1. Haunted Haus 2012
Program Plan
New Braunfels Parks and Recreation
Texas State Recreation Programming
Sarah Walters
Ashley Krobot
Daniel Lane
Alex Dominguez
Wyatt Polson
Sheldon Coble

2. Haunted Haus 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part 1: Organization Overview Page 3
Part 2: Program Planning Page 6
Part 3: Program Operations Page 13
Attachments Page 17

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PART 1: ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
Introduction
The City of New Braunfels Parks and Recreation Department is a public
governmental organization that operates within the municipal government of New
Braunfels. According to the city’s website, “the Parks and Recreation Department
operates the city’s recreation programs, athletic programs and leagues, aquatic
programs, and golf course along with maintaining 33 parks comprising over 500
acres.”
Demographics
The Parks and Recreation Department serves the community of New
Braunfels, a mid-size suburban city. According to data recorded by the 2010 US
Census, the total population of the city was 57,740. The area has experienced a time
of rapid growth, with a 58.2% increase in population from 2000 to 2010. The vast
majority of the population identifies as a member of a family unit, with 47,899
individuals comprising 15,054 families. Of these families, over 11,000 are
traditional, or headed by a husband and wife. The median household income as
reported by the 2000 US Census in New Braunfels is $40,078, and the majority of
the population is of traditional working age. The over-65 and under-18 populations
each are comprised of nearly 8,000 citizens. Ethnically, the city is majority White
(non-Hispanic) with 35,132 citizens identifying as such. The largest minority
populations are Hispanic at 15,000 and Black at 1,081.
Vision and Mission
The vision of the Parks and Recreation Department is “to enhance the well
being of our community through laughter, play, conservation, and discovery.”
The mission of the department is “to afford diverse opportunities and access
for all residents and visitors through innovative programs and facilities, open space
preservation, and economic enhancement.”
Goals and Objectives
The goals of the department, as listed in the Master Plan for 2010, are:
To work towards transforming New Braunfels’ park system into one of
the premier park systems in Texas;
To provide an even and adequate distribution of park facilities citywide;
To plan neighborhoods so that parks become greater focal points in those
neighborhoods than they are today;

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To preserve and permanently protect unique natural open spaces,
floodplain corridors, and drainage corridors within the city and its extra-
territorial jurisdictional (ETJ) land;
To promote partnerships with other public, semi-public, and private
entities to most efficiently use public funding to provide parks and open
space in New Braunfels;
To maintain all of the City of New Braunfels parks and recreation facilities
in a superior condition;
To develop a network of pedestrian and bicycle facilities throughout New
Braunfels;
To provide a variety of recreation programs to meet the changing
recreational needs and desires of the City of New Braunfels’ population
The objectives of the department are not formally listed.
Existing Resources
The Parks and Recreation Department draws the majority of its funding from
the City of New Braunfels and its tax base. The city’s General Fund, comprised
largely of tax revenue, provided over 3.5 million dollars during the 2010-2011
budget year. A city fund comprised of Federal, State, and Local grants provided
$73,117. Other non-major city funds, such as the Special Revenue, Capital Projects,
and Cemetery funds, provided over 1 million dollars.
The current budget lists 218 paid positions within the Parks and Recreation
Department. This includes 46 full-time positions, 19 part-time positions, and 143
seasonal positions. These positions may not be filled at all times, but could be if
necessary under the current budget. The department also receives assistance from
approximately 100 volunteers per year.
The Parks and Recreation Department operates the city’s 33 parks totaling
over 320 acres. This includes:
9 neighborhood parks, 6 linear parks, 4 community parks, and 2 regional
parks
2 public sports complexes, 1 golf course, and 1 privately operated sports
complex
6 special use plazas
2 cemeteries
Within these parks are:
2 recreation/community centers, an outdoor education center, and an
event facility
9 large pavilions and picnic areas
Infrastructure support facilities such as bathrooms
10 baseball fields, 3 outdoor volleyball courts, 5 outdoor basketball
courts, 12 tennis courts, 3 practice fields, and 5 soccer fields

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11 playgrounds, a skate park, and a disc golf course
A sprayground and 2 swimming pools
5.91 miles of trails
The largest and most popular facility is Landa Park, a 51-acre regional park. Landa
Park offers many amenities including a boathouse, a miniature golf course, a
miniature train, an aquatic center with 2 pools (one Olympic, one spring-fed with
sprayground), a recreation center, a nature trail, a playground, a fishing pier, and
more.

