City of Lockhart
Recreation and Open Space
m PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN 1997 2007-
FOR THE
CITY OF LOCKHART, TEXAS
July 1997
Mayor: John M. Allred
City Council: Marcia Proctor, Mayor Pro Tem- Doug Buckner Frank Estrada Cindy Johnson Joe Ramirez Ray Sanders
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Clare Brice, Chair George Hernandez, Vice Chair- Bob Cox Sam Flores Andy Govea Stella Mendez Lucinda Scheiber
City Manager: Philip Cook Department of Public Works Vance Rodgers Parks Manager: Bernie Rangel City Secretary: Gwendlyn L. Barrett
Planning Consultant: Community Development Management Company, Incorporated 317 South Main Street Lockhart, Texas 78644 512)398 7129- Table of Contents Page Number
I. Introduction 1
II. Plan Development Process 2
III. Inventory of Areas and Facilities ...... 3
A. Regional Parks 4
B. City Facilities ...... 4 1. City Park ...... 4 2. Sports Complex ...... 6 . .... 3. Lions Park 7 4. Pecos Park 8 5. Nueces Park 9
C. State Facilities 9
D. School Facilities 10
IV. Area Facility Concepts and Standards 10
V. Needs Assessment and Identification 17
A City Facilities ...... 17 1 City Park ...... 17 2 Sports Complex ...... 19 3. Lions Park 20 4. Pecos Park 21 5. Nueces Park 22
VI. Goals and Objectives ...... 23
A. Guiding Principals and Community Recreation Goals ......
VII. Plan Implementation and Prioritization of Needs ...... 25 .....
A. Park and Recreation Improvements ...... 26 B. Operational Park Improvements 31
C. Future Park Trends 33
Table VII 2- - Prioritization ofNeeds 34
Appendix A - Survey Instruments
Appendix B - City of Lockhart 1996 Parks Survey Summary
Appendix C - City of Lockhart Resolution Authorizing Application For Texas Recreation and Parks Account Program (TRPA)Resolution ( 97 16)- MAPS
Inserted Between Pages
Map I 1- Base Map, City of Lockhart ...... 2 3-
MapIII 1- Regional Parks ...... 4 5-
Map III 2- Location of Public Facilities, City of Lockhart ...... 3 4-
Map III 3- City Park, Sports Complex ...... 5 6-
MapIII 4- Lions Park ...... 8 9-
MapIII 5- Pecos Park ...... 9 10-
MapIII 6- Nueces Park ...... 10 11-
Map III 7- Lockhart State Park ...... 11 12-
Map III 8- Clear Fork/High School Facilities ...... 12 13-
Map III 9- Junior High Facilities ...... 12 13-
Map III 10- Elementary School Facilities ...... 12 13-
Map VII 1- Expanded City Park ...... 24 25-
Map VII 2- Proposed Conservation Corridors, City of Lockhart 19 20-
Map VII 3- Proposed Hike/Running Trail ...... 27 28-
MapMap VIIVII - 4- 4 ProposedProposed CityCity AthleticAthletic Fields Fields...... 28 28- 29- 29 City of Lockhart Parks,Recreation and Open Space Master Plan 1997 2007-
I.Introduction
The following Parks Recreation and Open Space Master Plan was compiled with the assistance of the City of Lockhart Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. The Lockhart Independent School District, several civic organizations, and individuals contributed to the vision, thoughts and ideas that went into this plan.
A series of public hearings, citywide surveys, and one on- one- personal interviews were conducted in the spring of 1997, to determine the recreational demand and future plans of the various organizations. The Master Plan was developed using this public input in tandem with established guidelines for parks, recreation and opens space standards. The priorities and recommendations developed into this plan will guide improvements to the community's present and future parks, and recreation programs over a ten year planning period.
This Plan was developed to meet the standards for park and recreational improvements pursuant to requirements of the Texas Recreation and Parks Account Local Park Program and planning guidelines used by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs under the Planning Capacity Building Program.
This Plan is designed to be used as a guide for park and recreational improvements over a ten year planning period. As in any plan, this Plan needs to be updated periodically and revised as appropriate to reflect changes and to take advantage of new opportunities that will present themselves from time to time. Moreover, this Plan is not meant to be final word on this very important matter but is designed to help focus and promote a continuing discussion of the problems and possibilities inherent with park and recreational development.
Prior to developing this Plan, previous planning studies conducted by the City of Lockhart were reviewed. While these previous plans recognized the need for park development, changing lifestyles and expectations have made these previous plans obsolete. The most important change that has occurred with citizens is an increased level of awareness in the community that the quality of life is driven in part by the recreational facilities available.
The geographic area covered by this Plan is the City of Lockhart and the extra- territorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Normally, the future land use needs and future park requirements are derived from an analysis of areas inside the city limits and the city's ETJ. Cities have the option of extending the city limits into the ETJ at some future date. Under present state statutes, qualified communities can extend their city limits into the ETJ with or without the landowners consent. In this particular instance, there are areas outside the traditional one mile ETJ which were "annexed" into the City's ETJ upon the request of landowners. Those areas that were "annexed" into the extra -territorial jurisdiction beyond the traditional one mile ETJ encompasses only one area approximately eight miles north of Lockhart along U.S. Highway 183 to Highway 21. This area is shown on Map I 1.-
It was determined not to use the "annexed" ETJ acreages in the future land use requirements because the acreages tend to skew the future park requirements. In the normal practice of annually reviewing this Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan, these "annexed" ETJ areas should be reviewed for the possibility of inclusion into the city limits at some future date. If there are indications that this may be an immediate possibility, this Master Plan will need to be updated to determine the impact on future parks and recreation requirements.
II.Plan Development Process
The intent of this planning process was to measure demand and identify deficiencies in the parks and recreational programs of the City of Lockhart. This Plan recognizes that Lockhart is a rapidly growing community with opportunities and problems which are unique to Lockhart. Typically there is a tendency to compare the parks and recreational programs offered by a neighboring community as the "yardstick" or unit of measure for the community. Simply put, no two communities are alike. To compare what a neighboring community offers for parks and recreational programs is not a valid comparison because park standards are not universal. If the traditional method of computing park needs were applied, Lockhart would be highly deficient in park land requirements. For this reason an attempt was made to measure recreation demand or the Level of Service (LOS)which is most appropriate for the citizens of Lockhart.
In the following planning section, an extended effort over several months was made to ascertain what the citizens of Lockhart want through a series of public hearings, surveys, discussions with organized sports groups and one on one interviews with key individuals in the community. From these discussions the community standards and recommendations were derived.
The groups and organizations who took part in this planning effort were the following: City of Lockhart Parks and Recreation Advisory Board City of Lockhart Parks Department Lockhart City Council Lockhart Independent School District Lockhart High School Campus Lockhart Youth Soccer Association Chisholm Trail Girl Scouts Council Lockhart/Luling Lockhart Little League Softball/ Regional Director, Region 9 State Parks Division for Lockhart State Parks Meals On Wheels Program
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Lockhart Kiwanis Club Rodeo- Association Little Dribblers Basketball Program Lockhart Community Recreation Center Adult- Softball League, Volleyball, Basketball, Dances LISD Community/ Adult// GED Education Program, After School Program, Summer Program - Caldwell County Extension Agent
In addition to these groups and sport organizations, various individuals contributed ideas and concerns about the parks and recreation programs either informally or formally during three public hearings which were held during the months of April and May, 1997. Public notices were placed in the local newspaper and notices were placed on the local public access channel on cable TV to inform residents about the ongoing public forums. Residents were given the opportunity to register to address the City of Lockhart Parks and Recreation Advisory Board or they could show up at any of the meetings. The turnout for these meetings was fairly sparse. However, at the last public forum, the Lockhart Youth Soccer Association generated a large turnout of people in a favor of a soccer complex.
In conjunction with these public hearings, the Lockhart City Council devoted part of their regular March, 1997 council meeting to gather input from the Lockhart High School campus representatives. For those individuals or groups who could not attend any of the organized meetings, a citywide survey was distributed to ascertain the needs of this population. The needs of the younger age group were measured by disseminating a colorful flyer which simply asked for ideas on how the City could build better parks for children. Copies of these survey instruments are included in Appendix A of this report. For those individuals who needed help in organizing their thoughts about park and recreation improvements, an outline was offered as a guide.
The results of this public input are reflected in the following table and charts which depict the public needs as measured by the responses that were received. The input received from another community survey which was performed in March of 1996 by the City of Lockhart Parks and Recreation Advisory Board was also included in this analysis. A copy of the results ofthis survey are included in Appendix B of this report.
The data gathered through this process was used to identify the problems and needs and to prioritize the specific needs being requested by the resident population. A discussion of these needs and problems can be found in the Needs Assessment and Identification section.
III.Inventory of Area and Facilities
The total parks and recreational space available to the residents of Lockhart in the local area are shown on Map III 1.- The public facilities available to residents in Lockhart
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are shown on Map III 2.- As the following analysis indicates, there are many formal and informal areas in the community that are used for recreational purposes. The Lockhart Independent School District properties are used the most frequently, primarily for their open space. The only functional tennis courts in the community are at the Lockhart High School. The open air basketball courts at the Lockhart Middle School campus are used often by adults. In addition to the listed parks and open spaces, regional parks play a major role in meeting the needs of the community. Fortunately, the community is in close proximity to the Lockhart State Park and residents can take advantage of the amenities offered by this park.
