack Street, Tarascan Drive, Civic Center Drive,
and Bowron Road.
Use – These trails and paths provide access to the park.

Program/Event Facilities
Community Park hosts the annual Community Day Celebration,
a day-long festival for all Poway residents, as well as the annual
Spring Egg Hunt; Youth Day hosts hundreds of children each
June at the Swim Center. The park also accommodates a variety
of City recreation programs and private events. City classes
and other programs are held in the available rooms as well as on
the tennis courts, in the swimming pool and in other outdoor
locations. The Community Center Auditorium and Senior
Center have several spaces that are used for recreation programs
and are also available for rent by groups or individuals. These
rooms can accommodate from 10 to 250 people. In addition, the
Swim Center offers a birthday party service that includes the
use of the poolside picnic area for two hours, pool use for up to
25 people, and games with a lifeguard. The Community
Services department processed 1,390 requests in fiscal year
2006/2007 which led to 4,607 facility reservations. Staff
estimate that three quarters of the 10,313 phone calls the front
desk received that year were directly related to facility
reservations.
Community Center Auditorium
Facilities – This 3,000 square foot facility holds 200 people in a
banquet-style arrangement and includes a stage and kitchen.
Built in the 1970s, it has had cosmetic upgrades to the walls,
ceilings and floors. The electrical system has not been
upgraded and according to staff there is no fire suppression
system. The facility is in constant use, and in the opinion of
staff, the wear on the building is evident. Round tables,
banquet tables, and chairs are provided for rental clients for
their set up. The auditorium also has a small room, originally
intended as a dressing room, that has become the Youth Activity
Room. Otherwise, classes and meetings, regardless of their
space needs, occupy the entire auditorium because there are no

dividers to create smaller rooms. The department staff
estimates that each day it turns away 2-4 requests to rent the
auditorium because activities are already scheduled there, close
to 500 per year.
Hours – Available daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Use – The Auditorium is used on a daily basis for recreation
programming and community rentals. The Auditorium is
available for group meetings and workshops, and is rented out
for anniversaries, wedding receptions, birthday parties and
cultural celebrations throughout the year. Recreation classes
held in the Auditorium include children’s dance classes, yoga
classes, and various training classes. The Youth Activity Room
is used for activities/camps for young children such as
Discovery Time and Ooey Gooey Science. The auditorium is
used by the Teen Recreation Club for activities that cannot be
accommodated in their club meeting room (see Senior Center
below). This can result in incompatible uses, such as indoor
dodge ball.
Senior Center
Facilities – A 16-passenger handicapped-accessible bus is
available for transportation to and from the Center. The Senior
Center has the following rooms available for rent, Sunday
through Friday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.:
Bill Bond Hall - The hall is divided into 3 separate rooms: 1
large banquet size, and 2 smaller meeting rooms separated by a
movable wall. The 3,200 square foot main room is the largest
rentable space available at Community Park and can
accommodate 200 people in a banquet-style arrangement. It has
a small stage and direct access to interior restrooms. Each of
the smaller rooms has a 53-person capacity; room users must go
around the exterior of the building to access the public

restrooms. Chairs and banquet tables are provided.
Nutrition Room - This facility is used during the day for Senior
Lunch program, and is set up with banquet tables and chairs at
all times. In the evening, it is available for use and can
accommodate 100 people. It has direct access to interior
restrooms.
Activity Rooms - These rooms consist of a carpeted space
divided by a movable wall; no food or drink is allowed. The
rooms hold 31 and 37 people, respectively. Restroom access is
within 20 feet of the facility. Tables and chairs are provided.
Due to the lack of permanent walls, and the resulting noise
quality issues, staff are reluctant to rent out the rooms for
separate functions. The Activity Rooms are not rented out when
the large banquet room in Bill Bond Hall is reserved, for the
same reason.
Conference Room - This room has a conference table and 16
chairs at all times. No food or drink allowed. Restrooms are
directly outside the door to the room.
Hours – Senior Center programs: Weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
with afternoon and evening events on Saturdays. Senior Center
facility available for other public use until 10 p.m.
Senior Use – The Senior Center provides a range of programs
serving Poway’s seniors. Activities include daily exercise
classes, games (including bingo twice a week), arts and craft
activities, educational programs and dances. Lunch is provided
Monday through Friday at the Senior Center and delivered to
homebound seniors and people with disabilities. Multiple
health screenings are offered. The Center provides information
about numerous services in the community for seniors and their
families, as well as arranging for hospital and in-home visits. It
also operates programs to assist low-income households with

food, utilities, and health insurance. Volunteers staff many
programs of the Senior Center, and the Center is governed by a
volunteer board of directors.
Other Use - Classes for Senior Center members are held during
Center hours. In the evenings, the City uses the facility for
Taekwondo classes.
Teens - The Senior Center is also home to the Poway Teen
Recreation Club (PRTC). The teens helped fund, equip and
furnish a library space (roughly 600 square feet) known as the
intergenerational lounge, which they have permission to use one
evening a week. The PTRC is focused on creating fun,
educational, and leadership opportunities for teens (13-17
years). It is actively involved with drug, alcohol, and tobacco
prevention programs and a variety of community service
projects. Membership is free. Monthly special events for
members and friends are generally held in the auditorium,
including karaoke nights, casino nights and dances. Monthly
teen-only recreation nights cannot be accommodated at
Community Park and are held at the joint-use gymnasiums
instead. Other teen recreation programs are held at the Poway
Branch Library.
Boys & Girls Club
The Sulpizio Family Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater
San Diego is a facility operated by a private nonprofit
organization to serve children, on a membership basis,
weekdays until 5 p.m. Inside, the 22,000 square foot facility
includes a full-size gymnasium, dance studio, art
studio/classroom, activity room, computer lab, Head Start child
care room, kitchen, and rooms for staff. Outside, there is a
playground and enclosed football field. The land is leased from
the City for $1 per year. There is currently no joint use
agreement between the organization and the City for the use of

these facilities.
Other Park Facilities in Poway
Some of the facilities at Poway Community Park are unique,
while others are available at the other parks and recreation areas
in Poway. There are several recreational facilities on school
grounds available for City use, as well as a privately operated
sports complex; these will be described in the next section.
As noted above, Communi ty Park offers the only public pool,
lighted tennis courts, and bocce ball courts in Poway. In
addition, there is only one other junior/senior sized ball field
with lights available for City use, and two other soccer fields
with lights—the joint use facilities at Meadowbrook Middle
School and Poway High School.
The Senior Center and Community Auditorium are facilities
with unique characteristics, but there are meeting/multipurpose
rooms at Lake Poway and Old Poway Park, and in two joint-use
gymnasiums. These rooms and gyms are used for City
recreation programs.
Lake Poway Rooms
Facilities – A 900-square foot building known as the Pavilion.
Kitchen, tables and chairs, restrooms, attached outside patio,
and barbecue. A large shaded group picnic area is i ncluded in
the facility rental.
Use – Rented for receptions, parties and meetings. The City
holds day camps here. With the recent installation of a
heating/air conditioning system, more programs may be
scheduled in this facility.
Old Poway Park Rooms
Facilities – Templars Hall, a historic hall that can accommodate

parties of up to 100 people. The hall has a stage with lighting,
and air conditioning. Great Room, which has a maximum
capacity of 45 people. Porter House Parlour, a historic room
with maximum capacity of 25 people. Tables and chairs may be
provided for all three facilities.
Use – Templars Hall is rented year-round for wedding
receptions, parties, dances and large meetings; the smaller
rooms are rented for meetings. The City schedules several arts-
related day camps and classes in the Old Poway Park facilities.
The following Community Park facilities are also found at other
parks: ball fields, basketball courts, picnic tables and shelters,
playgrounds, soccer fields, tennis courts, and trails. Horseshoes
and volleyball are available only outside of Community Park.
Figure 2 shows the locations of recreation facilities.
Figure 2. Recreation facilities in Poway parks. Source: “City
of Poway Parks and Facilities,” July 2005.
Joint Use and Partnerships
In addition to the facilities that it produces and maintains on its
own, the City has sought to expand recreational facilities in
partnership with the Poway Unified School District, nonprofit
organizations, and the private sector. Joint Use With the Poway
Unified School District
According to an agenda report dated June 12, 2007, the City has
made joint use arrangements with the Poway Unified School
District for years. Generally, the City provides funds to build
or improve recreational facilities on school campuses, and the
District maintains those facilities. The report described
facilities that this partnership has made possible: “two
gymnasiums, soccer and multipurpose fields (some lighted), and
most recently an all-weather track and artificial turf football

