Author: zeceightinsights_l0pfvg

Why

Charlottesville Parks and Recreation had never developed a full master plan, just a needs assessment (2007) and community survey (2017) in previous years. In addition to these assessments, the department had developed many localized master plans for specific parks or natural areas. Therefore, the department desired to create a comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan to provide guidance for both short- and long-range planning for the park system by integrating community input, stakeholder and focus group feedback, past and current plans, staff input, and City Council priorities. At the end of the process, the department desired to have clear direction on how to prioritize improvements and connections of current facilities, parks and trails, a buildout strategy, recommendations pertaining to recreation program offerings, recommendations on how best to utilize recreation centers, and recommendations for equitable advancing of recreation and health throughout the city.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with PROS Consulting and Kimley-Horn for the planning process. Zec Eight Insights focused on performing recreation and service analyses. The process involved conducting an internal staff workshop, analyzing five years of registered program data, studying historical use patterns, and comparing results to industry best practices.

What

The final Parks and Recreation Master Plan included recommendations to further refine the department’s service delivery model, considerations for expanding and divesting programs, ideas for new or expanded core program areas, geospatial distribution of programs offered, and potential partnership/collaboration opportunities.

Reference
William Bassett, Management Specialist II
Charlottesville Parks and Recreation Department
(434) 970-3298
bassett@charlottesville.gov
501 E Main Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902

Why

Local officials had a desire to start focusing more on park and recreation opportunities in Brunswick, Ohio. As part of that effort, they wanted to have a comprehensive community involvement process to identify what residents want to spend money on and/or what local officials should be focusing on. As a result, it was decided to develop a new Parks and Recreation Master Plan for the 16-park system.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with Designing Local for the planning process. Zec Eight Insights focused on performing operational analyses. Specifically, Zec Eight Insights led the department through a situational analysis and comparison activity. Customized benchmarking was performed related to existing facility levels of service, program areas, staffing levels, funding sources, capital improvement spending, and other operational metrics.

What

The final Parks and Recreation Master Plan included recommendations to further define the department’s level of service metrics while also identifying operational gaps that should be explored throughout the plan’s useful lifecycle.

Reference
Matt Leasure, Principal
Designing Local, Ltd.
(614) 893-7178
matt@designinglocal.com
20 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Why

The City of Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market (BCFM) celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. The BCFM has changed over the years, with more accelerated change occurring around the Covid-19 pandemic period. As a result, there are more options for both vendors and customers and this new landscape presented an opportunity to take a step back and examine the BCFM. This study provided a comprehensive examination of the BCFM’s operations and future growth opportunities.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights was hired to create an evaluation strategy that would yield actionable recommendations for immediate implementation while also working toward a common future state.

Zec Eight Insights implemented the following customized methodology:

• Collected, compiled, and analyzed previous BCFM evaluation/research reports, participation data/trends, and financial records.
• Created a unique benchmarking form and collected information from six Markets (Ann Arbor, MI; Broad Ripple, IN; Charlottesville, VA; Fishers, IN; Iowa City, IA; and Madison, WI).
• Engaged advisory council members, community partners, and 48 current and past vendors to understand their preferred direction for the BCFM.
• Developed a user survey that generated 124 responses providing key insights into

What

The final BCFM Evaluation Study Report contains eight foundational recommendations and five visionary recommendations. Key improvements/modifications identified through the process include, but are not limited to, enhancing market to vendor communication, increased staff training, facilitating vendor accountability, clarifying the advisory council’s role, and altering the existing point system methodology.

Reference
Leslie Brinson, CPRP
Recreation Services General Manager
(812) 349-3715
brinsonl@bloomington.in.gov
401 North Morton Street, Suite 250
Bloomington, IN 47404

Why

Valpo Parks recently transitioned its agency leadership after 30+ years. As a result, there was a desire to revisit the existing mission statement for applicability to today’s realities. Additionally, the timing presented a great opportunity to create the department’s first vision statement along with core values.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights was hired to facilitate the organizational planning process. Two workshops were held with the leadership team:

• Workshop #1. This workshop focused on mission statement refinement. The existing mission statement was used as a point of reference for how well it aligns with a series of probing questions. From there, two statements were developed and a department-wide staff survey was implemented.
• Workshop #2. This workshop presented the updated mission statement for review and final edit and comment. Then, facilitated exercises led the core leadership team through vision and core value statement development.

What

The final updated statements were approved and ready for marketing/branding opportunities once the department’s agency leadership transition was implemented. This allowed Valpo Parks to usher in a renewed identity (that built upon the previous leadership’s legacy) with the introduction of the new director.