Regional Parks
The regional parks available to residents, as noted earlier are shown on Map III 1.- As depicted on this regional map, Lockhart is located in a strategic location to many area regional facilities. The San Marcos River at San Marcos and Martindale, and the City of San Marcos recreational facilities was identified by local residents as the second most visited place for recreation. Because these areas are in close proximity to Lockhart and offer a variety of parks and recreation water related activities, these regional parks are a natural outlet for recreation by local residents.
On a regional basis, the 3,500 acre Bastrop State Park, which is about 35 miles east of Lockhart, offers a large swimming pool, golf course, cabins, a small lake, and hiking trails. The 1,000 acre Buescher State Park, which is located in the same area, offers camping, picnic tables, shelter, and a small lake. Lake Bastrop, which was constructed by the Lower Colorado River Authority, offers camping, shelters, picnicking, and a boat ramp.
McKinney Falls State Park is another State Park which is in fairly short driving distance from Lockhart; this 640 acre park has waterfalls, a spring fed- swimming pool and picnic areas, playground, hiking and camping. The "Chain of Lakes"located west of Austin, called the Highland Lakes, offers a wide range of water based recreation activities and receives visitations from Lockhart residents.
City Facilities
G1y Park
Map III 2- indicates all City park facilities including school facilities and their location. At present, the City has 74.53 acres of park land. The primary park facility used most often by Lockhart residents is City Park. This 50.33 acre park, which was constructed in 1973, offers the widest range of recreation facilities. During the summer months, this park is used for picnics, group functions, fishing, swimming, softball and baseball, camping, playground, and some hiking/jogging. Because this park is used for the annual community Chisholm Trail festival, this
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park is very heavily used during the summer months. There are about 20 picnic tables, 4 covered pavilions, and 4 pieces ofplayground equipment.
Approximately 20 acres of this park are in a natural state along the Town Branch Creek, which traverses the southeast boundary of the park. As seen by the photograph, the park is heavily wooded on the south side ofthe park.
This natural area starts at U. S. Highway 183 and follows the course of the creek where it intersects with East Market Street. On the northside of the park, there are large open sloping areas which are primarily used for open space activities such as soccer or kite flying. The following photograph depicts the typical open spaces.
Because this park is located adjacent to the Plum Creek School campus and there are no delineated boundaries, there is often confusion about where the park boundaries start or stop. The undefined park boundaries gives the perception that there is great amount of amount space available for recreation. Immediately adjacent to this facility is the Sports Complex, which is discussed below, offers baseball fields, picnicking facilities, and some playground equipment. Because of its adjacent location to City Park, the Sports Complex is perceived as an extension of City Park.
Sports Complex
This park facility offers approximately 15.7 acres of primarily baseball fields and some picnicking facilities. The complex, shown on Map III 3,- was completed in 1989 and is located across the street from the Plum Creek Elementary campus. As noted earlier, the park boundaries of this park are not defined because there is adjoining land which is used for a radio tower and the Fire Department training field. According to tax records and aerials, a portion of the Sports Complex encroaches into the Fire Department training field. There are also indications that, at times, some portion of the Fire Department training. field has been used for soccer practice. Therefore, the portion of the City owned land being used for recreational purposes is estimated at approximately 15.7 acres.
6 Sports Complex
dons Park
Tni's roadside part: was constrt.tcted it :he , in1d t960's as the City's first community park. At one time there. xere several houses along the existim creel: were removed and relocated. According to the platted records, this part: is approximately 3.23 acres in size and initially functioned as the community's only cityw park until City Pan. was constructed in the early seventies. This par'::is shown on Map III 4.- is show.,in the iollowii.g picture, there are very sce_ic ;, areas in this park that illustrate the potential park development that could devel•,p along some of the natural drainageways. This park is mainly used for picnics, family gatherings, and parties. Because this park is located along a major roadway, it is subject to a large number of visitations from through traffic. The second most common use of this facility is as a neighborhood park for local residents who live in the vicinity. In the past, this park has been subject to vandalism and some sporadic gang activity. Because of its location along a major roadway, there have been concerns by local residents that this park is used a rendezvous location for drug activity passing through the community.
Pecos Park
This park was created in the late 1970's through the assistance of a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant. The neighborhood park primarily serves the housing authority complex and adjoining neighborhood in an area referred to as "Tank Town."There are approximately 2.4 acres of park land, of which only a portion is being used for the park. The railroad track on the northside of the park is buffered by a ravine which bisects the park on a east to west basis. During periods of heavy rain, the run off- flows can sometimes be considerable. The park land on the northside of this ravine is used as a storage ground for mulched material from the City's brush department. Occasionally, some road construction material is stored in this area. There are five picnic tables and five pieces of playground equipment, and one basketball court. This park is shown on Map III 5.- The following photograph shows some of the playground equipment that it is strategically located across the street from a housing authority apartment complex.
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Nueces Park
Nueces Park, located across the street from the Junior High School, is one of Lockhart's original city parks, was constructed sometime in the 1930 40'- s. These 2.8 acres, at one time, provided the only city park for a community of approximately 6,000 population. For several decades, the heavily wooded park functioned as an extension of the old high school campus, which is now known as the Junior High School campus. According to the menu of recreational activities offered by this park, this neighborhood park is primarily used for picnicking, and playground areas for youth. The tennis courts are not in a condition to be used as tennis courts. Basketball and general open areas are the two other activities offered by this park. Because of the proximity to the Junior High School, there have been problems in the past with gang activity and some criminal elements. There are some adjacent lots which are not in the park inventory, which are abandoned and blighted with overgrown weeds and debris. The playground equipment at this park is in a deteriorated condition. As a result of the deteriorated condition of the facilities at this park and the surrounding area, this park is perceived as being unsafe. A drainage ditch bisects the park on a northeast to southwest basis. This park is shown on Map III 6.- Some of the playground equipment could easily be renovated by replacement of individual units.
State Facilities The Lockhart State Park was established in 1948 as a 263 acre park complex. This regional park, located at the western edge of the Lockhart City limits, provides a nine hole golf course and pro shop, picnic areas, swimming pool and bathhouse, playground areas, recreation hall, RV hookups, camping areas, and rest rooms. This park, until City
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was constructed in 1974, was Lockhart's only community wide park for several decades. The layout of this park is shown on Map VII 7.- School Facilities The recreational facilities that serve the school population, are located in four campuses throughout the community. Typically, these facilities are open to the public after school hours, provided the facilities are not being used by the school. The location ofthese sites are shown on Map III 8,- Map III 9,- and Map III 10.- Some of the areas used by the public are not formal recreation areas but rather are undefined open space area used by organized sport teams and the general public. The school recreation areas are identified as follows:
Kindergarten Playground Clear Fork Playground Clear Fork - open grassy area west of school parking lot Plum Creek Playground Intermediate School - Basketball hoops and adjacent area Intermediate School - open grassy areas west of school Junior High School - grassy practice area on both sides of Pecos Street Junior High School - school yard in front of building Junior High School - Adams Gym High School - football field, track area High School - open grassy area west of football High School - Tennis Courts High School - Baseball Field
The intent of this list is identify the facilities and open areas which are available to the public. There are other facilities which, on occasion, are used for school sponsored events such as gym facilities, weight room, and cafeterias used as meeting facilities. Because of the location of the campuses, the school grounds function as neighborhood parks for residents who live in the immediate vicinity. The football track and field area receives community wide use because there are no other facilities in the community that provide an opportunity for walking/running activities.
IV.Area Facility Concepts and Standards
Collectively, if all the City, school, and State properties being used were totaled, there would be approximately 371 acres available to Lockhart residents. However, of this 371 acres of combined City, school and states properties, only 74.53 acres are available without any restrictions. As noted in the inventory of areas and park facilities, the City of Lockhart has a total of 74.53 acres available, primarily on the north side of the community. Of this City parkland total amount, approximately 87%or 66.1 acres of the City's park land are in one citywide facility known as City Park. The School properties, which consist primarily of the open spaces, add approximately 33.5 acres to this combined total. The local Lockhart State Park, which is classified as a regional park, provides another 263 acres. This state park, because of its relatively close proximity on
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QLI, provides another 263 acres. This state park, because of its relatively close proximity on the southwestern edge of the city limits, helps satisfy some of the community's parks and recreation demand. However, this park no longer functions in the same role or capacity as a citywide park as it did in the past.
Normally there is no cost to use school facilities, provided the facilities are not being used by the school district. There have been complaints of community organized events being preempted by school sponsored functions. Furthermore, because of the location of the school campuses, the school areas function as neighborhood parks, with the exception of the football field and tennis courts. This leaves the City Park facilities as the only facilities available full time. The State Park facility can only be accessed by paying a fee of 2.$ 00 per person over the age of thirteen. The facility closes at 10:00 p.m. every day. For some families, the fees and sometimes the quality of the facilities offered by the Lockhart State Park are viewed as a barrier to its use. For this reason, as mentioned earlier, the residents of Lockhart frequent parks in neighboring communities.
