FORNEY, Texas – The Forney City Council and the Parks and Recreation Board of Directors met on Tuesday night, February 25, 2014, to discuss a needs assessment and survey results from a citizen survey which will ultimately be used to shape a new Parks Master Plan.
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Approximately 650 people responded to the survey which was mailed to 5,000 homes within the Forney Independent School District boundaries and also available online. According to the presentation: 421 respondents lived inside city limits and 227 outside the city limits; 281 respondents lived north of U.S. Highway 80 and 367 lived south of U.S. Highway 80; and 421 surveys were done online and 227 were completed via mail.
The survey determined children and young adults in the 25 to 39 age group use the parks more frequently than any other age group. Overall, citizens were satisfied with existing parks, park facilities, programs and special events with the exception of Mulberry Park, Mulberry Park's softball and soccer complexes, Eastside Park, and Heritage Hill Park which they say “needs much improvement.”
If the city provided more opportunities, the top five survey results indicated people would be interested in aquatic programs, festivals, fitness classes and events, summer youth programs, and events at the Spellman Amphitheater. The top five results for needed facilities or amenities were for an aquatic center, a leisure outdoor pool, a community center, trails, and a dog park.
Not surprisingly, a swim facility appeared again in the next data set which was for the most needed athletic facilities of a list of choices. In the order they appeared, starting from the most requested, were practice athletic fields, baseball fields, a skate park, a competitive natatorium, and football fields.
Survey results showed an overwhelming request for an additional community park much like the Forney Community Park now which is classified as a park with 30 to 175 acres. Other top park type requests were neighborhood parks, athletic complexes, protected habitats and natural areas, and open space or passive areas.
Of a list of five funding options to develop and maintain the park and recreation facilities, respondents were strongly in favor of corporate advertising or naming rights – which the firms working on the Master Plan say is a difficult avenue. The four remaining options, in the order they appeared, were increased park dedication fees for future developers, voter approved bond programs, an increase in user fees, and the least popular option of increasing property taxes.
65 percent of all respondents were willing to pay some increase in property taxes, if this was the chosen funding mechanism. One-third of the respondents were willing to pay up to $50 per year in additional property taxes, 6.6 percent would pay up to $75, 17.7 percent would pay up to $100, 4.1 percent would pay up to $200, and 2 percent were willing to pay more than $200. Results for residents inside and outside of the city limits were almost identical.
A major issue raised by the different youth organization representatives present was the need for additional practice facilities for baseball, soccer, softball, and football. Phase II of the Forney Community Park includes additional game day baseball fields according to the current master plan – which was adopted in 2005.
Several options were suggested to help alleviate the practice field issue but further analysis of the numbers and funding options will need to be conducted and a new master plan approved before moving forward.
Two additional meetings are anticipated for city council members to provide input on the Parks Master Plan which will include additional comment from citizens. For a complete survey presentation click here.
The survey determined children and young adults in the 25 to 39 age group use the parks more frequently than any other age group. Overall, citizens were satisfied with existing parks, park facilities, programs and special events with the exception of Mulberry Park, Mulberry Park's softball and soccer complexes, Eastside Park, and Heritage Hill Park which they say “needs much improvement.”
If the city provided more opportunities, the top five survey results indicated people would be interested in aquatic programs, festivals, fitness classes and events, summer youth programs, and events at the Spellman Amphitheater. The top five results for needed facilities or amenities were for an aquatic center, a leisure outdoor pool, a community center, trails, and a dog park.
Not surprisingly, a swim facility appeared again in the next data set which was for the most needed athletic facilities of a list of choices. In the order they appeared, starting from the most requested, were practice athletic fields, baseball fields, a skate park, a competitive natatorium, and football fields.
Survey results showed an overwhelming request for an additional community park much like the Forney Community Park now which is classified as a park with 30 to 175 acres. Other top park type requests were neighborhood parks, athletic complexes, protected habitats and natural areas, and open space or passive areas.
Of a list of five funding options to develop and maintain the park and recreation facilities, respondents were strongly in favor of corporate advertising or naming rights – which the firms working on the Master Plan say is a difficult avenue. The four remaining options, in the order they appeared, were increased park dedication fees for future developers, voter approved bond programs, an increase in user fees, and the least popular option of increasing property taxes.
65 percent of all respondents were willing to pay some increase in property taxes, if this was the chosen funding mechanism. One-third of the respondents were willing to pay up to $50 per year in additional property taxes, 6.6 percent would pay up to $75, 17.7 percent would pay up to $100, 4.1 percent would pay up to $200, and 2 percent were willing to pay more than $200. Results for residents inside and outside of the city limits were almost identical.
A major issue raised by the different youth organization representatives present was the need for additional practice facilities for baseball, soccer, softball, and football. Phase II of the Forney Community Park includes additional game day baseball fields according to the current master plan – which was adopted in 2005.
Several options were suggested to help alleviate the practice field issue but further analysis of the numbers and funding options will need to be conducted and a new master plan approved before moving forward.
Two additional meetings are anticipated for city council members to provide input on the Parks Master Plan which will include additional comment from citizens. For a complete survey presentation click here.