Reference
Kevin Nuppnau, Director
Valpo Parks
(219) 462-5144 x6307
knuppnau@valpo.us
3210 N Campbell Street
Valparaiso, IN 46385

Why

Cicero, Indiana needed to update its Recreation Impact Fee (RIF) ordinance. As part of the process, it was determined an update was needed for its five-year Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Since Cicero did not have a Park Board, updating the Master Plan did not have to remain on a strict five-year cycle. With a change in department leadership and the recent removal of the outdoor community pool, it was determined updating the Master Plan along with the RIF was a logical approach to understanding community need while charting a new course for the department.

HOW

The Master Plan placed a large emphasis on community engagement to truly understand unmet need within Cicero. Utilizing the water bill and other marketing channels, the engagement process was able to reach almost double the participants as the previous planning effort conducted six years prior. The consultant team then matched community input with industry standards, organizational readiness, and financial considerations to confirm the department’s positioning to deliver parks and recreation services.

What

The final Master Plan provides direction for leveraging parks and recreation services within Cicero. As identified through data analysis, Cicero serves more than its residents and is more of a destination due to its proximity to the Morse Reservoir and sports complex. The Master Plan details action steps for working with Hamilton County Tourism, other local municipal park departments, and the school system to increase recreation access. Additionally, strategies include ways to grow commensurate with community growth and expectations.

Reference
Jim Hunter, Superintendent
Cicero Parks Department
(317) 984-3475
jhunter@townofcicero.in.gov
1050 S Pearl Street
Cicero, IN 46034

Why

Located in Tacoma, Washington, Metro Parks Tacoma was created in 1907 by a vote of the people as an independent municipal corporation separate from the City of Tacoma for the purpose of operating a system of parks and recreation facilities. Metro Parks is a special purpose district and is the largest of its kind in the state. Metro Parks desired a document that would set goals, standards, and strategies for developing a parks and recreation system that is responsive to community demands and also contributes to a built environment that advances health for people and the planet. The plan focused on transitioning Tacoma towards becoming a “city in a park” to reflect the intent of integrating MPT’s work with partners who share the same goals of healthy people and a healthy environment in Tacoma.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with Herrera and ETC Institute to perform the required work over an 11-month period. The team focused on defining a new level of service (LOS) methodology. To do so, Herrera gathered and synthesized available GIS data sets to develop both static and dynamic maps and visualization instruments pertaining to park access, environmental considerations, and equity. Zec Eight Insights performed detailed recreation program assessments, conducted stakeholder engagement opportunities, analyzed existing system documents, altered the park classification system, and facilitated strategic visioning workshops. ETC Institute provided their expertise in statistically valid surveying which resulted in 511 collected responses with a precision rate of +/- 4.3% at the 95% level of confidence.

What

The final System and Strategic Plan consolidates the former Mission-Led Comprehensive Program Plan and Facilities LOS Plan into one document. Also, the final document is now part of the City of Tacoma’s Comprehensive Plan for the first time, meaning the plan’s strategies are managed by the State’s Growth Management Act. This gives an extra boost to developing Tacoma as a city in a park.

Reference
Alisa O’Hanlon Regala, Strategic Planning Manager
Metro Parks Tacoma
(253) 244-4318
alisa.ohanlonregala@tacomaparks.com
4702 S 19th Street
Tacoma, WA 98405

Why

The City of Clemson Parks and Recreation Department’s focus is to provide the public, both residents and visitors, with unique recreation experiences. The city’s parks, open space, and recreation facilities contribute to the health of the community’s residents, enhance the integrity and quality of the natural environment, and attract visitors to the community, thereby contributing to local tourism and economic development. To optimize the city’s existing parks and recreation resources and assets, as well as strategically plan for the future, the city was interested in preparing a Strategic Master Plan.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with ETC Institute to develop the city’s first Strategic Master Plan in 10 years. Zec Eight Insights focused on setting up the department’s operations for the foreseeable future. With an expanding park system, and little to no investment in operations and maintenance personnel, a focus on establishing staffing standards, best practices, operational efficiencies, and funding directives highlighted the master planning process. Additionally, recreational assessments were conducted to determine the best path forward for the Town-Gown relationship between the city and Clemson University.

What

The final Strategic Master Plan develops the department’s first-ever capital improvement program (CIP). This is an important step forward for the city as Clemson Parks and Recreation is embarking on designing a new indoor recreation space to expand recreation program offerings. Additionally, the city is looking at new ways to decrease 10-minute walk service gaps within the community while simultaneously increasing the availability of non-motorized travel to help minimize traffic congestion.