The total number of City park facilities and approximate year of construction are shown in the following table. The largest City park facility is City Park and the heaviest used park as noted earlier. An analysis of each park and needs assessment is discussed in the following section.
City Parks Name Location Acres Year of Construction
City Park U.S. Hwy 183 North 50.3344 1973 Sports Complex Scheh Street across from Plum 15.7 1989 Creek Elementary School Lions Park S. Colorado Street across 3.23 mid-1960' s from old HEB site Pecos Park Across from Housing Authority 2.4 late 1970's Complex (old Tank Town) Nueces Park Bois D'Arc Street across from 2.8 1940's Junior High School
According to the adjusted 1990 U.S. Census, the City of Lockhart has a population of 9,476 as of 1996. The Austin Planning Department estimated the current population at 12,000. According to local estimates, which were obtained from utility connections, the current population is 15,676. In the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), there is an estimated population of 3,000. The traditional ETJ and annexed ETJ are shown on Map I 1.- For the purpose of this planning report, the planning area encompassed the city limits and ETJ. The combined population for this planning area is estimated at approximately 18,000 population. Based on these numbers, the City of Lockhart is, at present, providing 74.53 acres per 18,000 people or 4.14 acres per 1,000
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Boundary of State Park Topo Contours Floodplain Lockhart Cit Limits 1 Proposed Conservation F - . Corridor J RIM Proposed Hike/Bike Trail people in the planning area. These computations do not include any school property, because school use is restricted by availability.
Within the City limits, there are approximately 4,897 acres of all combined land uses. The present acreage that the City has in parks is 74.53 acres. This means that approximately 1.5%of the community's total land acreage is in park land use. If the traditional accepted practice of devoting 10 acres per 1000 population were followed, Lockhart would be expected to have approximately 180 acres of park land. This standard implies that Lockhart has an approximate deficiency of about 100 acres. At this projected level of recreational service about 3.7%of the City's total land area would be devoted to parks as opposed to the present 1.5%total park acreage.
The point of this discussion is that there are several ways to determine the parkland needs of the community. Any method can be equally valid. However, the numbers produced by these methods are not absolute but should simply be used as a general guide to determine whether additional parkland is warranted. The above comparison does show that the community could justify another 50 to 100 acres of parkland. The demand for additional parkland is obvious from observation of recreational activities being conducted at all public owned open spaces.
Increasingly communities are using the current recreational level of services as defined by residents and demand, to determine whether more parkland is needed. At present, the level of service in Lockhart is being provided at 4.14 acres per 1000 population. However, as it will be discussed below, even this particular standard of measuring recreational levels have varied widely in the past.
In determining an acceptable level of recreation service for Lockhart, it is necessary to examine what the previous and current standards have been. It should be noted that city parks in Lockhart are a recent occurrence. Prior to 1973, the community of Lockhart was served by one city park of 2.8 acres for a population of approximately 6,000 population This computes into approximately 0.5 acres per 1000 population. This computation does not include the State Park because it is a regional facility. If the Lockhart State Park is factored into this equation, since the park was being used as citywide community park and there were no restrictions to its use at that point in time, then the level of service would have been approximately 43.9 acres per 1000 population prior to 1973.
This type of analysis shows that prior to the development of City Park, Lockhart residents enjoyed a rather high level of service which is no longer attainable. Under present monetary and physical constraints, it is not possible to achieve such a high level of service. However, it would suffice to say that the residents of Lockhart in the past, because of their close proximity to a regional park, enjoyed a rather high standard of park living" that few communities can equal. The following table, with some adjustments for Lockhart, depict the recommended levels of park standards by type of park. As noted previously, at the present time, the City has only one community park and
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that is being provided. Although Lockhart is deficient in parkland by about 50 to 85 acres, the deficiency is greater due to the problem that almost all parks are on the north side of the community. There are no parks on the south side of the community. Also, none ofthe neighborhood parks are being used as extensively as City Park.
TABLE IV 1-
PARK STANDARDS
Type of Park Jlsee Service Area Desirabl Acres 1./ 000 s Population
Mini Park- Serve limited population; Less than 1/4 1 acre 0.25 to 0.5 e.g. children or elderly mile radius or less
Neighborhood Park/ Provide for activities such as 1/4 to 1/2 mile radius; 15+acres 1.0 to 2.0 Playground ball games, court games, playground, serve up to 5,000 swimming, picnicking population a neighborhood)
Community Park May include areas for large scale- 1 -2 mile radius; 25+acres 5.0 to 8.0 activities such as ball complexes, several neighborhoods
large swimming pools; may provide outdoor recreation such as hiking, walking, picnicking
Regional Park Areas of natural beauty and Serves several communities; 200+acres 5.0 to 10.0 recreation such as hiking, fishing, boating, camping, 1 hour driving time swimming, conservation; 80%typically reserved for conservation and 20%for recreational development
Source: National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA),Recreation. Park. and Open Space Standards and Guidelines. 3rd( Edition, 1987)
It is recommended that the community try to increase the level of service to approximately 7 to 9 acres per 1000 population. This would provide approximately 125 to 160 acres of parkland in the community for the current population. This recommendation takes into consideration the minimum amount of park land needed to accommodate specific recreational facilities but also includes space for unprogrammed recreational activities. By observing the current use of open spaces on school properties, it is evident that the development of athletic fields for soccer, football, and rugby would free up some of the open spaces at the schools. Also, the school is losing open space- land almost annually due to expansion of their facilities. These figures and current land use patterns indicate that the community is in need of another citywide facility, preferably on the south side of the community, to accommodate the need for unprogrammed recreational activities.
13 In addition to this analysis, the level of use of each of the recreational facilities was reviewed but rejected as not being viable because of the absence of facilities. Under this type of analysis, the level of use of each of the city park facilities is reviewed to ascertain how many visitors per year each park area and facility can accommodate.
Because there are currently no city owned recreational facilities such as tennis courts or auditoriums, no surplus facilities were identified. The school facilities, which are often used for recreation, were not included in this analysis because these facilities are only available after normal school hours, if the school district is not using them.
The limitation of this type of analysis is that the capacity of a recreational facility can only be measured if the facility happens to exist in the community. What if there are no tennis courts, hike and bike trails, or camping facilities? Will individuals come to use the facility if a certain type of recreational facility is constructed? Or, do we wait for teams to organize before a facility is built? This analysis can become a "chicken and egg"question. What comes first?Do we build the facilities and wait for the public to use them or do we wait for groups to become organized?This latent recreational demand is more difficult to measure. For this reason an attempt was made to survey the public to determine what sort of uses are needed and whether new services are needed. The results of this survey are shown in the following graphs and charts.
CURRENT FACILITIES AVAILABLE AT CITY PARKS
E e Cr o w 0 a)CL c`4 NCo C F—v V 0 N y^. CD d ai ai c U a n m o m o CU m N o3 f C3 jL Na N d rnc L- iL 0) o U v g o m d a.CM m n N U N a) 0 N y t CU 0 U` 00 0 0 u- f) n 00 U City Park X X X X X X X X X X X X X I X I X Lions Park X X X X Nueces Park X X X X X X Pecos Park X X X X Sports Complex X X X X X X X 1.
As this table indicates, it would appear that the community has a good cross section of recreational facilities. However, a physical inventory of the existing facilities indicated that many of the facilities are in need of renovation or are overcrowded. The heaviest used park is City Park and the Sports Complex. The Sports Complex being the newest facility in the community, is used extensively. A detail analysis and discussion of each park is included in the Needs Assessment and Identification section.
14 Recreational Demand
This particular chart depicts some of the latent recreational demand referred to earlier. As this chart indicates, the surveys conducted in connection with this analysis identified sand volleyball as one of the top activities which at present is not offered in the community. The second most requested activity consisted of running/hiking trails. This response correlates with how the high school facilities are being used. According to the following chart, the high school football field and track receives the heaviest use. There are no runninhikingg/trails at any of the city parks.
Roller blading ranked as the third most requested activity which is not being offered anywhere in the community. The fourth requested activity consisted of benches and picnic tables which are offered at every city park. This high ranking for this type of recreational activity may be indicating that these type of facilities are being heavily used and more are needed. Soccer fields was ranked number five in requested activities. Because there are only two soccer fields in the community, this high ranking indicates possibly a shortage of fields or open space. Basketball courts were ranked number six in requested priority ranking although there are basketball courts at two of the city parks. Some of the school campuses have basketball goals at their parking lots and concrete slabs with basketball goals that are used by adults.
The fact that green areas and practice fields follow in relatively close priority ranking after soccer fields appears to be indicating a shortage of open space for unprogrammed recreational activities. Lack of open space and need for soccer fields have been a common complaint echoed by community leaders and citizens on the Parks and Recreation Board and from public hearings conducted in connection with this planning process.
15 Tennis courts were ranked as the tenth most requested activity. The fact that there are no city owned- tennis courts in usable condition, may indicate more efforts are going to be needed to renovate existing facilities and construct new ones.
The request for areas for frisbee golf falls into the same category as open space. The city parks and school open areas are being heavily used, especially during soccer season. There are no opens areas available for impromptu activities such as frisbee golf.