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PART 2: PROGRAM PLANNING
Event Description
The Haunted Haus is an annual event facilitated by the City of New Braunfels
Parks and Recreation Department. It is open to the public for a small fee ($5 per
person). The event is a traditional small-scale haunted house in which a guide leads
small groups of participants through various rooms. An assortment of lights, fog
machines, props, decorations, and costumed facilitators are used to produce the
“haunted” effect. The Haus also includes a “debriefing room” at the end of the tour
to survey participants about their experience and offer an opportunity to cool down
with snacks and goody bags. The 2012 Creepy Carnival Haunted Haus marks the
fourth year of the event and will be held from 8-10pm on both Thursday, October
25th and Friday, October 26th.
Target Audience
In 2011, the Haunted Haus drew an estimated 80-100 visitors per night. The
majority of these visitors were local students from 13-18 years of age. Some families
and young adults also attended the event. There was no record of more specific
demographics regarding race or socioeconomic status. Very few, if any, persons with
disabilities attended the event or are expected to attend. As such, the target
audience for the 2012 Haunted Haus is local teenagers, as marketing towards this
group seems the most profitable.
Rationalization
As noted in Part 1 of our Program Plan, the goal of the New Braunfels Parks
and Recreation Department that is most applicable to our event is “to provide a
variety of recreation programs to meet the changing recreational needs and desires
of the City of New Braunfels’ population.” This event aligns with the portion of the
department’s mission statement that reads “to afford diverse opportunities and
access for all residents and visitors through innovative programs and facilities.” The
Haunted Haus provides what would not typically be thought of as a traditional fall
program for teens, families, and young adults. Instead, it offers a fairly innovative
program that is a safe alternative for teens wishing to celebrate Halloween, yet also
diverges from other opportunities enough to be attractive to those seeking a new
recreation experience. It is also simply a fun and thrilling event for all those
involved!

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Goals and Objectives
1. To provide a safe experience in a controlled environment
a. 100% of participants will show no signs of injury upon completion of
the Haunted Haus.
b. Staff and volunteers will mark 100% of possible safety hazards
throughout production of the house.
2. To provide access to a fun and affordable recreation experience
a. At least 80% of participants will positively rate their experience when
surveyed.
b. At least 75% of participants will rate the event as affordable when
surveyed.
3. To facilitate a successful event
a. The Haus will draw at least 100 visitors on each night of the event.
b. The Haus will produce enough revenue to cover the expenses of
production by the conclusion of the event.
Evaluation
The most effective models for evaluating this event are the Intuitive Model
and Evaluation by Goals and Objectives. The Intuitive Model will be used throughout
planning, production, and active facilitation of the event to constantly provide quick
overviews of progress and make any changes at the exact time they are needed. The
Evaluation by Goals and Objectives model is the most effective method of
systematically evaluating the success of the program after its completion. As we
have clearly stated goals, many of which relate to the financial success of the event
and participant satisfaction, it is fairly simple to objectively gauge the success of the
event based on how effectively we have completed each objective and whether or
not we have reached each goal.
The most effective way for us to gauge participant satisfaction, the largest
portion of our evaluation process, is with an optional survey at the end of the
Haunted Haus in the debriefing room. The survey has six easy-to-read questions
with a simple yes, no, or unsure grading response for each question. The simplicity
of the survey was used in order to avoid as many language and intellectual barriers
as possible. Each question can be related to the goals and objectives of the event
directly or to the overall personal experience of the participants. The survey also
includes an area in which participants can provide additional comments. We will be
able to implement our findings by taking the total number of surveys taken and the
total of each response, and calculating whether or not we have met the percentages
set within our objectives.
A copy of the participant evaluation form is attached at the end of this report
and labeled “Attachment 1.”

