MOORE IACOFANO GOLTSMAN, INC. 199 E. 5TH AVENUE, SUITE 33 EUGENE, OR 97401 541.683.3193 www.migcom.com park and recreation master plan May 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...............................................................1 Planning Process 2 Planning Area 3 Planning Context 3 Public Involvement 7 Report Organization 8 CHAPTER 2: EXISTING PARKS AND FACILITIES..............................11 Parkland Classification 11 Summary of Existing Parkland 13 Summary of Recreation Facilities 17 CHAPTER 3: NEEDS ASSESSMENT...............................................21 Needs Assessment Survey 21 Community Fair 30 Recreation Providers Focus Group 31 Timber Linn Focus Group 33 Technical Advisory Committee 36 Organized Sports Providers Questionnaire 37 Needs Assessment Terminology 38 Summary of Parkland Needs 39 Summary of Recreation Facility Needs 42 CHAPTER 4: DESIGN GUIDELINES................................................47 General Planning and Design Policies 47 Park Design and Development Guidelines 49 CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDATIONS...............................................61 Park System 61 Pathways and Trails 76 Recreation Facilities 81 Additional Recommendations 86 CHAPTER 6: IMPLEMENTATION....................................................89 Capital Projects 89 Financing Strategy 94 Maintenance and Operations Costs 97 Funding Sources 99 BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................105 APPENDICES Appendix A: Park and Recreation Facility Inventory Appendix B: City of Albany Parks Appendix C: Estimated Costs for Priority Projects LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1: Planning Process Figure 1.2: Albany Planning Area Figure 2.1: Existing Park and Recreation Resources Figure 3.1: Neighborhood Park Service Areas Figure 5.1: Proposed Park System LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: Inventory of City Parkland Table 2.2: Summary of Recreation Facilities Table 3.1: Recreation Participation Table 3.2: Preferred Activities and Latent Demand Table 3.3: Opportunities and Constraints Table 3.4: Population Data Used in the Analysis Table 3.5: Parkland Standards and Anticipated Need Table 3.6: Facility Guidelines and Anticipated Needs Table 6.1: Capital Projects and Priorities Table 6.2: Potential Revenue Sources Table 6.3: Suggested 5-Year Capital Facilities Plan Table 6.4: Summary of Costs by Type of Expenditure Table 6.5: Maintenance and Operational Expenses ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CITY OF ALBANY PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM Ed Hodney, Park and Recreation Director Katie Nooshazar, Recreation Services Manager Dick Conolly, Park Maintenance Manager CITY COUNCIL Chuck McLaran, Mayor Jeff Christman Doug Killin Sharon Konopa Bessie Johnson Dick Olsen Ralph Reid, Jr. TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Ed Hodney, Chair Russ Allen Dan Arkin Jim Asleson Rick Barnett Brian Carroll Margo Coleman Dick Conolly Jean Fields Sarah Giboney Mike Graham Ryan Graves Lori Hickey Jimmie Lucht Erika Martin Sharon Martin-Mogg Katie Nooshazar Rosa Plascencia Ed Spencer SPECIAL THANKS Special thanks are offered to the citizens of Albany and local service providers who participated in the community fair, surveys, focus groups, and public meetings to provide input throughout the planning process. We sincerely appreciate the efforts of City staff who played a critical role in providing data and comments for this plan. Prepared by: 199 East 5th Avenue, Suite #33 Eugene, OR 97401 541-683-3193 Sally McIntyre, Principal-in-Charge Cindy Mendoza, Project Manager Jerry Draggoo, Finance Robert Litt, Project Associate Andrea Goldsberry, Project Associate EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Park & Recreation Master Plan Update vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In Spring 2005, the City of Albany began updating its Park and Recreation Master Plan to address the park, recreation, and service needs of the community for the next 10 years. This plan describes a strategy for meeting current and future needs, based on a vision set forth by the community about what recreation opportunities and park experiences they wanted, needed, and preferred. Albany has a strong park system with a neighborhood or community park in nearly every neighborhood zone, providing diverse recreation experiences with facilities such as playgrounds, picnic shelters, sports fields, and open grass areas. Trail corridors and natural areas add opportunities for walking, biking, and watching wildlife, while preserving significant natural resources. At the same time, city-wide parks, such as Monteith Park and Timber Linn Park, offer signficant special events that draw people together and foster a sense of community. Riverfront parks and urban spaces further enhance the system, providing river access and green space in more densely developed areas of the city. The City will build on this foundation of parks and faciltilities to provide recreation opportunities for the entire community, even as Albany’s population continues to grow and age. In order to achieve this goal, community collaboration, partnerships, and coordinated planning will be needed. By working together, recreation providers within the city can create a safe and easily accessible park and recreation system designed to serve all ages, all abilities, and all residents who seek healthy, fun, and social opportunties for recreation and leisure. PLANNING PROCESS The Master Plan provides recommendations, guidelines, and a financing plan for renovating, acquiring, and developing City parks and facilties to meet community-wide recreation needs. The master planning process included three phases: • Identifying community needs; • Creating a vision for the future park system; and • Developing recommendations and a detailed action plan to implement priority projects. Public involvement was a major component of the planning process, and the key findings of the plan reflect community recreation preferences and needs. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY viii Park & Recreation Master Plan Update EXISTING PARKS AND FACILITIES The park system in Albany consists of a variety of parkland, recreation facilities, and natural areas. The City of Albany is the primary provider of parks within the planning area. The City owns and/or manages approximately 603 acres of parkland at 32 sites, providing diverse facilities to support a variety of recreation opportunities and activities. Parks include the following: • 20 neighborhood parks; • 1 community park; • 2 citywide parks; • 2 trail corridors/greenways; • 2 natural areas; • 2 riverfront parks; and • 3 urban open spaces. In addition, other entities such as Linn County, Benton County, the State of Oregon, and Greater Albany Public Schools (GAPS) provide nearly 475 acres of park, recreation, natural areas, and open space within the Albany planning area. The City of Albany is also a significant provider of recreation and sport facilities, but it cannot meet community needs alone. The Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, and GAPS all provide facilities that are vital to organized sports, youth and adult activities within the community. Together, these organizations support the inventory summarized in Chapter 2. NEEDS ASSESSMENT The purpose of the Needs Assessment is to establish in quantifiable terms the community’s need for parkland and recreation facilities in Albany. These needs, presented as standards for parkland and guidelines for recreation facilities, are based on public demand for recreation opportunities. From these standards and guidelines, current and future acreage and facility needs can be calculated. Chapter 3 presents the key findings from the public involvement activities held during the planning process, which were instrumental in identifying park and facility needs. These activities provided opportunities for City residents to participate in the master planning process and encouraged feedback from as many people as possible: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Park & Recreation Master Plan Update ix • Needs Assessment Survey • Community Fair • Recreation Providers Focus Group • Timber Linn Focus Group • Technical Advisory Committee • Organized Sports Provider Questionnaire Chapter 3 summarizes the results of the needs assessment. The analysis reveals a need for five neighborhood parks in identified neighborhood zones that are currently unserved. The City also will need one community park to help satisfy growing needs for several types of recreation opportunities and facilities in Albany, including sports fields, picnic shelters/pavilions, a dog park, and open space for family and children’s activities. No specific needs are identified for other park types, although the City should identify and acquire critical resource areas throughout the city. In addition, the City of Albany has a current need for the following recreation facilities: football fields, gymnasiums, outdoor basketball courts, pathways and trails, picnic shelters, play areas, a skate park, and an indoor recreation facility. By the year 2015, the need for these types of recreational facilities will have grown substantially. Of these, perhaps the most significant demand is for trails and pathways, which was noted in nearly all public involvement venues and in national, state, and local trends. According to the results of the needs assessment, Albany needs approximately 7.5 miles of trails currently and will need over 9.5 miles in the year 2015. DESIGN GUIDELINES The strength of a successful park system is that it provides a variety of park types and recreation opportunities throughout the community to encourage recreation participation from as many residents as possible. The ideal park system will provide an array of park sites with amenities and facilities appropriate to the unique landscape of Albany. Site selection, park design, and development should support the function and purpose of each park type to ensure that diverse recreation opportunities are provided and community recreation needs are met. This will provide a more efficient park system and minimize the potential for conflicts between different interest groups. Chapter 4 presents general design policies that will guide all park planning, along with design and development guidelines specific to the various park types in Albany. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY x Park & Recreation Master Plan Update RECOMMENDATIONS Chapter 5 describes the recommended park system for Albany, which is based on providing recreation experiences on a variety of scales. Recommendations for park renovation, site acquisition, and development are noted for each existing and proposed park. Special attention is given to pathways and trails, sport and recreation facilities, and strategies for non-capital projects. Recommendations include: • Serving underserved areas: The plan recommends developing an additional community park in south Albany in the next five years and four additional neighborhood parks to serve Neighborhood Areas 4, 5, 13, and 22. The development of new parks will ensure that all City residents have accessible recreation opportunities. • Renovating and revitalizing parks and facilities: This plan recommends improvements to existing parks on a site-by-site basis. In some cases, renovated parks will include new facilities that provide additional recreation opportunities to meet growing community needs. Renovations will improve playground safety, expand opportunities for picnicking, and meet community needs for a dog park, new skate park, outdoor basketball courts, etc. • Connecting parks and increasing opportunities for trail- related recreation: Six new trails are recommended in this plan for development by the year 2015. Two are considered priority trails and are proposed for development in the next five years. These trails will help connect parks to key destinations and provide increased opportunities for walking, jogging, biking, rollerblading, wildlife watching, etc. • Meeting community needs for sport facilities: Albany is an active community, where sports and athletic activities are important recreational pursuits. Highlights for citywide sports include building a new soccer field complex at the proposed community park and seven new baseball/softball diamonds at Timber Linn Park. Recommendations include maximizing partnerships, strengthening facility use agreements, and considering joint facility improvements and maintenance. • Adding major recreation facilities: Albany needs a large community center to draw people together and to provide indoor programming space. City residents have high participation rates in indoor swimming, which means they will outgrow the Albany Community Pool within the 10-year planning horizon. This plan recommends that the City conduct a feasibility study to see how key partnerships and coordinated planning can increase indoor recreation and swimming opportunities in Albany. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Park & Recreation Master Plan Update xi IMPLEMENTATION In Chapter 6, an implementation strategy is identified for funding the improvements recommended in the Park and Recreation Plan. It includes a list of priority capital projects and a short-term, 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for implementation. This CIP provides a detailed, realistic list of proposed capital improvements that can be funded over the next five years. The table below summarizes the estimated costs of the highest priority projects to be implemented in the next five years. Summary of Costs by Type of Expenditure Albany Planning Area Expenditure Estimated Cost 1 Planning $150,000 Land Acquisition $2,480,000 New Park/Facility Development $4,228,954 Renovation/Restoration of Existing Sites $2,629,750 Total $9,488,704 1 Estimated costs reflect 2005 dollars. Actual amounts will be altered by inflation. The City’s strategy for financing priority capital improvements is a basic pay-as-you-go approach involving funds provided by System Development Charges (SDCs), grants, donations, and annual expenditures from the City’s Park and Recreation Operating Budget (which supports capital facilities). Adding new park sites and facilities to Albany’s existing park system will increase maintenance costs. This plan presents anticipated annual maintenance costs for the proposed park system at the current level of service ($4,500 per developed acre, with $250 per acre for natural areas). It also suggests a maintenance level that is more in line with the maintenance needs of Albany’s park system and the service levels in other Oregon communities ($5,500 per acre, with $1,200 per acre for natural areas). Maintenance costs may run approximately $2,850,000 at the higher level of service. To supplement existing funding sources, the plan lists a number of possible resources for funding programs, non-capital projects, park and facility acquisition, development, and maintenance. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 1 INTRODUCTION In Spring 2005, the City of Albany began updating its Park and Recreation Master Plan to address the park, recreation, and service needs of the community for the next 10 years. This plan describes a strategy for meeting future needs, providing direction for the provision of parks and recreation services city-wide. In the past, the City has shown great vision in acquiring and developing parks that have become major community assets. As a result, Albany has a strong park system centered on neighborhood and community parks, which provide a variety of recreation experiences, such as playing on playgrounds, picnicking, and participating in sports. Natural areas and greenways provide opportunities for walking, biking, and watching wildlife. At the same time, city-wide parks, such as Monteith Park and Timber Linn Park, offer signficant special events that draw people together and foster a sense of community. Riverfront parks and urban spaces further enhance the system, providing river access and green space in more densely developed areas of the city. As Albany’s population continues to grow and age, the City will build on this foundation of parks and faciltilities to provide recreation opportunities for the entire community. However, two things are clear: 1) Albany will need more recreation facilities than the City currently offers; and 2) the City will find it increasingly difficult to meet all community needs alone, particulary for sports fields and indoor activity space. The City is well-aware of these challenges and has already begun setting a plan in motion to address them. The City’s future is changing. The new vision for parks and recreation is one of community collaboration and partnerships. Coordinated planning will be needed to create a sustainable community system for the provision of recreation services and facilities in to the future. This innovative process will include collaborative visioning, communication, planning, and in some instances, even joint funding. The City is poised to lead this change. Albany has several successful recreation service providers, such as the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA, and various jurisdictions, including Greater Albany Public Schools (GAPS), Linn County, and Benton County, who can help meet increasing needs for high-quality, community-scale recreation facilities. By working together, these groups can create a safe and easily accessible park and recreation system to serve all ages, all abilities, all interests, and everyone in Albany who seeks healthy, fun, social opportunties for recreation and leisure. CHAPTER 1 2 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 1.1 PLANNING PROCESS The goal of the Park and Recreation Master Plan is to provide recommendations, strategies, and a financing plan for renovating, acquiring, and developing City parks and facilties to meet community- wide recreation needs. Figure 1.1 introduces the three-part planning process that was established to meet this goal. • Phase I: Needs Assessment: Public opinion, recreation patterns, and perceived community needs were measured through several public involvement activities, including a city-wide recreation survey, community fair, sport group questionnaire, focus group meetings, and advisory committee meetings. In Phase I, key findings from these public involvement opportunities were supplemented by a technical analysis of park and recreation resources to determine community needs for parkland, open space, and recreation facilities. • Phase II: Vision Formulation: Based on findings of the needs assessment, members of the Technical Advisory Committee and key staff identified a vision for parks and recreation services in Albany. Phase II involved identifying and refining a list of priorities for parks, natural areas, and recreation facilities based on this vision. • Phase III: Plan Development: In Phase III, recommendations were developed for improving existing parks, implementing projects and programs, and acquiring and developing new parks, trails, and recreational facilities. In addition, a financial strategy was recommended to implement these projects. Phase III involved creating a draft Master Plan for committee, staff, and community review. The final Plan incorporated comments from these groups. Figure 1.1: Planning Process Plan Development Needs Assessment Vision Formulation Master Planning Process Spring/Summer 2005 Winter 05/Spring 06 Fall 2005 CHAPTER 1 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 3 1.2 PLANNING AREA The planning area for the Park and Recreation Master Plan extends beyond City limits to include all land within the City’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). In addition, it includes Takena Landing and Simpson Park, which are located along the Willamette River partially outside the UGB. Figure 1.2 illustrates the planning area. The City of Albany provides the majority of parks, facilities, recreation programs and services within this planning area. However, residents also benefit from parks, facilities, and programs provided by other public agencies and private organizations in Albany. A variety of recreation facilities are contributed by these organizations: • Linn County • Benton County • State of Oregon • Linn-Benton Community College • Greater Albany Public School District 8J • YMCA • Boys & Girls Club • Simpson Timber Company • Homeowners & Neighborhood Associations 1.3 PLANNING CONTEXT The City of Albany is located in the Central Willamette Valley at the confluence of the Willamette and Calapooia Rivers. Albany lies just 45 miles north of Eugene, 69 miles south of Portland, and 24 miles south of Salem, Oregon’s state capital. The city is connected to nearby areas via Interstate 5, US Highway 99E, Highway 20, and the railroad. The city is situated within two counties: Linn County on the south side of the Willamette River and Benton County on the north side of the river. Albany is the county seat of Linn County. Albany is surrounded by several communities whose residents also may use the City’s recreation facilities. These include: • Millersburg (4 miles from Albany, population 760) • Lebanon (15 miles from Albany, population 13,550) • Corvallis (11 miles from Albany, population 52,590) CHAPTER 1 4 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Albany is a thriving community of businesses, industry, and agriculture. Industries such as wood products, food processing, and manufactured home production are located there. Albany also is known as the rare metals capitol of the world, due to the number of companies that produce zirconium, hafnium, and titanium. According to the Visitors Association, the top ten employers in Albany include: • Allvac (formerly Wah Chang) (specialty metals) 1100 employees • Greater Albany Public Schools 950 employees • Weyerhauser (wood/paper products) 735 employees • Linn County 700 employees • Linn-Benton Community College 510 employees • Albany General Hospital 500 employees • Georgia Pacific (paper products) 437 employees • Target Distribution Center 440 employees • Golden West Homes 400 employees • City of Albany 391 employees The Hewlett-Packard Company, located in Corvallis, is also a major employer in the area, supporting as many as 4800 employees. The terrain in Albany consists of a mixture of level flatlands and moderate hillsides. The majority of the city is located on the south side of the Willamette River and is relatively flat. On the north side of the Willamette River, the topography is characterized by rolling hills with views of the Willamette Valley. Land adjacent to both the Willamette and Calapooia Rivers is lowland that is subject to severe flooding, such as occurred in 1996. Other significant water features in the area include Oak Creek, the Albany/Santiam Canal, Periwinkle Creek, Cox Creek, Burkhart Creek, and Truax Creek. Albany has several identified wetlands. Like floodplains, wetlands are often opportunity areas for parks and recreation. These areas can be used as a resource for recreation or as open space, interpretive areas, or scenic areas. The climate in Albany is characterized as relatively mild with four distinct seasons. In general, the climate is wet and cool in the winters and warm and dry in the summers. Annual precipitation averages 42 inches, and monthly averages in temperature range from 33-81°F. CHAPTER 1 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 5 Insert Figure 1.2: Planning Area CHAPTER 1 6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Blank page CHAPTER 1 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 7 Demographically, Albany is a growing and aging community. With an estimated 2005 population of 47,145 persons within its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), Albany is the 12th largest City in Oregon. The city has grown quickly, averaging 37.9% for each of the last four decades. Currently, the City estimates that Albany is growing at an average rate of 1.4% annually and will continue to grow at this rate until the year 2020. According to the Albany Community Development Department, the population in Albany will increase to 53,493 residents within the 10- year planning horizon for this Master Plan (the year 2015). These numbers were calculated based on the anticipated infill in Albany neighborhoods in areas within the Urban Growth Boundary through the year 2030. Similar to population trends nationwide, Albany’s population continues to age. The median age for city residents was 34.6 in 2000. The percentage of the population age 45 and over is projected go grow from 35% in 2000 to 40% in 2010 and even to 44% in 2020. The trend will affect the level of recreation participation for many individuals in Albany, including their choices for programming and facility use. 1.4 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT To develop a solid foundation for the Park and Recreation Master Plan and to understand the recreation preferences and needs of all City residents, the planning process involved public input though several community involvement activities: • Needs Assessment Survey: A statistically valid survey designed to elicit information about recreation interests, behavior, attitudes, and participation was conducted in Albany between April and June 2005. A total of 305 questionnaires were completed by City residents, which is sufficient to represent all City residents with a 95% confidence level and less than 5.6% variation in results. • Community Fair: A Park and Recreation Community Fair was held on Saturday, April 2, 2005, at Heritage Mall in conjunction with Super Fitness Saturday, the Shape Up Across Oregon Kick- Off, and the KGAL/KSHO Family Living Expo. Because the fair was part of these popular events, over 300 residents who may not otherwise have participated in the Plan update answered questions about their recreation preferences. • Organized Sports Questionnaire: Representatives from 13 sports organizations responded to questionnaires regarding teams in the Albany area and their facility needs. CHAPTER 1 8 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Recreation Providers Focus Group: Seven private providers and five City staff met on June 22, 2005, to discuss park and recreation services, service gaps, and programming and facility needs in Albany. • Timber Linn Focus Group: Twenty-two focus group participants identified community needs that could be addressed through park improvements at Timber Linn Park. This meeting, held on July 11, 2005, was a follow-up to three public workshops held in Fall 2004 to discuss the re-design and development of the site. The planning process also included input and review by two advisory groups: • Technical Advisory Committee (TAC): Members of the Technical Advisory Committee met three times during the planning process to discuss their vision for the Albany park and recreation system and priorities for renovation and development. Committee members also reviewed key reports in the development of the Master Plan. • Key City Staff: The director, managers, and coordinators from the Park and Recreation Department met twice during the planning process to provide direction for the development of the Master Plan. These staff represented the following service areas: park maintenance, recreation, sports, seniors, and youth and family. In total, over 650 Albany residents were involved in the development of the Master Plan. 1.5 REPORT ORGANIZATION The Park and Recreation Master Plan is organized into six chapters and three appendices: • Chapter 1: Introduction describes the purpose of the report, the planning process, planning area, planning