The relatively low ranking for playground areas and playground equipment can be due to the simple fact that although efforts were made to survey children, not enough input was received to rate this properly. Citywide there are approximately 30 pieces of playground equipment. Some of this equipment has been in use for approximately thirty years.
The community of Lockhart is considered to have some of the finest baseball facilities in the area. According to Little League officials, although the Sport Complex is heavily used for baseball, practice fields are needed. Additional baseball fields will be needed as the community grows, in a time period over the next three to four years.
The following table depicts the school facilities being used by the community. As stated earlier, the heaviest used facility is the high school track field which indicates a latent demand for running/hiking facilities. The recent construction of a walking/exercise trail, as joint project between the City and LISD, will probably reduce the intensity of the use of the high school track facilities. Because there are no neighborhood facilities on the southside of the community, many of the existing school facilities are being used in the capacity of neighborhood parks. The open space and green areas of the school campuses are used for unprogrammed recreational activities.
IWLOd n,ft&tP&rAY usosdpd Fad d"r,UsedrarFa FdtgdndFoobelRdd aid TIgk I I I FisnedeFe Sdnd F?slm6d Me. I Ow rk I I H{h SdndTeiree OuY I I I H,fi Sdnd q,m QecryAreee RmOeek%ffaid HO&hW DW&d Fdd V-rpvlm Fr I S.hW Cpw Qe-y Ares Over F,kqm Q-Wfi s Uw FIM Shod Rat 9dad Yd arir Hah 8dnd OW Oeesy Ares Hdt STtioal Ofn 0 20 00 40 IS 16 V.Needs Assessment and Identification As identified in the previous analysis for determining the level of service in Lockhart, it was determined the community, by large, has benefited from the close proximity of a State regional park in the recent past. As a result, the residents of Lockhart have come to expect the same level of service provided by a regional park. The change in operations of the State Park, such as charging for admission to the park, shifted the recreational emphasis from Lockhart State Park to City Park. Today, because of increasing competition for part of the limited tax revenues and increasing population pressures, the demand for parks and recreational programs has focused on increasing the level of current services. The demand based approach indicates that the citizens of Lockhart want improvement of the existing parks and facilities and new additional recreational services. Using the standard based approach to determine the amount of facilities and parks needed to meet the needs of the current population, indicates that the community of Lockhart is very deficient in parks and recreational facilities. An analysis of current City owned park facilities determined the following deficiencies at each of the parks: City Facilities Cily Park This park, being the only multi -purpose citywide park for the community, is showing signs of overuse. Some of the facilities are in a deteriorated condition from peak use. Some of the organized sport leagues, such as softball during the summer months, are utilizing the softball fields extensively. Because of the disrepair of the old tennis courts at this park, these courts are no longer usable. The prime deficiency at this park is the lack of open space. According to the Lockhart Youth Soccer Association LYSA),there are, at present, two fields dedicated to soccer. One of the fields was constructed at the time the Sports Complex was built, as a multi-purpose baseball/soccer field. The second soccer field is located across the street from the Sports Complex on City Park grounds. The remaining flat areas in City Park use make shift- fields to serve a league of 284 participants and 28 coaches. In 1994, the league size was 511 participants, but dropped to 284 participants. The condition of the make- shift fields at City Park has been blamed for the drop off- in participation because participants have been hurt on these fields. These open areas at City Park also serve as parking for Chisholm Trail, carnival and circus sites, and temporary holding areas for animal acts in conjunction with community events. As a result, these gravel based- open areas tend to be rocky, and rutted. Because City Park is built on a hillside, the open areas a i not level, except where park facillities 11V.11'1' in the following photog rapli. 1C City' facilities constructed and installed at this part installed and are major need of renovation. 1' III- after i - ,o 0 < ears. dc on their use, recreational facilities necd to be updated an': IxI Ino eplaced Where theL - ) matel*ai has bec(i ne -iisain- Q Sonic of d dies CJ)U- C!" re!':v' ate" an"I The swimming pool at City Park is at capacity. Often participants during the summer months have to wait to use the facility. Although the Lockhart State Park has a swimming pool, the size and the cost of admission is perceived as an obstacle to its use. The only other water - based recreation activity that is used extensively is the pond at City Park. This pond needs to be expanded and stocked regularly on an ongoing basis. Sports Complex The Sports Complex, constructed in 1989, is designed for baseball use and includes a small ancillary park adjacent to this facility. This facility, by its design purpose, serves the entire community. The small park adjacent to this facility is often used during the school year by the Plum Creek school, which is located across the street from this complex. Because this park is relatively still new and, because of its close proximity to City Park, the Sports Complex is viewed as an extension of City Park. For this reason, the Sports Complex is classified as a citywide facility often used in tandem with City Park. Generally, the facilities at this park are in fairly good condition. The primary users of this park are children due to the proximity of the school campuses. There is no security lighting at this park, with the exception of light fixtures at the baseball complex buildings. This park must compete with the Fire Department and the location of a large radio tower for the use of some of the open space. Because the park boundaries have never been delineated, park users encroach into the fire department property. An abandoned landfill is on the east side of the fire department property, and, although it is scenic, may pose some hazards because of past land fill practices. This park has the potential of being the gateway to the proposed conservation corridors discussed in the recommendation section (Section VII).As indicated on Map VII 2,- there are areas along the Plum Creek tributaries which should be considered for conservation. As Lockhart develops, many of the scenic areas around the community could be lost to development. Preserving some of these scenic areas could ensure that future generations will have natural areas that current residents take for granted. As Lockhart becomes more urbanized these areas could be lost to future generations. Area North Of Sports Complex 4 Pai i,1 s roadside 0,i1"K \ VI o:!;-U ! S firsiL C C M I LI 111 -V Parks Gild r"Hic for inany yoars as Lockhari's only cltvwlde parb". To,_Iay. t 101,101h thisL park receives inaw visitLS froin travelers, it is prin i IIlciLhborhood : par" a12d sorves the east: arid southeast area of the conlmunitv. Because this park provides -Lle first impressions of Lockhart le and tourist who illay be visititn-1, is importanL . that th sari: Ety Lie nainiained and c iuh a L1* c L U, I hisis open space and scertic area it the iniddle a tl con area located in doNvi Lockhart provides a haven in mores way than citizens realize. 7 M Some of the playground facilities which were installed during the 1960's need to be updated. Although in the past the primary problem has been security, this condition still continues to be of concern to some citizens. For this reason, the primary problem with this park is security. Additional security lighting needs to be installed. If possible it would be attractive to remove the fence around the log cabin and replaced with a period fence that would complement the cabin. Or, the property upon which the cabin is located could be divorced from consideration as a city park because of its current limited access. This would entail legally delineating the log cabin as a separate historic tract removed from park use. Pecos Park This neighborhood park, which was created in the late 1970's,primarily serves the north side of the community. This park primarily provides picnicking and playground equipment for neighborhood children. There are five pieces of playground equipment and one basketball court at this park. The prim=problem with this park is security Although this park is one ofthe newest parks in the community, the graffiti on the playground equipment and some of the deteriorated playground equipment contributes to a sense of blight. There is no lighting in the interior of the park. The double street lights along the roadway helps some, but is not adequate for the entire park. Generally, the playground equipment is in fair condition, however, more maintenance is needed. The problems with this park are fairly minor. The slide in the park is in a questionable condition and should be replaced. One of the picnic tables has been vandalized and the top should be replaced. The wet spring (Spring 1997) contributed to higher than normal vegetation growth. During periods of heavy rainfall events, the dry creek in the park has the potential of becoming an unsafe torrent of water which can be life -threatening. There are records of one fatality occurring along this creek. 21 Signs or fencing should be posted along the creek advising of potential flooding conditions. There is no off-street parking and none is needed since the park primarily serves children. Nueces Park This neighborhood park is Lockhart's original city park. This heavily wooded park is in need of updating and renovation. The tennis courts are no longer usable in the present condition. The primary problem for this Park is security Lighting is almost nonexistent. This park provides picnicking and playground area for the surrounding neighborhoods. Because of the close proximity to the Junior High School, gang and criminal activity have been a continuing problem. The playground equipment is in need of repair and some of the facilities need to be replaced. The adjoining empty lots need to cleared of debris and overgrowth because the vegetation contributes to a blighting effect to the entire neighborhood area. Additional park land for this park should be acquired along the floodway so that it can be maintained. Because the land along the creek will never be used for housing or commercial use, the land should be converted into park land so that the blighting influence on the park and neighborhood can be removed. Additional equipment and unpaved walkways throughout the park need to be installed so that the park can be used more. As noted in the following photograph, people have made trails into adjoining areas which show the potential of how this park could be further developed. 