field at Poway High School.” In June 2007, the City of Poway
signed an updated agreement with Poway Unified School
District that established terms for all joint use facilities except
the Poway Center for the Performing Arts. The agreement
carries a term of ten years, with three five-year extensions. The
recreational facilities and their availability for City use are
outlined below.
Valley Elementary (Adjacent to Community Park)
Facilities – Multi-use field, lighted.
Available to City – Year-round: Monday through Friday, 5-10
p.m. Days when school is not in session: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The
field is closed for sixty days each summer for turf maintenance
by the school district.
Midland Elementary
Facilities – Softball field.
Available to City – Up to 20 Saturdays per year; fee for
additional days.
Meadowbrook Middle School
Facilities – Gymnasium.
Available to City – When school is in session: Monday through
Friday, 5-10 p.m. When school is not in session: year-round, 7
a.m. to 10 p.m.
City Use – The City makes the gym available for open play
sports including basketball, volleyball, and badminton. Other
recreation programs held here include teen recreational
tournaments and youth volleyball.
Facilities – Soccer field, lighted.
Available to City – Year-round: Monday through Friday, 4-10

p.m. Days when school is not in session: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Pomerado Elementary
Facilities – Two fields.
additional days.
Poway High School
Facilities – Stadium withartificial turffootball field, all-weather
track and lighting.
Available to City – Year-round: Saturdays and Sundays, 7 a.m.
to 10 p.m. Weekdays when school is not in session: 8 a.m. to
10 p.m. All day on July 3-5 for Fireworks and Community
Concert. Priority use is planned for Pop Warner Football from
August to December, and Youth High School Lacrosse from
March to June.
Tierra Bonita Elementary
Facilities – Little league baseball field.
additional days.
Twin Peaks Middle School
Facilities – Gymnasium.
Available to City – When school is in session: Monday through
Friday, 5-10 p.m. When school is not in session: year-round, 8
a.m. to 10 p.m.
City Use – The City makes the gym available for open play
sports including basketball, volleyball, and badminton. Other
recreation programs held here include girls basketball camps,
youth volleyball camps, ballet (youth and adult), youth

basketball, youth badminton, adult volleyball, and adult
basketball.
Facilities – Soccer field, football field.
additional days.
Partnerships With Nonprofit Organizations
The contributions of volunteer organizations to Community
Park have already been noted above: their efforts helped to fund
the Dog Park, Skate Park, and the Poway Teen Recreation Club
facility in the Senior Center. In 2005, the City’s partnership
with the Poway Girls Softball League produced Aubrey Park, an
8.5 acre facility with four youth softball fields and a picnic
area. The league contributed materials and labor toward the
construction of the park, and maintains a portion of the playing
fields under an agreement with the City. According to the
agreement, the park and fields remain available for use by the
general public. The Poway Girls Softball League uses the fields
from late January into late October, with a short break in
August.
Private Sector Partnerships
The City has entered into contract agreements with the private
sector to operate and maintain recreational facilities. Poway
Sportsplex is a privately operated facility with three softball
fields, a roller hockey rink, a soccer field, and four slow pitch
softball batting cages. This facility was designed primarily for
organized adult sports, so that City and joint-use fields could be
dedicated to organized youth sports. The City also utilizes the
private sector to operate concessions at Lake Poway.
Planned Park Facilities
Poway is still acquiring land to expand the park and recreation
system. According to the “City Council Long-Term Priorities,”

May 2007:
· The City is working with Sunroad Enterprises, developer of
The Heritage, to acquire 8 acres at the corner of Espola Road
and Old Coach Road for use as sports fields.
· The City is looking for a suitable location along Oak Knoll
Road for future development of a mini-park, to address
neighborhood concerns that park land is lacking in that area.
Unfortunately, the development of additional new parks,
especially those of any sizeable area, is limited because Poway
is approaching build-out and little vacant land is available for
parks.
Sports Field Demand
The City of Poway is aware of a need for additional sports
fields. According to “City Council Long-Term Priorities,” May
2007: “There is unmet demand for active recreation facilities
for youth and adults. Available land to construct additional
athletic fields is extremely limited.” The Parks and Recreation
Advisory Committee has recommended extending the use of
existing fields through the installation of artificial turf and
lights. Artificial turf can accommodate more intense,
uninterrupted use and is often more environmentally sound.
The Poway High School football field has had artifici al turf
since 2004. Lighting can also enable existing fields to be used
for more hours.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee completed a
Sports Facility Needs Assessment in 2005 that identified a need
for sports fields. Lacrosse is a growing sport in Poway and the
four lacrosse youth leagues all placed a priority on additional
facilities, including lighted fields. The Youth Soccer League
and Pop Warner Football identified practice fields and lighted
fields as greatest needs. Practice fields were also identified as a

need for the National Little League, Junior and Senior Big
League Baseball, Mustangs Baseball Academy Travel Team and
Power Baseball Travel Team. In contrast, the Youth Basketball
League identified volunteers as its greatest need.
The demand for soccer fields should not be underestimated.
The Youth Soccer League is the largest sports league in Poway,
reporting 1,333 participants for the 2005 study (1,137 in the fall
and 196 in the spring). In addition, because the aforementioned
study only surveyed formal sports leagues, it did not measure
informal participation in soccer games.
Growth: Demographics and Land Uses
In 2006, SANDAG made growth and demographic projections
for Poway in the years 2020 and 2030, based on the currently
adopted plans and policies of the City and the most recent
information from the County of San Diego's general plan update
(GP 2020). These projections include total population, housing
units, age distribution, and ethnic diversity.
The total population of Poway is expected to increase from an
estimated 50,534 in 2004 to 54,035 in 2020, reflecting a 6.9%
growth rate over that period (.43% each year). By 2030, the
population is expected to reach 57,474, a 14% increase from the
estimated 2004 population.
Age Distribution
As shown below, the current (2004) population distribution has
peaks around the 10-19 age range and 45-49 age range, and a
low point in the 25-39 age range. This low point suggests a
relative absence of families with very young children, and
instead more families with pre-teens, teenagers and college-
aged children. Adults 55 years and older are a significant part
of the population as well.

The age distribution in 2020 has a similar shape, but with a new
bulge explained mostly by the aging of baby boomers—people
born between 1946 and 1964—who in 2020 will be 56 to 74
years old. In Poway, the number of people 55 and older is
expected to increase by 56% from 10,177 to 15,866—moving
from 20% to 29% of the total population. Meanwhile, the
number of adults under 55 will decline 6% from 26,666 to
25,104, and will become a smaller portion relative to other
groups, decreasing from 53% to 46% of the total population.
The 25-39 age range will increase 5% in absolute numbers but
remain 14% of the population. Children 17 years old and
younger will become a slightly smaller portion of the
population, shifting from 27% to 24%. This is mostly due to an
8% decrease in the number of children between ages 10 and 17
from 7,720 to 7,101. This shift in the age distribution towards
older adults is reflected in the median age of the population,
which is projected to increase from 37.3 years in 2004 to 41.1
years in 2020.
Age Distribution in 2004 and 2020
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
0-45-9
10-1415-1920-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-
6465-6970-7475-7980-84
85+

Age group
Number in each group
2004
2020
Figure 3. Age Distribution of Poway’s population in 2004 and
2020.
Source: “2030 Regional Growth Forecast Update: City of
Poway,” SANDAG, September 2006
Older Adults
With this shift in mind, Poway should continue to plan for the
recreational needs of residents of all ages, but with increasing
attention to the needs of older adults. There are a number of
national policy initiatives that are aimed at helping older adults
to become more physically active. According to the Surgeon
General in 1996, “no one is too old to enjoy the benefits of
regular physical activity.” In fact, “there is no single segment of
our society that can benefit more from regular exercise and
improved diet than older adults,” asserted researchers in their
2001 article “Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life
in Older Adults,” published in the Journals of Gerontology. For
older adults, physical activity has been linked to such health
advantages as delaying the onset of disease and disability or
reducing their effects, enabling a person to live independently,
preventing falls, improving the quality of sleep, and reducing
depression.
Many older adults are failing to reap the benefits of exercise.
Although there is concern about the lack of physical activity in
all age groups, older adults tend to be more sedentary than
others. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) fact
sheet “Promoting Active Lifestyles Among Older Adults,”
“CDC surveillance data show that about 16.7% of adults aged
45–64, 23.1% of adults aged 65–74, and 35.9% of adults aged

