City of Medford Oregon - Leisure Services Plan
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City of Medford Oregon - Leisure Services Plan Back to Parks and Parks Master Plan - Leisure Services Plan Recreation Administration EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Leisure Services Plan Medford is the largest city in Southern Oregon and a regional provider of park and recreation services. Rapid population growth has increased the demand for parks, Upcoming Programs and recreation facilities, and programs community wide, and the City has developed a new Events plan to address meeting existing financial challenges while expanding recreation Adult Sport Leagues opportunities and maintaining existing resources. Youth Sports Programs Recreation Programs As Medford continues to grow and the City looks to the future, this plan will address Park and Facility community needs and provide new direction for the development of parks and leisure Developments services for the next twenty-five years. The City has an excellent foundation for a thriving park system and the potential to provide comprehensive recreation Youth Activity Center programming for the entire community. However, to provide a higher level of service to Field Use Request residents, this plan supports both improvements to the existing system and early Procedure/Form acquisition of new park land while the opportunity exists to do so. To view the Park Maps and Facilities Executive Summary in it's entirity please click here. l00F EastWood Cemetery Public Art Rogue Valley Soccer Club Table of Contents (21 kb) Surveys Architects Page ● Chapter 1 Introduction (70 kb) ● Chapter 2 Community Profile (224 kb) Agenda & Minutes ● Chapter 3 Existing Resources (151 kb) Calendar Events ● Chapter 4 Needs Assessment (189 kb) ● Chapter 5 Planning Policies and Guidelines (231 kb) FAQs ● Chapter 6 Recommendations 425 kb) Forms and Documents ● Chapter 7 Implementation (274 kb) News and Events Bibliography (24 kb) 411 West 8th Street, Room 225 Medford, Oregon 97501 Appendix A Existing Resources (151 kb) Phone: (541) 774-2400 Fax: (541) 774-2560 Email: parks@cityofmedfor. Appendix B Other Park Providers (177 kb) Hours: 8a.m. - 5p.m. Appendix C Sports Facility Inventory (161 kb) [advanced search] [sitemap] Appendix D Community Workshops (803 kb) Appendix E Needs Assessment (711 kb) Appendix F Prioritizing Maintenance Projects (46 kb) http://www.ci.medford.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=1203 (1 of 30)11/15/2006 1:23:55 AM City of Medford Oregon - Leisure Services Plan Appendix G Probable Costs (16 kb) Map 1 Existing Park Resources Map 2 Neighborhood Park Service Areas Map 3 Trails View from Prescott Map 4 Community Park Service Areas Printer friendly version Copyright 2003 Project A, Inc. | Webmaster | Privacy Policy HomeMayor & CouncilCity DepartmentsOnline ServicesCommissions & CommitteesGet Involved Home http://www.ci.medford.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=1203 (2 of 30)11/15/2006 1:23:55 AM Medford Leisure Services Plan 2006 LEISURE SERVICES PLAN UPDATE Executive Summary INTRODUCTION EXISTING RESOURCES Medford is the largest city in Southern Oregon and The Medford park system consists of both active a regional provider of park and recreation and passive recreational areas, including a variety services. Rapid population growth has increased of park types, pathways, and facilities. The City of the demand for parks, recreation facilities, and Medford manages approximately 2501 acres of programs community wide, and the City has park land, including nearly 75 acres leased from developed a new plan to address meeting existing the Medford and Phoenix/Talent School Districts. financial challenges while expanding recreation The park land inventory includes over 454 acres of opportunities and maintaining existing resources. active parks, 14 acres of linear parks, nearly 1,923 acres of natural areas and greenways, and more In the past, the City has shown great vision in than 124 acres of undeveloped sites. In addition, acquiring and developing park and recreation the City maintains nearly 15 acres of beautification facilities to meet community needs. Facilities such areas, including greens, roadway strips and as numerous sports fields, the Bear Creek islands, and landscaped areas around buildings. Greenway and Bear Creek Park have become great community assets, attracting residents from The City of Medford is a significant provider of all parts of Jackson County. In addition, through a recreation and sport facilities. Additional facilities cooperative effort with the Medford School District, are provided by other entities as well, such as the City has developed one of the best school districts and private providers. When all neighborhood school/park systems in the resources are counted, the total inventory for