22 The identified deficiencies are only one aspect of meeting the recreation needs of the community. The age of the population also needs to be considered. If Lockhart follows the national and state trends, there will be an increase in the elderly population. This means that the traditional practice of outdoor recreation will need to consider indoor recreation needs. From the surveys conducted in connection with this study, residents expressed a need for indoor recreational facilities and an indoor swimming pool. The expected population growth going to impact Lockhart must also be considered so that future park and recreational facilities can be planned. The Texas population, according to population estimates from the Department of Rural Sociology at Texas A M,& is projected to double over the next 35 to 40 years. Population estimates for the Capital Area Planning Council region project the central Texas area is going to grow even faster. Some communities in the local region, after the last federal census, had population rates of growth that doubled over a ten year period. Based on the present rates of growth for Lockhart, the population from 1990 to the year 2000 is expected to double. Although the community of Lockhart and the surrounding region is not expected to maintain this fast growth rate, the community of Lockhart is still expected to exceed the State's rate of growth, which is expected to double at a projected annualized rate of growth of 1.7%for the period 1990 through 2030. Although projected growth rates beyond ten years are simply educated guesses, it appears that Lockhart's population will follow the central Texas region's growth rate, which means this rate of growth will be faster than the State. It is very possible that the population of Lockhart is going to double again after the year 2000 over a ten to fifteen year time span. In terms of the parks and recreational facilities for the ten year planning period of this report, the community is going to have to plan for a population of approximately 22,000 by the year 2007. This population assumes a conservative annual growth rate of approximately 3%per year. If the central Texas growth rate continues at present rates, this estimate could be low and this figure will have to be readjusted. Rather than focus totally on Lockhart's rate of growth, it is better to plan for given population thresholds. That is, as Lockhart's population reaches a 20,000 population, it is better to assume that the community will have a given level of recreational and park facilities in place for this size of population. This approach is similar to planning for water and sewer facilities. The community can plan for a certain level of services at different population levels, based on what the community needs or wants. VI. Goals and Objectives The following Goals and Objectives were established by the City of Lockhart Parks and Recreation Advisory Board as the guiding principles and community goals for the recommended parks and recreation improvements. These goals and objectives were derived from public input and are ranked in order of importance. These Goals and Objectives are the basis for the prioritization of needs discussed under the Plan Implementation section. 23 Guiding Principles and Community Recreation Goals Open spaces and natural habitats should be preserved for future generations: additional land should be acquired and specialized parks developed. 2. All people should have access to all parks and recreational facilities regardless of age, sex, income, cultural differences, location in the community, and handicap status. 3. Public recreational facilities should be multi -purpose and adaptable to future needs. 4. A parks department should be created independent ofthe public works department. 5. Public recreation should be coordinated with other community recreation providers to avoid duplication and promote innovation. 6. The life expectancy of new parks and equipment can be 15 to 20 years: parks need to be renovated and equipment replaced or maintained as needed. 7. Maintaining public recreational facilities places a financial burden on the City; more facilities require more staff. 8. Because of rising costs, recreational improvements should be shared, where possible, with school, county and non -profits entities who may have a stake in the benefits of recreational programs. 9. Public recreation should be integrated with all other public services, such as economic development, education, health, public safety, transportation, and protection of the environment. 10. The availability of high quality parks, open spaces, and recreation opportunities play an important role in economic development. 11. New growth (new subdivisions) should pay for their own recreational facilities. 12. Citizens should be involved in all aspects of planning for public recreation. 13. Local public recreation should be integrated with regional and state plans; 14. Parks and recreational programs must find ways to celebrate the variety of cultures within the community. 24 r VII.Plan Implementation and Prioritization of Needs The following recommendations can be divided into three basic areas: Parks and Recreation Improvements; Operational Park Improvements; and, Future Park Trends. Generally, as noted in the Needs Assessment Section, the community of Lockhart is predominately deficient in parkland. The young population does not have the quantity or quality of playground facilities to serve this segment of the population. The adult population does not have sufficient recreational areas for softball, jogging/hiking, and open space. There are no city owned tennis courts in the community. Indoor recreational facilities are non -existent. In short, the need for recreational improvements in Lockhart is extensive. For this reason, some of the proposed improvements are grouped into one park facility that can offer a cross section of the prioritized needs which are identified in this section. The following recommendations are linked as objectives to each of the applicable goals identified in Section VI. Goals and Objectives. The more detailed local listing of prioritization of needs is shown in Table VII 2- at the end of this section. The rating system which was used to rank these activities is included with this table. The year of implementation for each of the local needs is indicated next to each of the recreational items on this list. The method of financing for these activities is going to come initially from a small bond issue to help pay for some of the short term improvements. Subsequent park improvements are going to be financed through a combination of grants, donated material and labor, contributions from civic organizations, and the local subdivision ordinance which requires park dedications. Specialized recreational improvements such as an indoor facility will be financed through a combination of private foundation grants and local fund raising efforts. There are going to be efforts to program more local funds to increase budgets for park maintenance as the recreational facilities are developed. Where funds are limited, some of the proposed improvements can be phased in over a period of several years as the funds become available. Each of the following general recommendations can be identified with the corresponding goal by referencing the first numeric designation which refers to the specific goal being cited. As noted above, the local listing of needs and activities is broken down in more detail at the end of this section. Some of the proposed activities will need be implemented within the context of combined efforts which address several activities at one time. Development of new parks will required the development of multiple recreational activities. It should be noted that as the activities on this list are accomplished, a new local list of prioritization of needs will need to be developed. A periodic review and update of the recommendations made in this report will be need to be conducted on an annual basis. 25 Park and Recreation Improvements Goal 1.0 Open spaces and natural habitats should be preserved for future generations: additional land should be acquired and specialized parks developed. 1.1 The communi , 's first priority is to increase the amount of open space and recreation facilities; As noted earlier, it should be a high priority to increase the amount of space available in the community for parks and recreation. The City is deficient in parkland and recreational facilities. One citywide park of 50 acres is not sufficient for a community of 15,676. At the present time, all the parks are located east and north of the community. At the height of the soccer season, almost every open space at City Park or open space at the schools is used by soccer teams practicing. A soccer complex needs to be considered to relieve some of the congestion being experienced at City Park. The specific park improvements that are needed for each of the parks are covered in more detail in the following recommendations. Long term, over the next 5 to 10 years, a new citywide park should be considered west of the community. A citywide facility adjacent to the Lockhart State Park could leverage some of the existing infrastructure in the area. This possibility is also discussed in more detail in one of the following recommendations. 