75 or older are inactive, meaning they engage in no leisure time,
household, or transportation physical activity.”
One prominent report published in 2001, “The National
Blueprint on Physical Activity Among Adults Age 50 and
Older,” came out of a partnership between AARP, American
College of Sports Medicine, American Geriatrics Society, The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute
on Aging, and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It asserts
that “in order to assist in the maintenance of physically active
lifestyles, it is essential that policies and programs build on
older people’s preferences and interests and that a variety of
physical activity options are made available.” In addition, the
report identifies the following hurdles to engaging older adults
in physical activity:
· Many older adults do not know how to start a safe and proper
home-based physical activity program.
· Many facilities that offer physical activity for older Americans
do not provide adequate training and monitoring for those who
want to begin a physical activity program but lack skills.
· Many facilities that offer opportunities for physical activity
for age 50 and older Americans do not take into account that
audience’s preferences or needs for specific types of programs
or services.
· Many older adults serve as caregivers for others, which can
restrict their opportunities for regular physical activity.
· Many older adults are overweight and have chronic disease or
disability, which can restrict their opportunities for regular
physical activity.
· Many older adults may be isolated and lack transportati on to

community physical activity facilities and programs.
Locally, some older adults are engaging in recreational
activities, as shown in the San Diego County Aging and
Independence Services Survey of Older Americans conducted in
2003. This survey of San Diego County residents aged 60 and
older found that 18% of respondents from the Second
Supervisorial District engaged in athletic activities “often” and
15% “occasionally.” Their participation in senior center/dining
center programs was similar, with 17% reporting “often” and
13% “occasionally.” A smaller number were involved in the
Feeling Fit club, a program offered at the Poway Senior Center
and other locations throughout the county: 7% of respondents
participated “often” and 8% participated “occasionally.” The
survey did not inquire more broadly about levels of physical
activity, beyond athletic activities and the Feeling Fit club.
However, 23% of respondents in the district reported “minor
difficulty” with walking and 10% reported “serious difficulty,”
suggesting that they would also have difficulty engaging in
physical activity.
Besides the Feeling Fit club, the Poway Senior Center offers
other free or low-cost programs that encourage physical
activity: walking groups, dancing, tai chi, and yoga. An
innovative program offered at the Senior Center is “A Matter of
Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls,” an 8-week class that
addresses the problem of older adults limiting their activity
because they are afraid of falling. This class was created in
Maine and featured as a model program in a 2004 publication by
the National Council on Aging. A combination of education,
discussion and exercise helps class participants to avoid risky
behavior while engaging in more activity.
Childhood Obesity
The City Council has expressed concern about childhood
obesity rates. A 2006 report by the County of San Diego

reported child overweight rates in the county as 31.8% for boys
and 19.4% for girls in 2004. This report, “CALL TO ACTION:
San Diego County Childhood Obesity Action Plan,” presented
many strategies to prevent childhood obesity, to be carried out
by the public, private and nonprofit sectors. The following
strategies involved parks and recreation:
· Increase quantity, quality and accessibility of parks and
natural open spaces in order to encourage physical activity
among youth.
· Sponsor and promote opportunities for children, youth and
their families to engage in physical activities, with focus on the
following:
· A large and varied selection of activities (i.e., competitive and
non-competitive; individual and team; separated genders and
mixed) that attract persons of various cultures so that any
individual is likely to regard one or more as “fun”
· Activities that are likely to meet needs of people w ith various
abilities and body types
· Activities that lend themselves to life-long participation
· Activities that are located in low-income areas and areas with
high rates of obesity-related conditions
Poway is committed to engaging its youth in physical activity.
As a member of the Greater San Diego Recreation and Park
Coalition for Health and Wellness, Poway is actively seeking
ways to enhance residents’ health and wellness through
recreation. This Coalition hosts an annual “Go Play, Get Fit”
day for youth, and approximately 600 Poway summer day camp
participants took part in 2007.
An article in the Fall 2007 edition of Poway Today described

year-round efforts to provide Poway youth with opportunities
for recreation. It indicated that over 2,600 children, including
100 with special needs, participate in the City’s recreation
activities each year. In addition, the City facilitates field use
by the Poway Youth Sports Association, which involves more
than 3,000 youth. The City’s Mobile Recreation Program brings
games and sports directly to children in their neighborhoods,
and the City has come to annual school events with fitness
activities and health education.
Monthly Teen Only Nights are held at Meadowbrook
Gymnasium to encourage this hard-to-reach audience to be
active. Staff reports that these events are well attended,
typically by more than 75 youth. The Swim Center offers swim
lessons three seasons out of the year, going beyond what staff
reports as the more current standard of summer-only swim
programs. The annual Lake Poway Summer Day Camp has
operated for more than forty years and encourages outdoor
recreation, combining Lake Poway's natural opportunities with
Community Park and the Swim Center. Each week of the camps
is typically at capacity. City staff is incorporating physical
fitness opportunities into educational school trips to Old Poway
Park through warm-up exercises and games. Besides the
opportunities provided by parks, Poway's trail system of nearly
150 miles allows children to walk or bike to school and
throughout the City.
Ethnic Diversity
Looking at the four largest ethnic groups identified in the
SANDAG projections (Hispanic; and non-Hispanic white, black,
and Asian), it is clear that there will be a demographic shift
between 2004 and 2020. White non-Hispanic residents will be a
smaller part of the population, with all other groups becoming a
larger part of the population. Hispanic residents are expected to
become 16.4% of the population in 2020, from 11.6% in 2004.
Asian residents, 8.3% of the population in 2004, are expected to

make up 11% of the population in 2020. White non-Hispanic
residents, 74.6% of the population in 2004, will remain the
largest ethnic group in 2020 as 63.2% of the population.
Diverse Preferences in Park Use
To serve all residents, Poway should be aware of possible ethnic
differences in preferences for the park. Although it is
impossible to make generalizations about everyone within an
ethnic group, studies do indicate that different ethnic groups
can have different expectations about park use. California Park
and Recreation Society devoted the Spring 2005 issue of its
magazine to explorations of cultural preferences in recreation.
The lead article gave examples of communities that have
succeeded in involving diverse youth in recreation programs.
One such example was Detroit, which started a basketball
league for youth under 6 feet tall, opening the sport to
participants from many cultures.
An article in this issue called “Latinos and Public Lands” drew
from a 2002 study in southern California that discovered Latino
preferences for shaded areas as well as amenities such as flush
toilets, larger-sized picnic tables, barbecue grills, and water
faucets. The article pointed out that lunch in a picnic basket
may not be what a Latino family plans for a picnic. Instead,
“picnicking may be an all-day activity for Latinos, literally
beginning as soon as a site opens and finishing when the site
closes. Multiple meals may be cooked throughout the day, and
many foods are made from scratch on-site.” In addition, the
family at the picnic may include multiple generations and what
non-Latinos might think of as “extended” family members—a
group that is not comfortably accommodated at a small picnic
table typically seating 6-8 people. The article stated that
several studies found an average group size of 15 for Latino
park users, and suggested either using larger tables or placing
small tables close enough together to accommodate such groups.
Rather than trying to guess what Latinos want, the author

suggested an approach she called “invite, include, involve”:
inviting Latinos through better communication, including them
in recreation planning, and involving them in management.
Race and Ethnicity in 2004 and 2020
0
2,500
5,000
7,500
10,000
12,500
15,000
17,500
20,000
22,500
25,000
27,500
30,000
32,500
35,000
37,500
40,000
WhiteHispanicAsianTwo or More
Races
BlackAmerican
Indian
Hawaiian/
Pacific
Islander
Other
Number of People
2004
2020
Figure 4. Race and ethnicity of Poway’s population in 2004 and

2020.
Source: “2030 Regional Growth Forecast Update: City of
Poway,” SANDAG, September 2006
Researchers have sought to identify reasons that some members
of ethnic minority groups might not be participating in
recreation activities or using parks, as described in “Research
Update: Recreation Across Ethnicity” in the October 2006 issue
of Parks & Recreation. The article suggested some cultural
barriers to participation resulting from lack of experience with
certain types of activities and a hesitance to participate in
activities that are not seen as culturally appropriate for their
ethnic group. Some people may even feel unwelcome.
According to “Reaching Out to Hispanics in Recreation” in the
March 2005 issue of Parks & Recreation: “Many Hispanics have
identified three barriers to their participation in recreation: the
perception of discrimination, the fear of not being liked and the
possibility that workers will not be Hispanic.” This article
cited the “invite, include, involve” approach and suggested that
language barriers can be overcome with bilingual staff, board
members or volunteers.
While it is difficult to find research on Asian preferences for
park use, at least one of the recommendations for other ethnic
groups may apply: by including members of Asian groups in
planning for parks and recreation, Poway will have a better
chance of meeting the needs of these residents.
Land Uses
Existing and future land use adjacent to Community Park have
an affect on who uses the park, how often they use it, and how
it is used.
Neighboring Uses
People who live near the park will be more likely to use it as a

destination for a walk or bicycle ride. There are many residents
who live within walking distance of Community Park, in the
following neighborhoods:
· Mobile home park immediately south of the park, connected
by bridge across Poway Creek.
· Single-family neighborhood immediately west of the park,
connected by pathways behind Adventure Playground and
bridge across Rattlesnake Creek. The neighborhood extends
south of Poway Creek, connected to park by path along creek.
· Multifamily residential complexes on the east side of Bowron,
directly north and south of Civic Center Drive.
· Small single-family neighborhood south of the multifamily
complexes.
These neighborhoods are connected to Community Park by
paths and bridges, making it possible for residents to walk or
ride bicycles there. Additionally, most of these neighborhoods
provide housing for families with a modest or low income.
These residents may be less likely to be members of fitness
clubs or even to own cars, so Community Park provides
important and affordable recreation opportunities.
Proposed Town Center Uses
The City of Poway is exploring the creation of a Town Center in
the heart of Poway that would be pedestrian-oriented with wide
sidewalks, outdoor cafés, unique shops, offices, housing,
cultural, and/or civic uses. The project area under exploration
is in the vicinity of Poway Road, immediately east and west of
Civic Center Drive, incorporating Community Park, and east of
Bowron Road (see Figure 5). The focus is primarily south of
Poway Road, but will also explore long-term planning options
for the northern side of the street.