all Northwest. However, a funding deficit has created recreation facilities in Medford is relatively high. problems in maintaining many park sites, and However, some fields suffice as practice fields some parks are underdeveloped. Moreover, the only, because they are inadequate for games. City continues to utilize outdated facilities, such as Other facilities have scheduling restrictions. The Hawthorne and Jackson pools, which accrue huge City provides many sports fields, but it depends on operations costs that are not offset due to lower school facilities for use of gymnasiums and adult than typical fees. Past levels of recreation baseball fields. The City has two outdoor pools, programming and community participation in City but the community relies on private providers to programs were lower than comparable meet indoor swimming needs. communities; particularly for youth, teens, and seniors, driving a recent priority to increase The following facilities in Medford are counted as recreation programs and services. part of Medford’s unrestricted inventory, meaning As Medford continues to grow and the City looks they are considered adequate for games/practice: to the future, this plan will address community needs and provide new direction for the 1 adult baseball fields development of parks and leisure services for the 6 adult softball fields next twenty-five years. The City has an excellent 6 youth softball/baseball fields foundation for a thriving park system and the 12 soccer fields potential to provide comprehensive recreation 1 football field programming for the entire community. However, 2 gymnasiums to provide a higher level of service to residents, 0 square feet of pool space this plan supports both improvements to the existing system and early acquisition of new park Additional inventory exists in a restricted capacity land while the opportunity exists to do so. which is not considered readily available or adequate for games/practice. Executive Summary Page i Medford Leisure Services Plan 2006 COMMUNITY INPUT Respondents clearly prefer an indoor pool aquatic center to meet future needs. This Leisure Services Plan Update incorporates The survey supports increased programming community input in several ways, including for seniors, one of the fastest growing a community workshop, a sports group segments of the City of Medford population. questionnaire, and a city-wide recreation survey. The survey supports increases to youth and The community workshop was held on September teen programming. A growing national trend 14, 2004, in the Santo Community Center. Key and awareness associating relatively minor findings are summarized below: teen programming costs with exponentially greater reduced law enforcement costs point Participants identified the following as the top to a substantial City cost benefit. facilities for priority development: Sports field complex Respondents want more off-street, paved Indoor recreation center multi-purpose trails throughout Medford. City-wide trail system Preservation of Prescott Park as a natural PARK LAND AND FACILITY NEEDS area was emphasized. Greater notoriety, easier access, additional parking and a trail- Ten additional neighborhood parks and four head are desired, along with improved trail community parks sites have been identified to systems for pedestrians, bicycles, and horses. meet Medford’s service area criteria for parks. However, the 25-year reduced project list adopted Participants indicated that they support the 1/19/2006 eliminated a number of the proposed expansion of recreational programming. sites. As these are typical facilities for a city the The top three issues identified for Medford size of Medford, additional creative funding parks and recreation were: sources will be pursued for these facilities. Funding As opportunities to develop greenways and linear Park and facility maintenance parks along creeks, canals, utility corridors, and Upgrades to existing parks roadways arise, the City will seek to develop a trail system that will interconnect parks, schools, and In Fall 2004, organized sports providers in recreation facilities. The City will also seek Medford were asked to fill out a questionnaire opportunities to add linear park and open regarding the number of teams and players in the space/greenways to include trails and pathways. league, season of play, field requirements, etc. This survey of sports group obtained information The current deficiency in sports facilities is: regarding 27 different programs for adults and 5 adult hardball fields youth provided by both the City and private 7 adult softball fields providers in Medford. The data was used to 12 youth softball/baseball fields determine sports field and facility needs. 10 soccer fields A city-wide survey of public attitudes, recreation There is a current need for one additional indoor