1.2 Improvements need to be initiated at all city parks The current range of recreational activities offered by all City Parks can be summarized as follows: Type of Recreational Activity Total Number Park Picnicking (defined sites) 40 All Parks Outdoor basketball (defined) 3 Lions, Pecos, & Nueces Park Fishing 1 City Park Swimming 1 City Park Softball 2 Sports Complex/City Park Baseball 5 Sports Complex/City Park Camping 1 City Park Soccer 2 Sports Complex/City Park Open Space/Natural Areas 1 Sports Complex Playground areas 4 City Park Limited hiking/jogging areas 1 City Park As this table indicates, the range of recreational activities for a growing population of 15,676 is very limited. What is missing are facilities such as tennis courts and runnin trails. The playground areas combined only offer approximately 30 pieces of playground 26 equipment for the entire community. The current swimming pool at City Park is not sufficient for the population. An additional pool is needed that could operate in an indoor facility that would be targeted at the adult population. An indoor facility which includes meeting and recreational facilities for an increasing elderly population is needed in a central place near downtown. Of the identified parks, City Park offers the predominant recreational activities. Playground equipment at this park is very limited and should be increased. It is suggested that the playground areas be segregated by age groups so that the younger population can have a defined place for play. Improvements such as a sandlot for volleyball, roller blading, and frisbee golf are some of the activities being requested by residents. Covered open air, lighted basketball courts are needed at City Park. The tennis court at City Park could be converted into a basketball court and new locations developed for tennis courts. The entrance to City Park needs to be enhanced with a facility such as an entry tower which could be derived from the existing downtown architecture using native materials. This facility would function as a landmark and help in identifying the park. Signs. and information about the park could inform visitors about the facilities and services offered at the park. Some of the hills around the play areas could be terraced with stone retaining walls to provide an area for climbing and seating for adults. In this manner benches are not needed yet supervising adults have a place to sit. It would also be difficult to vandalize a native stone wall. Pathways need to be further developed and enhanced with foot bridges where appropriate for handicap access. The existing pond needs to be expanded and stocked on an ongoing basis because of the heavy use that it receives. Pedestrian access to City Park at present is very difficult anti should be improved Consideration should be given to developing several points of access to this park. One of the pedestrian access points could be behind the ice house off Brazos Street. A walkway 27 across the railroad tracks which would connect to a pedestrian bridge across the creek would provide a direct route for pedestrians into this park. A second pedestrian access point could be developed as a trail under U.S. Highway 183 and under the M.K.&T. Railroad bridge right of- way. - As seen in the following photograph, these trails could originate at City Park and cross under U.S. Highway 183 along the drainage channel of the Creek. (See Map VII 3)- There is ample room under the railroad bridge for a trail which could follow the drainage channel to Pecos Park. A series of detention ponds along this trail could also address problems with run off- during heavy storm events. IN fir,• ' :' « . 2828 This trail could follow the natural drainage channels of the community and connect with other parks in the community. These low lying areas, because of their flooding potential, will never be developed for commercial or residential use. Also, these overgrown weedy areas add to the perception of blight in some of the neighborhoods. A lighted and maintained trail would enhance pedestrian accessibility for the entire community. Walkways to major commercial centers would promote the concept of an urban village where residents can walk to work or shopping centers. 1.3 New Parks are needed Because of the sport's rising popularity, a soccer complex is needed in the short term time line of this plan. Additional neighborhood parks are needed, primarily on the southside of the community adjacent to some of the school's property, to complement and leverage the school's existing recreational facilities and supporting infrastructure such as parking. Also, there are many young families who have located near the school facilities so that their children can be near the schools. These neighborhood parks should be targeted at the younger age group and the recreational equipment should be tailored accordingly. Map VII 4- shows a tentative proposal for the development of a new park adjacent to the new school campus. 1.4 City Park needs to be expanded and enlarged to include more of the area north of the Sports Complex area. These areas are highlighted on Map VII 1.- This park could serve as a linkage to future conservation corridors (flood areas) and proposed green belts which would encircle the northern and southern sections of the community. The Sports Complex could serve as the gateway into some of the most scenic and natural areas of Lockhart. Although some of these area are floodways, the open spaces are ideal for natural hike and bike trails. Ponds could be developed in these areas along with picnic sites. 1.5 Consider acquiring scenic areas along the floodway. The population of Lockhart is going to continue to grow well into the next century. If the central Texas region continues to grow as projected, it is possible that there will be a population of nearly 50,000 residents in the near future. There are several developments being planned west of Lockhart which could greatly increase the population of the area. Regardless of the size of the population, what is certain is that many of the natural areas, which are taken for granted by the community, are going to disappear as new developments encroach into these areas. An acquisition program needs to be implemented to determine the areas needing protection. As noted by the Texas Controller of Public Accounts, a greenbelt linear parks) open area or trail can enhance the quality of life in the community. Open areas can make a community seem smaller, which increases the aesthetic appeal of the community. In addition, natural areas can control pollution by filtering pollutants and controlling run off- which can cause flooding 1.6 Consider linear parks to link the new and existing parks in the community. Green belts or natural areas around the community adds to the perception of the community as an urban village located in the country. If efforts are taken now to preserve these natural 29 areas, these natural areas could serve as one of the focal points of the community as well as the future parks of the community. The sites being recommended for inclusion are shown on Map VII 2.- Some of the areas are located along the floodways of the City's drainageways and can consist of trails that are lighted along strategic locations. Some communities have installed large drainage pipes under major roadways that can be used during non wet periods to link and improve accessibility to neighborhood parks. 1.7 Indoor recreation is needed. The majority of the parks and recreation programs in Lockhart are for the younger population. The population of Lockhart is expected to follow the national and state trend where the population will become older. This means that future parks and recreational programs will increasingly become subject to use by an aging population. This aging population is not going to be content with passive activities but will expect and demand activities tailored to their needs. An indoor facility, centrally located in the community, offering swimming, indoor track, weight rooms, and meeting facilities could operate with extended hours to accommodate the needs of this population. The current Lockhart Community Recreation Center, which is operated by a nonprofit entity, is run almost entirely by volunteer help and targets youth at risk. This facility is a short-term facility and is expected to close if continuing funding can not be secured. Goal 2.0: All people should have access to all parks and recreational facilities regardless of age, sex, income, cultural differences, location in the community, and handicap status. 2.1 More recreational equipment is needed. There are approximately 30 pieces of playground equipment available for the entire community. Some of the playground equipment at several of these parks are the original equipment installed at the time the parks were created. This places the age of some of the equipment at 20 to 30 years, which is about the life expectancy of some of this equipment. The systemic replacement of this equipment needs to be programmed into the City's normal capital improvements program to insure that the equipment is replaced on a periodic basis. Although the school district, in recent years, has acquired some playground equipment for some of their campuses, residents can only access these facilities during non -school hours. Goal 3.0: Public recreational facilities should be multi-purpose and adaptable to future needs. 3.1 Water based recreation is needed. There are several natural areas on the northside and southside of the community that could be harnessed for water recreation. A lake could be constructed along the Plum Creek corridor and its tributaries which could be fed by the floodwaters of this creek. Another possibility is to investigate the possibility of converting some of the strip minding operations (gravel pits)located on the east side of Lockhart into lakes. An engineering study is needed to investigate this option. In the past, there have been drownings that have occurred because of unauthorized and unsupervised swimming activities in these gravel pits. As these gravel pits are depleted, something 30 will need be done to reclaim these open pits for some other use. These open gravel pits discourage any development or growth into some ofthe most scenic areas available to the community. Operational Park Improvements Goal 4.0: A parks department should be created independent of the public works department. 4.1 An independent Parks Department is needed with its own full time maintenance staff. Although the current department appears to be adequately staffed, the maintenance staff are responsible for the cemetery, City Hall, library, city entrance signs, park & ride parking lot and all city parks. It is evident from the survey of the current existing parks that the necessary maintenance is not being done to the level that is necessary to sustain community confidence in the park system. Goal 5.0: Public recreation should be coordinated with other community recreation providers to avoid duplication and promote innovation. 5.1 A parks and recreation position is needed to assist with scheduling the use of recreational facilities and for developing recreation programs. This position would oversee the use of all park facilities in the community. This position could be jointly funded by the school and city, and be responsible for the scheduling the use ofthe present facilities, within the rules and conditions established by each governmental entity. This position would increase the efficiency of the park system and would help alleviate some of the short term deficiencies in the park system. Goal 7.0:Maintaining public recreational facilities places a financial burden on the City; more facilities require more staff. 