The Town Center could intensify use of the area surrounding the
park by introducing more high density residential, commercial,
and office uses. Community Park has been included in the
Town Center planning process for the purpose of creating
linkages between the park and the new uses. Thus, the Town
Center’s increased activity would likely lead to an increase in
park users.
Figure 5. Illustration of Town Center Planning Area.
Comparison with National and Local Park and Recreation
Standards
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has
produced standards for parks and recreation facilities that many
American communities have used as a baseline for determining
how many facilities are needed to serve their populations.
According to the Poway General Plan, the City has adopted the
NRPA standards, noting, however that “they should be adjusted
to meet socioeconomic conditions and variables present in each
area to be served.” This section describes the NRPA standards
and also provides a snapshot of park standards and existing
facilities in comparable cities in San Diego County.
NRPA - Moving Away from National Standards
The standards that NRPA published in 1983 and 1990, while
understood to be general guidelines that should be adapted to
local conditions, still provided formulas for the number of
people that could be served by a sports facility or a park. For
instance, the 1983 guidelines indicated that one outdoor
basketball court serves 2,000 people. The Poway General Plan
was adopted in 1991, apparently with the 1983 guidelines in
mind.

However, NRPA took a new approach with the 1996 book Park,
Recreation, Open Space and Greenway Guidelines. This
approach encourages more citizen participation and results in
unique standards for each community, according to the article
“The New NRPA Guidelines for Open Space,” which appeared
in the 1997 March/April issue of Illinois Parks and Recreation.
Through a participatory process, a community can determine its
own “level of service” standards for each facility type, based on
measurements of local demand. In the article’s example, a
community determines a level of service of .46 acres of tot lots
per 1,000 people (seen another way, a one-acre tot lot is capable
of serving 2,171 people).
Although it is over 10 years old, Park, Recreation, Open Space
and Greenway Guidelines is the latest attempt by NRPA to
suggest planning guidelines. The “Frequently Asked Questions”
page on NRPA’s website advises people who are seeking
guidelines to buy the book. However, the book is out of print,
suggesting that there is little demand for it, or that NRPA has
moved away from promoting standards.
Older NRPA Standards
It is worth considering the older standards in relation to the
facilities at Community Park, for two reasons. First, planners
still find the standards useful as a rough indicator of how many
people are being served by parks and recreation facilities.
Second, the apparent intent of the Poway General Plan was to
use the NRPA standards. City staff periodically compare
Poway’s facilities to the 1983 NRPA standards. Figure 6 shows
the October 2005 comparison to these standards, focusing only
on the recreation facilities found in Community Park. There is
no NRPA standard for some facilities in Community Park, such
as bocce ball courts and dog parks.
Recreation Facility

1983 NRPA Standard Per
Number of Residents
1983 NRPA Standard For Poway’s Population
(50,000)
Total Facilities in Poway
Poway Facilities Compared to Standard
Baseball (Adult &HS)
1 Field/10,000
5 Fields
2 Fields
-3
Baseball (Youth)
1 Field/6,000
8 Fields
16 Fields
8
Basketball (Outdoor)
1 Court/2,000
25 Courts
47 Courts
22
Basketball (Indoor)
1 Court/5,000
10 Courts
6 Courts
-4
Football Fields
1 Field/10,000
5 Fields
3 Fields
-2
Picnic Shelters
1 Shelter/2,000
25 Shelters
12 Shelters
-13

Playgrounds
1 Playground/2,000
25 Playgrounds
24 Playgrounds
-1
Soccer Fields
1 Field/4,000
13 Fields
13 Fields
0
Softball Fields (Adult)
1 Field/3,000
15 Fields
4 Fields
-11
Softball Fields (Youth)
1 field/5,000
10 Fields
18 Fields
8
Swimming Pool (50m)
1 pool/20,000
2.5
1 Pool
-1.5
Tennis Courts
1 court/2,000
25
47 Courts
22
Wading Pool
1 pool/5,000
10
1 Pool
-9
Figure 6. Comparison of Community Park facilities to 1983

NRPA standards, October 2005.
Poway far exceeds NRPA standards in the availability of certain
facilities: trails, indoor basketball courts, youth softball fields
and adult baseball fields. In other areas, Poway’s population
may be underserved—for example, the standards recommend 11
more adult softball fields and 3 more adult baseball fields.
Community Park contains some of the facilities that may be in
short supply. According to the standards, a 50-meter pool
serves 10,000 people and a wading pool serves 5,000. A city of
Poway’s size should have at least one more 50-meter pool and
nine more wading pools. To meet the standards, Poway would
also need twice as many picnic shelters.
Community Park itself is smaller than NRPA recommended in
1990, using a standard of 5-8 acres of community parks per
1,000 residents. This would indicate a need for at least 50 acres
of community park land in Poway, while Community Park is 28
acres.
It is possible that the NRPA standards do not reflect the types
of recreation facilities that Powegians actually demand. For
instance, according to the 1983 standards, Poway has exactly
the right number of soccer fields. However, the City has
identified a need for more sports fields in Poway, including
soccer fields. The open space that surrounds Poway may also
fulfill recreation needs that in other cities can only be met with
urban parks. Nevertheless, the standards indicate a need for
more swimming facilities, and this is supported by the
experience of City staff that swim lessons are routinely sold out
and they are struggling to meet demands for competitive swim.
Facilities and Standards in Other Cities
In analyzing the Poway Community Park facilities, it is also
informative to look at the facilities of other cities. The

discussion below considers facilities in the cities of Encinitas,
San Marcos, Santee, and Arcadia— giving an overview of their
park systems, indoor spaces for community programs, and
programs for seniors and teens. For a summary, see Figure 7,
after the city discussions.
Encinitas
Encinitas, with a population of 58,014 in 2000, is 12% larger
than Poway is projected to be in the year 2020. The 1999
median household income, at $63,954, was lower than Poway’s
$71,708 but closer than the comparison cities below. Its coastal
location provides residents with a built-in recreation facility,
but it lacks the extensive open space that surrounds Poway. The
city maintains approximately 30 miles of trails, including many
trails through open space areas. According to the Encinitas
General Plan, the City aims to provide 15 acres of parkland for
every 1,000 residents, with more specific park land standards
for each type of park: mini, neighborhood, community, and
special use. The Encinitas standard for community parks is 5 to
8 acres per resident, with each park 10 to 25 acres in size.
Encinitas has 16 developed city parks, as well as city beaches,
ocean viewpoints, a golf course, and open space areas. There
are also six recreation facilities maintained by the state and
county—beaches, ecological and marine reserves, botanical
gardens, and a park. Facilities include playgrounds (including
one with a climbing rock), picnic facilities, ball fields, athletic
courts, bocce courts, skateboard features, an off-leash dog area,
and athletic fields. Encinitas appears to rely on the ocean for
swimming opportunities, offering surf lessons and a Junior
Lifeguard program, but not swimming programs. However, the
Encinitas YMCA operates an aquatic center.
Encinitas built a new community center in 2002. The Encinitas
Community and Senior Center is a 39,000 square foot facility
that accommodates a variety of activities for residents of all

ages, as well as Senior Center programs. According to the
City’s website, it includes the following rooms, which are
available for rental use: “a banquet hall and kitchen,
gymnasium/auditorium, arts/crafts room, activity and meeting
rooms, conference rooms, dance/activity room.” It also
includes the non-reservable “senior game room, senior
library/computer room, senior citizen outreach offices, a
community information counter and administrative offices.”
Many of the City’s recreation programs are offered in the
community center, including dance, fitness, arts and educational
classes, and classes for seniors.
Encinitas offers several recreation programs for teens—for
instance, classes, trips, open gym and an “open mic” night—but
seems to have no designated spaces for teen recreation
activities.
San Marcos
The City of San Marcos reports its 2005 population at 73,054;
the 1999 median household income was $45,908. It is bordered
by several large open space areas but has more urban neighbors
than Poway. San Marcos counts 20 miles of trails, some of
which traverse open space areas. It is aggressively expanding
its recreational facilities, planning 5 new parks in the near
future which would bring the total to 17 neighborhood or
community parks, and 12 mini-parks. Facilities include ball
fields, practice fields, playgrounds, picnic facilities, athletic
courts, and off-leash dog areas. The City operates several
pools: two 25 meter pools, a 30' x 40' diving pool, an 18'
diameter wading pool, and a shallow water area. The swim
areas also include a sprayground and water slide.
According to the City website, San Marcos has a 30,000 square
foot community center with indoor and outdoor stages, a youth