context, public involvement activities, and the organization of this document. • Chapter 2: Existing Parks and Facilities updates the City’s classification system for parkland and summarizes the City’s current inventory of parks and recreation facilities. • Chapter 3: Needs Assessment presents key findings from the community needs assessment process and summarizes park and recreation facility needs in Albany. CHAPTER 1 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 9 • Chapter 4: Design Guidelines presents guidelines for the site selection, design, and development of City of Albany parks. • Chapter 5: Recommendations identifies recommendations for improving existing parks and acquiring and developing new parks, trails, and facilities in Albany. Additional strategies are suggested for implementing non-capital projects, programs, and partnerships. • Chapter 6: Implementation describes a 5-year Capital Improvement Plan along with financing strategies for priority capital projects. • Appendix A: Park and Recreation Facility Inventory presents the current inventory of parkland and recreation facilities within the Albany Planning Area. • Appendix B: City of Albany Parks provides a brief description of each City park, including location, size, development status, and existing facilities. • Appendix C: Estimated Costs for Priority Projects provides a detailed breakdown of costs for all Priority I and II projects by park, by task, and by category (planning, acquisition, development, contingency, A/E fees). During the Master Plan update, several reports were prepared to document critical components of the planning process. These reports were published under separate covers and are available from the Park and Recreation Department: • Existing Parks and Facilities, May 2005 • Needs Assessment Survey, July 2005 • Community Needs Assessment, August 2005 The Park and Recreation Master Plan was updated concurrently with the development of the Timber Linn Park Master Plan. The following Timber Linn documents are also available from the Park and Recreation Department: • Timber Linn Site Analysis and Vision, September 2005 • Timber Linn Master Plan, March 2006 CHAPTER 2 EXISTING PARKS AND FACILITIES CHAPTER 2 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 11 EXISTING PARKS AND FACILITIES The City of Albany is the primary provider of parkland and recreation facilities within Albany. This chapter identifies the City’s current park and recreation resources and describes the parkland classification system used to categorize and analyze specific park sites. It includes an overview of the inventory of City-owned or City-managed park sites, along with an inventory of specific recreation facilities within the Albany Planning Area. A more detailed account of parks and recreation facilities is provided in Appendix A. 2.1 PARKLAND CLASSIFICATION The most effective park system to develop and manage is one made up of different types of parks, open space areas, and recreational venues, each designed to provide a specific type of recreation experience or opportunity. A park system that is classified and used properly is easier to maintain, encounters fewer conflicts between user groups, and minimizes negative impacts on adjoining neighbors. A good park classification system also helps assess what facilities are available for current use and what types of parks will be needed to serve the community in the future. In order to assess Albany’s park system and to evaluate specific parkland needs, parks have been divided into the following categories: • Neighborhood Parks: Neighborhood parks provide close-to- home recreation opportunities primarily for non-supervised, non- organized recreation activities. These parks typically range from 2 to 20 acres, although a site may be larger if significant natural resource land is incorporated into the park. Facilities found in neighborhood parks may include children's playgrounds, picnic areas, trails, tennis or basketball courts, minimal parking, and sports practice fields. Neighborhood parks are often located next to elementary schools. • Community Parks: Community parks provide primarily active and structured recreation opportunities on sites designed to serve several neighborhoods, but these parks do not have the capacity to accommodate usage by the entire jurisdiction. Community parks may range from 20 to 75 acres in size, depending on the spatial requirements of the facilities provided and the amount of land dedicated to natural resource protection. Typical development may include fields for competitive sports, trail systems or trailheads to the City’s trail network, group picnic areas, and many elements associated with neighborhood parks. While a community park may be proximate to a neighborhood, it is designed primarily as a “drive-to” park rather than a “walk-to” park. CHAPTER 2 12 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Citywide Parks: Citywide parks offer the most diverse and/or unique recreation opportunities in the Albany park system. These parks are designed to serve the entire jurisdiction with features that also are intended to attract visitors to the city, generating substantial economic benefit. Citywide parks may include multi- sports or tournament-level single sport complexes, outdoor amphitheaters, large community/recreation centers, and large- capacity outdoor festival grounds. Citywide parks also typically are supported by nearby food services, lodging and other services necessary to accommodate extended use of the park by out-of- town guests. Because of the diverse and unique offerings, citywide parks typically contain more open space and support facilities such as paved parking lots, restroom buildings, and in- park food and beverage services. • Trail Corridors/Greenways: This category includes developed, landscaped corridors and more natural, less-developed greenways that follow linear features such as abandoned railroad rights-of-way, canals, power lines, creeks and streams, and other elongated features. This type of space usually contains trails, viewpoints, and seating areas. • Natural Areas: Natural areas may preserve or protect environmentally sensitive areas, such as wildlife habitats, stream and creek corridors, or unique and/or endangered plant species. Public access may be limited at these sites, which often include wetlands, steep hillsides, or other similar spaces. Some natural areas may be managed secondarily to provide passive recreation opportunities. These sites may contain trails, interpretative displays, viewpoints, and seating areas. • Riverfront Parks: The primary function of this type of park is to provide public access to the Willamette and Calapooia Rivers in Albany. Such public lands include river access points for boating, swimming, or fishing. Riverfront parks vary in size, from single access points (boat ramps or docks) to larger sites. Large riverfront parks can provide a wide variety of facilities, such as picnic areas and shelters, trails, and swimming or fishing areas. Riverfront parks may also include significant natural areas. • Urban Open Space: Urban open spaces are typically smaller than one acre and have limited recreation value. These spaces may include smaller plazas that provide social gathering space, landscaped open space in high-density or commercial areas, beautification areas such as landscaped street islands or medians, downtown performance space, and public art and fountains. CHAPTER 2 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 13 2.2 SUMMARY OF EXISTING PARKLAND The park system in Albany consists of a variety of parkland, recreation facilities, and natural areas. The City of Albany is the primary provider of parks within the Albany planning area. The City owns and/or manages approximately 603 acres of parkland at 32 sites, consisting of 20 neighborhood parks, one community park, two citywide parks, two trail corridors/greenways, two natural areas, two riverfront parks, and three urban open spaces (Table 2.1). Figure 2.1 illustrates the location of these parks and facilities. Other providers, including Linn County, Benton County, the State of Oregon, and Greater Albany Public Schools provide approximately 475 acres of additional parkland, recreation facilities, natural areas, and open space within the planning area. This acreage is noted in Appendix A. Table 2.1 Inventory of City Parkland Albany Planning Area City Parkland Acres Classification Bowman Park 26.00 Riverfront Park Bryant Park 71.74 Community Park Burkhart Park 1.90 Neighborhood Park Burkhart Square 0.15 Urban Open Space Dave Clark Riverfront Path 5.00 Trail/Greenway Deerfield Park 11.67 Neighborhood Park Draper Park 5.18 Neighborhood Park Eades Park 1.40 Neighborhood Park Eleanor Hackleman Park 3.51 Neighborhood Park Gibson Hill Park 6.60 Neighborhood Park Grand Prairie Park 9.49 Neighborhood Park Hazelwood Park 2.92 Neighborhood Park Henderson Park 0.44 Neighborhood Park Lehigh Park 5.12 Neighborhood Park Lexington Park 10.00 Neighborhood Park Maple Lawn Park 2.00 Neighborhood Park Monteith Riverpark 6.27 Citywide Park Oak Creek Greenbelt 52.29 Natural Area CHAPTER 2 14 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Table 2.1 (continued) Parkland Acres Classification ODOT Couplet 1.89 Urban Open Space Periwinkle Park 7.14 Neighborhood Park Periwinkle Creek Bike Path 9.09 Trail/Greenway Pineway Park 1.01 Neighborhood Park Riverview Heights Park 1.75 Neighborhood Park Simpson Park 1 129.00 Natural Area Spring Meadows Park 1.80 Neighborhood Park Sunrise Park 3.16 Neighborhood Park Swanson Park 3.16 Neighborhood Park Takena Park 3.00 Neighborhood Park Takena Landing Park 2 71.92 Riverfront Park Teloh Calapooia Park 28.70 Neighborhood Park Timber Linn Park 100.14 Citywide Park Waverly Park 19.81 Urban Open Space Total City Areas 603.25 1 Simpson Park contains an additional 39 acres that are owned by the State of Oregon. The 129 acres noted here are owned by the Simpson Timber Company but leased to the City as part of a conservation easement. 2 Takena Landing Park contains an additional 30 acres that are owned by the State of Oregon. The parks noted above provide diverse facilities to support a variety of recreation opportunities and activities. Appendix B notes the recreation amenities and facilities within each park. CHAPTER 2 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 15 Insert Figure 2.1 Existing Park and Recreation Resources Map CHAPTER 2 16 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Blank page CHAPTER 2 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 17 2.3 SUMMARY OF RECREATION FACILITIES Albany offers a variety of recreation facilities. In order to assess community needs, facilities have been categorized and counted using the following definitions: • Sport Facilities: These facilities are suitable for game play. Sport facilities include: • Baseball Fields: Regulation baseball fields should meet the following definitions: Outfield dimensions: 320' minimum, 90' baselines, grass infield; permanent backstop and support facilities. Youth fields may have outfield dimensions of 200'+ and 60' baselines. Grass infields are not required. • Softball Fields: Regulation softball fields should meet the following definitions: Slow pitch outfield dimensions: (women) 250' minimum or (men) 275' minimum; fast pitch outfield dimensions: 225' minimum; 60' baselines; skinned infield; permanent backstop and support facilities. • Soccer Fields: Field dimensions are typically within this range: 195' - 225' by 330' - 360'; grass or all weather surfacing; permanent or portable goals. Fields used for youth play may be smaller than the noted dimensions. • Football Fields: Regulation football fields should meet the following dimensions: 160' x 360' with permanent goals. • Gymnasiums: These facilities should have appropriate court dimensions for the sport and adequate dimensions outside the court for safe play. Playing surface should be of resilient flooring. • Outdoor Recreation Facilities: These facilities include: • Basketball Courts: Outdoor basketball courts may be full or half-court configurations. • Pathways and Trails: Trails can be soft-surfaced (permeable) or hard-surfaced (with varying degrees of permeability). Examples of soft surfaces include soil, crushed rock, and wood chips. Hardened surfaces include asphalt (permeable or impermeable); concrete; crushed rock or soil stabilized with resin products or cement; open or solid masonry, and boardwalks. Soft surfaces do not provide accessibility for people with disabilities, but are preferable for some recreation activities, such as running. Most hardened CHAPTER 2 18 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update surfaces are accessible with the exception of some masonry surfaces. Hard-surfaced, multi-use pathway designs may incorporate adjacent soft-surfaced paths for running or equestrian use. • Picnic Shelters/Pavilions: These facilities include both small shelters (capacity of 10-25 people) and larger group facilities (26-100+ people). Picnic shelters/pavilions may have access to utilities and typically include a variety of support facilities, such as barbecues, drinking fountains, and trash receptacles. • Play Areas: Children’s play areas may be a variety of sizes and configurations. These facilities may contain one or multiple design components. Playgrounds can also be designed to incorporate thematic play areas that focus on interpretive and educational elements. • Skate Parks: Skate parks may have elaborate pipes and ramps or more limited features. Skate parks can be located independently, but these facilities are typically part of other parks. • Tennis Courts: Tennis courts should have appropriate dimensions, fencing, and surfacing with a color coat. Tennis courts are often constructed in pairs or groupings of four. • Other Facilities: Other facilities include: • Swimming Pools: Swimming pools may be indoor or outdoor facilities, with appropriate dimensions and amenities for their intended use (recreation or competitive swimming). Pools may include recreation components, such as water slides and spray features. • Indoor Recreation Centers: Indoor centers, as defined in this plan, are large, multi-purpose facilities that serve all age groups. These facilities may be located as stand-alone facilities or incorporated into an existing park. Table 2.2 summarizes the inventory of recreational facilities provided within the Albany planning area. A complete inventory of facilities by type is presented in Appendix A. CHAPTER 2 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 19 Table 2.2 Summary of Recreation Facilities Albany Planning Area Facility Total Inventory Sport Facilities Baseball Fields 23 Softball Fields 9 Soccer Fields 24 1 Football Fields 6 Gymnasiums 19 Outdoor Recreation Facilities Basketball Courts 14 Pathways and Trails 9.05 miles Picnic Shelters/Pavilions 8 Play Areas 21 Skate Parks 1 Tennis Courts 25 Other Facilities Pools (Indoor and Outdoor) 3 Indoor Recreation Centers 0 2 1 Some of the soccer fields counted here are used for youth play and may not meet the stated field dimensions. 2 Although there are five indoor recreation centers in Albany, most of these are smaller than the 40,000+ square foot facilities that are typically developed today, and several are specialty centers serving a specific age group or function. Currently, there are no multi-purpose community centers in Albany that meet the definition noted in this chapter. The five existing facilities are noted in Appendix A. CHAPTER 3 NEEDS ASSESSMENT CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 21 NEEDS ASSESSMENT The purpose of the Needs Assessment is to establish in quantifiable terms the community’s need for parkland and recreation facilities in Albany. These needs, presented as standards for parkland and guidelines for recreation facilities, are based on public demand for recreation opportunities. From these standards and guidelines, current and future acreage and facility needs have been calculated. This chapter presents the key findings from the following public involvement activities, which were instrumental in identifying park and facility needs: • Needs Assessment Survey • Community Fair • Recreation Providers Focus Group • Timber Linn Focus Group • Technical Advisory Committee • Organized Sports Provider Questionnaire The chapter also summarizes the results of the needs assessment. The complete Community Needs Assessment report is available under separate cover from the Park and Recreation Department. 3.1 NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY The purpose of the needs assessment survey is to identify the recreation interests, preferences, and participation levels of Albany residents. In Spring 2004, a questionnaire was mailed to 1600 randomly selected households within the City of Albany. The survey was designed to achieve statistical reliability for the Albany Planning Area. One adult (age 18 and over) from each household was asked to fill out the questionnaire, which contained a variety of questions on recreation preferences, park and facility needs, and recreation participation. Each additional person in the household age 10 and over was asked to complete an insert, which included the two questions on recreation participation. Two inserts were included with the brochure mailed to each household. For households with more than three people over age 10, additional recreation participation inserts were available from the Park and Recreation Department. CHAPTER 3 22 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update For the total sample, the 305 responses provided a 95% confidence level with a margin of error no greater than plus or minus 5.6%. In other words, one can be 95% confident that these results would vary no more than 5.6% from the results if everyone in the City had been surveyed. Sub-sample Results For the Albany survey, a strong response (47.7%) was seen from seniors and adults ages 55 and over. All survey data were analyzed by the age group of the respondent to see if significant variations occurred in recreation participation and leisure behavior for this age group. Sub-sample results are noted in key findings where a different pattern of use is clearly indicated for respondents ages 55 and over. However, these results do not meet the same standards for reliability as the recreation survey as a whole. Key Findings Key findings from the survey included: • Over 73% of respondents indicated that parks and recreation services are important or very important. • The top benefits offered by parks and recreation are: provide opportunities to enjoy nature/outdoors (26.9%), connect people together (14.8%), and promote youth development (14.4%). Respondents ages 55+ indicated that helping seniors remain active is also a significant benefit. • Approximately one-third of all respondents (33.7%) had participated in a City-sponsored program last year. This participation level is higher than in many Northwest communities that MIG has surveyed, where the average participation ranges from 23-25%. • For those people who have not participated in a City-sponsored program, the top reasons were: not aware of programs offered (23.0%), don’t have activities I’m interested in (20.4%), and activities held at inconvenient times (17.5%). • Nearly half of respondents who did not participate (49.2%) were likely to take advantage of services if improvements were made. In comparison, only 37% of adults ages 55+ indicated that program improvements would affect their level of participation in City-sponsored programs. CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 23 • Respondents indicated that the City should offer additional recreation activities in the following areas: after-school activities for youth (16.8%), education and special interest classes (14.8%), and aquatic programs (14.2%). Park programs and senior activities were noted frequently in write-in responses. • The top three groups in need of better recreation services include high school youth, families, and elementary school youth. According to respondents ages 55+, seniors also need better services. • Nearly 44% of respondents receive program information via the City’s Activity Guide. In other communities MIG has surveyed, approximately 30% of the respondents consulted their city’s recreation guide. Local newspaper advertisements and special flyers are also effective for advertising programs and events in Albany. • Small parks in my neighborhood are the most frequently used parks in the City of Albany. Overall, 20.9% of the total respondents indicated that they visit a neighborhood park once a week or more. • Monteith Riverpark is the most frequently visited park of the individual parks listed in Question 10 in the survey. Nearly 50% of respondents indicated that they visit Monteith at least once a month or more. • Monteith Riverpark is clearly the most popular park visited by residents with out-of-town visitors, followed distantly by Timber Linn Park and Bryant Park. • The four primary reasons that people use parks in Albany include: attend special events/concerts (21.2%), enjoy the outdoors or nature (20.3%), picnic/general leisure (17.7%), and walk or bike for exercise (17.3%). • Besides the fact that many residents are just too busy, some do not use Albany parks due to safety concerns or a lack of desired facilities and activities. • Overall, the top facilities used in the last 12 months by respondents are the Dave Clark Riverfront Path, the Albany Senior Center, and other trails. Two of the top three are trail-related. School facilities, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Albany Community Pool also have significant use. CHAPTER 3 24 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Pools (16.6%), trails (14.3%), and indoor recreation space (13.9%) are the three most needed facilities in Albany, according to survey respondents. A significant number of respondents also indicated a need for river access (11.5%) and gymnasiums (11.3%). • According to 42% of survey respondents, the most needed type of pathway is off-street, paved paths for walking and bicycling. • The majority of respondents (43.6%) indicated that current leash laws for dogs should be enforced. There was also strong support for creating off-leash dog parks in several parks (35.3%). • All categories of park maintenance and facility condition received moderate to high ratings. • The priority for improving park and recreation services is renovating existing parks, selected by 23.6% of respondents. Over 11% of respondents chose the following four improvements: improve maintenance, develop trails, add special facilities, and provide river parks/access. • In general, respondents indicated that the City should subsidize recreation programs to some degree. Most respondents did not want the City to subsidize programs for non-residents. Programs for youth, seniors, and low-income residents should be most highly subsidized. • Mobile food vendors would be the most popular type of vendor in parks, according to 34.1% of survey respondents. Residents also indicated support for equipment rentals (20.7%) and coffee shops (17.1%). • According to survey respondents, popular activities at Timber Linn Park include: attend festivals and special events (21.9%); attend concerts and performances (18.5%); and walk, bike, or jog on trails (13.8%). Picnicking for both large and small groups is a popular activity for 23.2% of respondents. • Many improvements are desired at Timber Linn Park. The highest percentage of survey respondents indicated that trail development (16.7%) and amphitheater improvements (12.6%) were most needed. • Nearly one-fourth (24.3%) of survey respondents indicated that they would be willing to volunteer to assist park and recreation services. Volunteerism is increasing in popularity as a leisure activity. Many respondents (over 40% of total respondents and 60% of those ages 55+) were willing to assist with citywide special events. CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 25 Current Recreation Participation The survey also solicited information about how frequently residents participated in specific recreation activities within Albany. Table 3.1 shows the participation rates for both indoor and outdoor recreation activities, as reported by the survey respondents. Participation rates are measured by the number of per capita occasions for a 30-day period, which refers to the average number of times each person participated in the activity during 30 days when the activity was in season. The activities in the table are ranked according to their popularity, with the activities with the highest participation rates noted first. For example, the table reveals that walking is the most popular recreation activity in Albany, with people participating on average more than 8 times in a 30-day period. Many factors influence the level of recreation participation reported by survey respondents. These factors may include: • Demographics; • Condition, location, or lack of facilities; • Climate; • Current recreation trends; • Cost of using facilities and programs; • Present economic conditions; • Transportation options; • Recreation programs and services offered; • Days and times programs and services are offered; and • Facilities and programs offered by other providers. Each of these factors influences the demand for various recreation opportunities in Albany. In order to measure recreation demand within individual communities, MIG began accumulating recreation participation data from many communities throughout the Northwest. This information was used to create the MIG AVERAGE, a measure of the average participation rate for specific activities based on the last 15 communities surveyed by MIG, Inc. By comparing Albany to the MIG Average, the data reveal which recreation activities have unusually high or low participation levels. In Table 3.1, numbers in bold show where Albany’s current participation levels are higher than the MIG AVERAGE. These activities have a high recreation demand as compared to other communities. CHAPTER 3 26 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Table 3.1 Recreation Participation Albany Planning Area Per Capita Occasions per 30 Days (n=369) Rank Activity City of Albany (2005) 1 City of Albany (1995) MIG AVERAGE 1 Walking 8.78 6.51 4.82 2 Computers 8.16 5.77 3 TV/Video Games 5.66 4.08 4 Gardening 5.49 5.19 3.29 5 Exercise/Aerobics 4.06 4.13 3.39 6 Bicycling for Pleasure 3.83 4.09 2.49 7 Picnicking 2.96 3.01 1.84 8 Concerts (attend) 2.82 2.76 1.83 9 Playground (visit/play) 2.79 3.29 2.40 10 Wildlife Watching 2.70 2.92 2.11 11 Fairs and Festivals 2.64 3.19 2.05 12 Camping (general) 2.43 3.24 2.07 13 Swimming (indoor) 2.36 2.89 1.88 14 Tours and Travel 2.34 1.17 15 Photography 2.31 1.98 1.78 16 Fishing (freshwater) 2.12 2.28 1.53 17 Gourmet Cooking 2.10 1.77 1.59 18 Hiking/Backpacking 2.01 1.97 1.99 19 Swimming (outdoor) 1.94 2.95 2.43 20 (tie) Arts and Crafts 1.91 1.66 20 (tie) Wood Working 1.91 0.90 22 Boating 1.80 23 Cultural Events (attend) 1.75 1.46 24 Table Games (playing) 1.67 1.28 25 Golf (play) 1.61 1.59 1.41 26 Basketball 1.57 2.32 1.92 27 Jogging/Running 1.54 2.05 2.25 28 Musical Instruments (playing) 1.40 1.61 29 Softball 1.20 1.66 1.34 30 Creative Writing 1.16 1.85 CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 27 Table 3.1 (continued) Per Capita Occasions per 30 Days (n=369) Rank Activity1 City of Albany (2005) City of Albany (1995) MIG AVERAGE 31 Water Skiing 1.07 32 Football 1.04 1.61 1.58 33 (tie) Baseball 0.98 33 (tie) Tennis 0.98 0.95 1.11 35 Soccer 0.91 1.23 1.56 36 Canoeing/Kayaking 0.69 0.64 0.95 37 Dancing (ballet, tap, etc.) 0.63 0.81 38 Model Airplanes/Cars 0.58 39 Horseback Riding 0.51 0.63 40 Skiing 0.50 41 