CITY OF ST. GEORGE PARKS, RECREATION, ARTS & TRAILS MASTER PLAN August 2019 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS City Council Councilman Jimmie Hughes Councilwoman Bette Arial Councilman Joe Bowcutt Councilwoman Michele Randall Councilman Ed Baca Mayor Jon Pike City Staff Adam Lenhard, City Manager Shane McAffee, Director of Leisure Services John Willis, Director of Community Development Emilie Pinkelman Kami Ellsworth Shane Moore Jeff Peay Gary Sanders Terry Kelvington Cody Schmitt Consultant Team On the Cover Biker on Venom Drops course at Snake Hollow Bike Park (top center) Swim Race at Sand Hollow Aquatic Center (lower left) Spider Art Sculpture as part of Art Around the Corner (lower center) Family bike ride on Santa Clara River Trail (lower right) Adopted on August 1, 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ......................................................................................................vii Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................1 Chapter 2: Community Profile ........................................................................................9 Chapter 3: Community Listening .................................................................................17 Chapter 4: Goals & Objectives .....................................................................................25 Chapter 5: Parks & Open Space ....................................................................................37 Chapter 6: Recreation ...................................................................................................83 Chapter 7: Arts .............................................................................................................97 Chapter 8: Trails ..........................................................................................................105 Chapter 9: Projects & Strategies .................................................................................121 Appendix A: Park Inventory Summaries .....................................................................133 Appendix B: Community Survey Summary ................................................................183 Appendix C: Public Meeting Summaries ....................................................................205 Appendix D: Stakeholder Meeting Summaries ..........................................................235 Appendix E: Online Engagement Summary ...............................................................253 Appendix F: Past Community Plans ...........................................................................275 Appendix G: Implementation Tools ............................................................................283 Appendix H: Public Review Comment Summary .......................................................291 Snow Canyon Half Marathon in Snow Canyon State Park ST. GEORGE Parks, Recreation, Arts & Trails Master Plan 1 1 | INTRODUCTION Swim Race at Sand Hollow Aquatic Center This Parks, Recreation, Arts and Trails Master Plan is a ten-year guide and strategic plan for managing and enhancing park and recreation services in St. George. It establishes a path forward for providing high quality, community-driven park, recreation, art and trail opportunities. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN This citywide Parks, Recreation, Arts and Trails Master Plan, or PRAT Plan for short, is an update to the 2006 PRAT Plan, builds on the recreation planning foundation provided in that plan and incorporates the diverse feedback from the extensive community engagement program conducted for this plan update. This Plan creates a vision for an innovative, inclusive and interconnected system of parks, trails and open spaces that promotes recreation, health, art and conservation as integral elements of a thriving, livable St. George. The Plan will establish a path forward to guide the City’s efforts to provide high-quality, community-driven park, recreation, art and trail facilities and programs across and throughout St. George. St. George has experienced significant changes since the adoption of the 2006 PRAT Plan, and this Plan update has been revised to reflect current community interests and opportunities related to a strong demand for locally-provided recreation services and to plan for an expansion of the park system in response to continued residential and commercial development in the city. 1 The PRAT Plan is a document that will guide City elected and appointed officials, management and staff when making decisions or taking actions regarding planning, acquiring, developing or implementing park, recreation, art and trail facilities and programs. This 2019 PRAT Plan considers the park and recreation needs of residents citywide. It provides updated inventories, demographic conditions, needs analysis, management considerations and capital project phasing. The Plan establishes specific goals, objectives, recommendations and actions for developing, conserving and maintaining high-quality parks, recreation and arts facilities and programs, and trails across the City. PLANNING PROCESS OVERVIEW This citywide Parks, Recreation, Arts and Trails Master Plan is a reflection of the community’s interests and needs for parks, recreation programs, facilities and trails. The planning process was aimed to encourage and enable public engagement in the choices, priorities and future direction of the City’s park and recreation system. The Plan project team conducted a variety of public outreach activities to solicit feedback and comments, in concert with a review of the parks system inventory, level of service review and the current and future needs assessment. Efforts to update the St. George PRAT Plan began in summer 2018. Current community interests surfaced through a series of public outreach efforts that included a mail-based survey, open house meetings, stakeholder discussions, online engagement, website content and Master Plan Oversight Committee meetings. An assessment of the existing park inventory became the basis for determining the current performance of the system. An overarching needs analysis was conducted for recreation and arts programs and facilities, parks and trails to assess current demands and project future demand to account for population growth and shifting demographics. To guide the implementation of the goals of the Plan, a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) was developed with a set of strategies that identified costs and potential funding sources. Together, this process is represented in this planning document, which has been reviewed by the public, Master Plan Oversight Committee, Planning Commission and City Council. The Plan will become a component of the City’s General Plan and direct park system and recreation program service delivery for the next 10 years. CONTEXT: CURRENT CHALLENGES As with any citywide strategic planning effort, current community challenges provide a context for developing and assessing strategies for the future. The following macrotrends are anticipated to be important priorities over the next decade. Growth & Development The St. George community has witnessed tremendous growth in recent years, and the city’s population has risen over 97% between 2000 and 2018. With a strong uptick in new development, concerns over the pace of growth and its impacts on the community, such as traffic and access to open spaces, are becoming key issues to livability in St. George. In response, the City has undertaken an aggressive suite of strategic planning efforts to guide its future growth. 2 ST. GEORGE Parks, Recreation, Arts & Trails Master Plan Obesity Epidemic The nation is facing an obesity epidemic that has prompted the U.S. Surgeon General to issue a call to action to recreation planning professionals. His call is to “reclaim the culture of physical activity” in our country. Scientific research now indicates that walking a minimum of 22 minutes a day can greatly decrease one’s chances of acquiring diabetes or heart disease. These two health issues cause 70% of deaths in the U.S. and account for over $1 trillion in costs. This call to action is now re-emphasizing the preventative side of health where the costs are much lower. Despite the array of outdoor recreation opportunities and the existing aquatic center facility, the system of parks and trails in St. George still includes several barriers that prevent residents from potentially reaching these goals. This Plan makes specific recommendations on how the City can reduce barriers within its recreation infrastructure and support improved access to safe and accessible places to walk, bike and play. Active, Aging Population The challenges of planning for an active, aging population have been affecting communities across the country. Today’s active seniors are looking at retirement age differently, as many are transitioning for a new career, finding ways to engage with their community and focusing on their health and fitness. It will be critical for the City to take a comprehensive approach to their aging populations’ needs. Accessibility and barrier-free parking and paths, walkability and connectivity will be paramount to future planning. Providing recreational programming for today’s older adults includes not only active and passive recreation, but also the type of equipment needed to engage in certain activities. Recreation & Art Facilities The development of the Sand Hollow Aquatic Center and the renovation of the Electric Theater building and Recreation Center have