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Venue
The Haunted Haus is held at the Landa Park Aquatic Complex at 350 Aquatic
Circle Drive, New Braunfels, Texas 78130. The following maps, retrieved from
Google Maps in December 2012, show the recommended route to the Aquatic
Complex from IH-35 South and the location of the Complex within Landa Park.
South Seguin Avenue/State Spur 453/TX-46 can be taken to Landa Park Drive.
Aquatic Circle is located directly off of Landa Park Drive.

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Nearly all of the main building at the Aquatic Complex as well as some
outside areas will be used for the event, save several areas that are used for storage
or separated from the main tour route. Approximately 10 specific areas will be used
for the event for various functions:
Cashier’s Room – Payment area and beginning of tour
Hallway to Woman’s Dressing Room – “Claustrophobic noodle” room
Women’s Dressing Room – Undecided room
Women’s Shower – “Glowing masks” room
Outside Lawn Area – Graveyard
First Aid Room – “Fake-to-Real Chainsaw Scare”
Break Room – “Fake-to-Real Chainsaw Scare”
Men’s Dressing Room – Clown room
Men’s Shower – “Birthday Party Gone Wrong” room
Training Room – Finale and Survey/”Debriefing” room
Equipment, Supplies, and Material Needs
While the department has stored a large amount of equipment and supplies
from previous years to be used again in this year’s Haunted Haus, there are still
many supplies and materials that need to be purchased or solicited from donors. A
real chainsaw will be borrowed for the event, and other necessary construction
resources such as ladders, staple guns, etc. will be provided.
Existing supplies, nearly all of which are reusable save the fog juice, include:
“Black Out” Plastic, pre-cut
Tombstones
Gargoyles, various other monster torsos
Baby parts
Fake chainsaw
Various wigs, masks, and other costumes
Various fake weapons
Black lights, strobe lights, string lights, and solid colored and white
lights
Hanging witches, ghouls, other monsters
Fog machines and some fog juice
Needed supplies that will be reusable include:
Black Out Plastic
Pool Noodles and PVC frame
Clown wigs and masks, costumes
Plain white masks
“False Escaping Door” materials (door, frame, pulley system, cart)
Plastic table cloths

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Red velvet material
Creepy Clowns sound tracks
Needed supplies that will be mostly or completely depleted after the event
has concluded and the amount of each necessary for this year’s event include:
Fog juice, 5 gallons
Spider webbing/cheese cloth, 2 ounces/2 yards
Face Make-up, 30 tubes
Clown Noses, 32
Glow Sticks, 30
Fake blood, 1 pint
Gorilla Tape, 5 35-yard rolls
Zip-Ties, 100
Staples, 1000-count box
Thin rope/string, 300 yards
Marketing and Promotion
We have used and will continue to use various types of marketing and
promotion materials including:
Flyer
Poster
Social Media – Facebook Event/Fan Group
Word of Mouth
Professional Networking – Announced at A.R.E. meeting, added to calendar for
participants and volunteers
Sponsorship letters/queries
Attached at the end of this report are a flyer, labeled “Attachment 2,” a sample
sponsorship letter, labeled “Attachment 3,” and a press release, labeled “Attachment
4.” The press release was not used in marketing, but was completed for academic
purposes.
Budget and Pricing Information
For the 2012 Haunted Haus, we have budgeted between $1100-1250 to be
spent on the production of the Haus. About $450 is to be spent on “must have” items
necessary for construction, while about $750 is to be spent on decorative items. An
initial $250 was given to our group to spend on items of our choice, with approval.
The remaining $1000 was spent by department staff with input from our group.
The New Braunfels Parks and Recreation Department prefers to format their
budget for events in an Excel spreadsheet. As such, a spreadsheet documenting our
budget has been attached at the end of this report and is labeled “Attachment 5.”