Bicycling (BMX) 0.46 .96 42 Orienteering/Geocaching 0.42 43 Disc Golf 0.41 44 Judo/Karate 0.40 0.81 45 Skateboarding 0.36 0.66 0.96 46 Rock Climbing 0.35 0.86 47 (tie) Drama (participate) 0.34 0.64 0.77 47 (tie) Rugby 0.34 49 Gymnastics 0.15 0.71 50 Other (please list) 2.52 1 Some activities do not have direct comparisons to the 1995 survey or the MIG Average. Significant findings include: • The top ten recreation activities for all respondents are noted below. Activities are noted with their per capita participation level: • Walking 8.78 • Computers 8.16 • TV/Video Games 5.66 • Gardening 5.49 • Exercise/Aerobics 4.06 • Bicycling for Pleasure 3.83 • Picnicking 2.96 • Concerts (attend) 2.82 • Playground (visit/play) 2.79 • Wildlife Watching 2.70 CHAPTER 3 28 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Albany has a high level of recreation participation. Nineteen of the top 20 activities have higher rates of participation than comparable communities throughout the Northwest (MIG AVERAGE). • Three of the ten most popular activities in Albany are typically trail- related: walking, bicycling for pleasure, and wildlife watching. • Basketball is the first traditional organized sport to appear on the list (# 26). Generally, the first organized sports appear in the 15-20 range. Participation in all traditional organized sports (basketball, softball, football, baseball, soccer) in Albany is lower than the MIG Average. • The top ten activities for respondents ages 55+ include the following in ranked order: • Walking 9.15 • Computers 6.09 • Gardening 5.72 • Exercise/Aerobics 3.83 • TV/Video Games 3.10 • Bicycling for Pleasure 2.51 • Picnicking 2.50 • Concerts (attend) 2.45 • Wildlife Watching 2.35 • Tours and Travel 2.24 At number 10, tours and travel is the only activity that does not appear in the top 10 list for the general Albany population. Preferred Recreation Activities The MIG survey also gauges community preferences for activities, so that this information can be compared with current choices for recreation participation. Respondents were asked to rank their top ten preferred activities—those activities they would most like to do if programs and facilities were available. The activity rankings were scored with a weighted value by giving a first choice a value of ten, a second choice a value of nine, etc. In this manner, the total weighted score was calculated for each activity. Table 3.2 shows the 20 highest-ranking activities. The weighted score is shown only for ranking purposes. In Table 3.2, the second column ranks the activities that the respondent would most like to do if facilities were available. The last column lists the current participation ranking from Table 3.1. The difference in ranking between what residents are currently doing (column 4) and what they would like to be doing (column 1) is called the latent demand. The more the two numbers vary from each other, the greater the latent demand. Activities with a high latent demand CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 29 (6 or greater) are highlighted in gray. A high latent demand indicates areas where programming and facility improvements would be most likely to increase community participation. Table 3.2 Preferred Activities and Latent Demand Albany Planning Area Preferred Ranking Activity Weighted Score Participation Ranking 1 Walking 1160 1 2 Concerts (attend) 1036 8 3 Fairs and Festivals 888 11 4 Bicycling for Pleasure 669 6 5 Gardening 607 4 6 Arts and Crafts 603 20 7 Camping (general) 570 12 8 Swimming (indoor) 560 13 9 Fishing (freshwater) 536 16 10 Picnicking 515 7 11 Cultural Events (attend) 489 23 12 Tours and Travel 461 14 13 Boating 439 22 14 Hiking/backpacking 426 18 15 Photography 419 15 16 Swimming (outdoor) 403 19 17 Exercise/Aerobics 393 5 17 (tie) Wildlife Watching 393 10 19 Computers 378 2 20 Golf (play) 329 25 Significant findings include: • Although Albany residents are generally very active, there is high latent demand for many of the most-preferred activities. Activities with the highest latent demand include: • Concerts (attend) • Fairs and Festivals • Arts and Crafts • Fishing (freshwater) • Cultural events (attend) • Boating CHAPTER 3 30 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Activities with a significant, but lower latent demand (2-5) include: • Bicycling for Pleasure • Camping (general) • Swimming (indoor) • Tours and Travel • Hiking/backpacking • Swimming (outdoor) • Golf (play) For these activities, programming and facility improvements may also increase community participation. • Three of the activities with high latent demand are related to large-scale special events: concerts, fairs and festivals, and cultural events. 3.2 COMMUNITY FAIR The Park and Recreation Community Fair, held on Saturday, April 2nd, was a public involvement event to involve Albany residents in updating the Park and Recreation Master Plan. The event was held at Heritage Mall in conjunction with Super Fitness Saturday, the Shape Up Across Oregon Kick-Off, and the KGAL/KSHO Family Living Expo. Because the fair was part of these popular events, it attracted people who otherwise may not have participated in the planning process. Over 300 participants took part in the park and recreation survey. Key Findings Key findings from the Community Fair included: • Nearly 92% of respondents indicated that parks and recreation services are important or very important. • The top benefits offered by parks and recreation are: provide opportunities to enjoy nature/outdoors (29%), promote youth development (20%), and improve health and wellness (16%). • The four top activities in terms of enjoyment are walking, jogging, biking (18%), swimming (12%), playing organized sports (11%), and picnicking, playing on playgrounds, and general park activities (10%). • Albany should improve its park and recreation services by renovating existing parks (24%), acquiring and developing new parks (17%), and adding special facilities, such as pools, skate parks, etc. (12%). CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 31 • The following top three groups need more or better recreation services: middle school youth (20%), elementary school youth (18%), and preschoolers (16%). • The three most needed specialized facilities in Albany include trails and pathways (21%), sports fields (16%), and children’s play areas (15%). 3.3 RECREATION PROVIDERS FOCUS GROUP The Recreation Providers Focus Group met on June 22, 2005, to discuss park and recreation needs in Albany. Seven providers and five City staff participated in a discussion regarding the primary service needs and gaps in the community, along with the types of facilities, programs or services that could address those needs/gaps. Further discussion included the potential for developing partnerships between service providers and the City to meet community recreation needs. Key Findings Key findings from the meeting included: • In Albany, recreation programs are provided for all ages, interests, and income levels. • Gaps in programming affect the following groups and/or service areas in Albany: • Teens (ages 12-16) • Latinos • People with disabilities • Families • Youth and seniors (integrated programming) • Intellectual development • Practical education for youth (e.g. budgeting, commerce skills) • Mentoring for at-risk youth • Summertime school-based programming • Inclusionary assistance • The following indoor facility needs were noted: • Conference/meeting rooms • Classroom space • Dance floors (square dancing, tap) • Space for non-athletes (art classroom, stage, chorus space) • Boys and Girls Club and YMCA activity space • Space for children’s programming • Aquatic facilities (year-round, covered) • Large group facilities (for 70+ people) • Multi-purpose facilities • Performing arts center (for children and adults) CHAPTER 3 32 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Community needs were identified for the following outdoor facilities: • Open space for children’s programs • Outdoor education space (day camp in nature) • Family recreation facilities (e.g., mini-golf, climbing/challenge course, go carts, fun center) • Natural environment areas for activities • Off-road vehicle area • Trails and pathways • Skate park • Water-trails • Community needs were identified for the following athletic facilities: • Athletic fields (especially soccer) • Lighted fields • Multi-field complex for tournament play • Renovated fields or field improvements • Little League fields • Practice space (separate from competition) • Ice rink (skating, hockey) • Skating rink (roller) • Indoor arena (e.g. soccer, skate park, roller hockey) • Gymnasiums • Other significant issues for park and recreation services in Albany include the availability of open space, a need for the “right kind of space” for programming, program affordability, and access to facilities, natural areas, waterways, and transportation. • Community needs were identified in the following program areas: • Family activities • Orienteering • Rock climbing • Ropes course • Adventure sports • Healthy and positive programs after dark • Home-school programs • Technology/computer programs The meeting concluded with a discussion on developing a community- wide plan for recreation service delivery. In general, service providers would look to the City to facilitate a system of open communication, collaboration, and innovative thinking, where services could be coordinated to meet community needs. CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 33 • Components of this new service model would include: • Community visioning • Coordinated planning • Collaborative grants and funding • Shared facilities • Joint marketing of activities • Business partnerships involving stakeholders • Partnerships to support tourism • Increased partnerships with other City agencies • Continuance of the Healthy Albany Partnership • The creation of a regional purchasing consortium • A partnership with health care providers • Coordination with other cities to develop complimentary facilities (e.g., different types of skate parks) • Input from other providers before constructing new facilities • A spirit of collaboration 3.4 TIMBER LINN FOCUS GROUP Twenty-two members of the Timber Linn Focus Group met on June 11, 2005, to discuss the opportunities and constraints of the park site and how the City could work with sports providers to meet community recreation needs. The meeting included an overview of the Timber Linn Master Plan process and a discussion of the existing conditions of the park, based on a site analysis conducted in June 2005. Key Findings In a large group discussion, participants identified the recreation opportunities and constraints of Timber Linn Park, along with areas where a balance is needed between existing opportunities and constraints. These findings are presented in Table 3.3. Participants were then divided into two discussion groups: 1) people interested specifically in team sport facilities; and 2) participants interested in other recreation facilities. Both groups discussed needs for specific amenities and facilities at Timber Linn Park. Key findings from these discussions are presented in bullets on the following pages. CHAPTER 3 34 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Table 3.3 Opportunities and Constraints Timber Linn Park Constraints Balance Opportunities Wetland habitat [limits available land for fields] What do we want/need? [How do we balance priorities?] Aesthetics [park is attractive] Poor location of amphitheater/ buildings Parking [opportunity and constraint] Equestrian trail [opportunity created by proximity to stables] Property rights of adjacent landowners Habitat [opportunity and constraint] Hiking [in habitat areas] Safety [various issues] Competing needs for ball fields/sports Mitigation [frees land for active recreation] Wildlife protection [limits land for other uses] Community benefit vs. revenue generation Potential YMCA partnership [chance to rethink uses] Population growth [increases need] Competing site uses Bridges [would expand park] Maintenance costs [are on-going after capital improvements] All sports vs. other facility needs (trade-offs) Revenue potential [of park can create funds for expanded offerings] Location [Is this the best location to meet future demands?] Tourism revenue [like the expo center] Sport Facility Group Comments The sport facility group discussed needs for following facilities: • Soccer fields • There are 8 existing soccer fields with four different configurations based on use, e.g., 3 v 3 play • Games run from 8 AM to 3 PM on Saturday • More teams could be fielded if the site had more fields and volunteers (participation would double) • Port-a-potties are needed in addition to the existing restroom • Concessions not located a convenient distance from the fields • A storage equipment building is needed • Paths are needed to connect fields to other facilities • Irrigation is needed, although irrigation can be a hazard to players (ill constructed heads may create tripping hazards) • Disc golf • The existing course is a good one for beginners and families • A local club hosts disc golf tournaments. A junior tournament brought in about 50 players (many more than expected) • Bryant Park should be considered as a possible site for disc golf for part of the year (when not flooded) • Bridges over the water channels would provide access to other parts of the site CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 35 • Other facilities • The park should serve Albany residents first • There is a large youth football population (300) in Albany • Football play damages the grass fields, especially when fields are wet • The available space for fields is insufficient to satisfy all needs for all sports, even if the fields are multi-purpose Recreation Facility Group Comments Participants interested in other recreation facilities identified the following recreation needs and issues at Timber Linn Park: • Pathways and trails • Provide a multi-purpose (including equestrian) perimeter path that links park facilities • Provide a raised walkway through wetlands • Park design considerations • Separate between incompatible park uses • Provide activity space for the whole family • Provide a band shell in new location to replace amphitheater • Design features to control access during events. [Temporary fences are less expensive permanent structures to limit entry] • Improve lighting • Make new features vandalism-resistant • Facility needs • Provide a shelter near play area for adults • Improve outdoor festival space • Allow room for a farmer’s market • Improve parking (paved and lined) • Provide neighborhood park facilities, e.g., playgrounds • Encourage more foot traffic to improve safety • Make park into an Albany icon – visible from the freeway • Other issues • Remove out-of-date facilities, such as horseshoes • Recognize that space is sufficient for one sport, not two (soccer vs. softball) • Maintain site as a festival venue (the only one in the city) • Connect the park to the surrounding community • Improve the amphitheater • Consider various uses for the center of park • Consider more partnerships to generate revenue CHAPTER 3 36 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 3.5 TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) met on March 29, 2005, to discuss their vision for the park and recreation system in Albany. The vision grew from a discussion of the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and challenges for the park system. Eleven committee members and five City staff attended the meeting. Key Findings Key findings included: • Facility needs • Sport fields • Gymnasiums • Indoor program space • Vision for the park system • Affordability • Sustainability • Safety • Health (drug/alcohol/smoke free facilities) • Convenience • Food/concessions • Restrooms • Support amenities and facilities • Quality-of-life improvements • Maintenance improvements (increased funding) • Support for tourism and downtown business • Multigenerational facilities and programming • Indoor/outdoor options at each park (covered areas) • Diverse activities for all ages • Inclusiveness/accessibility for all • Needed improvements at Timber Linn Park • Park design that reflects citywide recreation needs • Coordination of uses • Appropriate levels of use • Optimized use of space • Natural area preservation • Hiking/jogging trails • RV pads • Parking improvements (more, delineated) • Transportation options • Signage for all events (changeable) • Sport field renovations • Lighting (appropriately placed) beyond sport fields • Consideration of local resident needs • Use of fields/facilities to generate funds CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 37 • Prominent water elements • Community policing • Amphitheater improvements • Shading/sun in eyes now • Broader purpose • Better control of access • Cover 3.6 ORGANIZED SPORT PROVIDERS QUESTIONNAIRE Responding to questionnaires in Spring 2005, several sports organizations provided data on sports teams in Albany and their facility needs. The following sports were represented: baseball, softball, soccer, football, basketball, biddyball, volleyball, cheerleading, and competitive swimming. Key Findings Key findings included: • In total, there are approximately 68 teams that participate in regulation baseball, youth baseball, and youth softball in the area. These teams utilize 12 fields that vary in condition. While the field at Linn Benton Community College is in good condition, the YMCA field needs significant upgrades. Little League fields are also in poor condition, requiring additional maintenance (cutting grass and leveling fields) before games can be played. • During peak season (spring and summer), there are approximately 120 teams that participate in adult softball in the area. These teams utilize six fields, including three fields at Timber Linn Park. The fields at Bryant and Timber Linn Parks are considered “barely adequate” for play. • There are approximately 101 soccer teams during a peak season organized by three soccer clubs in Albany. These teams use the 16 fields that currently are available for scheduling, including eight soccer fields at Timber Linn Park and six fields at North Albany Middle School. Respondents indicated that many of these fields have drainage problems in the spring and need irrigation in the fall. Many fields need leveling. • There are approximately 45 football teams playing in Albany each season. These teams use five football fields, one soccer field, and open space at various parks, including Timber Linn Park, for practice. Pop Warner and the Boys & Girls Club both indicated that more fields are needed for both games and practices, and teams struggle to obtain field space. Comments also indicate that many football fields are poorly maintained. Problems include inadequate mowing, no irrigation, and poor turf. CHAPTER 3 38 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • During peak seasons, there are approximately 301 teams using indoor court space in Albany. These teams use 19 gymnasiums, often dividing them so that several teams can practice at the same time. Lack of available gym space throughout Albany has severely limited programming for City leagues and allows no room for expansion. The Boys & Girls Club notes that there are “barely enough gyms” for games and practices. 3.7 NEEDS ASSESSMENT TERMINOLOGY A technical analysis of community needs for recreation facilities included key findings from the public involvement activities. The remaining portion of this chapter summarizes the results of the technical analysis. The following terms are used: • Existing level of service (LOS) is a measure of the existing amount of parkland or facilities currently serving City residents. LOS is expressed as a ratio of acres or facilities per population. • Parkland standards: Service standards can be adopted by the City to provide direction for the development of parkland. These standards are based on the amount of parkland that is needed to serve Albany residents in the year 2015. Proposed standards are expressed in terms of acres per 1,000 residents. • Facility guidelines: Service guidelines can be used by the City as an indicator of the number of facilities needed to serve residents citywide. These guidelines are expressed in terms of one facility per number of people and net numbers of facilities needed. Formal standards for recreation facilities are not proposed in this plan. • Existing population is the estimated population for the City of Albany as of June 2005, according to the Community Services Department. • Future population reflects the city’s population for a 10-year planning horizon. Table 3.4 summarizes the population data used in the analysis: Table 3.4 Population Data Used in the Analysis City of Albany Population Year # of People Existing 2005 47,145 Future (10-year plan) 2015 53,493 Source: Albany Community Development Department CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 39 3.8 SUMMARY OF PARKLAND NEEDS Developing a statement of need for park and open space areas depends on localized values, availability of land, financial resources, and desired service levels. Each of these factors was taken into account to assess parkland needs for Albany. Methodology To define specific park acreage needs for the Albany Planning Area, the following aspects were factored into the analysis: • Recreation demand (measured through public involvement activities); • National and regional trends and standards; • Land availability; and • Geographical deficiencies for parks and open space areas. In synthesizing this information, parkland standards were developed for three park classifications. These standards are based on a ratio of park acreage to population, expressed in terms of number of acres per 1,000 people. The standard indicates how many acres of parkland are needed to serve all residents in Albany. The analysis looks at the existing ratio of parkland in comparison to the City’s existing population. A proposed standard is calculated based on the anticipated needs of the estimated population at the 10-year planning horizon. This standard can be used to assess current and future community needs for specific types of parkland. Table 3.5 summarizes existing and future parkland needs for the Albany Planning Area. These needs are based on a proposed standard listed in column nine of the table. New standards are proposed for parks that meet basic recreation needs in the community, including neighborhood parks, community parks, and citywide parks. No formal standards are proposed for park types where acquisition is more opportunity based, including trail corridors/greenways, natural areas, riverfront parks, and urban spaces. CHAPTER 3 40 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update COMPARISON TOOLS ALBANY DATA NET NEED Av er ag e S tan da rd s f or Co mp ar ab le Ci tie s a nd Di str ict s a Or eg on A ve ra ge St an da rd s b Hi sto ric N RP A St an da rd s c 20 00 P lan S tan da rd s # o f E xis tin g P ar ks Ex ist ing P ar k A cr ea ge Ex ist ing LO S (A cr es pe r 1 ,00 0 p op ula tio n) Pr op os ed S tan da rd (A cr es pe r 1 ,00 0 p op ula tio n) Cu rre nt A cr es N ee de d Fu tu re A cr es N ee de d Park Type 47,145 53,493 Neighborhood Parks 1.9 1.1 2.0 2.93 20 109.95 2.3 2.3 -1.52 13.08 Community Parks 2.0 1.7 5.0 2.07 1 71.74 1.5 2.0 22.55 35.25 Citywide Parks 4.0 n/a n/a 2.17d 2 106.41 2.3 2.0 -12.12 0.58 SUBTOTAL 7.9 2.8 7.0 7.17 23 288.10 6.1 6.3 8.91 48.91 Trail Corridors/ Greenways n/a 0.1 n/a n/a 2 14.09 0.3 none Natural Areas n/a 14.9 n/a 14.12 2 181.29 3.8 none Riverfront Parks n/a n/a n/a n/a 2 97.92 2.1 none Urban Open Space n/a n/a n/a n/a 3 21.85 0.5 none PARKLAND TOTAL 7.9 17.9 7 21.29 32 603.25 12.8 6.3 8.91 48.91 a Comparable cities and districts include the City of Corvallis, City of Medford, and Willamalane Park and Recreation District. Figures were not available for all categories. b Data include 45 Oregon cities surveyed between 1992 and present. Figures are expressed in acres/1,000 population. Figures were not available from all agencies in all categories. c From NRPA Recreation, Park and Open Space Standards and Guidelines (1983). d The 2000 Plan proposed standards for large urban parks and regional parks, which were averaged to get a standard comparable to the new classification of citywide parks. Note: In the case of all parks, and especially neighborhood parks, it is important to consider distribution of parkland as well as numerical standards. Table 3.5 Parkland Standards and Anticipated Needs Albany Planning Area CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 41 Parkland Results Specific acreage needs have been identified for several types of parkland in Albany. The greatest need is for neighborhood parks. By the year 2015, the City will need five additional neighborhood parks (approximately 13 acres) to provide accessible and close-to-home recreation opportunities in currently unserved neighborhoods. These neighborhood areas are identified in Figure 3.1. In time, another ten acres will be needed in Area #15 to meet the needs of the growing population in that neighborhood. Moreover, the City of Albany needs one community park to help satisfy community-wide needs for a variety of recreation facilities, including sports fields, picnic shelters/pavilions, a skate park, a dog park, and open space for family and children’s activities. Currently, Timber Linn Park meets Albany’s needs for a citywide park, and the park’s renovation will help meet specific facility needs for the entire community. Albany is experiencing a significant demand for trail corridors and greenways, which reflects similar trends regionally and nation-wide. Although no standard is proposed for trail corridors, the City should identify appropriate corridors to support the facility guideline proposed for trails and pathways. Similarly, no standard is proposed for natural areas. However, it is recommended that the City undertake a natural resource study to identify and inventory significant natural areas in Albany. This inventory may point out critical areas that should be acquired for resource conservation or preservation. Natural areas may also provide passive outdoor recreation opportunities, such as wildlife watching, which are not met by other park types. No standard is proposed for riverfront parks. Acquisition of future parks along the Willamette and Calapooia Rivers will be determined by future opportunities to acquire parkland and connect existing parks along the rivers. Moreover, no standard is proposed for urban spaces. However, the City should consider additional open space in plans for neighborhood development and downtown redevelopment. CHAPTER 3 42 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 3.9 SUMMARY OF RECREATION FACILITY NEEDS Like the discussion of parkland needs, community needs for recreation facilities are described in terms of a ratio of the number of existing facilities to the City’s current population. This ratio is expressed as one facility per number of people served. A guideline is proposed based on the desired level of service and the anticipated number of facilities needed in the next ten years. By applying this guideline to the current and future population forecast, facility needs are assessed. Methodology Recreation facility needs were determined through several approaches. The methodology included an analysis of present levels of recreation participation, public demand for specific recreation facilities as measured through the public involvement process, and play and practice time requirements for sports leagues as indicated in the sport group questionnaire. To determine the need for sport fields, a demand