7.1 Moreparks require more staff In tandem, with the expansion of the park system, more staff are going to be needed to maintain the present park facilities. Because the school system, in some respects, has to maintain their athletic facilities, it should be explored as to whether it is possible to share maintenance personnel or equipment. New and innovative methods will be needed to address the rising cost of park maintenance. 7.2 Consider amending the bylaws of the Parks Board to insure that the LISD always has at least one member on the Board In this manner, coordination and duplication of activities are avoided. An ongoing dialogue needs to be maintained with the school district so that their future plans can be taken into account. There should be at least one senior citizen and one youth on this board. There are many issues which only certain age groups recognize. 31 Goal 8.0: Because of rising costs, recreational improvements should be shared, where possible, with school, county and non -profit entities who may have a stake in the benefits of recreational programs. 8.1 Initiate an "Adopt a Park"program The neighborhoods around current neighborhood parks need to be entrusted with the responsibility of assisting with maintenance and security. These neighborhood parks need to be reclaimed from vandalism and recreational uses developed which are compatible with the neighborhoods. If people in the area of a park had more responsibility and took part in the maintenance, the parks would contribute to a higher quality of life in the neighborhood. Goal 9.0: Public recreation should be integrated with all other public services, such as economic development, education, health, public safety, transportation, and protection of the environment. 9.1 The Lockhart Police Department should consider sponsoring ongoing recreational programs with the Parks Department. One method, used by some communities to prevent youth criminal activity, is by involving police officers with youth activities. In this manner, the Police Department can get to know the habits and life style of the young population. In addition, the officers can serve as guidance and role models for this population. Goal 13.0: Local public recreation should be integrated with regional and state plans. 13.1 A dialogue needs to be started with the Lockhart State Park system to determine if there are any possibilities of future joint projects. There is an interest in the community in expanding the present State Park golf course to 18 holes. According to officials at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the State of Texas is about 100 million dollars behind on maintenance with the State parks system. This trend cannot continue indefinitely. Perhaps the community may want to approach Texas Parks and Wildlife about expanding this golf course and assist in the operation and maintenance of this facility. Logically there would be some cost savings to construct a second citywide park in the immediate area of the State park. The City may want to explore the possibility of enhancing and maybe. expanding the present facility through a combination of joint projects or by augmenting the present State facilities with community park facilities that could share some of the present infrastructure. It should be noted that some of the community's last remaining scenic areas are located in the vicinity of the Lockhart State Park. 32 Future Park Trends Goal 8.0: Because of rising costs, recreational improvements should be shared, where possible, with school, county and non -profit entities who may have a stake in the benefits of recreational programs. 8.2 Increasing nark and recreational demands. The lifestyles and expectations of the community have changed. Because of Lockhart's proximity to major metropolitan areas, the citizens have come to expect a certain level of recreational and park services. In addition, there is an expectation, because of lifestyle changes with the adult population, that the community should provide certain indoor recreational services, natural areas, and open space as part of the typical community amenities. Goal 10.0: The availability of high quality parks, opens spaces, and recreation opportunities play an important role in economic development. 10.1 Parks have a direct impact on economic development and the quality of life in the community. Locational decisions by companies and individuals are influenced by the quality ofthe amenities that a community has to offer. The concept of why communities need parks is changing. Besides recreational reasons, parks serve to reinforce and make a statement of what the community stands for. Our surroundings, whether natural or developed, have an immediate and profound effect on the way we feel and act, and on our sense of community. Places have an impact on our sense of self, our sense of safety, our sense of belonging, our health, even our ability to function as a community. In short, the places where we spend our time affect the people we are and what we will become. This concept is often referred to as the quality oflife. A perceived high quality oflife does not just happen. There has to be a deep personal commitment to preserve and protect the areas that define us. 33 Table VII 2- Prioritization ofNeeds Lype ofRecreational Activity Priority Ranking 1. Senior citizens recreational facilities (trails,exercise Mandatory (Year 1 & 2) and meeting rooms) 2. Acquisition of Open Space neighborhood/ Mandatory (Year 2 & 3) Parks 3. Athletic Fields (soccer, football, rugby) Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 4. Trails Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 5. Playground areas/Playscape Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 6. Multipurpose courts (tennis, basketball, volleyball) Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 7. Outdoor basketball (slab with minimal lighting) Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 8. Indoor recreation center (gyms, indoor -swimming pool, Necessary (Year 2 & 3) meetings rooms) 9. Fishing areas (Under 5 acres) Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 10.Swimming pool Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 11. Softball fields Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 12. Pavilions picnicking/ areas Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 13. Sand volleyball Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 14. Golf 18( hole) Necessary (Beyond 5 years) 15. Baseball fields Desirable (Year 4 & 5) 16. Lakes for recreation (Over 5 acres) Desirable (Beyond 5 years) 17. Conservation of Natural Areas Desirable (Beyond 5 years) 34 Table VII 2- Notes: Supporting recreational facilities such as rest rooms, water fountains, irrigation, lighting, parking spaces, and water and sewer services were not ranked under this list because these type of facilities are considered integral to being able to offer the recreational services. For example, athletic fields are not considered fully functional unless provisions are made for parking, water fountains, and rest rooms. The following methodology was used to rate the local list of priority needs. This system is based on locally identified needs specifically developed for this particular task. Each of the locally identified needs were grouped according to this system and prioritized in order of importance within the assigned groups. Ranking System Mandatory - Those recreational improvements that are urgent and necessary to protect health,-property or public safety Also, to provide equal access regardless of age, sex, income, cultural differences, location in the community, and handicap status. 2. Necessary - Public recreational improvements needed to provide important public services to satisfy demand where the community is below minimum standards to protect endangered resources, and to complete unfinished projects. Desirable - Public recreational improvements which replace obsolete facilities, to improve the attractiveness of the community and provide new and expanded recreational services beyond the minimum standards. Those recreation improvements which would enhance the quality of life in the community fall into this category. 4. Deferrable - Public recreational improvements needed to reduce operating cost and to improve the efficiency of the present level of recreational services. 35 APPENDIX I_1 V 7.. CLLT a. V/ Z E m t Q O CO cu O UL o O ._ C c U)0- O m 0 N CO C J L cl O YU N 7 c m O} L 0 V Q 00 0 I LL a 0 a)U m E N) N X N U > Q O z p E C', m N S O Lm o C 64 OCO 2' 00 C O L6 O O D C U d Uco ai 3t a 0 Nf 69fh O off. O OO O aoO a) O U)N 2 ca o YU tT p 3 a) Ll. v U l Z z C/)W U) m Q 7 a) a) a)CT O 2 N N 2 CO 0 L ,-•Q 0 . v O C0 C E T. V)m C'- oa) r— 0 U> E O ( 0C O ' Q- j c2c0 U a) O U O EEmrC U a) z I U 0Y CU U C)w c43 C p C ._ O c0 C 3 6 a)o 3 O a I JO 0-y « O a)O 0 O v O EE 0 m p U E O 0 3 w V a) Cl. U U O 0 Q Q I Z7 N f Y I LNoy caY rn CO , . - v . o 7 t O ( . U U O C cu U c6 D O 0) L o ca a - U6a)to C CU C O- m UCC U w I nrom • Y ... > 0 0 >2 . C 3Y c a. 0) 0) 6 U O a)>.Za - 0COU - Y 1] U 0 -U ' m ( m 0 . Cco I Cl) C to O 0y d >, E x - co Y > U 0 0 E n 0m cv a) W a)E cuOO O N m °> E O o as 2 . 0 a 20) mo Uco UUm 0O -U0 0. N » of C= as 0 .. >>co 0 S m m m p o CO m - Um a 7 E C c' 0 0 mrn (o N NU c N i0— -O p Lm co 0a)C U— C U a) m. U o 0 O O)o N a p p c c N oco m a)6 -(o >, 0 ( o >° N C`. _ to O L UL L'O. m' 0 R3 - L rnU 0 O m N U Lrov C0 0 U ri L O C L CN j O T 0 L a) [ L N. - o a) ' v 1 U N C m m C a) YC_pm - _ a o 0 u N 2) CL (as O C ns O O0 0) U— C cmU O mo 0 N m L 0 co UmCO O d m 7 C Oa) Z O U m G_ LLO I s 3 O 7 a) O m C y ca N co O 0 N m O o 0 6 Y C 0 L 7E U D p`)p O C C m 6itt ' (CnLO ao >- p 7 O m Y C >+Ouc N 0 U T Ya) Ua)m co E C a O O U d C 0 N c• C Ua) Z O Q)Oa CnLOO p c I o N3 0 co 0 C cUO0 CO 0) m m U 4)0CO . O o a SU a U 0 Cl) N m 6 C)O0 7 a) L N OUr Ca s L a) J 0-r m 0 co. c C CO _ n - E o O S=O) UO0 U 0 maC E co C C L 4) oO C X C p 0) 0) p)a Cv U) N nU O Oc ( S L CO.U0O 0 m _ Op as N Uo a) O C RSoU a)p E O 0 O w S C 0nUL O 0 O m o m 2 of w. 3 m o 0L a)o O Q O a) L L Q)-' cu Y co CO C`. S LU L O 0 F' 0- L Q)a C m _ mCC N- U - a V m L m S LCl)U '._:t O 0 m y0co a)O m z O I O Lm r aN a) O L a)U C2 D o a C a m I O N a) m C va) t C, O O p U C U C C 23 O a) o 3c 0 7 6 N CI- 0- > N U)70 CI D.. CO w w 0co OC as sC c 0 Um O 2 C U m O z O I Q Oz;C J C m I U.)C:of U to mcu O Q N 0 D Ua 0 Z Z m 0 m I m O a) f a) 0 3 3 p o 2 U) C Lp 0 O m N I Z o I O O 3 ca 2 72 Oai C- v C c O 0 T 7>.7 O Z w} O C N CD co a)a O O a) U NCl) 0 z O 1 e III 0 3 OJ - a)y O I Z r VI„ ^ 0 Z O r O7U O• Ya) O toa) c C n O m U a)ca 0 ItS T C L as mas N E oc N E Ea)m C m 0Ecl a)U coo- 0 Z O cp O3O co a) E O 0 DEa)c N O`0- d O' a) 2> Y CfjU 0a a): O—O o o E 0 3 0croc0c 0- co E 0 0 C O E U_ OO a)E m a o3 m 1 Z of 3,OOU T —3 a) C O) 2 0 c a)a) O sN O U O U a) nz T a)cff O U c n. c co 0 C cuYc To a) mLO O O l. a)0 Z 3 o Q m TO c 0 D m Z 0I c T 3 m U0 asU TO7 0 E O C 1 C-Oc a)as 3 N 0 a Inm a) co 1O dLQ)cO C E Da) 7 c O C a) In I a) 3 O acu aN U a) co O Lm U E 0 to O ZS3 OC T0 E Tco Lco ai m L CL a)coO a)a C O E ca tw y U 3 TN O UJO Y cu U a co O JOU Op U)coC CQQ) O cn a) X Uc0 m O N C f h La) — 0 3 =U7 O U C U a)o o a) . 