Transcript Insert Title of Session - United States Tennis Association

Parks and Recreation
Karen Ford, National Manager, Tennis in the Parks
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Objectives:
Define mission, purpose and basic operation of park
and recreation department/agency.
Identify 3 issues important to park and recreation
departments/agencies.
List 5 questions to ask in order to help local
advocates work with their community and/or park
and recreation agency.
Task #1:
Answer the following questions:
What is the role, purpose or mission of a park and
recreation department/agency in a community, town,
or city?
Who are the decision-makers in the park and
recreation department/agency?
Where does a park and recreation agency get its
funding?
What role does the community play in the direction
of a park and recreation department/agency?
Task #2:
Think of your own community:
What are your current community needs or issues?
Which issues or needs impact the operation of your
local park and recreation agency?
Janesville, Wisconsin:
Bill Peyer – Local advocate, high school tennis coach
Looking for grant money to renovate Bond Park tennis
courts. 3 in disrepair and would like to add more.
City decided not to repair courts.
Park and Recreation Director said if you find money to
renovate they would be happy to accept.
A CTA exists, Janesville Tennis Association, Bill has not
engaged them.
Refurbished courts will assist Bill with his HS tennis
team and middle school tournaments.
Janesville is in the middle of revising their
Comprehensive Community Plan.
Janesville, Wisconsin:
What questions do you need to ask Bill?
Where can you find additional information to
help Bill?
Chandler, Arizona:
Proposal to convert tennis courts into Pickleball
courts
Read article
What questions do you have?
Where could you find additional information to help
a local tennis advocate reading this article?
What advice would you give a local tennis
advocate?
USTA/NRPA Tennis in the Parks Initiative
Tennis in the Parks is NOT a grant program
A strategic initiative designed to form partnerships
with each agency.
Assist any community eager to expand or improve
opportunities for the public to play.
Goal: Build long term partnerships with each agency
or community to foster sustainable programs.
Three Areas of Focus:
Programming
Infrastructure
Advocacy
Tennis in the Parks Initiative
Activate
Designate
Renew
Increased
Participation
Recognize
Engage
Questions & Comments
The Master Plan:
What it is, Why it’s important?
•The Master Plan serves as a guide for the future
development of a community. It takes a long view of how a
community should look and feel years from now. It defines
broad, city-wide goals for a community as well as specific
objectives and strategies.
•The Master Plan is a community’s “vision” for land use and
development through a specified period of time.
•In most cases, Master Plans must be revisited and
updated every 5-10 yrs, with assistance from professional
consultants, input from citizens and city staff.
Advocacy: Influencing Facility Development
in Public Parks and Recreation Departments
•Tennis advocacy should occur year round through informal
communications and relationship building with the Parks
and Recreation staff, Advisory Board members, and elected
officials.
•There are specific times for additional formal advocacy
during the development of capital projects.
•The determination of public recreation facilities to be
considered for development should be a very open and
public process.
Four Steps of Capital Project Development
1
Comprehensive Master Planning
2
Project Selection & Budgeting
3
Project Design & Development
4
Project Construction & Completion
Step 1: Comprehensive Master Planning
•Communities develop long range plans (15-20 years) for
parks and facilities to guide future development.
•Update these plans at 5 or 10 year intervals.
•In addition to a statistical basis for the plan, expressed
community interests and desires impact the plan.
•Tennis advocates must take the initiative to know the timing
for the development of the plan and actively engage by
attending all public meetings and providing input into the
plan.
•Request a special focus group meeting to occur during
needs assessment.
Step 1: Comprehensive Master Planning
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING &
RECOMMENDATION DEVELOPMENT
Needs Assessment
Take Inventory
Finalize Needs &
Establish Goals
Conduct
Public Survey
Review LOS*
Recommendation Development
Solicit
Public Input
Solicit
Advisory Group Input
Staff Review
Elected Officials Review
Master Plan Development
Renovations
* LOS = Levels of Service
New Parks
Greenways
Special-Use
Facilities
Acquisition
Projects
Step 2: Project Selection and Budgeting
•Annually, communities adopt a fiscal year budget which
includes an annual Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) and
a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), typically 5 years.
•This process is also a public process which allows tennis
advocates an opportunity to influence the inclusion of
funding for tennis facility development.
•Prior to the adoption of the budget, public hearings are
held.
•Tennis Advocates should follow the budget schedule
closely to advocate for their projects.
Step 2: Project Selection and Budgeting
•This budget process prioritizes project development.
•Prioritized projects that are not funded in the adopted CIB
are included in the CIP with the intention of funding in
upcoming years.
• While the Comprehensive Master Plan established a
“map” for development, the projects are reprioritized
annually and other projects might also be inserted.
Step 2: Project Selection and Budgeting
Master Plan Recommendations
• New Parks
• Renovations
• Special Use Facilities
• Greenways
• Open Space Acquisitions
Parks & Recreation
Program Staff
Maintenance Staff
Impacts of Other
Community Plans
Proposed FY
Project Request
Submission
Boards/Committees
Elected Officials/Citizen
Requests
Staff Recommended
CIB and CIP
Elected Officials Review
And Adoption of Annual CIB and CIP
Step 3: Project Design and Development
•The final determination of facilities to be included in a
funded park development project have not, most likely, been
absolutely determined. As an individual park project is
initiated, a site master plan is developed, again, through a
public process.
•If tennis facilities are already being considered, advocates
need to be present to assure that these facilities are not
replaced by other community recreation needs and to impact
the scope and scale of the proposed tennis facilities.
•If tennis facilities have not been considered, advocacy could
move them onto the “list” for consideration.
STEP 3: PROJECT DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT
DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
Input Process for Budgeted Projects
Staff
(Program, Maintenance,etc).
General Public Input
Advisory Board Input
(citizen committee)
Staff Assimilation of
Project Design/Development Input
Review Alternatives
Staff Recommends Design
and Development Solution
Committee Review
& Approval
Elected Officials
Review& Approval
Development of Design Specifications
Four Steps of Capital Project Development
1
Comprehensive Master Planning
2
Project Selection & Budgeting
3
Project Design & Development
4
Project Construction & Completion
Summary
1. Informal advocacy – relationship building - should occur
throughout the year.
2. Take the time to understand the way local government
operates.
3. Seize the opportunity to provide formal input at key public
meetings during every stage of the decision making
process.