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Inclusion Plan
Our target audience is teenagers around the ages of 13-18. That being said,
the event is open to the public and could draw participants of any population or
demographic within the city of New Braunfels and surrounding areas. While we will
not target persons with disabilities, as it does not seem appropriate for the nature of
our event, we have planned various accommodations for anyone who does wish to
participate in the Haus. We have decided to retain the ADA standard width of all
doors and hallways in the complex and to avoid any surfaces that could not easily be
navigated with minimal assistance. Were someone with a seizure disorder or some
other condition triggered by lighting, fog, etc. to wish to participate, we would
temporarily alter the presence of strobe lights or fog machines to avoid any issue.
Essentially, our goal is to accommodate rather than include. We will not turn anyone
away, barring safety concerns that we could not resolve, but we will not actively
seek the participation of anyone with a disability.
Staff Management Plan
The Haunted Haus requires different numbers of staff and volunteers for
different stages. Planning requires two city staff members and our team of six
student volunteers in order to budget, market, design the Haus, etc. Construction
requires 10-12 staff members and our team of six student volunteers in order to
black out the complex, move and organize supplies, and decorate the Haus.
Facilitation of the event itself requires the majority of the staff and student
volunteer construction team, as well ideally 10 additional volunteers per night. We
will have operation plans that allow for the house to be operated with a minimum of
20 people and no maximum number of volunteers.
Most staff and volunteers on the nights of the event will be used within the
Haus as tour guides or within rooms. They will be responsible for basic tasks
involved in operating rooms as well as acting out various parts for scaring people.
Other staff and volunteers will be involved in running the line and payment, as well
as administering surveys, “debriefing” participants, and handing out goodie bags.
There will be no special training necessary for volunteers, as responsibilities and
basic explanation of tasks will be given on the night of the event.
Risk Management Plan
The nature of the Haus as well as the facility in which it is held bring several
potentially dangerous aspects into our event, most of which are easily managed.
Safety hazards or potentially dangerous situations include:
Uneven Surfaces/Low Ceilings - Uneven flooring and potential head hazards
will be marked using brightly colored tape prior to opening of the Haus

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Off-Limit Areas - Office rooms, baby pool, spring fed pool, and undesignated
outdoor areas outside of tour route will be blocked by staff and/or tape
Physical Contact – Staff/volunteers and participants will have no physical
contact in order to assure no altercations
Sturdy Construction – False walls, hanging items, and particularly the false
door will be constructed as well as possible and constantly observed by
staff/volunteers; false door will be manned by one staff member/volunteer at
all times and significantly reinforced
Seizures/Heart Conditions/Mental Illness – People who are prone to seizures
or could be negatively affected by a haunted theme and potentially intense
situations will be advised to participate; a sign will be placed at the entrance
advising participants of this information
Contingency Plan
The main risks to our Haunted Haus are weather related. In the event of rain
or high winds, various changes and repairs will be made to the Haus in order to
protect its integrity. Staff needs to be prepared to fix any damages to the Haus if it is
damaged by wind and zip ties, black plastic, and cutting utensils will be on hand to
repair any damages at a moments notice. Heavy rain or wind would prevent us from
having our outdoor graveyard area, and these items would simply be removed and
stored to assure they could be used again and the tour would be diverted past the
area. In the case of rain, electrical cords, splitters, and outlets will all be covered and
raised off of the ground as much as possible to prevent any water reaching them and
causing safety hazards.
Management Plan
The realistic timeline for planning and managing the Haunted Haus is most
effectively represented by a Gannt Chart. This chart is attached at the end of the
report and is labeled “Attachment 6.”