Reference
Jay Bennett, Director
Clemson Parks and Recreation
(864) 624-1122
jbennett@cityofclemson.org
102 Nettles Park Road
Clemson, SC 29631

Why

In Indiana, communities must have a five-year Master Plan on file to be eligible for the Land and Water Conservation Fund monies established by Congress in 1964. In addition to meeting Indiana Department of Natural Resources guidelines, the Town desired to explore additional funding and revenue considerations, programmatic reach, and how to best balance existing system investment with new development.

HOW

The Master Plan process was separated into four phases:

1. Discovery. Data collection and review, internal stakeholder engagement, service area population analysis, parkland inventory and analysis, and program inventory and analysis.
2. Needs Assessment. External stakeholder engagement, industry best practices benchmark analysis, and gap analysis.
3. Strategic Development. Vision and mission alignment and action plan development.
4. Master Plan Finalization. Final presentations, final deliverables, and I-DNR and Park Board approvals.

What

The final Master Plan outlines specific strategies for operations, maintenance, programming, and financing in addition to project-specific capital investment/re-investment needs. Additionally, the Master Plan process coincided with the Town’s five-year update to the Recreation Impact Fee (RIF). As a result, funding and revenues strategies was a vital component as the Town prepares for an influx of continued population growth.

Reference
Will Lacey, MPA, CPRP, AFO, IMN
Assistant Town Manager & Parks Director
(317) 745-4180 x5101
wlacey@danvilleindiana.org
49 North Wayne Street
Danville, IN 46122

Why

Open Space and Recreation Plans (OSRPs) are required to be updated every seven years by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) through the Division of Conservation Services (DCA). OSRPs allow a municipality to maintain and enhance all the benefits of open space that together make up much of the character of the community and protect the “green infrastructure” of the community – water supply, land, working farms and forests, viable wildlife habitats, parks, recreation areas, trails, and greenways.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with Activitas to update Lexington’s OSRP. Zec Eight Insights focused on public engagement support through virtual meeting engagement, community context analysis through localized recreation trends and environmental justice area research, analysis of needs from the statistically valid community survey and stakeholder engagement, and development of management goals and objectives that would correspond to both the town and stakeholders’ preferred vision for open space.

What

The final OSRP was approved and provides the town with a seven-year action plan with detailed action steps related to eight goals: increase the efficacy of communication and collaboration with other Town departments, citizen groups, and neighboring communities; improve access to programs and facilities for people of all ages, abilities, identities, and backgrounds; provide a balance of activity and educational opportunities for all of Lexington’s citizens; allocate capital efficiently in order to maintain, preserve, and grow open space and recreational infrastructure for many years in the future; identify and establish open space management programs that will assure optimal maintenance and use of Town-owned lands; protect Lexington’s natural environment and resources, both within and beyond the borders of open space and recreational properties; enhance connectivity between open space and recreation areas to develop intermodal transportation opportunities through Lexington; and assess, acquire, and protect parcels that are important from an environmental, agricultural, recreational, or historical perspective.

Reference
Karen Mullins, Conservation Director
Town of Lexington
(781) 698-4501
kmullins@lexingtonma.gov
1625 Massachusetts Avenue
Lexington, MA 02420

Why

Located in the northeast corner of Indiana, Fort Wayne is the second largest city in the state, and 85^th largest in the country. As a result, Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation manages over 2,700 acres of park land, 87 parks, community centers, family aquatic centers, dog parks, a campground, theater, botanical conservatory, ice rink, and much more. In addition to being a requirement for Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant opportunities, Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation wanted to complete a Five-Year Master Plan to produce a much more comprehensive capital improvement plan effort.

HOW

Zec Eight Insights partnered with Designing Local for the planning process. Designing Local is a certified woman-owned business that helps communities create beautiful, functional places that engage and inspire. Together, the planning team analyzed park access, ALICE findings, levels of service, operational policies and procedures, financial projections, existing site conditions and constraints, and public engagement findings to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the Fort Wayne parks system.

What

The final Master Plan included the development of GIS base files, five-year capital improvement plan (CIP) project list, along with recommendations for operational investment, GIS management and integration, redefining levels of service, utilization of additional funding sources, land acquisition, and site planning considerations. Recommendations for both the built environment and operational planning enable Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation to be more successful with implementing action strategies and communicating with elected officials, staff, and the public.

Reference
Alec Johnson, Deputy Director
Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation
(260) 427-6425
alec.johnson@cityoffortwayne.org
705 East State Boulevard
Fort Wayne, IN 46805