model was used to compare the supply of fields/courts against the demand created by the number of teams using them. Within this model, many variables affected the eventual statement of need. These included: • Demand variables, such as the number of games and practices permitted per team per week; and • Supply variables, including the number of fields, number of games/practices permitted per field per week, and the existence of lighted or unlighted fields. Factors such as weather, playing season, scheduling constraints, and field condition affect the supply of fields. The result is a guideline for the minimum number of sport facilities needed based on current levels of play as the City continues to grow. Table 3.6 summarizes current and future recreation facility needs for the Albany Planning Area. It is important to note that facility needs for sports have been determined based on current participation patterns. However, current sports participation in Albany is lower than in comparable communities, even though recreation participation in general is higher. This discrepancy may be caused by a shortage of playable fields. If existing field conditions are improved and a greater number of school fields can be scheduled for play, sport participation may increase locally. In that case, the guidelines proposed in this plan will need to be adjusted to reflect the future trends. CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 43 Insert Figure 3.1: Neighborhood Park Service Area Map CHAPTER 3 44 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Blank page CHAPTER 3 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 45 COMPARISON TOOLS ALBANY DATA NET NEED Av era ge St an da rd s fo r C om pa rab le Ci tie s a nd D ist ric ts a 20 00 Pl an St an da rd Ex ist ing Fa cil itie s (# or m ile s) Ex ist ing LO S (# or m ile s p er po pu lat ion ) Pr op os ed G uid eli ne a (# or mi les pe r p op ula tio n) Cu rre nt Ne ed (2 00 5) Fu tur e N ee d ( 20 15 ) 47,145 53,493 SPORT FACILITIES Baseball Fields 2,500 1,850 23 2,050 2,050 0 3 Softball Fields 6,000 3,000 9 5,240 5,240 0 1 Soccer Fields 1,685 1,295 24 1,965 2,000 0 3 Football Fields 7,400 n/a 6 7,860 5,900 2 3 Gymnasiums 2,800 n/a 19 2,480 2,245 2 5 OUTDOOR RECREATION FACILITIES Basketball Courts 3,000 n/a 14 3,370 2,700 3 6 Pathways/Trails 0.40 0.30 9.05 0.19 0.35 7.45 9.67 Picnic Shelters/Pavilions n/a n/a 8 5,890 4,100 3 5 Play Areas n/a n/a 21 2,245 1,800 5 9 Skate Parks 15,000 n/a 1 47,145 20,000 1 2 Tennis Courts 5,000 n/a 4 b 11,785 11,800 0 1 OTHER FACILITIES Swimming Pools n/a n/a 3 23,572 20,000 0 1 Indoor Recreation Centers 30,000 n/a 0 c n/a 30,000 1 2 a Nearly all facility standards and guidelines are expressed as one facility per number population. However, pathways and trails are expressed in terms of miles of trails per 1000 population. Average standards are averages from the City of Corvallis (adopted standards), the City of Medford (proposed standards), and Willamalane Park and Recreation District (adopted standards). Not all agencies had standards for each facility type. b While there are 25 tennis courts in Albany with some public access, only facilities in City parks were included in the analysis of these outdoor recreation facilities. c While there are five specialty indoor recreation centers in Albany, none are large, multi-purpose facilities that serve all age groups and meet the definition in this plan. Table 3.6 Facility Guidelines and Anticipated Needs Albany Planning Area CHAPTER 3 46 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Facility Needs As indicated in Table 3.6, the City of Albany has a current need for the following recreation facilities: football fields, gymnasiums, outdoor basketball courts, pathways and trails, picnic shelters, play areas, a skate park, and an indoor recreation center. In the year 2015, the need for these types of recreational facilities will have grown substantially. The City should maximize all opportunities to meet facility needs by: 1) renovating and upgrading existing facilities to create opportunities for increased use; 2) establishing and strengthening partnerships and joint-use agreements with Greater Albany Public Schools, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, and others to put more fields into play; and 3) developing new facilities in planned and existing parks as a high priority to meet the minimum number of facilities needed. In Albany, the need for trails and pathways is noteworthy. The community’s demand for trails was noted in nearly all public involvement venues. National, state, and local indicators each suggest that trail use is increasing, and the current level of service is insufficient to meet the predicted demand. By applying the guideline for trails and pathways that is proposed in this plan, the analysis indicates that the City needs approximately 7.5 miles of trails currently and over 9.5 miles by the year 2015. Existing Neighborhood Park (or Other Park Serving Neighborhood Area) 8 1 5 4 6 22 7 20 3 16 21 2 19 9 10 15 18 17 14 11 12 13 Legend: Unserved Areas December 2005 Underserved Areas 0 3,000 6,0001,500 Feet 4 Figure 3.1 : Neighborhood Park Service Areas CHAPTER 4 DESIGN GUIDELINES CHAPTER 4 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 47 DESIGN GUIDELINES The strength of a successful park system is that it provides a variety of park types and recreation opportunities throughout the community to encourage recreation participation from as many residents as possible. The ideal park system will provide an array of park sites with amenities and facilities appropriate to the unique landscape of Albany. Site selection, park design, and development should support the function and purpose of each park type to ensure that diverse recreation opportunities are provided and community recreation needs are met. This will provide a more efficient park system and minimize the potential for conflicts between different interest groups. This chapter presents general design policies that will guide park planning, along with design and development guidelines specific to the following park types in Albany: • Neighborhood parks; • Community parks; • Citywide parks; • Trail corridors/greenways; • Natural areas; • Riverfront parks; and • Urban open space. These guidelines include information about the recommended size and layout of the site, preferred amenities and facilities, and other planning and development issues for each park type. 4.1 GENERAL PLANNING AND DESIGN POLICIES The following policies are intended to provide guidance on the planning and design of all parks and recreation facilities in Albany: • Incorporate public input into park master planning and design to ensure that community needs and issues are addressed. Public outreach should include nearby neighbors, likely park users, community members, and partner agencies in the park design process. • Involve maintenance and recreation program staff in the design process so that maintenance and programming requirements are considered during site selection, design, and development. CHAPTER 4 48 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Consider the layout of the surrounding neighborhood when placing park amenities. Situate lighting and noise-producing amenities away from neighboring homes to minimize conflicts. • Locate amenities, such as playground equipment, picnic shelters, and basketball courts, to provide visibility from adjoining streets, which will promote safety, minimize vandalism, and encourage use. • Connect parks to surrounding neighborhoods by sidewalks, bicycle lanes, or off-street trails to provide multiple ways of accessing parks. • Incorporate ADA guidelines for accessible design (Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG)) into all new parks to facilitate site access, circulation, and facility use for people of all ages and abilities. • Incorporate new technologies, sustainable design, and conservation-smart elements into all park and recreation facility designs to facilitate operational efficiency. This commitment may be demonstrated through the use of green building technologies, alternative power, low water-use fixtures, automated sport field lighting, and storm water treatment techniques. • Incorporate public art and interpretive elements into parks to contribute to park identity and character. Interpretative elements can be incorporated into parks of all types to raise community awareness about the local environment and history. Art elements are well-suited for community parks, citywide parks, urban open space, or other community-serving areas. • Evaluate potential partnerships and opportunities to acquire, develop, and maintain parks, open space, and facilities by how well the project supports the goals and guidelines identified in this Plan. Properties or projects that offer a unique function or feature should be considered for acquisition and development according to the needs of the community. • Conduct a cost impact analysis prior to design and development of all new major recreation facilities. CHAPTER 4 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 49 4.2 PARK DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES Park design and development guidelines are provided for each park classification. These guidelines include: • Description: A definition is presented to describe each park type. This section also describes the typical length of use and means of travel to each type of park. • Site Selection and Development Guidelines: These criteria include recommendations for site size, site access, street frontage, parking, etc. • Features and Amenities to Consider: These elements should be considered during the master planning and design process for inclusion in all new parks of this classification. • Features and Amenities to Avoid: These elements are not compatible with the park classification and should not be included in the design and development of these types of parks. Neighborhood Parks Description • Neighborhood parks provide close-to-home recreation opportunities primarily for non-supervised, non-organized recreation activities. Facilities found in neighborhood parks may include children's playgrounds, picnic areas, trails, tennis or basketball courts, and sports practice fields. Neighborhood parks are often located next to elementary schools. • The typical neighborhood park user: • Comes from within one-half mile of the park; • Arrives on foot or by bicycle; and • Visits the park on a short time basis. Site Selection and Development Guidelines • The optimum size is 3 to 7 acres, but these parks may be larger if significant natural resource land is incorporated. • At least 50% of site should be relatively level and usable, providing space for both active and passive uses. • The site should have at least 200 feet of street frontage. • Access to the site should be provided via a local street with sidewalks. Neighborhood parks fronting on arterial streets should be discouraged. CHAPTER 4 50 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • On-street parking should be provided. Larger sites may include off-street parking, with the amount depending on the facilities provided at the site. • Active and noise producing facilities, such as basketball courts, should be located at least 100 feet from nearby homes or property zoned for residential use. Features and Amenities to Consider • Children’s playground • Open turf area for unstructured play • Basketball (full or half) court • Volleyball court • Multi-use fields for practice • Picnic tables • Small picnic shelter • Pathway connecting park elements • Interpretive signage • Natural area (if present at site) • Portable or permanent restrooms (only in larger parks or parks that contain community-wide facilities) • General landscape improvements (including tree planting) Features and Amenities to Avoid • Horticultural or annual plantings, unless sponsored and maintained by a neighborhood or community group • Indoor recreation center • Wading pools and similar types of amenities that require staff supervision or highly specialized maintenance • Sports fields for league play CHAPTER 4 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 51 Community Parks Description • Community parks provide primarily active and structured recreation opportunities on sites designed to serve several neighborhoods, but these parks do not have the capacity to accommodate the entire jurisdiction. Typical development may include sports fields, trail systems, group picnic areas, and many elements associated with neighborhood parks. While a community park may be proximate to a neighborhood, it is designed primarily as a “drive-to” park rather than a “walk-to” park. • Typical community park users: • Come from within one to two miles of the park; • Arrive by auto, bus, bicycle or foot; and • Visit the park for 1 to 3 hours. Site Selection and Development Guidelines • These parks may range from 20 to 75 acres in size, depending on the spatial requirements of the facilities provided and the amount of land dedicated to natural resource protection. • At least two-thirds of the site should be available for active recreation use. Adequate buffers or natural open space areas should separate active recreation areas from nearby homes. • The site should be visible from adjoining streets and have a minimum of 400 feet of street frontage. • Parking requirements should be based upon the facilities provided at the site. Generally, 50 off-street spaces per ball field are required, plus 5 spaces per acre of active use areas. • Access to the site should be provided via a collector or arterial street with sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Features and Amenities to Consider • Children’s playground (tot and youth) • Designated sports fields for baseball, softball, and soccer. Fields may be in a complex within the park • Open turf area for unstructured play • Looped pathway system • Large picnic shelters • Permanent restrooms • Volleyball courts • Tennis courts CHAPTER 4 52 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Basketball courts • Horseshoe pits • Other sporting facilities (lawn bowling, croquet, bocce court) • Field lighting • Skate park • Water playground/spray feature • Off-leash dog area • Community gardens • Concessions or vendor space • Interpretive signage • Public art • Natural area (if present on site) • Indoor recreation center • General landscape improvements (including tree planting) • Storage or maintenance buildings: If visible, these should be architecturally compatible with other park elements. Any exterior work areas should be screened from view • Parking Features and Amenities to Avoid • Regional-scale facilities CHAPTER 4 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 53 Citywide Parks Description • Citywide parks offer the most diverse and/or unique recreation opportunities in the Albany park system. These parks are designed to serve the entire jurisdiction with features that are also intended to attract visitors to the city, generating substantial economic benefit. Citywide parks also are typically supported by nearby food services, lodging and other services necessary to accommodate extended use of the park by out-of-town guests. Because of the diverse and unique offerings, citywide parks typically contain more open space and support facilities. • Typical citywide park users: • Come from throughout the city; • Arrive by auto, bus, bicycle or foot; and • Visit the park for 2 to 4 hours or more. Site Selection and Development Guidelines • The site size will generally exceed 50 acres and should be sufficient to accommodate the park’s unique features or amenities. • At least 75% of the site should be developable. • Access to the site should be provided via a collector or arterial street. • Parking requirements should be based upon the facilities provided at the site. Generally, 50 off-street spaces per ball field are required, plus 5 spaces per acre of active use areas. • The site should follow the general guidelines listed in community parks. Features and Amenities to Consider • Children’s play environment (unique or custom-designed) • Open turf area for unstructured play • Event space/festival grounds for large group gatherings • Expanded utility and electric service to support community events • Large picnic shelters, including one capable of accommodating groups of 50-100 people • Permanent restrooms • Extensive pathway system CHAPTER 4 54 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Designated sports fields for baseball, softball, and soccer. Fields may be located in multi-sports or tournament-level, single sport complexes and should include lighting. Adjacent practice fields may be provided • Volleyball courts • Basketball courts • Tennis courts • Horseshoe pits • Water playground • Disc golf course • Regional-scale skate park • Other sporting facilities (lawn bowling, croquet, bocce courts) • Off-leash dog area • Concessions, vendor space, or commercial lease space • Performance space, such as outdoor amphitheater, stage area, or bandshell • Large, indoor community recreation center or swimming pool • Water playground or spray features • Entry plaza • Public art • Interpretive signage • Natural area (if present on site) • Environmental education facilities • Storage or maintenance buildings. If visible, these should be architecturally compatible with other park elements and any exterior work areas should be screened from view • General landscape improvements (including tree planting) • Parking Features and Amenities to Avoid • Depends on the site CHAPTER 4 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 55 Trail Corridors/Greenways Description • This category includes developed, landscaped corridors and more natural, less-developed greenways that follow linear features such as abandoned railroad rights-of-way, canals, power lines, creeks and streams, and other elongated features. • Typical trail and greenway users: • May come from throughout the city (depends on site); • Arrive by auto, bus, bicycle, or foot; and • May visit the park for one or more hours. Site Selection and Development Guidelines • Trail corridors should generally follow continuous special feature strips, with a minimum corridor width of 50-75 feet. • Due to the shape, configuration, and potential for user noise in these parks, user impacts on adjoining neighbors should be considered. Fences, walls, or landscaping may be used to provide some privacy for neighbors, but the provision of these features also should consider user safety. • Paved pathways should be designed to accommodate maintenance and patrol vehicles. • The amount and type (on-street or off-street) of parking provided at trailheads will depend on facilities at the site and anticipated trail use. Features and Amenities to Consider • Paved pathways • Viewpoints • Seating areas • Picnic tables • Orientation and information signage • Trailhead or entry/ kiosk • Landscaped areas, ornamental plantings, turf areas • Maintained natural vegetation • Fences, landscaping, or other features to control access near adjoining residential areas • Parking (at major trailheads) Facilities and Amenities to Avoid • Active use facilities (sport fields, paved courts, etc.) CHAPTER 4 56 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Natural Areas Description • Natural areas may preserve or protect environmentally sensitive areas, such as wildlife habitats, stream and creek corridors, or unique and/or endangered plant species. Public access may be limited at these sites, which often include wetlands, steep hillsides, or other similar spaces. Some natural areas may be managed secondarily to provide passive recreation opportunities. • The typical recreation user of natural areas: • Comes from throughout the city; • Arrives by auto, bus, bicycle or foot; • Uses a trail within the natural area; and • Visits the area for an extended time. Site Selection and Development Guidelines • Site size should be based on natural resource needs. Acreage should be sufficient to preserve or protect the resource. • The City should consider alternative ways of preserving natural open space besides outright purchase, such as acquiring conservation easements, encouraging donations of land, land trades, etc. • Emphasis for acquisition should be on lands offering unique features that have the potential to be lost to development. • An analysis should be made to determine if unique qualities and conditions exist to warrant acquisition. • Development and site improvements should be kept to a minimum, keeping the park’s emphasis on the natural environment, interpretive features, and educational facilities. • Natural open space areas should be managed and maintained for a sense of solitude, separation, or environmental protection. • Site use should be limited to the numbers and types of visitors the area can accommodate while still retaining its natural character and the intended level of solitude. • Where feasible, public access and use of these areas should be encouraged, but environmentally sensitive areas should be protected from overuse. • Off-street parking should be considered for larger natural areas if a trail is located within the site. The amount will depend upon the anticipated trail use. Otherwise, on-street parking should be provided. CHAPTER 4 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 57 Features and Amenities to Consider • Interpretive signage • Small picnic shelter • Limited picnic areas • Trail and pathway system • Trailhead or entry kiosk • Viewpoints or viewing blinds • Interpretive or educational facilities • Portable or permanent restrooms (depending on facilities and anticipated amount of site use) • Parking Features and Amenities to Avoid • Turf areas • Ornamental plantings • Active use areas Riverfront Parks Description • The primary function of this type of park is to provide public access to the Willamette and Calapooia Rivers in Albany. Such public lands include river access points for boating, swimming, or fishing. Riverfront parks vary in size, from single access points (boat ramps or docks) to larger sites. Large riverfront parks can provide a wide variety of facilities, such as large picnic areas and shelters, trails, and swimming or fishing areas. Riverfront parks may also include significant natural areas. • Typical riverfront park users: • Come from throughout the City; • Arrive by auto, bus, bicycle or foot; and • Visit the park for more than one to three hours. Site Selection and Development Guidelines • Site size will vary, depending on the spatial requirements of the facilities provided and the amount of land dedicated to natural resource protection. • The site should include river access points for boating, swimming, or fishing. CHAPTER 4 58 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Parking requirements should be based upon the facilities provided at the site. Boat trailers may be accommodated. • Access to the site should be provided via a collector or arterial street with sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Features and Amenities to Consider • Boat ramp or dock • Fishing pier • Designated swimming area/beach • Children’s playground • Open turf area for unstructured play • Large picnic areas/shelters • Permanent restrooms • Volleyball courts • Basketball courts • Concessions or vendor space • Looped pathway system • River viewpoints or viewing blinds • Interpretive signage • Natural area (if present on site) • Indoor recreation center • General landscape improvements (including tree planting) • Parking Features and Amenities to Avoid • Depends on site CHAPTER 4 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 59 Urban Open Space Description • Urban open space may include smaller plazas that provide social gathering space, landscaped open space in high-density or commercial areas, beautification areas such as landscaped street islands or medians, downtown performance space, and public art and fountains. Typical users of urban open space: • May come from the city or beyond (depends on site); • Arrive by auto, bus, bicycle or foot; and • Depends on site: May visit the park for one hour to more than three hours. Site Selection and Development Guidelines • Size will depend upon the nature of the park and the types of facilities provided. • Site should front a public street and be within or adjacent to a business district or neighborhood commercial area. • On-street parking should be provided. Features and Amenities to Consider • Appropriate site furnishings (picnic tables, benches, bike racks, drinking fountains, trash receptacles, etc.) for the intended scale and use of the park • Expanded utility and electric service to support events • Children’s play area • Other small-scale sports facilities (skate feature, bocce, etc.) compatible with an urban site • Picnic shelter • Water playground or water features • Concessions or vendor space • Commercial lease space (restaurant, coffee kiosk) • Trees and general landscaping improvements • Shrub beds • Turf areas • Public art • Performance space (stage area or band shell) • Hard-surfaced areas CHAPTER 4 60 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Special facilities or features, such as historic or interpretive structures • Interpretive signage • Permanent restrooms • On-street parking Features and Amenities to Avoid • Depends on the site CHAPTER 5 RECOMMENDATIONS CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 61 RECOMMENDATIONS The ideal park system for Albany is one made up of a hierarchy of different types of parks, each offering a variety of recreation and/or open space opportunities. Separately, each park type may serve a primary function, but collectively these parks will meet the needs of the entire community. This chapter describes the recommended park system for Albany, which is based on providing recreation experiences on a neighborhood scale, community scale, and city-wide. These recommendations were developed from the findings of the Community Needs Assessment, a comprehensive analysis of park and facility needs. In addition, this chapter describes the park and facility improvements needed at all existing and proposed sites. Pathways and trails, athletic facilities, and indoor recreation centers are given special attention because of their significance within the park system. Additional recommendations and strategies for non-capital projects and operations are included at the end of the chapter. 