0 o0- co JU Y a) co D O rnCO 0) CL X D 0 cE c ' 30 •-GOj crj>'C U E a)CN o »-m a U C co c0Q E QO co 0 Jo Yl O L cmr vmomesc cu h i I{O O Q) U O VI a) cu 0_a)ciS CD i a) 0) a Q U C. Q cif U fl.as 0 c c t U Z THE CITIZENS OF LOCKHART ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A PUBLIC FORUM CONDUCTED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD The City of Lockhart is in the process of designing a Parks Master Plan for the City. Your ideas and comments are vital to us as we plan ahead for our future growth and the recreational needs of our growing community for the next five to ten years. All individuals, families, representatives of organized sports teams and other groups that use our City Parks are encouraged to meet with the Parks and Recreation Board to express how you would like to see our parks developed to better meet your needs, both now and in the years to come. You do not have to register to speak, however, we encourage you to call 398 7129- and make an appointment to speak 1 during one of the meetings listed below. April 16 - 7:30 p.m. Lockhart City Hall April 30 - 7:30 p.m. Lockhart City Hall May 14 - 7:30 p.m. Lockhart City Hall V Come join your City in developing a Parks Master Plan! OC Q O 00 Z O Q w cc U w Z O Q z w Y z O a a n. cc a Y U O J U- 0 F- U w O F- a w O F- z w z w O cc a a N O Z a a 0 J x w O O F- O LU J z a J F- D z a U- 0 w w cc w a z v ' KIDS ARE IMPORTANT! WE WANT YOUR HELP WITH IDEAS ON HOW TO MAKE OUR CITY PARKS BETTER FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. PLEASE WRITE YOUR IDEAS ON HOW WE COULD BUILD BETTER PARKS FOR CHILDREN IN THE BOX BELOW. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE OUR CITY PARKS BETTER?WOULD YOUR PARK HAVE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT?WHAT KINDS? WOULD YOU LIKE MORE PLAYING FIELDS FOR BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, BASKETBALL, SOCCER? MORE PONDS FOR FISHING? MORE GRASS FOR RUNNING AND PLAYING? TELL US WHAT YOUR WISH LIST WOULD BE. Here is my wish Iist for Lockhart City parks! 9L. Name Age _ 1 APPENDIX Wo PARKS SURVEY SUMMARY Survey Cards Mailed 2900 Returned Cards for Survey 220 PURCHASE LAND OR IMPROVE EXISTING FACII ITIEs % FOR COUNT P-PURCHASE OF LAND 22% 22 IMPROVE EXISTING 78% 79 ADDITIONAL FACILITIES WANTED RANK POINTS PS-PLAYSCAPE, NEW LARGE 1 259 BB-BASKETBALL CTS 2 345 SVSAND - LOT VOLLEYBALL 3 406/ SF-SOFTBALL FIELDS 4 416 RB-ROLLER BLADING 5 420 FG-FRISBEE GOLF 6 619 IMPROVING EXISTING FACILITIES RANKS POINTS PL POOL- 1 320 BB-BASKETBALL CTS 2 390 TC-TENNIS COURTS 3 420 FP-FISHING POND 4 423 PF-PRACTICE FIELDS 5 429 SF-SOCCER FIELDS 96 456 PARK/PLAYGROUND USE RANK POINTS CITY PARK 1 200 SCHOOL AREAS 2 252 NUECES PARK 3 297 PECOS PARK 4 312 LIONS PARK 5 317 points=Higher ranking COMMENTS SUMMARY (132 RECORDEDI NUMBER PERCENT MISC 23 17.42 PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, MORE 21 15.91 POOL, LONGER HOURS/ENCLOSEDSEASON/ 15 11.36 SAFER PARKS, MORE POLICE PRESENCE 12 9.09 STREETS, REPAIR THEM 11 8.33 CLEANER PARKS, MORE MAINTENANCE 10 7.58 SAVE THE MONEY 10 7.58 SENIORS, CIVIC OR ACTIVITY CENTER 7 5.30 BASKETBALL CTS NEEDED 6 4.55 HEALTH ISSUE EXPRESSED, HOSPITAL 6 4.55 SOFTBALL FIELDS 4 3.03 TENNIS COURTS NEEDED 4 3.03 SOCCER FIELDS, MORE 3 2.27 TOTAL 132 100 neeAC'u ioaa APPENDIX C CTY / OF A 512)398 3461- • FAX (512)398 5103- P. 0.Box 239 • Lockhart, Texas 78644 308 West San Antonio Street CERTIFICATION THE STATE OF TEXAS } COUNTY OF CALDWELL } I,Gwendlyn L. Barrett, City Secretary, City of Lockhart, Texas do hereby certify that I am the custodian of the records of the City of Lockhart, Texas, and that the attached is a true and correct copy of Resolution 97 16.- WITNESS MY HAND AND OFFICIAL SEAL of the City of Lockhart, Texas this the 18th day of July, 1997. JGwendl yn Barrett City Secretary RESOLUTION 97-16 A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A LOCAL PARKS MASTER PLAN AND LOCAL LISTING OF PRIORITY NEEDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE TEXAS RECREATION AND PARKS ACCOUNT LOCAL PARK GRANT PROGRAM. WHEREAS, the City ofLockhart wishes to participate in the development of local parks master plans pursuant to requirements ofthe Texas Recreation & Parks Account Local Park Grant Program. WHEREAS,priority points can be received through the "TRPA Project Priority Scoring System"for projects which propose to meet priority needs identified in Department - approved, locally-endorsed parks, recreation and open space master plans. WHEREAS, the City ofLockhart proposes to adopt the local listing of priority needs Table VII 2)- as delineated in the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan. NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LOCKHART: That the park master plan is hereby adopted along with the local listing ofpriority needs as delineated in the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan. PASSED AND APPROVED this 16*day of July, 1997. John Allred, Mayor AQ :. CTY / OF A 512)339%-461 • FAX (512)398 5103- P. O. Box 239 • Lockhart, Texas 78644 308 West San Antonio Street CERTIFICATION THE STATE OF TEXAS } COUNTY OF CALDWELL } 1, Gwendlyn L.Barrett, City Secretary, City ofLockhart, Texas do hereby certify that I am the custodian ofthe records ofthe City of Lockhart, Texas, and that the attached is a true and correct copy of Resolution 97 17.- WITNESS MY HAND AND OFFICIAL SEAL of the City of Lockhart, Texas this the 18th day of July, 1997. Gwendlyn q,.Barrett City Secretary RESOLUTION 97 17- RESOLUTION'AUTHORIZING APPLICATION TEXAS RECREATION & PARKS ACCOUNT PROGRAM (TRPA) A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF LOCKHART, TEXAS HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS APPLICANT",DESIGNATING CERTAIN OFFICIALS AS BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR, ACTING FOR, AND ON BEHALF OF THE "APPLICANT" IN DEALING WITH THE TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT, HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS " DEPARTMENT ", FOR THE PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATING IN THE TEXAS RECREATION & PARKS ACCOUNT GRANT PROGRAM, HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE "PROGRAM "; CERTIFYING THAT THE APPLICANT" IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE PROGRAM ASSISTANCE; CERTIFYING THAT THE APPLICANT" MATCHING SHARE IS READILY AVAILABLE; AND DEDICATING THE PROPOSED SITE FOR PERMANENT PUBLIC PARK AND RECREATIONAL USES. WHEREAS, the Texas Legislature has approved the "Program" Section( 24 of the Parks & Wildlife Code) for the purpose of allowing the political subdivisions of the State of Texas to participate in the Program; and WHEREAS, the "Applicant' is fully eligible to receive assistance under the "Program";and WHEREAS, the "Applicant" is desirous of authorizing an official to represent and act for the Applicant"in dealing with the "Department"concerning the "Program "; BE IT RESOLVED BY THE "APPLICANT ": FCTION 1: That the "Applicant' hereby certifies that they are eligible to receive assistance under Program ". SECTION 2: That the "Applicant' hereby certifies that the matching share for this application is readily available at this time. SECTION 3: That the "Applicant' hereby authorizes and directs its Mayor to act for the "Applicant' in dealing with the "Department" for the purpose of the "Program ", and the Mayor is hereby officially designated as the representative in this regard. SECTION 4: The "Applicant' hereby specifically authorizes the official to make application to the Department" concerning the site to be known as in the interim Jim 9nith donated land in the city of LOCK art for use as a park site. That Jim 9rdth donated land in interim is hereby dedicated (or will be dedicated upon completion of the proposed acquisition) for public park and recreation purposes in perpetuity. IrtrO ed a nd p se by the affirmation vote of the "Applicant' on this l 5'. day of July, 1997. 1 S ature of Mayor John Allred, Mayor ATTEST Typed Name and Title Table VII 2- Priori&.ation ofNeeds Tyne__ofRecreationat Activit z Priority Rao in. 1. Senior citizens recreational facilities (trails,exercise Mandatory (Year I & 2) and meeting rooms) 2. Acquisition ofOpen. Space neighborhood Mandatary (Year 2 & 3) Parks 3. Atbletic Fields (soccer,football, rugby) Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 4. Trails Necessary Year( 2 & 3) 3) 5. Playground areas/Playscape Necessary (y 2 & 6. Multipurpose courts (tennis,basketball, volleyball) Necessary (year 2 & 3) 7. Outdoor basketball (slab with minimal lighting) Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 8. Indoor recreation center (gyms,indoor- swisraning pool, Necessary (year 2 & 3) meetings rooms) 9. Fishing areas ('Under 5 acres) Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 10.S min pool Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 11. Softball fields Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 12. Pavilions/picnicking areas Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 13. Sand volleyball Necessary (Year 2 & 3) 14. Golf 18( hole) Necessary (Beyond 5 years) 15. Baseball fields Desirable (Year 4 & 5) 16, Lakes for recreation (Over 5 acres) Desirable (Beyond 5 years) 17. Conservation ofNatural Areas Desirable (Beyond 5 years) Supporting recreational facilities such as rest rooms,water fountains, irrigation, lighting, parking spaces, and water and sewer services were not ranked under this list because these type Offacilities are considered integral to being able to offer the recreational services. For example, athletic fields are not considered fully functional unless provisions are made for parking,water foUntains, and rest rooms. Ranking System 1. Mandatory - Those recreational improvements that are urgent and necessary t ec health,pro rty or public Safety Also,to =dde equal access regardless ofage, sex, income, cultural differences, location in the community, and handicap status_ 2. Necessary - Public recreational improvements needed to provide important public services to satisfy demand where the community is below minimum standards to protect endangered resources, and to complete unfinished project;. I Desirable --Public recreational improvements which replace obsolete facilities,to improve the attractiveness ofthe community and provide new and Manded rational services beyond the minimum standards. Those recreation improvements which would enhance the quality oflife in the community fall into this category. Deferrable - Public recreational improvements needed t mdu rQ,-, operates cog and to iMPmye the efficiemv ofthe present level ofrecreational services_