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PART 3: PROGRAM OPERATIONS
Event Set-Up
As specified in Part 2 of this report, the Haunted Haus was held at the Landa
Park Aquatic Complex at 350 Aquatic Circle Drive, New Braunfels, Texas 78130. The
layout proposed in Part 2 was a fairly accurate guide for the final layout for the
event. The majority of the main complex, as well as some outdoor space, was used
for the event, save several areas that were either reserved for storage or separated
from the Haus tour route. Approximately 16 specific areas were used for the various
“rooms” along the tour route:
Cashier’s Room – Payment area and beginning of tour
Hallway to Woman’s Dressing Room – “Claustrophobic noodle” room
and “mirrors” room
Family Bathroom – “Saw” room
Women’s Dressing Room – “Big Top games” room
Women’s Shower – “Glowing masks” room
Outside Lawn Area – Graveyard
Outside Concrete Area – “Fake-to-Real Chainsaw ” scare and Jack-in-
the-Box with “Joker” scare
Break Room – “Fake-to-Real Chainsaw” scare
Hallway to First Aid/Break Room – Moving door scare
Men’s Shower – Doll room
Men’s Dressing Room Part 1– Clown room
Men’s Dressing Room Part 2 – Monkey escape room
Men’s Dressing Room Part 3 – Bearded lady’s room
Men’s Dressing Room Part 4 – Video Finale room
Men’s Shower – “Birthday Party Gone Wrong” room
Training Room – Survey/”Debriefing” room
The majority of the rooms, 14 of 16, served as decorated scare zones along the Haus
tour route. The remainder of the rooms were used for the more clerical functions at
the beginning and end of the route.
Detailed Running Sheet
The preparation and set-up of the venue began in the days and weeks before
the event. The first step involved using heavy black plastic to “blackout” the venue
as well as to designate the route and “build” rooms. Next, all rooms were decorated
using various supplies, and fog machines and lighting were set up. This part of the
process lasted throughout the event, as non-permanent items such as glow sticks
and fog juice were added as needed.

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On the day of the event, the venue set-up was nearly complete. Finishing
touches were made on several rooms, particularly the doll room and big top games
room. The “debriefing” room was also set up completely on the day of the event as it
had previously been used for storage. Final steps in set-up were to assemble the
graveyard, sweep the venue for trash, and move any items not in use to storage.
As we prepared to begin the event, we assigned staff and volunteers to their
positions and got into costumes and make-up. Fog machines and lights were set
shortly before the first tours began. We had regular tours throughout both nights
before finishing with short debriefing meetings with Jason. The Haus was torn down
on the Monday and Tuesday following the event, and all items were returned to
storage. Our final evaluation of the event as a group was in a meeting with Jason in
late November. Please see the following detail schedules for both Thursday and
Friday, the days of the event:
Thursday, October 25
12:00pm – Arrive at Haus
12-2:00pm – Finalize room set-up
2-2:30pm – Set up graveyard
2:30-3:00pm – Sweep for trash, move items not in use to storage
3-3:15pm – Walk-through with Fire Marshal
3:15-5:00pm – Break for lunch
5-6:30pm – Finishing touches on rooms
6:30-7:00pm – Welcome volunteers, assign positions, costumes/make-up
7-10:00pm – Tours
10-10:15pm – Group picture, meeting, tear down graveyard, cut lights
Friday, October 26
5:00pm – Arrive at Haus
5-6:30pm – Finishing touches on rooms, sweep for trash
6:30-7:00pm – Welcome volunteers, assign positions, costumes/make-up
7-10:00pm – Tours
10-10:15pm – Meeting, tear down graveyard, cut lights
Final Budget
The final budget for the event is attached at the end of this report and labeled
“Attachment 7.” In total, $1,1082.95 was spent on supplies for the event and
$710.00 was drawn in revenue, resulting in a net loss of $372.95. However, there
was a strategic move to spend the remainder of a fund from the 2011 budget year
before it was lost at the start of the new budget year on October 1. Spending from
this fund accounted for $611.38. If this expenditure is removed from the total
project expenditure, the net profit for the 2012 budget year is $238.43.