5.1 PARK SYSTEM Planning Concept Albany’s future park system should provide every resident in Albany with convenient access to a variety of recreation opportunities and parkland experiences. To achieve this goal, every neighborhood in Albany should be served by either a neighborhood park or a community park with adequate size and amenities to serve the population in that area. Parks should be located within each identified neighborhood for easy access by bicycle or foot. (Neighborhood areas are illustrated in Figure 3.1.) The proposed park system expands on the existing system, adding a neighborhood park or a community park in each area that is currently unserved but growing in population. Developing four additional neighborhood parks and one community park in Albany in the next five years to serve Areas #4, 5, 13, and 22 is recommended. Only Area 6, with the smallest population of any neighborhood zone and the least anticipated growth, will not have a park within this planning timeframe. Recommendations are presented for city-wide trail development, including two trails to be built in the next five years. This proposed trail development will add a south section to the Swanson Park/Transit Center Pedestrian Loop and a new trail running along the Thurston and Santiam Canals near the Willamette River. In time, additional CHAPTER 5 62 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update recreation resources will be added, such as a natural area near the Calapooia River and six additional trail corridors. This plan also recommends the development of more sport facilities citywide, such as seven new ball fields at Timber Linn Park and a new soccer complex at the proposed community park. New recreation facilities are proposed as well, such as an off-leash dog park and a new community center to be built in partnership with other providers to meet Albany’s need for indoor activity space. Moreover, the plan identifies several new facilities to support the activities that residents participate in most, such as playing on playgrounds, picnicking, and walking for pleasure and exercise. Along with the development of new parks and facilities, this plan recommends improvements to existing parks and renovations to existing facilities. These upgrades will protect existing investments, enhance user safety and accessibility, maximize maintenance efficiency, and support recreation activities. Plans for park renovations include proposed improvements to the amphitheater at Timber Linn Park, as recommended in the new master plan for that site. Other improvements include replacing aging playgrounds that do not meet current design and safety requirements. Finally, recommendations are proposed to have the City identify and address specific park, facility, and maintenace needs throughout the park system. The most significant of these projects includes a Goal 5 Study to identify significant natural resource areas within the City; an ADA Transition Plan to evaluate accessibilty in parks and recreation facilities as required by the American with Disabilities Act; a Maintenance Management Plan to develop and define a maintenance level for each park type; and Facility Use Agreements to strengthen partnerships with other agencies for joint scheduling, use, and maintenance of sport facilities. Proposed Park System Figure 5.1 illustrates the proposed park system. The map illustrates the location of existing park and recreation resources, along with the conceptual location of proposed park sites and trails that are recommended for development. This map does not pinpoint exact locations for proposed sites and trails. Instead, it suggests a general trail route or area for park development, based on community needs, land-use patterns, the expertise of key City staff, and current plans for development within the City. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 63 Insert Figure 5.1: Proposed Park System map CHAPTER 5 64 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Blank Page CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 65 Important notes about the map include: • Proposed park sites and trails are coded with a letter and number (such as NP-3). The code refers to the following: neighborhood parks (NP), community parks (CP), natural areas (NA), and trails (T). The numbers are for reference only and are included on the system map and with recommendations for each site. • Colored asterisks indicate proposed neighborhood parks, community parks, and natural areas. The symbols show the general location for each proposed park. The final location of park sites will be determined later in the development of City plans. Actual park locations will be influenced by land availability, acquisition costs, property ownership, and opportunities to purchase property. This chapter presents recommendations for parkland development and improvements to be implemented in the next ten years. Recommendations for proposed park sites are discussed first, followed by existing parks, which are listed in alphabetical order by park name. Trails and recreation facilities are included in Sections 5.2 and 5.3 respectively. Proposed Parks This 10-year plan recommends the acquisition and development of five neighborhood parks, one new community park, and one natural area to meet community needs for accessible recreation opportunities to the year 2015. Proposed Neighborhood Park NP-1 A neighborhood park is proposed to serve Area #4, which has a current population of 1,609 people and has an anticipated population of 1,828 in the year 2015. Two new subdivisions, North Pointe Meadows and North Albany Village, have been approved for this area, and the target site for the park is a 9-acre open space tract including a pond near these subdivisions. Area #4 is currently unserved, and this proposed site will provide needed recreation opportunities in this area. The neighborhood park should be developed in accordance to the guidelines presented in Chapter 4, with facilties appropriate for the park size. Recommendations for this site include: • Develop Phase 1 of new site acquired by gift. • Develop Phase 2. CHAPTER 5 66 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Proposed Neighborhood Park NP-2 A neighborhood park is proposed to serve Area #5 in northeastern Albany, which is predicted to be the most rapidly growing residential area in the city. While the current population is 1,803 people, the area anticipates an 80% growth rate, increasing to 3,278 people by the year 2015. Five new subdivisions have added 756 lots in this vicinity since 2001, and another subdivision of 202 lots was proposed in June 2005. The neighborhood service area analysis conducted with the citywide Needs Assessment indicated that 7.5 acres of parkland will be needed in this area by the year 2015. Area #5 is currently unserved; however, a future school site is proposed north of Knox Butte Road. This proposed site may offer an opportunity for joint facility development. Potential park land here would provide needed recreation opportunities and open space in this rapidly developing area. A neighborhood park should be developed in accordance to the guidelines presented in Chapter 4, with facilties appropriate for the park size. If the site is developed as a school park in partnerhship with GAPS, it should reflect joint facility needs. Recommendations for this site include: • Acquire a 5-7-acre site to serve this area. • Develop 3 acres as a neighborhood park, leaving the remaining acreage as natural open space. Proposed Neighborhood Park NP-3 A neighborhood park is proposed to serve Area #13 in central Albany, which is one of the more densely-developed neighborhoods in the city. The area has a current population of 2,549 people and an anticipated population of 2,681 people in the year 2015. Although the Periwinkle Bike Path runs through the eastern portion of this neighborhood, Area #13 currently does not have neighborhood-scale recreation facilities--such as a playground, picnic area, and outdoor basketball court--available to residents without crossing major roadways. The Albany Boys & Girls Club provides indoor recreation for youth at their facilty in this area. The plan recommends exploring a potential partership with the Boys & Girls Club to jointly develop a site east of the indoor facility as a neighborhood park. Recommendations for this site include: • Develop site as a neighborhood park. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 67 Proposed Neighborhood Park NP-4 A neighborhood park is proposed to serve Area #16 in western Albany, which has a current population of 1,730 people and an anticipated population of 1,818 in the year 2015. This area is currently served by Hazelwood Park, which is located in the northwest corner of the area. Because the park is not centrally located and has limited potential for further development, this plan recommends developing a new neighborhood park in a more geographically accessible location. The City should consider possible opportunities to partner with GAPS or others in order to identify a feasible and centrally-located site for park development. The neighborhood park should be developed in accordance to the guidelines presented in Chapter 4. Recommendations for this site include: • Acquire a 3-acre site to serve this area, in lieu of developing Hazelwood Park. • Develop site as a neighborhood park. Proposed Neighborhood Park NP-5 A neighborhood park is proposed to serve Area #22 in southern Albany, which has a been identified as a potential growth area. The recent annexation of the Henshaw property will likely contribute to development in this zone. The current population of Area #22 is 149 people, but it is expected to grow to 1,189 in the year 2015. The City should use dedicated land in this area to develop a neighborhood park in accordance to the guidelines presented in Chapter 4. Recommendations for this site include: • Develop a 3-acre site as a neighborhood park. Proposed Community Park CP-1 The Community Needs Assessment identify a need for the following types of facilities commonly located in community parks: • Sport fields (baseball, softball, soccer, football) • Outdoor basketball court • Skate park • Picnic pavilion/large group picnic area • Play area • Open space for children’s and family activities • Dog park CHAPTER 5 68 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Community garden • Internal pathways and trails Some, but not all, of these facility needs (baseball/softball fields, dog park) will be met through the redevelopment of Timber Linn Park. For this reason, a new community park in proposed in south Albany (Area #22) to provide space for other facilities (soccer/football fields, skate park) and to make certain facilities (picnic pavilion, community-scale play area) more geographically accessible to residents living in this part of the City. The City should develop the community park in accordance to the guidelines presented in Chapter 4. In selecting a site, the City should consider oportunities to link the park to the proposed Oak Creek Greenway and evaluate the natural resource value of wetlands in this area for possible preservation. Recommendations for this site include: • Acquire a 40-acre site for a community park in south Albany. • Develop a soccer field complex. • Develop additional community park facilities as indicated by needs identified in the needs assessment. Proposed Natural Area NA-1 A City-owned site near the Calapooia River in southwest Albany is recommended for preservation as a natural area. This former landfill site may require revegetation and habitat enhancement. Potential connections from this area to the existing Oak Creek Greenbelt trail, Spring Meadows Park, and Teloh Calapooia Park should be evaluated. Park development should include a riverfront trail, trailhead, overlooks, interpretive signage, and other appropriate amenities as indicated in the design guidelines in Chapter 4. Recommendations for this site include: • Develop/preserve 50 acres as natural area park, including a riverfront trail and trailhead, at the City-owned former landfill site along the Calapooia River. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 69 Existing Parks Several improvements are recommended in existing City parks to renovate and revitalize these sites. Existing parks with recommended improvements and/or new facility development are noted in alphabetical order. Bowman Park . Bowman Park is a 26-acre riverfront park on the south side of the Willamette River in Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Develop new site master plan. • Redesign trails and pedestrian access to park. Consider closure of some sections of park and trail to help resolve management issues. • Provide more lighting. • Relocate restroom closer to parking and shelter. Bryant Park . Bryant Park is a 71.74 acre community park on the south side of the Willamette River. Recommendations for this site include: • Develop new site master plan. • Renovate ball fields (or relocate to another site). • Redesign vehicle circulation and parking. • Renovate/repair/relocate river shelter. Burkhart Park . Burkhart Park is a 1.9 acre neighborhood park in north-central Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Remove or renovate tennis court. • Add shelter. CHAPTER 5 70 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Burkhart Square . Burkhart Square is an urban open space of 0.15 acres in downtown Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Develop new site master plan to redesign and develop as more open, safer pedestrian urban space. • Repair/replace concrete and bricks in plaza. • Add public art. Dave Clark Riverfront Path . The Dave Clark Riverfront Path is a 5-acre trail corridor/greenway that links parks on the south side of the Willamette River. Recommendations for this site include: • Complete Bowman to Simpson Park connection. • Provide additional fencing along steep riverbank. Deerfield Park . Deerfield Park is a neighborhood park of 11.67 acres in southeast Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Develop new site master plan. • Replace playground equipment. • Install irrigation system. • Install portable toilet station. • Improve signage. Draper Park . Draper Park is a neighborhood park of 5.18 acres in central Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Replace playground equipment. • Develop additional pathways. • Replace lighting. • Replace irrigation. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 71 Gibson Hill Park . Gibson Hill Park is a newly-developed neighborhood park of 6.6 acres in northwest Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Add picnic shelter. Grand Prairie Park . Grand Prairie Park is a neighborhood park of 9.49 acres in central- southeast Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Replace playground equipment. • Evaluate/renovate restrooms for ADA compliance. • Provide more parking. • Extend irrigation to uncovered areas north of pond. Hackleman (Eleanor) Park . Eleanor Hackleman Park is a neighborhood park of 3.51 acres in north-central Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Remove/replace old picnic shelter. Henderson Park . Henderson Park is a small neighborhood park of 0.44 acres in west- central Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Provide lighting on back side. • Replace single tennis court. • Replace playground. Lehigh Park . Lehigh Park is a neighborhood park of 5.12 acres in east-central Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Replace playground equipment. • Replace old picnic tables and benches and add wheelchair. accessible tables. • Replace irrigation system. • Improve lighting. CHAPTER 5 72 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Lexington Park . Lexington Park is a 10-acre neighborhood park in east-central Albany. Several park improvements projects for this site were included in the FY 05-06 City budget and are currently under construction. These projects include a perimeter walkway, a new basketball court, and an open play area. Additional recommendations for this site include: • Add picnic shelter. • Add more picnic tables and benches. • Install portable toilet station. Maple Lawn Park . Maple Lawn Park is a 2-acre neighborhood park in north-central Albany. The recommendation for this site includes: • Extend irrigation to parking area on west. Montieth Park . Monteith Park is a 10-acre citywide park of 6.27 acres on the south side of the Willamette River. Recommendations for this site include: • Develop new site master plan, aligned with CARA objectives. • Renovate stage. • Remove or replace playground. • Redesign parking and consolidate it with senior center parking. Oak Creek Greenbelt . The OakCreek Greenbelt is a 52.29-acre natural area in southwest Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Provide new trailhead on west end. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 73 Periwinkle Park . Periwinkle Park is a neighborhood park of 7.14 acres in central Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Renovate overflow structure for pond and address water quality (stagnant during low flow). • Replace bridge. • Provide lighting along trail. • Improve parking and pedestrian access from streets. Pineway Park . Pineway Park is a neighborhood park of 1.01 acres in south-central Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Replace playground equipment. • Replace park furniture, signage. Riverview Heights Park . Riverview Heights Park is a 1.75 acre neighborhood park in north Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Replace playground. • Replace deteriorating sections of pathway. • Add wheelchair accessible picnic tables. Simpson Park . Simpson Park is a 129-acre natural area on the east side of the Willamette River, where the river turns northward. Recommendations for this site include: • Develop new site master plan. • Improve and use ponds as water quality enhancement feature, per State and City objectives. CHAPTER 5 74 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Spring Meadows Park . Spring Meadows Park is a currently undeveloped neighborhood park of 1.80 acres in southwest Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Create a site master plan. • Develop as a neighborhood park to serve Area #18. Sunrise Park . Sunrise Park is a neighborhood park of 3.16 acres in central Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Replace playground equipment. • Widen pathways. • Improve vehicle access and parking. Swanson Park . Swanson Park is a neighborhood park of 3.16 acres in central Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Complete improvements per 2005 site plan: • Replace playground. • Replace walkways. • Add shelter. Takena Park . Takena Park is a 3-acre neighborhood park in west-central Albany. Recommendations for this site include: • Complete new perimeter walks per new site plan. • Add a new shelter building. • Complete new portable toilet station. • Remove wading pool. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 75 Takena Landing . Takena Landing is a riverfront park of 71.92 acres on the north side of the Willamette River. Recommendations for this site include: • Add security lighting. • Install new pedestrian access from Highway 20 at the north end of bridge into the park. Teloh Calapooia Park . Teloh Calapooia Park is a 28.70 acre neighborhood park in southwest Albany that encompasses natural area acreage. Recommendations for this site include: • Replace playground. • Provide lighting. Timber Linn Park . Timber Linn Park is a 100.14 acre citywide park in east Albany. Timber Linn has a new site master plan, with recommendations for three phases of improvements. Recommendations include: • Implement Phase I of Master Plan (Parking, NE playground, north gateway pavilion, dog park, landscaping). • Implement Phase 2 of Master Plan (sport field development). • Implement Phase 3 of Master Plan (amphitheater renovation, boardwalk, dock, bridge, trails, Veterans Memorial enhancement, new play area). Waverly Park . Waverly Park is an urban open space of 19.81 acres at the City’s entrance off Interstate 5 via the Highway 99 exit. Recommendations for this site include: • Provide additional lighting along pathway. • Replace irrigation. CHAPTER 5 76 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 5.2 PATHWAYS AND TRAILS While there is a citywide need for several types of recreation facilities, perhaps the most significant demand has been noted for trails and pathways. According to the results of the Community Needs Assessment, the desire for more trails and opportunities for trail- related recreation was noted in nearly all public involvement events as well as national and statewide trends. Of various recreation activities, trail use is very popular in Albany. In fact, three of the ten most popular recreation activities in the City are trail-related: walking, bicycling for pleasure, and wildlife watching. Trail development is needed to meet increasing community demands, to balance their geographic distribution, and to maximize opportunities for recreation along city canals, creeks, and rivers. To meet ADA requirements and provide for a variety of recreation uses, it is recommended that all new trails be accessible whenever feasible. Multi-purpose trails will encourage activities such as walking, jogging, biking, skateboarding, rollerblading, etc. Trails also provide linkages to parks, schools, and other key destinations. Since trails are difficult to provide after an area has been developed, planning and designing trails for developing areas is essential. Particularly in northeast and south Albany, developers should be encouraged to provide linkages to proposed trail routes near residential developments, where such improvements would provide important connections to other parks and public destinations. Good trail planning will consider existing and proposed development in the vicinity of a trail, but also the natural resources that a trail corridor may protect. Proposed corridors may vary in width, from 40 feet to more than 100 feet, depending on the land availability and the trail’s location. Besides providing for recreation and non-motorized transportation, some trails may provide wildlife corridors within the city. Other trail corridors may protect riparian vegetation, wetlands, the water quality of streams, and other valued natural resources. This section identifies recommendations for new trail development, along with additional considerations for trails and pathways. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 77 Proposed Trails Six new trails are recommended in this plan for development by the year 2015. The trails are noted by their map reference numbers, beginning in the north and proceeding clockwise. In addition to the trails proposed here, one of the more significant trail connections will be provided with the completion of the Dave Clark Riverfront Path from Bowman Park to Simpson Park This trail extension is listed in Section 5.1 with existing parks and facilities. Canal Esplanade Trail T-1 The Canal Esplanade Trail has an opportunity to link several significant recreational sites around downtown Albany, including Bryant Park, Monteith Park, the Dave Clark Riverfront Path, Swanson Park, COOL! Swanson Park Action Center, and Henderson Park. This trail, when linked to the riverfront path, will create a loop that serves park users and also employees and visitors to the downtown area. This path may help draw people to the waterfront as well. The 1.2 mile, hard-surfaced pathway would run along the Thurston Canal (Thurston Street) from the Wllamette River to 8th Avenue, west along the 8th Avenue Canal, past Swanson Park and Henderson Park to the Santiam Canal, then north to the water plant on the Calapooia River. • Acquire corridor and develop 1.2 mile Canal Esplanade along Thurston and Santiam Canals. Swanson Loop Trail T-2 An 0.35-mile existing trail on the north side of Highway 99 connects Swanson Park with the nearby Amtrak/Transit Center. A loop trail is proposed here by adding an extension on the south side of Highway 99. An ODOT right-of-way is available to complete this trail, which is recommended for development within the next five years. This trail may receive considerable use by visitors to the COOL! Swanson Park Action Center. • Develop a 0.2 mile Transit Center/Swanson Park Pedestrian Loop. CHAPTER 5 78 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Truax Creek Trail T-3 The Truax Creek trail was originally proposed in the Albany Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan (adopted in the year 2000) as part of the “Albany Loop.” A proposal to loop the entire city with trails and pathways may not be feasible, but a trail along Truax Creek has the potential to link the rapidly developing northeast Albany area to Simpson Park and the riverfront trail system. When this trail is developed, a link to proposed neighborhood park (NP-2) should be evaluated. • Acquire corridor and develop a 4.5 mile trail along Truax Creek. Burkhart Creek Trail T-4 The proposed Burkhart Creek trail crosses Burhart Creek to connect the proposed neighborhood park (NP-2) with Timber Linn Park. The trail corridor would follow an existing drainage south of NP-2 to Burkhart Creek, where the corridor would turn westward along the creek for a short distance. There the trail splits, with part heading northwest along the creek to Clover Ridge Road. The other part of the pathway would turn southward along a proposed street through the proposed development for a village center, connecting to Timber Linn via sidewalks on Dogwood Avenue. This corridor would provided needed opportunities for trail-related recreation in the rapidly developing northeast area. • Acquire corridor and develop a 1.25 mile trail along Burkhart Creek. Oak Creek Greenway/Trail T-5 Oak Creek crosses southern Albany, from Linn County’s Freeway Lakes Park near Interstate 5 to the Calapooia River. The creek runs through many undeveloped areas and wetlands, and thus, may offer one of the best opportunities for a new greenway and extended trail within the city. A trail is proposed along the creek from Highway 99 on the west side to Freewway Lakes Park on the east side. The trail may have opportunities to connect the newly proposed neighborhood park (NP-5) to the proposed community park (CP-1). Also, a linkage may eventually be made to the existing Oak Creek Greenbelt, Teloh Calapooia Park, Spring Meadows Park, and the proposed natural area along the Calapooia River. • Acquire corridor and develop a 3.0 mile trail along Oak Creek connecting NP-5 and CP-1. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 79 Calapooia River Trail T-6 A City-owned (former landfill) site near the Calapooia River in southwest Albany is recommended for preservation as a natural area. When a trail in this park is developed, a connecting trail is recommended to link this site to the existing Oak Creek Greenbelt trail. Since the trail will run along the Calapooia River, the trail corridor should be wide enough to protect natural resources and provide water vantage points. • Acquire corridor and develop a 0.5 mile trail along Calapooia River connecting the proposed natural area to the Oak Creek Greenbelt trail. Additional Recommendations Additional recommendations for pathways and trails include: • Maintain, widen, and repair existing pathways and trails, as noted within specific park recommendations. • Increase recreational trails and pathways to provide a safe trail network that links neighborhoods, parks, natural open space, schools, recreation sites and other key community destinations. Consider the following: • Improve accessible pedestrian trail opportunities via internal pathways in existing and future parks; • Provide multi-use pathways and trails to meet the current need for an additional 7.5 miles of trails and pathways; • Provide multi-use pathways to meet the need for more than 9.5 miles of trails in the year 2015. • Provide off-street, hard-surfaced trails, wherever feasible, for opportunities for walking and recreational biking; • Emphasize park access and connectivity when acquiring trail corridors. • Seek potential links with the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, which uses rural roadways to travel through the valley from Newberg to Eugene. In Albany, the southbound route crosses the Willamette River on the bridge for Highway 20 and passes Bryant Park and Monteith Park, providing opportunities for linkages. • Partner with Linn County and Benton County to acquire trail corridors outside the UGB. Consider joint projects to develop the following trails: CHAPTER 5 80 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Willamette River—North Bank. Develop a 3.25 mile trail along the north bank of Willamette River extending the Takena Landing trail northward to Springhill Drive near Ridgeview Place. • Willamette River—South Bank. Develop a 4.9 mile trail extending westward from Bryant Park along the south bank of the river to increase recreation opportunities for walking, biking, rollerblading, and wildlife watching. • Provide centralized and effective staging areas for trail access. Major trailheads should include parking. Signage should be provided with orientation and other information. 