area, crafts center, full kitchen, exercise and dance rooms,
meeting rooms, and outdoor patios. The youth drama program
presents performances in the community center. Many of the
City’s recreation programs are also offered there, including
dance, fitness, arts and educational classes.
Near the community center, the city operates a 27,000 square
foot gymnasium with a community room and three sport courts;
drop-in gym users are charged a small fee. A recreation center
is located in one of the City’s other parks, San Elijo. Many of
the City’s recreation classes are held there.
The City has a Senior Center near the community center that
can accommodate 297 people; it has a main room with kitchen
access, and community rooms. It offers a variety of programs
including dance, fitness, trips, education, health services and
social events. Next door, the City provides space for a private
nonprofit operation called the Panorama Teen and Family
Resource Center, which offers a variety of after-school
activities for teens including a music studio, media studio,
computer lab (also used by the Senior Center) and recreation.
Santee
The City of Santee cites its population as 54,700, approximately
the size of Poway’s expected population in 2020. Unlike
Poway, however, Santee has only developed half the land within
its boundary so far. The median household income in 1999 was
$53,624. For now, Santee enjoys a natural setting which the
City places importance on preserving. Positioned on the
opposite side of the Sycamore Canyon area from Poway, Santee
enjoys similar access to open space. Local recreation areas
include Goodan Ranch, Mission Trails Regional Park and
Santee Lakes.

There are 7 city parks; facilities include a skate/BMX park,
game courts, sports fields, playgrounds, picnic facilities, trails,
and an exercise course. The new City of Santee Aquatics
Center has a 25 meter by 25 yard training pool, an activity pool
with a play structure, a water slide, and a water exercise area.
Santee is currently developing a Town Center with office, high-
density residential, and commercial uses that will be built
around the San Diego River. As part of this project, Santee is
creating a new 55-acre community park featuring creek
improvements and recreational facilities. So far, 25 acres have
been completed, including the City of Santee Aquatics Center
which is operated by the YMCA. Phase II will add a sports
complex to be operated by Sportsplex USA, playgrounds, and an
entertainment venue.
Santee Civic Center consists of two buildings adjacent to City
Hall. Building 7 has a tiled room with a capacity of 200 for
meetings and an attached kitchen. Building 8 can be divided
into two rooms, one carpeted and one tiled, with a combined
capacity of 270 people for meetings. All rooms in the Civic
Center are available for rent. Recreation classes are held in
more than a dozen locations besides the Civic Center, including
schools, park buildings, and the Boys & Girls Club. There does
not appear to be a public facility for indoor performances.
Santee operates an after-school teen center at Santee Lakes
where games and activities are offered daily except Sundays.
Teens under 18 can take buses to the center directly from
school, for a fee. Starting fall 2007, the Boys & Girls Club has
a drop-in center for older adults on Wednesday mornings, when
computer classes are offered there. Other programs for older
adults are provided in different locations.
Arcadia

The City of Arcadia, at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains
in Los Angeles County, identifies itself on its website as an
“upper-middle class community of approximately 54,000
people” with a “primarily residential nature” that places an
emphasis on maintaining green space and trees within the
community. Arcadia thus shares some qualities with Poway that
make comparisons potentially valuable: population size,
residential nature, policy emphasis on natural space, and its
location near a large wilderness area. The 1999 median
household income of $56,100 is within the range of the other
comparison cities, while still below Poway’s.
There are 20 city parks in Arcadia including a privately-
operated golf course and a wilderness park; facilities include a
dog park, skate park, ball fields, tennis courts, and one multi-
purpose athletic field. The County of Los Angeles also operates
four recreation facilities in Arcadia, including an Olympic-size
swimming pool. Two 25-meter swimming pools at Arcadia
High School are joint-use facilities and the City operates them
in the summer.
The City offers after-school programs at Arcadia schools,
including Arcadia High School, where on Mondays through
Thursdays the cafeteria becomes “The Apache Pit,” a drop-in
program for students providing games and a snack shop.
In 2006, Arcadia’s Recreation and Community Services
Department produced a Strategic Plan that assessed the
community’s recreation facilities and programs and made
recommendations for the future. The Strategic Plan describes
the Arcadia Community Center as a 18,000 square foot multi -

purpose facility built in 1991 with offices, a kitchen,
meeting/assembly rooms and classrooms. Senior programs are
held in the center during weekdays and recreation classes are
held on evenings from Monday through Thursday. The center is
available for rent to community groups on Friday evenings and
weekends. According to the fall 2007 brochure of recreation
programs, classes are held in the Community Center in rooms
identified as the “Dance Room,” “Ballroom,” “Craft Room,” and
“Activity Room”; cooking classes are held in the kitchen.
Special events are held in the community center as well.
According to the Strategic Plan, Arcadia has joint-use
agreements with the school district and is exploring the use of
more volunteers to expand recreation programs. Having
identified a need for more indoor facilities, the plan also
contains the following recommended action:
“1. Improve existing recreation facilities and develop new parks
and facilities/buildings that meet the community’s needs. Look
for creative and cost-effective ways to provide recreation
activity space.
1.1 Develop facilities that are multipurpose and flexible to
insure maximum use efficiency. Proposed facilities should
include lighted fields, a gymnasium, multipurpose center/youth
activity center, and additional activity/classroom space.
Facilities should be wired for cable and the Internet. Include a
limited catering kitchen and use of soundproof, movable wall
partitions to divide large rooms for flexibility to expand activity
opportunities. [emphasis added]
…
B. Identify operational and maintenance costs of each facility
prior to development to adequately plan for future budget
considerations. The plan should address staffing, operations and

maintenance costs as well as fee schedules to cover overhead
and direct program costs...” [emphasis added]
From these comparisons, it appears that Poway lacks the large
indoor recreation facilities enjoyed by other communities of a
similar stature, with the exception of Santee. The smallest
community center in the other three cities is Arcadia’s, at
19,000 square feet—and the strategic plan suggests that
additional indoor facilities are needed. San Marcos maintains
30,000 square feet of community center space, and 27,000
square feet of gym space. The Encinitas community center
includes a gym, for a total of 39,000 square feet. Besides the
joint-use gymnasiums, Poway Community Park offers the two
largest indoor spaces in the city: 3,000 square feet in the
Community Center Auditorium, and 3,200 square feet in the
Senior Center Bill Bond Hall.
The Arcadia recommendations for movable walls could apply to
Poway’s auditorium, which unlike Bill Bond Hall has no such
dividers and can only be used by one class at a time. However,
the experience in Bill Bond Hall is that dividers do not provide
adequate sound buffering between the separated rooms.
The Arcadia plan brings up another issue in its
recommendations for expanded facilities, which is staffing. At
present, Poway finds space for its indoor recreation programs in
three parks, two joint use facilities and the library. Santee is an
even more extreme example, holding classes in over a dozen
locations. While this is perhaps an efficient use of available
space for the two cities, the tradeoff is increased staff time
spent traveling to the various locations to prepare the facilities,
monitor activity, and transport items like tables and chairs. A
larger facility that combined several recreation spaces could
allow more efficient use of staff time.

