RECOMMENDED SERVICE EFFORTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS (SEA) REPORTING INDICATORS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION

 The Urban Institute identifies the following objectives for parks and recreation services (Urban Institute 1992, pp. 36-37).

 Enjoyableness

• Avoidance of crowdness
• Physical Attractiveness
• Maintenance of facilities
• Safety
• Accessibility
• Variety of interesting activities
• Helpfulness of the staff

Recommended Performance Measures are by and large attained by a) by household or user survey; b) trained observer ratings; c) attendance statistics and estimates. They are as follows:

INPUTS

• Expenditures

  • Total

  • By program/activity

• Labor hours

  • Total

  • By program/activity

OUTPUTS

• Percentage of community households using (or not using) community park or recreational facilities at least over a specific past period, such as three months

• Number of visits at park and recreation sites

• Number of serious injuries (say, per 10,000 visits)

• Number of criminal incidents

• Percentage of facilities with one or more safety hazards

 OUTCOMES/QUALITY

• Percentage of households rating neighborhood park and recreation facilities as satisfactory

• Percentage of those households using community park or recreation facilities and programs who rate them as satisfactory

• Percentage of user households rating community households as too crowded

• Percentage of nonuser households giving crowded conditions as a reason for nonuse of facilities

• Average peak-hour attendance divided by capacity

• Percentage of user households rating physical attractiveness of neighborhood park and recreation facilities as satisfactory

• Percentage of nonuser households giving physical unattractiveness as a reason for nonuse of facilities

• Percentage of user households rating cleanliness as satisfactory

• Percentage of facilities whose cleanliness is rated satisfactory by a trained observer

• Percentage of user households rating the condition of facilities/equipment as satisfactory

• Percentage of parks and other recreation facilities whose physical condition is rated as satisfactory (by a trained observer). Ratings should also be presented for specific features--lawns, playing areas, rest rooms, benches and picnic tables, and so forth.

• Percentage of user households rating safety of facilities as satisfactory

• Percentage of non-user households giving lack of safety as a reason for nonuse of facilities

• Percentage of user households rating hours of operation as satisfactory

• percentage of nonuser households giving unsatisfactory operating hours as a reason for nonuse

• Percentage of user households rating the variety of program activities as satisfactory

• Percentage of nonuser households giving lack of program variety as a reason for nonuse

• Percentage of user households rating helpfulness or the attitude of the staff as satisfactory

• Percentage of nonuser households giving poor staff attitude as reason for nonuse

 EFFICIENCY

Ratio of inputs to outputs:

• Average dollar cost of a program per patron

• Average dollar cost of a program per satisfied patron

• Average dollar cost of maintenance of a unit of park area (acres, sq. feet, etc.)

Measures related to outcomes/quality:

• Number of facilities/equipment maintained in a "satisfactory" condition per dollar of expenditure

• Number of facilities maintained in a "satisfactory" clean condition per dollar of expenditure

 EXPLANATORY DATA

• Weather (degree days, etc.)

• Percentage of citizens living within (or not within) 15 to 30 minutes of travel time of a community park or recreation facility, distinguished by type of facility and principal relevant mode of transportation

• Percentage of user households rating accessibility as satisfactory

• Percentage of nonuser households giving poor physical accessibility as a reason for nonuse

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