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Evaluation
The goals and objectives for the event were listed in Part 2 of this report:
4. To provide a safe experience in a controlled environment
a. 100% of participants will show no signs of injury upon completion of
the Haunted Haus.
b. Staff and volunteers will mark 100% of possible safety hazards
throughout production of the house.
5. To provide access to a fun and affordable recreation experience
a. At least 80% of participants will positively rate their experience when
surveyed.
b. At least 75% of participants will rate the event as affordable when
surveyed.
6. To facilitate a successful event
a. The Haus will draw at least 100 visitors on each night of the event.
b. The Haus will produce enough revenue to cover the expenses of
production by the conclusion of the event.
In evaluating the success of the Haus, we have assessed how well each goal and
objective was attained. Goal 1 was attained completely, as no staff member,
volunteer, or participant was injured during the event and all safety hazards were
marked throughout production of the Haus. Goal 1, Objective 2 was verified in a
walk-through by the Fire Marshal. Goal 2 was more difficult to evaluate, as the we
did not obtain the results of the participant survey from the department. Based on
word of mouth and brief scanning of the surveys, we have confidently assessed
overall participant satisfaction at close to 100%. There was no question regarding
affordability on the survey but, based on word of mouth and attendance, we have
confidently assessed participant satisfaction with the price of the event at close to
100%. Goal 3 was attained less successfully. On the first night of the event, we fell
short of our goal of 100 visitors by a significant margin. On the second night, we fell
only a few visitors short. The final budget shows that we had a net loss at the
conclusion of the event, so Goal 3, Objective 2 was also not attained completely.
As briefly stated in our discussion of Goals and Objectives, we did not obtain
the formal report of results from the participant evaluation. Instead, our evaluation
has relied on word of mouth and an informal scanning of the surveys. This limited
information suggests that participants were very satisfied with the event overall.
The small number of suggestions made by participants for improving the event
were often either impossible according to risk management policies or simply
regarding trivial matters.
We also evaluated the success of our event by considering the 5 P’s for
evaluation. As we were satisfied with the number of participants and reached our
target audience, we feel that we were successful in this regard. We also feel that we

16. Haunted Haus 16
had the right people in the right place at the right time when it came to managing
personnel. The number of staff and volunteers on each night of the even led to a
successful Haus and limited the initially expected stress of management. The venue
used for the event, while not a traditional haunted house venue, was an effective
setting. The routing and physical set-up were also successful in producing an
enjoyable and safe Haus. The administration and policies of the city and department
led to a safe and successful Haus through sufficient fiscal support and effective risk
management guidelines. These four aspects all came together in a successful
program that effectively promoted the mission, goals, and objectives for the city and
department.
Regarding modifications for the Haunted Haus in 2013 and following years, it
seems as if the main area of concern is with marketing. There is limited concern as
far as budgeting, purchasing supplies, and production of the Haus as all of these
areas seem to have reached a position of perennial success. However, as far as
marketing, the event is still growing and simply lacks the desired popularity. It
seems as if the best solution would be to market more heavily earlier on in the event
planning process, as well has marketing more heavily to local students. This could
involve working more closely with sponsors, partnering with local schools, or
advertising more successfully using social media. Increased attendance could also
be achieved through a scheduling change, such as adding a night, moving the event
to Friday and Saturday, or increasing the time for tours offered each night. This
could be more difficult for the department to achieve, however, and so marketing
seems to be the more effective solution.

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ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1: Participant Evaluation Form
Attachment 2: Flyer
Attachment 3: Sample Sponsorship Letter
Attachment 4: Press Release
Attachment 5: Proposed Budget
Attachment 6: Management Plan
Attachment 7: Final Budget