5.3 RECREATION FACILITIES According to the results of the Community Needs Assessment, there is a significant need for several types of recreation facilities in Albany. This section includes recommendations for meeting specific facility needs, focusing on indoor recreation centers, aquatic facilities, sport facilities, and other facility types. Indoor Recreation Centers Public involvement findings indicate a need for programmable indoor space and gymnasiums. This need occurs citywide, both for the Parks and Recreation Department and private providers, such as the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club. Currently, Albany has several small indoor facilities (e.g., Albany Senior Center, Maple Lawn Preschool, COOL! Swanson Park Action Center, and the YMCA) and one larger specialty youth facility (Boys & Girls Club). However, the city does not have a large, multi-purpose center that serves all age groups. Neither the City nor private providers will be able to address this deficiency alone. This plan recommends that the City pursue a major, new multi- purpose community center in partnership with other providers for the benefit of the entire city. The new center will serve all age groups and be an investment in the quality of life for all residents in Albany. While small recreation centers were favored in the past as a means of providing less-expensive, indoor space locally, the operations and maintenance costs for several small community centers are higher. Current regional and national trends favor large, multi-purpose centers that meet a variety of community needs. The advantage of larger facilities (40,000-80,000 square feet) is that they are capable of being more self-supporting and cost effective. A single large center can serve 20,000 or more people and accommodate a broader range of activities than multiple, dispersed sites. Because of the cost efficiency of centralization, operations costs for a larger center can be CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 81 lower than for multiple, dispersed sites providing the same square footage. Albany’s community center should be a highly visible, state-of-the-art facility that acts as a magnet for community and family activities. The center may include: • A gymnasium/indoor court • Multi-purpose classrooms and meeting space • Specialized activity areas, such as dance studios, stage for performing arts, indoor soccer courts, or a youth/teen room • Places for large group gatherings • Social gathering space, such as a coffee kiosk, lounge, etc. The specific mix of facilities is the arrangement that best meets the needs of each provider involved in developing the facility, and the financial performance goals for the center, as determined through a feasibility study. Indoor Recreation Center . Specific recommendations for an indoor recreation center through the year 2015 include: • Conduct a feasibility study that includes an assessment of non- profit and public buildings (e.g., Albany Senior Center, Albany Community Pool) to determine opportunities for multi-agency partnerships in developing a multi-purpose community center. • Construct new activity space, including program rooms for seniors, adult recreation and youth services, in concert with other service agencies. Aquatic Facilities According to the results of the Community Needs Assessment, a significant demand has been noted for indoor swimming in Albany, where participation levels are higher than in many other communities in the Northwest. The recent opening of the outdoor pool at the COOL! Swanson Park Action Center addresses current community needs for outdoor swimming. However, Needs Assessment findings indicate that one additional (indoor) pool will be necessary to meet future needs for Albany residents in 2015. A separate Albany Aquatics Assessment, completed in May 2004, confirms the citywide need for swimming opportunties. CHAPTER 5 82 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update At a time when many communities are developing indoor facilities that include water playgrounds, slides, spray features, and wave pools in an effort to capture more revenue and increase recreational swimming, Albany residents utilize the Community Pool and a smaller, older, YMCA pool. While these two facilities meet current needs for indoor swimming, the programming time at the Albany Community Pool and the lifespan of the YMCA pool are limited and will be unable to meet City needs indefinitely. One possible option for meeting the City’s future need for an indoor pool is to coordinate with the YMCA in the development a new community center and large, indoor pool, when the organization moves to a new location. This is an option worth investigating. Aquatic Facilities . Specific recommendations for swimming pools include: • Maintain the successful partnership with Greater Albany Public Schools in providing classes and recreational swim times at the Community Pool in South Albany High School. • Conduct an assessment of existing public and non-profit buildings (including the Albany Community Pool) to determine opportunities for multi-agency partnerships in developing a multi-purpose community center (and possible aquatic center). Sport Facilities Albany is an active community, with a high level of recreation participation. The findings of the Community Needs Assessment indicate that existing sport facilities barely meet current levels of participation in organized sports and have little or no capacity to support more players. The findings also show that there is a current shortage of facilities such as gymnasiums and football fields. Organized teams compete for field and gym time, meaning non-team (recreational) players are excluded from facility use. By the year 2015, more sport facilities of all types will be needed to support the population increase within the city. More facilities would allow organized sport programming to encourage new players to participate. It would also provide programming oppotunities to support non-team use, such as drop-in gym times. The park system in Albany has sport facilities at several sites, with most sport fields located at Timber Linn Park and Bryant Park. Many fields are sub-standard and require improvements, as noted in recommendations for existing facilities. Several neighborhood parks have open grass fields and multi-use back stops that may be suitable for practice facilties, but many of these facilities are not suitable for heavy use and do not meet field requirements for games. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 83 School sites, the YMCA, and the Boys and Girls Club contain the remainder of the athletic facilities in the city. Schools provide most of the city’s available gymnasiums, as well as many sport fields. Use of school fields and gymnasiums is guided by the joint use agreement between the City and the Greater Albany School District. However, not all sport facilities noted in Appendix A are scheduled for citywide recreational use. In addition to scheduling constraints, field condition at some school sites is also a concern. In light of these issues, this plan presents a guideline for the minimum number of facilities needed in Albany in 2015 based on current levels of play as the City continues to grow. The plan strongly recommends the following: 1) upgrading existing fields that were counted in the needs assessment analysis; 2) strengthening facility use agreements with the School District and evaluating the feasibility of a joint maintenance agreement to put more fields/facilities into play; 3) developing new fields as a high priority to meet the MINIMUM number of fields needed. Multi-use grass areas and backstops (at schools and in parks) could be evaluated for practices on a site-by- site basis, but scheduling and use should avoid situations such as allowing football teams to use open grass areas in parks where the wet turf is easily damaged. Sport Facilities . Specific recommendations for sport facilties through the year 2015 include: • Develop 3 new softball/youth baseball fields. • Develop 3 new soccer and/or football fields in 5 years and 3 more by 2015. • Construct 1 additional gym in the next 5 years in partnership with other entities. • Construct 2 additional gyms by 2015 to serve multiple agency needs, including City and non-profits. • Develop a new soccer complex at the proposed community park. • Follow Timber Linn Master Plan recommendations to develop 7 new ball diamonds that will include four adult fields and three multi-purpose ball diamonds (youth or adult). • When developing site master plans for new and existing parks, consider community needs for sport facilities as well as the guidelines proposed in this plan. • Strengthen use agreements with the Greater Albany School District for the scheduling of gymnasiums and sports fields. CHAPTER 5 84 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Coordinate with the School District for joint implementation of sport field improvements/maintenance at school sites in exchange for field use. Additional Recreation Facilities In Chapter 3, this plan proposed new guidelines for several types of recreation faciltiies. According to the findings of the Community Needs Assessment, the following types of recreation facilities are needed in Albany: • Outdoor basketball courts • Skate parks • Picnic shelters/pavilions • Play areas/playgrounds • Tennis courts • Dog park • Community garden Recommendations for improvements to existing parks and for development in new and existing parks (Section 5.1) address many of these facility needs. In this section, additional facility needs that are not tied to specific parks are noted. For each of these facilities, the City should consider its impact on other park uses and on the surrounding neighborhood in determining the best location for development. Additional Recreation Facilities . Specific recommendations for recreation facilties through the year 2015 include: • Develop 3 additional outdoor basketball courts in 5 years and 3 more by 2015. • Develop a new skatepark to meet community needs and to address service and neighborhood impact issues at the Albany Skatepark. • Add picnic shelters where recommended in existing City parks. • Replace sub-standard playground equipment at existing parks and develop children’s play areas at all new neighborhood and community parks. • Remove or replace tennis courts as recommended in existing parks as needed to maintain the guideline proposed in this plan. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 85 • Implement the Timber Linn Master Plan to add/renovate recreation facilities as recommended. • When developing site master plans at new and existing parks, consider community needs for recreation facilities along with the guidelines proposed in this plan. 5.4 ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS During the Park and Recreation Master Plan update, several areas were identified where the City can improve, strengthen, or further develop its services. This section provides strategies and specific recommendations for partnerships, citywide plans and assessments, park and facility planning, and financing system improvements. Partnerships . Collaboration among park, recreation and social service providers has become increasingly important in meeting community needs for facilities, programs, and services. Specific recommendations include: • Facilitate collaboration among area recreation and facility providers, including Greater Albany Public Schools (GAPS), Linn County, Benton County, YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, AYSO, churches, service clubs, and other public and private agencies to improve services and maximize efficiency. • Continue cultivating positive, strong relationships with current partners. • Maintain the successful partnership with Greater Albany Public Schools (GAPS) that allows the City to manage recreation at the Community Pool at South Albany High School. • Strengthen facility use agreements with GAPS for the scheduling of gymnasiums and sports fields. • Coordinate with the School District for joint implementation of sport field improvements at school sites in exchange for field use. • Consider the joint design and development of school parks in partnership with GAPS as a strategy to meet neighborhood park needs in areas where opportunities for land acquisition are limited. School parks are innovative facilities that unite neighborhoods, provide convenient and safe recreation opportunities for students and neighbors, offer more interesting play environments than traditional school sites due to cost sharing, and maximize efficiency through the sharing or division of maintenance responsibilities in these joint use areas. • Work with private developers to redevelop the Willamette riverfront. CHAPTER 5 86 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Partner with businesses to provide services and amenities, such as vendors in parks. • Pursue and maintain effective partnerships with public, private, and non-profit organizations to acquire, develop, and maintain parks, open space, and recreation facilities that reflect the objectives and goals of this plan. • Pursue multi-jurisdictional partnerships for trail development, providing linkages to existing City trails and facilities. • Consider partnerships with GAPS, sports organizations, and others for joint facility development and maintenance of athletic fields, community centers, and other major facilities. • Promote volunteerism and expand opportunities to involve volunteers in parks maintenance and natural area restoration through programs like Adopt-a-Park, Parks Cleanup, or the Urban Forestry Program to help with tree care, planting, etc. • Continue and expand upon the existing relationship with the Linn County Expo Center for reciprocal use of parking and other facilities. Citywide Plans and Assessments . The City should conduct and develop the following plans and assessments to support the provision of parks and facilities: • Conduct a Goal 5 Study to identify significant natural areas in Albany. • Develop a Natural Area Management Plan for managing resources in natural areas within Albany's park system. • Develop an ADA Transition Plan for Albany's parks and recreation facilities. • Work with other City departments to develop a Pedestrian Plan that identifies missing pedestrian links, ensures connections to parks and facilities, and promotes a walkable community. • Conduct a Playground Safety Assessment to ensure that these facilities meet safety standards. • Develop a Maintenance Management Plan to develop and define a maintenance level for each park type. • Develop and adopt an Integrated Pest Management Plan to define the use of herbicides and pesticides within City parks, to develop a variety of strategies to control pests, and to minimize negative impacts on the environment and human health. CHAPTER 5 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 87 • Develop a park security and safety assessment in collaboration with City Police, Neighborhood Watch, and other key stakeholders. Park and Facility Planning . Specific recommendations for the overall park system plan include: • Resolve the lease/ownership issues at Deerfield Park and Burkhart Park. (These sites are owned by Greater Albany Public Schools). • Explore the divestment of Eades Park. • Explore the possible divestment of Hazelwood Park, if another more centrally located site can be acquired to serve Neighborhood #16. • Explore a possible property swap at Periwinkle Park with Greater Albany Public Schools to improve the school/park interface. • Evaluate opportunities to acquire property by how well the site supports the goals and guidelines identified in this Plan. Properties that offer a unique function or feature should be considered for acquisition according to the needs of the community. • Conduct a cost impact analysis prior to design and development of all new major facilities. Financing . Recommendations for financing park improvements and development include the following: • Expand the Memorial Donation Program. • Maximize donations, grants, and partnerships to increase the resources available for parks and recreation. Consider various strategies such as developing gift catalogs for key parks, recreation facilities, and programs. • Encourage donations of land, facilities, equipment, services, and gifts that are consistent with goals and objectives of the Park and Recreation Master Plan and benefit the larger community. • Explore opportunities to add revenue-generating facilities to parks where appropriate. • Pursue grants provided through the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) (revised as SAFETEA-LU in 2005) for trail and pathway development to establish walkable communities and safe routes to schools. CHAPTER 5 88 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Re-evaluate annually the priority and timeline for the implementation of projects within the park system as part of the development of the annual parks and recreation capital improvement budget. • Re-assess the priorities of capital projects when updating the long-range park and recreation capital improvement plan every five years. • Implement the new rate recommended for the City’s park System Development Charges (SDCs) as calculated in the SDC methodology update to be completed in 2006. Reevaluate SDCs every five years to ensure that the rates are providing adequate funds to enhance the park system capacity as the City grows. • Create a “replacement fund” to be able to act on needed maintenance and/or replacement of damaged or unsafe facilities, equipment, and other assets. • Create a separate line item in the budget for capital facilities development, rather than grouping it with park maintenance. CHAPTER 6 IMPLEMENTATION CHAPTER 6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 89 IMPLEMENTATION This chapter identifies an implementation strategy for funding the improvements recommended in the Park and Recreation Plan. It includes a list of priority capital projects and a short-term, 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for implementation. This CIP provides a detailed, realistic list of proposed capital improvements that can be funded over the next five years. An overview of potential funding sources is provided. 6.1 CAPITAL PROJECTS The recommendations in Chapter 5 represent all capital projects to be implemented through the year 2015. These projects were prioritized, using specific evaluation criteria developed for this plan, to identify a list of high priority capital improvements needed citywide to be implemented in the next five years. This Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) will be updated annually to reflect changing priorities and needs for parks and recreation. The criteria used for evaluating projects are as follows: • Renovates/maintains existing facilities: According to most respondents in the citywide survey, the City’s priority for park and recreation services should be renovating existing parks, followed by improving maintenance. Projects that will upgrade and revitalize parks and facilities will protect existing investments, enhance user safety and accessibility, maximize maintenance efficiency, and support recreation activities. • Supports underserved areas: The Community Needs Assessment identified areas where parkland or facilities are needed to serve particular neighborhoods or local areas. Projects that fulfill the need for parks and facilities in unserved or underserved areas were given a higher priority. • Acquires needed parkland: It is important to acquire undeveloped sites for parkland while the opportunity still exists to do so. The highest priority acquisitions should be for neighborhood park sites in Area #5 and Area #22 and for a larger parcel in south Albany to serve as a community park. • Meets facility needs: The Community Needs Assessment identified several facilities for which there is a strong community demand and need, such as trails, gymnasiums, sports fields, play areas, picnic shelters, and indoor recreation centers. CHAPTER 6 90 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Offers new recreation opportunities: The City should consider as a high priority projects that provide recreation opportunities that are not currently available in Albany. • Fulfills requirements: State requirements or statewide planning goals, ADA guidelines, safety requirements, etc., call for various upgrades and improvements to meet these local, state, and federal guidelines. • Has partnership potential: Projects that show a potential for joint acquisition, development, or maintenance through partnerships are considered a high priority for implementation. Projects were prioritized on a three-point scale, with each priority related to a particular timeframe for implementation. Priority I projects are expected to be implemented in the next 1-5 years, and Priority II projects are targeted for implementation in 6-10 years. Projects identified as Priority III will be implemented when additional funding becomes available. Table 6.1 presents all capital projects proposed in this plan, along with their project priorities. Table 6.1 Capital Projects and Priorities Albany Planning Area Site/Facility Project Description Priority New Parks and Facilities I II III Neighborhood Park (Area #4) Develop new site acquired by gift Neighborhood Park (Area #5) Acquire a 5-7-acre site to serve this area Develop 3 acres as neighborhood park Neighborhood Park (Area #13) Develop site as neighborhood park Neighborhood Park (Area #16) Acquire a 3-acre site to serve this area, in lieu of developing Hazelwood Park Develop site as neighborhood park Neighborhood Park (Area #22) Develop the site as a neighborhood park Community Park Acquire a 40 acre site for a community park in south Albany (Area 22) Implement Phase 1: Develop a soccer field complex Implement Phase 2: Develop community park facilities Natural Area Develop 50-acre natural area park (0.5 mile riverfront trail and trailhead) at City-owned former landfill site along Calapooia River Swanson Loop Trail Develop a 0.2-mile Transit Center/Swanson Park Pedestrian Loop Canal Esplanade Trail Acquire corridor and develop 1.2-mile Canal Esplanade along Thurston and Santiam Canals CHAPTER 6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 91 Table 6.1 (continued) Site/Facility Project Description Priority New Parks and Facilities I II III Truax Creek Trail Acquire corridor and develop a 4.5 mile trail along Truax Creek Burkhart Creek Trail Acquire corridor and develop a 1.25 mile trail along Burkhart Creek Oak Creek Greenway Acquire corridor and develop a 3.0 mile trail along Oak Creek connecting NP-5 and CP-1 Calapooia River Trail Acquire corridor and develop a 0.5 mile trail along Calapooia River connecting NA-1 to Oak Creek Greenbelt trail Spring Meadows Park Create a site master plan and develop as neighborhood park Timber Linn Park Implement site master plan - Phase I Implement site master plan - Phase 2 Implement site master plan - Phase 3 Playground Replacement Replace aging, unsafe, and/or substandard playgrounds at Draper, Sunrise, Lehigh, Grand Prairie, and Pineway Parks Dog park Develop a dog park Softball/Youth Baseball Fields Develop 3 new baseball fields Soccer/Football Fields, Phase 1 Develop 3 additional soccer and/or football fields Soccer/Football Fields, Phase 2 Develop 3 additional soccer and/or football fields Community Center, Phase 1 Conduct an assessment of existing public and non-profit buildings (Albany Senior Center, Albany Community Pool) to determine opportunities for multi-agency partnerships in developing a multi-purpose community center Community Center, Phase 2 Construct new activity space, including program rooms for seniors, adult recreation and youth services, in concert with other service agencies Gymnasiums, Phase 1 Construct 1 additional gym in partnership with other entities Gymnasiums, Phase 2 Construct 2 additional gyms to serve multiple agency needs, including City and non-profits Outdoor Basketball Courts, Phase 1 Develop 3 additional outdoor basketball courts Outdoor Basketball Courts, Phase 2 Develop 3 additional outdoor basketball courts Skate Park Develop a new skatepark to meet community needs and to address service and neighborhood impact issues at the existing Albany Skatepark CHAPTER 6 92 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Table 6.1 (continued) Site/Facility Project Description Priority Existing Parks and Facilities I II III Bowman Park Develop new site master plan Redesign trails and pedestrian access to park. Consider closure of some sections of park and trail to help resolve management issues Provide more lighting Relocate restroom closer to parking and shelter Bryant Park Develop new site master plan Renovate ball fields (or relocate to another site) Redesign vehicle circulation and parking Renovate/repair/relocate river shelter Burkhart Park Remove or renovate tennis court Add shelter Burkhart Square Develop new site master plan to redesign and develop as more open, safer pedestrian urban space Repair/replace concrete and bricks in plaza Add public art Dave Clark Path Complete Bowman to Simpson Park connection Provide additional fencing along steep riverbank Deerfield Park Develop new site master plan Replace playground equipment Install irrigation system Install portable toilet station Improve signage Draper Park Develop additional pathways Replace lighting Replace irrigation Gibson Hill Park Add picnic shelter Grand Prairie Park Evaluate/renovate restrooms for ADA compliance Provide more parking Extend irrigation to uncovered areas north of pond Hackleman Park Remove/replace old picnic shelter Henderson Park Provide lighting on back side Replace single tennis court Replace playground Lehigh Park Replace old picnic tables and benches and add wheelchair accessible tables Replace irrigation system Improve lighting CHAPTER 6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 93 Table 6.1 (continued) Site/Facility Project Description Priority Existing Parks and Facilities (continued) I II III Lexington Park Complete current construction (perimeter walk, basketball court, open play area) Add picnic shelter Add more picnic tables and benches Install portable toilet station Maple Lawn Park Add small shelter Extend irrigation to parking area on west Monteith Park Develop new site master plan, aligned with CARA objectives Renovate stage Remove or replace playground Redesign parking and consolidate it with senior center parking Oak Creek Greenbelt Provide new trailhead on west end Periwinkle Park Renovate overflow structure for pond and address water quality (stagnant during low flow) Replace bridge Provide lighting along trail Improve parking and pedestrian access from streets Pineway Park Replace park furniture, signage Riverview Heights Park Replace playground Replace deteriorating sections of pathway Add wheelchair accessible picnic tables Simpson Park Develop new site master plan Improve and use ponds as water quality enhancement feature, per State and City objectives Sunrise Park Widen pathways Improve vehicle access and parking Swanson Park Complete improvements per 2005 site plan: replace playground and walkways, and add shelter Takena Park Complete new perimeter walks per new site plan Add a new shelter building Complete new portable toilet station Remove wading pool Takena Landing Add security lighting Install new pedestrian access from Hwy 20/ north end of bridge into park Teloh Calapooia Park Replace playground Provide parking Waverly Park Provide additional lighting along pathway Replace irrigation CHAPTER 6 94 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 6.2 FINANCING STRATEGY The Park and Recreation Plan recommends that the City embark on a conservative, five-year, park capital development plan, which is described in this section. Project Revenue The City’s strategy for financing priority capital improvments is a basic pay-as-you-go approach involving annual expenditures from the City’s Park and Recreation Operating Budget (which supports capital facilities), supplemented by System Development Charges (SDCs), grants, and donations. Table 6.2 summarizes the potential funding sources for the proposed CIP. Table 6.2 Potential Revenue Sources For a 5-Year Capital Facilities Plan Funding Source Current Balance 3-Year Average 1 Annual Allocation 5-Year Revenue SDC (projected balance) $3,238,704 $3,238,704 SDC (annual revenue) $700,000 $700,000 $3,500,000 Grants $215,500 $200,000 $1,000,000 CIP Support from Operating Budget $190,000 $150,000 $750,000 Gifts and Donations $164,100 $200,000 $1,000,000 Total for 5 years $9,488,7042 1 This average was calculated over the last 3 fiscal years (FY 03/04 through FY 05/06) for Gifts, Grants and Park and Recreation Fund ‘04 resources committed to capital projects. 