Poway
Encinitas
San Marcos
Santee
Arcadia
Population
54,035 in 2020 (estimated)
58,014 (2000)
73,054 (2005)
54,700
53,054 (2000)
Median Household Income (1999)
$71,708
$63,954
$45,908
$53,624
$56,100
Indoor Recreation Facilities
3,000 square foot Auditorium, 3,200 square foot Bill Bond Hall
and smaller rooms in Senior Center; 900 square foot building at
Lake Poway, Templars Hall, two joint-use gymnasiums
39,000 square foot community and senior center
30,000 square foot community center and 27,000 square foot
gymnasium
Two buildings with combined capacity of 470 persons.
Recreation programs held in over a dozen locations.
18,000 square foot senior/ community center
Aquatic Facilities
50 meter x 25 yard pool with diving well and shallow children’s
area. Wading pool.
YMCA operates an aquatic center.
Two 25 meter pools, 30 foot x 40 foot diving pool, shallow
water area, 18 foot diameter wading pool, water slide,
sprayground.
25 meter x 25 yard training pool, activity pool with play

structure, water slide, water exercise area.
County operates Olympic-size swimming pool. Two 25 meter
joint use swimming pools at Arcadia High School.
Teen Recreation
Designated space in Senior Center available for teen club one
evening a week. Recreation programs held in auditorium, joint
use gyms and library.
No designated space for teens. Recreation programs include
classes, trips, open gym, “open mic” night.
Nonprofit center for teens and their families. Center provides
music and media studios, computer lab, recreation.
After-school teen center at a City park, operating daily except
Sundays. Bus service available to center.
After-school teen center operated by the City at a high school,
Monday through Thursday.
Senior Recreation
Senior Center has programs on weekdays and Saturday
evenings. Programs include lunch, exercise, games, arts and
crafts, education, dances, services.
Designated spaces in community center for seniors: game room,
library/ computer room, outreach offices.
Senior Center accommodating 297 people. Programs include
dance, fitness, trips, education, health services, social events.
Drop-in center Wednesday mornings at Boys & Girls Club.
Programs held in various locations.
On weekdays, community center serves as senior center.
Figure 7. Comparison of Poway facilities to those of cities with
similar populations and settings.
Considering swimming pools, more pool space is offered in San
Marcos, Santee and Arcadia than Poway’s 50-meter pool and
wading pool, but Poway operates its pools for a longer season
than Arcadia. By adding a second, smaller exercise pool to the
existing Swim Center, Poway would be in the same range as
these cities. Poway could also enhance its aquatic facilities
with play equipment in the wading pool area. It may be worth

investigating the benefits that Santee enjoys from its
partnership with YMCA.
By offering a designated space for teens as well as teen
programming, Poway compares favorably to other cities.
However, other cities have found ways to offer such spaces on a
more regular basis, which provides teens with the security of
having a place to go after school every day as well as the
opportunity to benefit from the programming there. The
Arcadia model provides City staff for programs in school
facilities, while the Encinitas model relies on a private
nonprofit that receives City support. Santee is putting the most
resources into its teen center among all the cities, staffing a
City facility 6 days a week; transportation is provided on a fee
basis through a partnership with the school district.
In contrast to its programming for teens, Santee has the least
developed offerings for older adults, using the Boys & Girls
Club once a week as a designated space and providing a small
number of classes targeted to that audience. The other
comparison cities show different levels of integration between
their spaces for seniors and community center spaces. San
Marcos operates a separate senior center near the community
center, Arcadia operates the entire community center as a senior
center during designated hours, and Encinitas has designated
senior spaces within its community center. All appear to offer a
similar mix of programs for seniors. Poway compares very
favorably to these cities by designating a space that is primarily
a senior center and secondarily available to the rest of the
population, and having a variety of recreation programs for this
population including those designed to increase physical
activity. However, the Encinitas model provides more
opportunities for seniors to interact with people of different
ages when they come to the community center. It is possible
that this provides more benefits than designating an entire
building for use by older adults.

National Park and Recreation Trends
Poway can anticipate the future demand for recreation facilities
and programs in part by considering national and regional
trends in recreation.
Recreation Management’s 2007 “State of the Industry” Report
The 2007 “State of the Industry” report by Recreation
Management published the results of a survey of their readers in
the managed recreation industry, including hundreds of parks
and recreation departments and publicly-owned community
recreation or sports centers. The report described the facilities
and programs that these respondents currently offered and
planned to offer. While not necessarily representative of all
agencies, the survey results give an indication of current trends
in public recreation.
Results for Parks and Recreation Departments
Growth:
· Expect increased demand for facilities by 2008 – nearly 75%
of departments
· Planning new facilities – 41.5%
· Planning renovations – 57.8%
Current amenities:
· Playgrounds – nearly 90% of departments
· Park structures (e.g. shelters, restrooms and concession
buildings)– over 75%
· Trails and open spaces (e.g. gardens and natural areas) – over

75%
· Outdoor sport courts, bleachers and other seating, natural turf
sports fields and concession areas – over 50%
· Community and multipurpose centers – over 50%
· Outdoor aquatic facilities – over 50%
· Fitness centers – less than 30%
Planned amenities:
· Top three amenities that departments are planning to add
within the next three years: park structures, trails and open
spaces, and playgrounds.
· Other top choices: community centers, fitness centers, and
indoor sports courts.
Current programming:
· Holiday and other special events - 78.9% of departments
· Team sports for youth - 72.7%
· Team sports for adults - 62.8%
· Arts and crafts - 68.7%
· Active older adults – over 50%
· Fitness and mind/body balance programs (e.g., yoga, tai chi) –
over 50%
· Swimming – over 50%

· Sport training – over 50%
· Sport tournaments and races – over 50%
· Teens – over 50%
· Departments were also likely to report that they offer day
camps, summer camps, and educational programs.
Top 10 programs that departments are planning to add within
the next three years:
1. Environmental education
2. Fitness programs
3. Teen programming
4. Mind/body balance programs
5. Performing arts
6. Educational programs
7. Active older adults
8. Holiday and other special events
9. Day camps and summer camps
10. Trips
Poway’s recreation facilities and programming compare
favorably to these trends for parks and recreation departments.
Recreation programming offered by the City in the summer and

fall of 2007 included all of the categories offered by the
majority of such departments, as well as the programming that
many departments are planning to add. Poway’s parks also
include all the amenities offered by the majority of
departments—and many of these amenities are found in
Community Park. Like other departments, Poway is planning
new facilities (parks). However, many departments are
planning community centers, fitness centers, and indoor sports
courts. This is an area where Poway risks falling behind.
Connecting Kids to Nature
Nationally, concern is growing about children’s dwindling
contact with nature. This concern comes in part from findings
in a 2005 book by Richard Louv called Last Child in the Woods:
Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. The book
argues that many of today’s children will miss out on potential
health benefits linked to contact with nature, and that as adults
they will probably be indifferent to the loss of environmental
resources. The U.S. Forest Service has responded with “More
Kids in the Woods,” a $500,000 pilot program that provided
matching funds to 24 programs in May 2007, including
overnight wilderness experiences, outdoor science programs,
watershed protection and trail maintenance, and school field
trips. Most projects are held on national forest land and target
urban and underserved youth.
The National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA)
reported in July 2007 that the Senate and House of
Representatives have either held or are planning hearings on
this issue. NRPA, which has testified at one such hearing,
surveyed its members to find out “how they connect kids to the
outdoors,” publishing the results in the July 2007 issue of Parks
& Recreation in the article “Advocacy Update: Returning to
Nature.” It found that about two thirds of public park and
recreation agencies were providing nature programs or
facilities, and 61% had “nature-based parks and facilities, such

as nature centers, outdoor classrooms or self-guided nature
trails.” Other preliminary findings included the following:
· “Of the public park and recreation agencies that provide
nature programs, naturalist-led hikes were largest type of nature
program (82 percent) and 69 percent of programs were nature
arts and crafts activities, 63 percent were fishing related and 63
percent of agencies held nature-based summer camps.
· The most successful nature-based programs by agency
measures were nature based education programs in cooperation
with local schools, followed by nature-based summer camps.
· More than 74 percent of public park and recreation agencies
used public and private partnerships to provide nature activities,
and 53 percent had partnerships to manage and operate
facilities.”
NRPA’s own response is “Teens Outside,” an eight-week
“outdoor skills and activities program designed to get teens
involved in outdoor recreation activities, such as mountain
biking, kayaking, hiking and rock climbing.” The County of
San Diego Parks and Recreation Department is one of 20
agencies participating in the 2007 pilot program, enhancing the
Outdoor Adventures Program that the County operates through
the Lakeside and Spring Valley Teen Centers. The program
introduces “at-risk” youth to San Diego’s parks, recreation and
wildlife areas.
Poway is rich in natural areas, but their presence does not mean
that the city’s youth are actually experiencing them. Just as
Poway has developed the Mobile Recreation Program to ensure
that children are exposed to physical activity, it can ensure that
children are exposed to nature through targeted outreach
programs. There is already some recreation programming of
this kind in Poway. For instance, the City has used Lake Poway

and Blue Sky for many years to offer day camps for children,
short evening nature hikes for all ages, and family campouts.
Indoor programs for smaller children encourage connections to
nature in a classroom setting. More programming could be
developed to target children and teens, perhaps in partnership
with Poway’s schools.
Analysis Conclusions
The preceding section presented an overview of Community
Park facilities, along with identifying specific shortfalls in the
City’s park system and a number of opportunities to
accommodate future users. The following provides a summary
of the observations gleaned from the review and research.
· All facilities in Community Park appear to be very well used.
· The Community Center is limited in the type and array of
services that it can provide, specifically as it relates to seniors,
teens, and recreation classes. The center’s small size, lack of
modern amenities, and space arrangement contribute to its
deficiencies. The City of Poway is behind other cities of similar
stature in the provision of indoor community facilities.
· Successful joint-use agreements are in place with local school
facilities. Exploring a similar agreement with the Boys and
Girls Club could augment the provision of services in
Community Park.
· There appears to be a citywide need for additional athletic
fields and the presence of lighted sports fields and activity areas
are limited in Poway.
· When comparing City facilities to the 1983 NRPA standards,
the city appears to fall short in the provision of baseball fields,
indoor basketball facilities, football fields, softball fields,
picnic shelters, and pool facilities.