2 Estimates are in 2005 dollars, not taking interest into account. CHAPTER 6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 95 Project Expenditures Table 6.3 presents estimated costs for the implementation of all Priority I capital improvements. Costs for each park are summarized by park type. Individual new facilities and multi-park renovation costs are listed at the end of the table. Total costs for all Priority I capital improvements are estimated at $9,488,704. The total cost of these projects can be funded by the revenue sources listed in Table 6.2. Table 6.3 Suggested 5-Year Capital Facilities Plan Albany Planning Area Map Key1 Units 2 Park Estimated Costs 3 Neighborhood Parks NP-1 5.00 New Park in Area #4 $383,704 NP-2 6.00 New Park in Area #5 $948,750 NP-3 6.00 New Park in Area #13 $156,000 NP-5 5.00 New Park in Area #22 $468,750 11.67 Deerfield Park $328,750 3.51 Eleanor Hackleman Park $50,000 0.44 Henderson Park $93,750 10.00 Lexington Park $71,500 1.75 Riverview Heights Park $142,625 1.80 Spring Meadows Park $281,250 3.16 Swanson Park $206,250 3.00 Takena Park $62,500 28.70 Teloh Calapooia Park $149,375 Subtotal $3,343,204 Community Parks CP-1 40.00 Proposed Community Park $3,500,000 71.74 Bryant Park $50,000 Subtotal $3,550,000 Citywide Parks 100.14 Timber Linn Park $1,000,000 Subtotal $1,000,000 Riverfront Parks 26.00 Bowman Park $25,000 Subtotal $25,000 New Facilities 1 park Dog Park $0,000 4 1 center Recreation Center (Feasibility Study) $50,000 1 gym Gymnasium Phase 1 $750,000 CHAPTER 6 96 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Table 6.3 (continued) Map Key1 Units2 Park Estimated Costs 3 New Facilities (continued) T-1 0.2 mi Swanson Park Pedestrian Loop $25,000 T-2 1.2 mi Canal Esplanade Trail $195,500 Subtotal $1,020,500 Existing Facilities 5 units Replacement playgrounds for Draper, Sunrise, Lehigh, Grand Prairie, and Pineway Parks $400,000 Replacement Fund $150,000 Subtotal $550,000 TOTAL ALL PARKS $9,488,704 1 The map key is a reference to the Proposed Park System map (Figure 5.1). 2 Units are measured in acres, unless otherwise specified. 3 Estimated costs reflect 2005 dollars. Actual amounts will be altered by inflation. 4 The dog park will be constructed as part of Phase 1 for Timber Linn Park. Funds are allocated within the $1,000,000 for that site. Appendix C provides a detailed breakdown of costs for all Priority I projects by park, task, and category (planning, acquisition, development, contingency, A/E fees). The appendix also includes costs for Priority II projects, which were calculated in the process of updating the City’s methodology for System Development Charges. Of the costs noted in Table 6.3, the majority funds will be directed toward meeting community needs for new parks in unserved areas and developing new recreation facilities citywide. The renovation of existing parks is also funded through a variety of projects. Table 6.4 notes the amount of funds allocated for each type of expenditure. Table 6.4 Summary of Costs by Type of Expenditure Albany Planning Area Expenditure Estimated Cost 1 Planning $150,000 Land Acquisition $2,480,000 New Park/Facility Development $4,228,954 Renovation/Restoration of Existing Sites $2,629,750 Total $9,488,704 1 Estimated costs reflect 2005 dollars. Actual amounts will be altered by inflation. CHAPTER 6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 97 6.3 MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS COSTS Adding new park sites and facilities to Albany’s existing park system will substantially increase maintenance costs. The City must consider the proposed costs for grounds and facilities maintenance prior to individual project approval. This will ensure that that appropriate levels of maintenance are planned and budgeted. According to the City’s calculations, the Park and Recreation Department spends on average $4,500 per developed acre to maintain parks and facilities, and $250 per acre for natural areas. In MIG’s experience, the average cost per acre for park maintenance in Oregon is typically between $4,000-$6,000. Albany is at the lower end of this range. This plan recommends that Albany increase the level of service for maintaining developed parkland, particularly as new acreage is acquired and developed. This plan further suggests that the City increase its maintenance allocation for undeveloped parkland and natural areas. Maintenance tasks in these areas may include: • Removal of health and safety hazards caused by illegal dumping, auto abandonment, and hazardous (often drug-related) wastes; • Clean-up of homeless camp sites, including shelter materials, debris, and illegal restrooms; • Natural resource maintenance, including invasive species removal natural area restoration, and habitat preservation; • Water quality enhancement, drainage improvements, and flood damage assessment; • Restoration and upkeep of trails and trail-related facilities, including signage, benches, trash receptacles, etc.; • Upkeep of natural areas damaged by off-trail mountain bikes, motor bikes, ATV use, and hiking though non-designated areas. A greater allocation per acre of undeveloped parkland will help address park safety, health, resource quality, and recreational impacts in undeveloped, natural open space areas. Table 6.5 illustrates the anticipated annual costs of maintaining the proposed park system at two different levels. Level A reflects the current level of service at $4,500 per developed acre, with $250 per acre for natural areas. Level B suggests a maintenance level of $5,500 per acre, with $1,200 per acre for natural areas. This proposed level of service is more in line with the maintenance needs in Albany’s park system and the service levels of other Oregon communities. It also reflects the community’s priorities for park and CHAPTER 6 98 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update recreation services, which include taking care of existing parks and improving maintenance. Table 6.5 Maintenance and Operational Expenses for the Proposed Park System, Projected to 2010 Albany Planning Area Item Acres Level A Costs 2 Level B Costs 3 Existing and Proposed Park Sites (Developed) 478.96 $2,155,320 $2,634,280 Existing and Proposed Natural Areas 1 (Undeveloped) 181.29 $45,323 $217,548 TOTAL 660.25 $2,200,643 $2,851,8284 1 Existing and proposed natural areas include Simpson Park and Oak Creek Greenbelt. Developed acreage was calculated by taking the City’s total current inventory (603.25), subtracting the undeveloped acreage (181.29), and adding proposed sites for four neighborhood parks and one community park that will be developed within the 5-year timeframe (57.0 acres). 2 Level A is based on Albany’s current maintenance level at $4,500 per developed acre and $250 per acre for natural areas, projected to total operational and maintenance expenses in the year 2010. 3 Level B is based on increasing Albany’s maintenance level to $5,500 per developed acre, with $1,200 per acre allocated to maintain natural areas, projected to total operational and maintenance expenses in the year 2010. 4 Costs reflect 2005 dollars. Actual amounts will be altered by inflation. While the Parks and Recreation Department is the primary provider of maintenance and upkeep of City park and recreation facilities, other entities—including GAPS, sports clubs, private providers, and other public organizations—help meet maintenance needs for recreation facilities throughout the community. Continuing to partner with these organizations is important to keep recreation facilities in good condition and reduce maintenance costs for the City. Renovation and replacement of facilities that are old, unsafe, or in state of disrepair will further reduce long-term maintenance costs. CHAPTER 6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 99 6.4 FUNDING SOURCES There are a number of possible funding sources for programs, non- capital projects, and parks and facilities acquisition, development, and maintenance. Most sources are limited in scope and can only be used to fund specific types of projects or improvements. Capital Projects and Operations The following financing sources may be used for capital improvement projects as well as for ongoing operations and maintenance costs. • Parks and Recreation Fund: Park and recreation services are funded within the City’s Parks and Recreation Operating Budget, which receives its revenue primarily from taxes, grants, fees and charges. For example, this fund includes aquatics revenues from two pool sites, federal Title XIX grants to support senior services, and State Revenue Sharing Funds to support the Paratransit Operation. Funds within the Parks and Recreation Operating Budget support capital facilities development and park maintenance. • Local Option Levy: This is a property tax assessment that can be used for the construction, operation, and/or maintenance of parks and facilities, and for recreation programming. This type of levy is established for a given rate or amount for up to five years, or, in the case of capital only, up to ten years. Passage requires a double majority (a majority of registered voters must vote and a majority of those voting must approve the measure), unless during a general election in even-numbered years, in which case a simple majority is required. Local option levies have become more difficult to pass in Oregon because of the double-majority requirement. In the future, the use of a local option levy may be difficult due to a $10/$1,000 of real market value tax rate limitation for all taxing agencies in the area except schools. Potential revenue from a local option levy may be reduced due to the $10/$1,000 of real market value property tax rate limitations for general government taxes. If the $10 limitation is exceeded for any individual property, all general government-taxing authorities receive only a prorated share of their tax levy, so that the total general government taxes remain within the cap. This situation is called compression. Compression occurs in two stages, with local option levies compressed first and then permanent tax rates. CHAPTER 6 100 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Public/Government Grant Programs: • Recreation Trails Program: This is a grant program funded through the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Projects eligible under this program include: 1) maintenance and restoration of existing trails, 2) development and rehabilitation of trailhead facilities, 3) construction of new recreation trails, and 4) acquisition of easements and fee simple title to property. Grants are distributed on an annual basis and require a 20% match. • Oregon State Marine Board Grants: The Oregon State Marine Board manages Oregon’s waterways. The agency also provides construction grants for waterfront improvements, such as boat ramps, restrooms, parking, and other related projects, as well as operations funds for maintenance and patrol. It receives its revenue for grants from the licensing of pleasure boats and a portion of the automobile gas tax. • Private Grants and Foundations: Private grants and foundations provide money for a wide range of projects. They are sometimes difficult to find and equally difficult to secure because of the open competition. They often fund unique projects or projects that demonstrate extreme need. In Albany, grants were used to help fund the new COOL! Swanson Park Action Center. • Public/Private Partnerships: In this approach, a public agency enters into a working agreement with a private business or non- profit entity to help fund, build, and/or operate a public facility. Generally, the three primary incentives that a public agency can offer is free land to place a facility (usually a park or other piece of public land), certain tax advantages, and access to the facility. This type of partnership could be very successful for Albany in building a community center. • Fees and Charges: User fees and facility charges generate revenue for parks and programs by charging users some or all of the costs of providing services. Some program areas, such as adult programs, are more suitable for higher fees and charges. The City can increase revenue for park services by expanding rental facilities (picnic shelters, meeting rooms, swimming pools, etc.) or by increasing rental fees and other facility-use charges. Aquatic revenues from the COOL! Swanson Park Action Center and the assumption of the Community Pool operations support the City’s Parks & Recreation Fund. • Earned Income: Food, beverage and merchandise vendors or concessionaires that operate restaurants, coffee-kiosks, or other revenue-generating facilities in parks also can generate excess revenues to support the parks system. CHAPTER 6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 101 Capital Projects The following funding sources may be used for capital expenses only: • System Development Charges: The City of Albany applies a systems development charge (SDC) to all new residential development. SDCs are an important source of funding for the acquisition and development of new parks and natural areas. Since SDCs are paid for by new development, the fees are meant to fund capacity enhancement projects that are needed as a result of the development. SDCs cannot be used for the preservation and maintenance of existing parks and facilities. Currently, the SDC charge for each single-family dwelling in Albany averages approximately $1,900. However, the City is currently reviewing its SDC methodology and will update the SDC rates. Priority I and Priority II projects that are eligible for funding by SDCs are noted in Appendix C. • Donations: Donations of labor, land, materials, or cash by service agencies, private groups, or individuals is a popular way to raise small amounts of money for specific projects. Service agencies often fund small projects such as picnic shelters or playground improvements, or they may be involved in larger aspects of park development. In Albany, donations have been used to help upgrade several playgrounds and to replace Swanson Pool with the COOL! Swanson Park Action Center. • Local Improvement District: Under Oregon law, a city may use a Local Improvement District (LID) to subsidize specific capital improvement projects. Through the formation of a LID, a city may impose special assessments on all properties benefiting from a local improvement project. LIDs are often used to subsidize transportation and infrastructure systems but may also be extended to parks and recreation areas. Because the properties within the district must receive a special benefit from the project, it is most likely to be useful for neighborhood parks and recreation areas. • General Obligation Bond: This voter-approved bond comes with authority to levy an assessment on real and personal property. Funding can be used for capital improvements, but not furnishings, fixtures, equipment, or on-going maintenance. This property tax is levied for up to 20 years under the City’s debt policies. As with local option levies, passage requires a double majority, unless during a general election in even-numbered years. This type of property tax does not affect the overall tax rate limitation as described previously in Local Option Levy. CHAPTER 6 102 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update • Public/Government Grant Programs: • Community Development Block Grants (CDBG): These grants from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development are available for a wide variety of projects. CDBG funds have limitations and are generally required to benefit low and moderate income residents. Grants can cover up to 100% of project costs. • Land and Water Conservation Fund: This is a federal grant program that receives its money from offshore oil leases. The money is distributed through the National Park Service and is administered locally by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. In the past, this was one of the major sources of grant money for local agencies. In the 1990s, funding at the federal level was severely cut, but in recent times more money has become available. For the year 2003, the amount available for local agency projects was $825,722. The funds can be used for acquisition and development of outdoor facilities and require a 50% match. • Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA): Over the years, Oregon has received considerable revenue for trail-related projects from this federal program. Originally called The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), it funded a wide variety of transportation-related projects. In 1998, this program was modified as TEA-21. In August 2005, TEA-21 was updated and revised as the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which authorizes programs for the 5-year period 2005-2009. A total of $370 million will be provided through 2009 to develop and maintain trails for recreational purposes that include pedestrian, equestrian, bicycling and non-motorized snow activities, as well as off- road motorized vehicle activities. New eligibilities are provided, including construction and maintenance equipment, real estate costs, educational program costs, state administration costs, and assessment of trail conditions. • Local Government Grants: This Oregon program uses Lottery dollars to fund land acquisition and development and rehabilitation of park areas and facilities. A 50% match is required for larger agencies and a 40% match for small agencies (cities/districts with a population of less than 5,000 and counties with a population of less than 30,000). The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department staff reviews and approves small projects of $50,000 or less. Large projects exceeding this amount, but less than $500,000, are reviewed and approved by the Local Government Advisory Committee. The funds for this program are available on a biannual basis. CHAPTER 6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 103 In August 2005, The Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission approved over $5.3 million in Local Government Grants for park and recreation projects. The next cycle for grants will be announced February 2006. • Urban Forestry Grants: There are several grant programs that provide money for urban forestry projects. One is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and provides grants to purchase and plant trees. This program sometimes funds urban street tree planting programs. • Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) is a State agency led by a policy oversight board. Together, they promote and fund voluntary actions that strive to enhance Oregon's watersheds. The Board fosters the collaboration of citizens, agencies, and local interests. OWEB's programs support Oregon's efforts to restore salmon runs, improve water quality, and strengthen ecosystems that are critical to healthy watersheds and sustainable communities. OWEB administers a grant program that awards more than $20 million annually to support voluntary efforts by Oregonians seeking to create and maintain healthy watersheds. • Land Trusts: Private land trusts such as the Trust for Public Land and the Nature Conservancy employ various methods, including conservation easements, to work with willing owners to conserve important resource land. Land trusts assist public agencies in various ways. For example, land trusts may acquire and hold land for eventual acquisition by the public agency. • National Tree Trust: National Tree Trust provides trees through two programs: America’s Treeways and Community Tree Planting. These programs require that volunteers plant trees on public lands. In addition, America’s Treeways requires that a minimum of 100 seedlings be planted along public highways. • Lifetime Estates: This is an agreement between a landowner and the City that gives the owner the right to live on the site after it is sold to the City. • Exchange of Property: An exchange of property between a private landowner and the City can occur. For example, the City could exchange a less useful site it owns for a potential park site currently under private ownership. CHAPTER 6 104 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Innovative Funding Measures Due to the increasing limitations on property taxes, some cities and public agencies are looking toward alternative methods of funding the park systems that citizens find essential to quality of life. These alternative mechanisms generally include new taxes, and some are more viable than others as funding sources. For example, many cities use a utility tax to help fund park maintenance. In Albany, however, all utility tax funds are currently dedicated to the General Fund. The City of Albany should explore the potential of other alternative mechanisms as part of the City’s overall revenue strategy. This strategy many include the use of the following taxes to fund park and recreation development: • Entertainment Taxes • Corporate Income Tax • Income Tax Surcharge • Personal Income Tax • Gross Receipts Tax • Payroll Tax • General Sales Tax • Restaurant Tax • Business License Tax • New Construction Fees BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY Park & Recreation Master Plan Update 105 BIBLIOGRAPHY Albany Visitors Association (2005). Major Employers. Albany, OR. http://www.albanyvisitors.com/pages/community/employers.html City of Albany (2004). Albany Aquatic Facilities Assessment. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. City of Albany (2004). FY04/05 Budget and Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. City of Albany (2005). FY05/06 Budget Worksheet. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. City of Albany, Planning Department (2005). Albany Demographics/ Age Projections. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. J.C. Draggoo & Associates (2000). City of Albany Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. MIG, Inc. (2000). City of Corvallis Park & Recreation Facilities Plan. Corvallis, Oregon. City of Corvallis Parks and Recreation Department. MIG, Inc. (2004). Willamalane Park and Recreation District, Park and Recreation Comprehensive Plan. Springfield, Oregon. WPRD. MIG, Inc. (2005). City of Eugene Park, Recreation and Open Space Comprehensive Plan. Eugene, Oregon. City of Eugene. MIG, Inc. (2005). City of Medford Leisure Services Plan. Medford, Oregon. City of Medford. MIG, Inc. (2005). Community Fair Summary. Park and Recreation Master Plan. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. MIG, Inc. (2005). Community Needs Assessment. Park and Recreation Master Plan. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. MIG, Inc. (2005). Existing Parks and Facilities. Park and Recreation Master Plan. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. MIG, Inc. (2005). Needs Assessment Survey Report. Park and Recreation Master Plan. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. BIBLIOGRAPHY 106 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update MIG, Inc. (2005). Recreation Providers Focus Group Meeting Summary. Park and Recreation Master Plan. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. MIG, Inc. (2005). Timber Linn Focus Group Meeting Summary. Timber Linn Park Master Plan. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. MIG, Inc. (2005). Timber Linn Site Analysis and Vision. Timber Linn Park Master Plan. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. MIG, Inc. (2006). Timber Linn Park Master Plan. Albany, Oregon. City of Albany. National Recreation and Park Association (1983). Recreation, Park and Open Space Standards and Guidelines. Alexandria, VA: NRPA. National Recreation and Park Association (1995). Park, Recreation, Open Space and Greenway Guidelines. Alexandria, VA: NRPA. National Sporting Goods Association (NGSA) (2005). Sports Participation in 2004. Mt. Prospect, Illinois. National Sporting Goods Association. www.ngsa.org. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) (2003). Oregon Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2003- 2007. Salem, Oregon. State of Oregon. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) (2005). Oregon Trails 2005-2014: A Statewide Action Plan. Salem, Oregon. State of Oregon. Population Research Center (2005). Annual Oregon Population Report. Portland State University. http://www.upa.pdx.edu/CPRC/about/index.html/ U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (U.S. ATBCB) (1998). ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG). Access Board; Washington. U.S. Census Bureau (2002). United States Census 2000. United States Department of Commerce. http://www.census.gov/ APPENDIX A PARK AND RECREATION FACILITY INVENTORY APPENDIX A Park & Recreation Master Plan Update A-1 PARK AND RECREATION FACILITY INVENTORY Appendix A contains the complete inventory for parkland and recreation facilities within the Albany planning area, based on a 2005 inventory of acreage and facilities. A.1 PARKLAND INVENTORY The inventory of parkland is divided into the following: • Public parks and recreation areas include City, County, and State parkland and facilities within the Albany Planning Area. • Educational facilities include public school sites and college campuses within the Albany Planning Area that contain recreation facilities. • Private facilities include recreation facilities provided by a variety of profit and non-profit providers. Public Parks and Recreation Areas Table A.1 summarizes the inventory of park and recreation areas provided by public agencies within the Albany planning area, including the City of Albany, Linn County, Benton County, and the State of Oregon. Parkland is listed by classification, including total acreage and number of sites. There are approximately 800 acres of parkland provided at 37 different sites. APPENDIX A A-2 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Table A.1 Parkland Summary by Class and Ownership Albany Planning Area Park, Facility, or Recreation Area Total Parkland (Acres) Number of Sites City of Albany 1 Neighborhood Parks 109.95 20 Community Parks 71.74 1 Citywide Parks 106.41 2 Trail Corridors/Greenways 14.09 2 Natural Areas 181.29 2 Riverfront Parks 97.92 2 Urban Open Space 21.85 3 Total City Areas 603.25 32 Benton County Community Park 2 40.00 1 Total Benton County Areas 40.00 1 Linn County Natural Areas 56.20 1 Special Use Facility 35.00 1 Total Linn County Areas 3 91.20 2 State of Oregon Natural Area 4 69.00 2 Total State Areas 69.00 2 TOTAL 803.45 37 1 Specific park sites provided by the City are noted in Chapter 2. 