· In its General Plan, Poway looked to the National Recreation
and Park Association (NRPA) to assess the community need for
park and recreational facilities. However, NRPA no longer
supports accepted national standards and, as such, the City of
Poway should explore establishing new standards that more
specifically meet its park priorities and vision.
· Poway’s 2020 population will include a higher number of
seniors, increased ethnic diversity, and potentially more
children struggling with obesity. Recreational facilities and
programs will need to respond to this changing demographic.
· For the health of older adults, Poway will need to expand
programming while continuing to offer a range of activities for
people with different physical capabilities and fitness levels,
increasing the activity levels of seniors at all ages.
· To meet the needs of multiple ethnic groups, members of
different groups should be included in planning recreation
facilities and programs, and the City should be willing to
accommodate their needs with adjustments such as increasing
the size of some picnic areas for use by extended families.
· Poway has a strong foundation for engaging its youth in
recreational activity, with after-school activity for teens as an
area for future growth.
· The park is surrounded by “built-in” users who can easily
walk or bike to the park from their residences. With the
potential new residential development in the Town Center
project, the nearby users of the park will likely increase,
strengthening the need for improved facilities.
· Environmental education, specifically with youth, is a
nationwide movement in the park and recreational world. This

trend provides many opportunities for Poway as Community
Park is improved and enhanced.
Survey Description
A survey was created to understand how Poway residents use
the Community Park now and how they would like to use the
park in the future. Personal information was collected to
determine whether respondents represented a cross-section of
the total population or whether some demographics were
underrepresented.
The online survey was launched the first week of August and
remained available until October 7, 2007. 533 people submitted
survey responses and the following section summarizes the
survey results. Not everyone responded to each question and
some questions required more then one answer. Percentages
presented below were derived from total number of answers for
each particular question. A complete copy of the survey and all
responses are available for review in the Appendix of this
report.
Survey Findings
Who Took the Survey
A map of the city (see Figure 8) was used as a guide for
individuals to identify where they live in Poway. Only a few
respondents indicated that they were not residents of Poway.
Residents were distributed throughout the three areas.
· Area 1: 40%
· Area 2: 37%
· Area 3: 29%
63 percent of respondents were female compared to 37 percent

male. All races participated in the survey. White Non-Hispanic
individuals made up the vast majority of respondents at 88
percent, followed by responses from Hispanics (5 percent),
Asians (4 percent), African American/Blacks (0.6 percent) and
others (2.55 percent). Some other races identified were Native
American/American Indian, Italian American, and Filipino.
The majority of respondents were between the ages of 18 and 54
(78 percent). Individuals in the 55-64 age group and 65 + group
also participated. Ten respondents were individuals under 18;
however parents were asked questions pertaining to their
children. Participants were asked to identify all other park
users in the family by age. Families had from zero to 3 children
per family with a total of 828 children identified. Families
identified 568 adults other than themselves who also use the
Community Park.
The majority of respondents indicated their household income
was $75,000 and above. 12.5 percent of respondents had
household incomes up to $44,999 and the remaining 16 percent
of households were in the $44,999-74,999 range.
Existing Park Use
When do respondents and/or their children typically go to the
community park? Responses indicate the park is most heavily
used on weekday evenings.
· During the workweek: most popular answer from respondents
was evening (47%).
· On weekends: most popular use during the afternoons (42%).
· Children use: most popular during the weekday afternoon and
weekday evening (39%; 44%).
· Least use: during the weekend evenings (12%).

The Community Park provides a variety of uses for different
people; respondents indicated what park functions were most
important to them. See Figure 9 for a chart showing the number
of responses for each option provided. Among these, the most
popular responses were as follows.
· Facilities for sports (53% of respondents)
· Swim and/or recreation classes, community events, and child
play (32%-36% of respondents for each)
· Dog play, exercise, and green space (17%-22% of respondents
for each)
· Other (10% of respondents)
Ten percent of respondents chose “other” and written
explanations varied including football, bocce ball, classes, and
library use. The Appendix provides detailed results and a
complete list of other uses identified by participants.
Figure 9. Answers to “What are the most important functions
that Community Park provides for you and/or your children
(choose up to 3)?”
How often do individuals and/or their children use facilities at
the park? Respondents report using all facilities in the
Community Park; the majority of facilities are used primarily on
a “sometimes” basis. See Figure 10 for a chart showing the
facilities used by the greatest number of people, who report
using them at least sometimes. These facilities include the
following:
· Swimming Pool (416 respondents and their children)

· Soccer fields (366 respondents and their children)
· Picnic facilities (323 respondents and their children)
· Dog Park (266 respondents and their children)
Figure 10. Most popular answers to “How often do you and/or
your children
use the following facilities at Community Park?”
The soccer field and dog park are used more than other facilities
on a daily basis. The baseball fields and playground are used
the most on a weekly basis. Note that these responses may
include football players using the soccer and baseball fields.
Respondents’ children use the fields and courts more frequently
than respondents.
Are people visiting the Community Park as often as they would
like? Only 31 percent of respondents indicated they used the
Community Park as much as they would like to. The majority
of respondents indicated they did not. The most common
reasons for not using the park were as follows:
· Lack of time (30% of respondents)
· Lack of desired park features/facilities (21% of respondents)
· Crowded facilities (11% of respondents)
· Safety concerns about the park (11% of respondents)
· Other (10% of respondents)
Figure 11. Answers to “Are you visiting Community Park as

often as you would like?”
and reasons cited for not visiting the park more often.
In their written comments, participants cited the lack of fields
or lighted fields (particularly soccer and football), need for park
maintenance, and safety concerns among other reasons for not
going more often.
Future Park Use
Respondents were asked for the top 5 new or improved facilities
or amenities they would like to see at the Community Park in
the next ten years. Overall, there is a desire for all
facilities/amenities to be improved or added, but the following
list identifies particular interests.
· Improved sports fields (50% of respondents)
· More trees (43% of respondents)
· Enhanced creek areas (34% of respondents)
· Outdoor exercise/fitness course (32% of respondents)
· More/improved picnic areas, convenient access to food, more
open lawn areas, playgrounds (20% to 23% of respondents for
each)
Figure 12. Most popular answers to “What new or improved
facilities or amenities would you like to see in Community Park
in the next 10 years? Please identify your top 5 choices.”
An outcry for lighting and space for league football use was
expressed through the written comments. Community garden
plots, lacrosse fields, and restrooms were additional suggestions
from participants.

How would respondents and/or their families use Community
Park 10 years from now? Only 25% of respondents expected to
use the park the same way in 10 years. Respondents expected
to use the following facilities the most in 10 years:
· Facilities for sports (44% of respondents)
· Community events, exercise, swim and/or recreational classes
(23%-25% of respondents for each)
· Green space and child play (18%-22% of respondents for each)
· Dog play (15% of respondents)
· Picnicking (11% of respondents)
Respondents again stated a need for football and soccer when
describing other 10 year uses.
If it were convenient, respondents would walk to and from the
Community Park and the following:
· Home (60% of respondents)
· Dining (63% of respondents)
· Shopping (42% of respondents)
· Arts/culture (35% of respondents)
· Personal services (15% of respondents)
· Work (11% of respondents)
The survey asked how participants get to the park. Currently,
approximately 82 percent of respondents drive to Community

Park, followed by a small 14 percent who walk. It takes the
majority of respondents from five to 15 minutes to arrive at the
park by their chosen mode of transportation, and 79 percent are
only 10 minutes away from the park.
Other Comments
The last question on the survey asked for additional comments
or thoughts from survey respondents, many of which focused on
the Town Center. There were mixed reviews about adding
shops, dining, residential, cultural, and civic activities to create
a “Town Center” as noted in the individual comments added by
respondents. Concerns stemmed from the fear of
commercializing the rural nature of the city and increased
traffic in the area, while other people felt that such a project is
not needed, and others looked forward to a Town Center.
The largest volume of comments had to do with sports fields:
participants asked for new fields, more field maintenance, and
lighted fields. Many referred specifically to soccer but most
wrote generally about sports fields. Users of the dog park and
bocce ball courts also spoke up, asking that these facilities not
be displaced. A few wanted more tennis and basketball courts.
Participants asked for creek improvements, more shade and
trees, and more green space. A few comments suggested
upgrades and expansions of indoor facilities. Some people
mentioned a need for restrooms in new locations. Some
participants expressed safety concerns and suggested more
lighting on the walkways to the dog park, a security presence in
the park, and supervision of the skate park. Some comments
suggested better connections to trails and handicapped parking
closer to the senior center.
Survey Conclusions
The survey was able to extract some key desires and concerns of
the community. While the breakdown of who took the survey