2 All acreage is located at North Albany Park. 3 Acreage is located at Freeway Lakes Park and the County Fairgrounds/Expo Center. 4 State-owned acreage is located at Simpson Park (39 acres) and Takena Landing Park (30 acres). Simpson Park contains an additional 129 acres that are owned by the Simpson Timber Company and leased to the City as part of a conservation easement. Takena Landing Park contains an additional 71.92 acres that are owned by the City of Albany. APPENDIX A Park & Recreation Master Plan Update A-3 Educational Facilities In addition to the public providers, Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC) and Greater Albany Public Schools (GAPS) provide 20 public educational facilities that include open space and recreation facilities, such as playgrounds and sports fields. Some schools also provide community meeting space. These facilities are noted in Table A.2. Table A.2 Educational Facilities Albany Planning Area School Facility Acreage Albany School District Central Elementary 7.01 Clover Ridge Elementary 5.73 Fairmont 1 -- Fir Grove Primary 7.00 Lafayette Elementary 8.08 Liberty Elementary 7.50 North Albany Elementary 6.84 Oak Elementary 6.44 Oak Grove Intermediate 8.17 Periwinkle Elementary 8.09 South Shore Elementary 3.75 Sunrise Elementary 4.97 Takena Elementary 6.12 Waverly Elementary 5.25 Calapooia Middle School 18.21 Memorial Middle School 15.0 North Albany Middle School 26.0 South Albany High School 36.73 West Albany High School 30.00 Total School District Areas 198.15 Other Campuses Linn-Benton Community College 75.34 Total Other School Areas 75.34 TOTAL SCHOOL AREAS 273.49 1 The School District owns the Fairmont site, a former school now used for special education offices. Acreage data is not available. APPENDIX A A-4 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Private Facilities A variety of private and non-profit providers also provide recreation opportunities within the Albany planning area. These facilities are noted in Table A.3. Table A.3 Recreation Areas Provided by Others Albany Planning Area Recreation Area or Facility Type of Facility Private Properties 1 Golf City Par Three Golf Course-Miniature Golf Club of Oregon Golf Course Spring Hill Country Club Golf Course Albany Athletic Club Fitness Center Curves for Women Fitness Center Gold's Gym Fitness Center Go Figure Fitness Center Victory Gym Fitness Center Boys and Girls Club Recreation Center YMCA Recreation Center Girl Scout Community Center Community Center Albany Tennis Club Tennis Courts Albany Civic Theater Performing Arts Flinn’s Theater Performing Arts AMF Bowling Bowling Lakeshore Lanes Bowling Tri-County Gymnastics Gymnastic Facility Albany Dance Academy Dance Studio Century Farm Equestrian Center Equestrian Center Holifield Equestrian Center Equestrian Center Springhill Boarding Stables Equestrian Center 1 A few of these facilities, such as the Golf Club of Oregon and the Springhill County Club, are located just beyond the UGB but serve City residents. APPENDIX A Park & Recreation Master Plan Update A-5 A.2 RECREATION FACILITY INVENTORY This section contains an inventory of specific recreation facilities within the Albany planning area by type. For some outdoor recreation facilities, locations are not specified. The following recreation facilities were inventoried in 2005 to include in the updated needs assessment: • Sport Facilities • Baseball fields • Softball fields • Soccer fields • Football fields • Gymnasiums • Outdoor Recreation Facilities • Basketball courts (full and half) • Pathways and trails • Picnic shelters/pavilions • Play areas • Skateparks • Tennis courts • Other Recreation Facilities • Swimming pools (indoor and outdoor) • Indoor recreation centers A summary of the inventory and definitions for each type of facility are included in Chapter 2 of the Plan. All facilities meeting those definitions were included in the inventory. However, some of the facilities may be in poor condition, have scheduling constraints, be overlaid with other fields, or face similar conditions that affect their playability. APPENDIX A A-6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Sport Facilities Table A.4 Baseball Fields Albany Planning Area Number Location Comments 1 Calapooia Middle School 1 Central Elementary School 2 Deerfield Park 1 Fairmont Elementary Former school site 2 Lafayette Elementary School 1 LBCC Regulation size 1 Liberty School 1 Memorial Middle School 1 North Albany Middle School 2 Oak Elementary School 2 South Albany High School Regulation size 2 South Shore Elementary School 1 Takena Elementary School 3 Waverly Elementary School 1 West Albany High School Regulation size 1 YMCA Field needs significant upgrades 23 TOTAL Table A.5 Softball Fields Albany Planning Area Number Location Comments 3 Bryant Park 1 South Albany High Site also has a small practice field 3 Timber Linn Park 2 West Albany High School 9 TOTAL APPENDIX A Park & Recreation Master Plan Update A-7 Table A.6 Soccer Fields Albany Planning Area Number 1 Location Comments 1 Calapooia Middle School Overlays with football 1 Central Elementary 1 Memorial Middle School Overlays with football 1 Linn Benton Community College 6 North Albany Middle School 2 South Albany High 8 Timber Linn Park 2 West Albany High School 2 YMCA 24 TOTAL 2 1 Some of the soccer fields counted here are youth fields that may not meet the field dimensions noted in the definition. Most of the fields are not irrigated. 2 In addition to these 24 fields, there are 12 multi-purpose grass fields at various elementary schools that may be used for soccer. Some of the turf areas are in poor condition. Table A.7 Football Fields Albany Planning Area Number Location Comments 1 Calapooia Middle School Overlays with Soccer 1 Memorial Middle School Overlays with Soccer 2 North Albany Middle School Overlays with Soccer 1 South Albany High School Overlays with Soccer 1 West Albany High School Overlays with Soccer 6 TOTAL 1 1 In addition to these 6 fields, there are 12 multi-purpose grass fields at various elementary schools that may be used for football. Some of the turf areas are in poor condition. APPENDIX A A-8 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Table A.8 Gymnasiums Albany Planning Area Number Location Comments 4 Albany Boys and Girls Club 2 gyms can be divided 2 Calapooia Middle School 2 LBCC 2 Memorial Middle School 2 North Albany Middle School 1 South Albany High School 1 West Albany High School 1 YMCA Small court 4 Elementary Schools 19 TOTAL Outdoor Recreation Facilities Table A.9 Basketball Courts Albany Planning Area Number Location Comments 14 City parks Full or half-court 14 TOTAL APPENDIX A Park & Recreation Master Plan Update A-9 Table A.10 Pathways/Trails Albany Planning Area Pathway/Trail Miles Hard-Surfaced Trails Cox Creek Path 0.50 Dave Clark Riverfront Path 1.25 Monteith Park Path 0.25 Periwinkle Creek Bike Path 1.50 Timber Linn Park Path 0.75 Transit Center/Swanson Park Pedestrian Loop 0.35 Waverly Park Path 0.25 Subtotal 4.85 Soft-Surfaced Trails Bowman Park Trail 0.20 Oak Creek Greenbelt Trail 1.00 Simpson Park Trail 1.30 Takena Landing Trail 1.70 Subtotal 4.20 TOTAL 9.05 Table A.11 Picnic Shelters/Pavilions Albany Planning Area Number Location Comments 8 City parks Small shelters or large group facilities 8 TOTAL APPENDIX A A-10 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update Table A.12 Play Areas Albany Planning Area Number Location Comments 1 Bryant Park 1 Monteith Park 1 Timber Linn Park 1 Waverly Park 17 City-owned neighborhood parks 21 TOTAL Table A.13 Skate Parks Albany Planning Area Number Location Comments 1 Eleanor Hackleman Park 1 TOTAL Table A.14 Tennis Courts Albany Planning Area Number Location Comments 7 Albany Swim and Tennis Club 3 indoor; 4 outdoor 1 Burkhart Park 1 Eleanor Hackleman Park 4 LBCC 2 North Albany Middle School 4 South Albany High School 2 Timber Linn Park 4 West Albany High School 25 TOTAL APPENDIX A Park & Recreation Master Plan Update A-11 Other Recreation Facilities Table A.15 Swimming Pools (Indoor and Outdoor) Albany Planning Area Number Pool/Location Comments 1 COOL! Swanson Park Action Center Outdoor; opened July 2005 1 Albany Community Pool/ South Albany High School Indoor pool; managed by the City 1 YMCA Indoor pool; 25 yard, 4-lane pool; older facility to be replaced. 3 TOTAL Table A.16 Indoor Recreation Centers 1 Albany Planning Area Number Location Comments 1 Albany Senior Center 12,000 sf; primarily serves seniors 1 Boys & Girls Club of Albany 68,000 sf, including 4 gymnasiums; primarily serves youth 1 COOL! Swanson Park Action Center Small fitness center; opened July 2005 1 Maple Lawn Preschool Small preschool facility; serves children ages 2 ½ to 5 years 1 YMCA Small fitness center (22,000 sf), including a gym and pool; possible relocation to Timber Linn Park is being considered 5 TOTAL 1 Most of these are smaller than the 40,000+ square foot facilities that are typically developed today. Currently, there are no multipurpose community centers provided in Albany that meet the definition noted in Chapter 2. APPENDIX B CITY OF ALBANY PARKS APPENDIX B Park & Recreation Master Plan Update B-1 CITY OF ALBANY PARKS Appendix B provides a brief description of each park in the City’s current park system. The description includes the park’s location, size, ownership, status for development, and existing facilities. BOWMAN PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 300 Geary Street NE Size: 26.00 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Partially developed with some natural areas Existing Facilities: Picnic shelter (seating for 96), sink with running water, stove with hot plates, BBQ grills, bike path, boat ramp/dock, fishing areas, permanent picnic tables, restroom, trail access, parking. BRYANT PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 801 Bryant Way SW Size: 71.74 acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Partially developed Existing Facilities: Full basketball court, 2 picnic shelters (seating for 90), BBQ grills at each shelter, bike path, fishing, permanent and portable picnic tables, children’s play equipment, horseshoe pit, restroom building, 3 softball fields, trail, parking, portable restroom, lighting. APPENDIX B B-2 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update BURKHART PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 550 Burkhart Street SW Size: 1.90 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Full basketball court, tennis court, BBQ grills (4), horseshoe pits, picnic tables (80), children’s play equipment, softball fields (3), tennis court. BURKHART SQUARE Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 101 1st Avenue NW Size: 0.15 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Plaza, benches DAVE CLARK RIVERFRONT PATH Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany on the south side of the Willamette River Size: 5.00 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Multi-use pathway, benches, picnic tables APPENDIX B Park & Recreation Master Plan Update B-3 DEERFIELD PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 2627 Del Rio Avenue SW Size: 11.67 Acres Ownership: City of Albany, leased from Greater Albany Public Schools Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Full basketball court, BBQ grills, bike path, picnic tables, children’s play equipment, baseball field, trail access DRAPER PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 756 29th Avenue SE Size: 5.18 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: BBQ grills, picnic tables, children’s play equipment, multi-use backstop Needed Improvements: Replace or remove site lighting; replace playground EADES PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 375 Columbus Street NE Size: 1.40 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Partially developed Existing Facilities: Picnic tables, children’s play equipment APPENDIX B B-4 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update ELEANOR HACKLEMAN PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 654 Pine Street SE Size: 3.51 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Skatepark, full basketball court, tennis court, BBQ grills, picnic tables (15), children’s play equipment, picnic shelter (seating for 48), restroom, sand volleyball court, rose garden GIBSON HILL PARK Location: Benton County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 2880 Gibson Hill Road NW Size: 6.60 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Partially developed Existing Facilities: Basketball court, BBQ grills, picnic tables, children’s play equipment, picnic shelter, sand volleyball courts, bike path, trail access, portable toilets, parking GRAND PRAIRIE PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 2530 Grand Prairie Road SE Size: 9.49 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Full basketball court, BBQ grills (7), bike path, creek, fishing, picnic tables (33), picnic shelter (seating for 80), children’s play equipment, disc golf course, restroom, trail, volleyball court, parking APPENDIX B Park & Recreation Master Plan Update B-5 HAZELWOOD PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 1999 Queen Avenue SW Size: 2.92 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Undeveloped/natural area Existing Facilities: Picnic tables, children’s play equipment, parking HENDERSON PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 833 Calapooia Street SW Size: 0.44 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: BBQ grills, canal, picnic tables, children’s play equipment, tennis court LEHIGH PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 3100 17th Avenue SE Size: 5.12 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Basketball court, BBQ grills, picnic tables, children’s play equipment, softball field APPENDIX B B-6 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update LEXINGTON PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 3000 21st Avenue SE Size: 10.0 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Partially developed Existing Facilities: Children’s play equipment MAPLE LAWN PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 1950 Salem Avenue NE Size: 2.0 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Children’s playground, Maple Lawn Preschool, parking MONTEITH RIVERPARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 489 Water Street NW Size: 6.27 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Senior Center, BBQ grills (6), bike path, river, picnic tables (23), picnic shelter (seating for 160), water fountain, horseshoe pit, children’s playground, restroom, trail, exercise course, parking, boat dock, fishing, viewing platforms, stage, bridge connecting Bryant Park APPENDIX B Park & Recreation Master Plan Update B-7 OAK CREEK GREENBELT Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located along Oak Creek Size: 52.29 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Undeveloped/natural area Existing Facilities: Trail ODOT COUPLET Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at the intersection of Geary Street, Pacific Boulevard, and Santiam Highway (Hwy. 20) Size: 1.89 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Landscaped open space Existing Facilities: None PERIWINKLE PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 2298 21st Avenue SE Size: 7.14 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: BBQ grills, bike path, creek, picnic tables, children’s play equipment, trail APPENDIX B B-8 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update PERIWINKLE CREEK BIKE PATH Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located between Oak Drive and Waverly Drive along Periwinkle Creek Size: 1.5 Miles Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Bike path PINEWAY PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 1592 Moraga Avenue SE Size: 1.01 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Basketball court, BBQ grills, picnic tables, children’s playground RIVERVIEW HEIGHTS PARK Location: Benton County; lies within the City of Albany: located at 1901 Crittendon Loop NW Size: 1.75 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Basketball court, BBQ grills, picnic tables, children’s playground APPENDIX B Park & Recreation Master Plan Update B-9 SIMPSON PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Millersburg: located on NE Waverly Drive Size: 168.00 Acres Ownership: Simpson Timber Company (129.0 acres, leased to the City of Albany as a conservation easement) and the State of Oregon (39.0 acres). Status: Undeveloped/natural area Existing Facilities: Trail, parking, fishing, lake, disc golf course SPRING MEADOWS PARK Location: Linn County; lies within the City of Albany: located on SW 53rd Street Size: 1.80 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Undeveloped Existing Facilities: None SUNRISE PARK Location: Linn County, lies within the City of Albany: located at 2275 Thurston Street Size: 3.16 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: BBQ grills, picnic tables, children’s playground, restroom, picnic shelter, multi-use backstop APPENDIX B B-10 Park & Recreation Master Plan Update SWANSON PARK Location: Linn County, lies within the City of Albany city limits: located at 712 Jackson Street Size: 3.16 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Basketball court, BBQ grills, picnic tables, play equipment, pool, restroom TAKENA PARK Location: Linn County, lies within the City of Albany: located at 1101 Lawnridge SW Size: 3.00 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: Children’s playground, softball field, BBQ grills, picnic tables (8) TAKENA LANDING PARK Location: Benton County, lies partially within the City of Albany: located on the north bank of the Willamette River Size: 101.92 Acres Ownership: City of Albany (71.92) and State of Oregon (30 acres) Status: Partially developed/natural area Existing Facilities: BBQ grills, boat ramp/dock, river, fishing, picnic tables, trail, parking, restrooms APPENDIX B Park & Recreation Master Plan Update B-11 TELOH CALAPOOIA PARK Location: Linn County, lies within the City of Albany: located at 5950 Looney Lane SW Size: 28.70 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Partially developed Existing Facilities: Full basketball court, BBQ grills, picnic tables, children’s playground, multi-use field, trail TIMBER LINN PARK Location: Linn County, lies within the City of Albany: located at 900 Price Road SE Size: 100.14 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Mostly developed Existing Facilities: Basketball court, BBQ grills (2), bike path, disc golf course, fishing, horseshoe pit, lake, picnic tables (20), 2 picnic shelters, children’s playground, restroom, softball fields (3), tennis court, soccer fields WAVERLY PARK Location: Linn County, lies within the City of Albany: located at 3154 Waverly Drive Size: 19.81 Acres Ownership: City of Albany Status: Developed Existing Facilities: BBQ grills, bike path, fishing areas, lake, picnic tables, children’s playground, restroom, trail, parking, pioneer cemetery APPENDIX C ESTIMATED COSTS FOR PRIORITY PROJECTS APPENDIX C Park & Recreation Master Plan Update C-1 ESTIMATED COSTS FOR PRIORITY PROJECTS Appendix C contains a breakdown of estimated costs for all Priority I and Priority II projects based on the purpose of the expenditure (planning, acquisition, development, contingency, A/E fees). New parks and facilities that are to be acquired or developed in the first five years (Priority I) are presented first. These projects are followed by the Priority I improvements at existing City parks. Priority II projects are similarly presented on the third and fourth pages of the table. A financing plan for the implementation of all Priority I projects appears in Chapter 6. These projects and their associated costs are summarized by park type in Table 6.3. Albany Planning Area Cost/Unit Cost Cost/Unit Cost NP-1 Neighborhood Park (Area #4) Develop park site acquired by gift acres 5 $0 $0 $231,588 $34,738 23,159$ $289,485 Develop 0.5 mile of trail feet 2640 $25 $66,000 $9,900 6,600$ $82,500 Construct 15 car parking lot each 15 $625 $9,375 $1,406 938$ $11,719 $383,704 X NP-2 Neighborhood Park (Area #5) Acquire a 5-7 acre site to serve this area acres 6 $80,000 $480,000 $0 -$ $480,000 Develop 3 acres acres 3 $125,000 $375,000 $56,250 37,500$ $468,750 3 acres will remain undeveloped $948,750 X NP-3 Neighborhood Park (Area #13) Develop 6 acre site as neighborhood park allowance 6 $124,800 $18,720 12,480$ $156,000 Site to be developed in partnership with Boys & Girls club $156,000 X NP-5 Neighborhood Park (Area #22) Develop site as neighborhood park acres 3 $125,000 $375,000 $56,250 37,500$ $468,750 $468,750 X CP-1 Community Park Acquire 40 acre site acres 40 $50,000 $2,000,000 $2,000,000 Larger parcel can be acquired at lower cost per acre Phase 1 development (soccer complex) allowance $1,500,000 $1,500,000 $3,500,000 X T-1 Canal Esplanade Trail Trail development feet 6,330 $25 $156,400 $23,460 15,640$ $195,500 10 feet wide - asphalt $195,500 T-2 Swanson Park Pedestrian Loop 0.2 trail development allowance $25,000 City share of grant $25,000 Timber Linn Park Develop Phase 1 allowance $1,000,000 $1,000,000 Parking, access, and neighborhood park improvements $1,000,000 Spring Meadows Park Site plan and develop neighborhood park allowance 1.8 $125,000 $225,000 $33,750 22,500$ $281,250 $281,250 X Dog Park Develop dog park allowance $0 Included in Phase 1 development for Timber Linn Park $0 Community Center, Phase 1 Feasibility study $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 PRIORITY I PROJECTS Table C-1: Cost Estimates for Priority I and Priority II Projects Project Number Project Name QuantityUnits AcquisitionPlan SDCNotesContingency (15%) A/E Fees (10%) Total Development Park and Recreation Master Plan Update Cost/Unit Cost Cost/Unit Cost Project Number Project Name QuantityUnits AcquisitionPlan SDCNotesContingency (15%) A/E Fees (10%) Total Development Gymnasium, Phase 1 Construct 1 gym in partnership with others each 1 $600,000 $600,000 $90,000 60,000$ $750,000 To be developed through potential partnership with YMCA or School District $750,000 X Playground Replacement Replace aging, unsafe, or substandard playgrounds at Draper, Sunrise, Lehigh, Grand Prairie, and Pineway Parks allowance 5 $320,000 $48,000 32,000$ $400,000 $400,000 Bowman Park Develop site master plan $25,000 $25,000 Bryant Park Develop site master plan 1 $50,000 $50,000 Deerfield Park Develop new site master plan each 1 $25,000 Replace playground equipment each 1 $100,000 $100,000 $15,000 10,000$ $125,000 Install irrigation system acres 5 $25,000 $125,000 $18,750 12,500$ $156,250 Install portable restroom each 1 $10,000 $10,000 $1,500 1,000$ $12,500 Improve signage allowance $10,000 $1,500 $10,000 $328,750 Hackleman Park Remove / replace old picnic shelter each 1 $40,000 $40,000 $6,000 4,000$ $50,000 Medium-sized shelter $50,000 Henderson Park Replace playground each 1 $75,000 $75,000 $11,250 7,500$ $93,750 $93,750 Lexington Park Complete current construction $0 Already budgeted Add picnic shelter each 1 $40,000 $40,000 $6,000 4,000$ $50,000 Add more picnic tables and benches each 8 $900 $7,200 $1,080 720$ $9,000 Install portable toilet station each 1 $10,000 $10,000 $1,500 1,000$ $12,500 $71,500 Riverview Heights Park Replace playground each 1 $100,000 $100,000 $15,000 10,000$ $125,000 Replace deteriorating sections of pathway feet 500 $25 $12,500 $1,875 1,250$ $15,625 8 feet wide - asphalt Add wheelchair accessible picnic tables each 2 $1,000 $2,000 $300 $2,000 $142,625 Swanson Park Replace playground each 1 $100,000 $100,000 $15,000 10,000$ $125,000 Replace walkways feet 1,000 $25 $25,000 $3,750 2,500$ $31,250 Add shelter building each 1 $40,000 $40,000 $6,000 4,000$ $50,000 $206,250 Takena Park Complete new portable toilet station each 1 $10,000 $10,000 $1,500 1,000$ $12,500 Remove wading pool each 1 $0 Project to be completed by City staff Add shelter building each 1 $40,000 $40,000 $6,000 4,000$ $50,000 $62,500 $25,000 $50,000 $25,000 Park and Recreation Master Plan Update Cost/Unit Cost Cost/Unit Cost Project Number Project Name QuantityUnits AcquisitionPlan SDCNotesContingency (15%) A/E Fees (10%) Total Development Teloh Calapooia Park Replace playground each 1 $100,000 $100,000 $15,000 10,000$ $125,000 Provide parking spaces 30 $650 $19,500 $2,925 1,950$ $24,375 $149,375 Replacement Fund Create a fund for needed repairs and/or facility upgrades allowance $150,000 $150,000 Total Projects Priority I $9,488,704 NP-4 Neighborhood Park (Area #16) Acquire 3 acre site to serve this area acres 3 $80,000 $240,000 $240,000 In lieu of developing Hazelwood Park Develop 3 acres acres 3 $125,000 $375,000 $56,250 37,500$ $468,750 $708,750 CP-1 Community Park Develop Phase 2 acres 10 $150,000 $1,500,000 $225,000 150,000$ $1,875,000 Phase 2 completes 40% of site. Of this amount, only $500,000 is eligible for SDCs $500,000 X T-5 Burkart Creek Trail . Acquire 1.25 mile corridor acres 15 2500 $37,500 $37,500 Assumes 100' corridor Develop 1.25 mile trail feet 6600 $18 $118,800 $17,820 11,880$ $148,500 6' paved trail $186,000 T-6 Oak Creek Greenway Acquire 3.0 mile corridor acres 36 2500 $90,000 90,000 Assumes 100' corridor Develop 1.25 mile trail feet 15850 $18 $285,300 $42,795 28,530$ $356,625 6' paved trail $446,625 Timber Linn Park Develop Phase II allowance $5,834,600 Of this amount, only $3,325,722 is eligible for SDCs (4 of 7 new fields) $3,325,722 X Softball/Youth Baseballl Fields Develop 3 fields each 3 $330,000 $990,000 $148,500 99,000$ $1,237,500 Excludes support facilites Parking each 50 $625 $31,250 $4,688 3,125$ $39,063 Assumes other parking available $1,276,563 Soccer/Football Fields Develop 3 fields each 3 $75,000 $225,000 $33,750 22,500$ $281,250 Excludes support facilites Parking each 50 $625 $31,250 $4,688 3,125$ $39,063 Assumes other parking available $320,313 Outdoor Basketball Courts Develop 3 courts each 3 $50,000 $150,000 $22,500 15,000$ $187,500 $187,500 Gymnasium Construct 2 gyms in partnership with others each 2 $600,000 $1,200,000 $180,000 120,000$ $1,500,000 $1,500,000 PRIORITY II PROJECTS To be developed through potential partnership with YMCA or School District Park and Recreation Master Plan Update Cost/Unit Cost Cost/Unit Cost Project Number Project Name QuantityUnits AcquisitionPlan SDCNotesContingency (15%) A/E Fees (10%) Total Development Skatepark Develop Skatepark allowance $250,000 $37,500 25,000$ $312,500 $312,500 Bowman Park Redesign trails and pedestrian access allowance $50,000 $50,000 Add site lighting poles 5 $3,000 $15,000 $2,250 1,500$ $18,750 $68,750 Burkhart Park Renovate tennis court allowance $30,000 Add shelter each $40,000 $40,000 $6,000 40,000 $50,000 $80,000 Grand Prairie Park Renovate restroom for ADA compliance allowance $40,000 Add parking spaces 25 $650 $16,250 $2,438 1,625$ $20,313 Extend irrigation system acres 2 $25,000 $50,000 $7,500 5,000$ $62,500 $122,813 Henderson Park Add site lighting to back side poles 5 $3,000 $15,000 $2,250 1,500$ $18,750 Replace single tennis court allowance $35,000 $53,750 Lehigh Park Replace picnic tables each 7 $900 $6,300 $945 630$ $7,875 Add lighting poles 5 $3,000 $15,000 $2,250 1,500$ $18,750 $26,625 Pineway Park Replace furniture and signage allowance $8,000 $8,000 Simpson Park Develop site master plan allowance $35,000 $35,000 Sunrise Park Widen pathways allowance $15,000 Add parking spaces 25 $650 $16,250 $2,438 1,625$ $20,313 $35,313 Takena Landing Add security lighting allowance $5,000 $5,000 Total Projects Priority II $13,083,100 Total Projects Priorities I and II $22,571,804 $35,000 Park and Recreation Master Plan Update