does not precisely mirror the gender breakdown and ethnic
diversity within the City, valuable information was gathered
that can be used in conjunction with research and workshop
results in planning the future of Community Park.
· Overall, the majority of the respondents seem to support
Community Park improvements and would like to see resources
dedicated towards improvements to existing facilities and
amenities, including improvements to existing fields, riparian
habitat, trees, trails, playground, and other out-door and in-door
facilities.
· Providing additional features and amenities may encourage
more use of Community Park. In addition to athletic fields,
respondents cited a desire for increased trees, improvements to
the creek, the addition of a fitness course, and enhanced safety.
· A variety of park facilities and functions serve all community
needs but it is also important to recognize that some facilities
receive more daily wear and tear than others. As indicated in
the survey, fields, playgrounds, and the dog park experience a
high daily and/or weekly use. This connects to the repeated
requests for additional and upgraded year-round lighted fields
throughout the survey – specifically for soccer fields and an
individual or designated field for football.
· Concerns exist regarding Town Center. However, 60 percent
of respondents indicated they would walk to dining, shopping,
and/or art/cultural amenities if it were convenient. Survey
respondents who have concerns may accept the Town Center if
it preserves and enhances community character, provides for
small businesses, has a pedestrian friendly environment and
increases arts/culture activities—without sacrificing green space
and existing park facilities.
Workshop Description

Two community workshops focused on Community Park were
held on Thursday, September 27th, one from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
and the other from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. More than 60 people
participated in the workshops and represented a wide array of
interests, with the majority of participants identifying the
following as their priority:
· Bocce ball courts
· Dog park
· Open space
· Sports fields
· Trees
Workshop participants participated in five different small group
dialogues, each focused on a different topic related to the park.
Each group spent 10-15 minutes discussing a topic before
moving on to the next one where they were able to freely talk
about the new topic, while also seeing the highlights of the
discussion that took place in other groups. In their final group,
participants assisted the facilitator in summarizing the key
themes that emerged throughout each of the five rounds of
dialogue.
Workshop Findings
This section summarizes the key themes that emerged from the
group discussions during the two community workshops.
Detailed comments from each individual group, along with
remarks submitted via comment cards are included in the
Appendix.
Open Lawn, Trees, Picnicking and Play

Provide additional trees and shade. Especially at playgrounds,
sports fields, picnic areas and perimeter of park. Participants
identified a preference for shade created by low maintenance
trees, such as evergreens.
Provide passive open space. Participants stressed the
importance of passive open space, identifying a desire to protect
existing passive areas by not building on them and providing
open areas for kids to play. A key point of disagreement
amongst the groups was about whether or not to expand the park
to increase the amount of open space.
Provide additional picnic areas and seating. The groups agreed
that more benches at playgrounds and around sports fields were
needed. They also frequently cited a desire for additional picnic
areas with shade and barbeques.
Provide new park amenities. A number of new park amenities
were identified by the groups, including the addition of dog-
friendly features, a sprayground or water feature for the youth,
and a community garden. Restrooms and trash cans near bocce
ball courts were also stressed.
Increase park maintenance. A key theme also emerged
regarding park maintenance. Specifically, groups noted that
unsightly features should be removed, Rattlesnake Creek should
be cleaned up and trash cans should be better located in the
park.
Sports & Athletics
Focus on multi-purpose fields. Groups agreed that there should
be a focus on providing multi-purpose fields, possibly by
reconfiguring the baseball fields or even expanding the park.
Courts and fields for open play were also identified as a need.
The group liked the idea of having more lighted multi-purpose
fields for all sport groups to share, but also noted that with

more field capacity comes a need for more efficient parking.
Improve and address existing facilities. Participants highlighted
a need to improve existing facilities and retain the bocce courts
and baseball fields. Many cited the elimination of the shuffle
board court as a possibility.
Add a fitness course. Participants identified a need for a
“traffic-free fitness loop” or fitness trail through the park. It
was noted that school and walking groups would also utilize
such a facility.
Explore alternate field surface. Groups agreed that alternative
surface materials (e.g. synthetic grass) for new and improved
fields should be explored.
Creek Enhancement & Trails
Restore creek to natural state. Nearly all participants agreed
that the trail should be restored to its natural state, encouraging
wildlife, introducing native plants, and removing the concrete
riverbed. A different opinion that also surfaced was that the
existing creeks should be cleaned and the funds used for other
areas, rather than restoration.
Create paths with a woodsy, natural character. Groups liked the
idea of creating natural paths and trails with a “secluded”
feeling and increasing the “wooded” areas for both creek and
trail areas.
Add creek trail amenities. Lights, more trees, benches, and
signage were identified as needs along the trails.
Ensure creek maintenance. Maintenance of creek was noted as
being extremely important (trash, mosquitoes), including the
addition of garbage cans. Groups noted that service clubs
should be incorporated into a maintenance program.

Focus on trail connections. Groups suggested that trails should
connect to the overall system, even if this means adding more
trails. They discussed a need for enhancing and increasing
trails, including widening for multi-use paths.
Indoor Facilities
Modernize facilities. Groups identified the modernization of the
park’s dated facilities as a priority. Specifically, at the swim
center, they noted improved lockers and showers, a larger
women’s area, and family areas. For the other facilities, a
priority on soundproofing, adding divisible spaces, natural
lighting, and larger meetings spaces were identified.
Develop a multi-use facility. Groups also identified the
potential for creating a new multi-use auditorium with
classrooms, a fitness area and a 30,000 to 50,000 square foot
Banquet Hall. They discussed a new facility relocated closer to
Poway Road to increase visibility and improve access, while
providing more green space in the park itself. Relocating the
senior center versus keeping it where it is now was a point of
disagreement.
Provide for senior and teens. Whether a new facility or
modernized facility, teens and seniors were identified as a
priority. Groups noted that teen and senior areas should be a
focus – having a true teen center and making all facilities senior
“friendly”.
Explore a joint-use facility. Groups recommended the use of the
school (joint use) to augment the facilities available for use.
Provide additional restrooms. Consistent with discussions on
other topics, more restrooms were identified as a need,
specifically more restrooms near playgrounds & in park.
Safety & Security
Provide additional lighting. Lighting was a need identified

throughout all discussion groups, but specifically improved
lighting for baseball, decorative, unobtrusive lighting on paths,
and better lighting at the south side of park and dog park area.
Increase security presence. Skateboarders were discussed from
both a personal safety perspective and risk/liability to City and
a larger security presence was requested in the skate park.
Groups also identified a need for increased supervision in park
by City staff, not just law enforcement, as well as the addition
of more surveillance cameras and signage. Some felt homeless
were an issue in the park, while others did not see as an issue at
all.
Improve safety of bicycle, pedestrian, and auto circulation.
Participants felt that protected, dedicated traffic ways for
different users (pedestrians, skaters, people on bikes,
vehicles/traffic ways, parking, etc.) should be a priority.
Workshop Conclusions
The two community workshops helped to elaborate on some of
the survey findings and delve further into what is most
important to residents regarding Community Park. Here is a
look again at the key themes emerging from the community
dialogues:
· Provide additional trees and shade, along with passive open
space for picnicking and seating.
· Provide new park amenities, such as a water feature and pet-
friendly details throughout the park, as well as new restrooms
and lighting.
· Focus on multi-purpose fields, including the improvement of
existing fields and courts, as well as possibly providing room
for additional fields. Explore alternative field surfaces for the
facilities.

· Increase overall park maintenance and ensure creek
maintenance.
· Restore creek to natural state and create paths with a woodsy,
natural character while adding creek trail amenities. Also focus
on trail connections and explore the possibility of adding a
fitness course through the park.
· Develop a new multi-use facility and/or modernize existing
facilities to better provide for seniors and teens and recreational
classes/events. Explore the possibility of a joint-use facility to
accommodate the need.
Increase security presence in the park and improve the safety of
bicycle, pedestrian, and auto circulation throughout the park.
This section presents a summary of key Community Park
recommendations based on the park system analysis, community
survey, and community workshop results. Recommendations
consider specific shortfalls in the City’s park system and
present areas of opportunities to accommodate existing and
future users.
1.
Respond to a Changing Population
· Future recreational facilities and programs should consider the
future’s growing populations: seniors, overweight and obese
children, and ethnic diversity.
· For the health of older adults, Poway will need to expand
programming while continuing to offer a range of activities for
people with different physical capabilities and fitness levels,
increasing the activity levels of seniors at all ages.

Sheet1 renovated parksimilarity to poway park difference with poway

Sheet1 renovated parksimilarity to poway park difference with poway

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Sheet1 renovated parksimilarity to poway park difference with poway

Similar to Sheet1 renovated parksimilarity to poway park difference with poway (20)

More from mayank272369

More from mayank272369 (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Sheet1 renovated parksimilarity to poway park difference with poway