– Fort Wayne, Indiana 2013-2017 Parks and Recreation Master Plan Five-Year Parks and Recreation Master Plan April 8, 2013 Prepared for: Board of Park Commissioners Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department 705 East State Boulevard Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260) 427-6000 www.fortwayneparks.org Prepared by: Earth Source, Inc. 14921 Hand Road Fort Wayne, IN 46818 (260) 489-8511 and Grinsfelder Associates Architects 903 West Berry Street Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802 (260) 424-5942 Table of Contents Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….… 2 Definition of the Planning Area…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3 Goals of the Plan………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 The Park Board……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5 City of Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department…………………………………………………………………. 6 Natural Features and Landscape………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 32 Man-Made, Historical and Cultural Features………………………………………………………………………………… 36 Social and Economic Factors……………………………………………………………………………………….……………….. 43 Accessibility and Universal Design……………………………………………………………………….……………….……... 48 Public Participation……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……... 52 Needs Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 62 New Facilities Location Map…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 65 Priorities and Action Plan……..………………………………………………………………………………….………………….. 66 Sources……..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….. 75 Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………….. 76 City of Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation 2013-2017 Master Plan Page 1 Introduction Today’s emphasis in park planning focuses on the relationship between public and private recreational opportunities and the relationship of recreation to the location and distribution of other land uses and community character. While the primary focus in the past has been on providing parks and park experiences, the scope of planning has been expanded to reflect the relationship between the park system and other elements of the community’s social and natural environments. This view of park planning is diversified and extends to community development, environmental interpretation, multiple uses of public and private space for recreation, and a full range of recreation programs. With this more diverse definition, park planning becomes a more important component of our overall growth management objectives. Previous distinctions between public and private opportunities and indoor and outdoor spaces are fading with a broader view of park planning that integrates preservation and new facilities. This plan is designed to preserve and manage the environment, with an eye toward growth and to improve and enrich the quality of life enjoyed by area residents. With vigorous community growth in mind, a responsive, proactive Five-Year Master Plan is vital. This plan recognizes the significance of the completion of the recent comprehensive plan and incorporates much of the plan’s findings. It recognizes existing conditions and forecasts observations for future, orderly growth and preservation of facilities for the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department. This plan is being conducted in concert with the Allen County Parks and Recreation Department and the New Haven-Adams Township Parks and Recreation Department. This joint-venture plan continues the ongoing inter-agency cooperation between the related departments. This plan addresses the five-year goals and objectives for parks and recreation lands and facilities for the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department. City of Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation 2013-2017 Master Plan Page 2 Definition of Planning Area When considering the planning area for a park system such as The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department, it is important to look beyond the jurisdictional boundaries defined by the city limits. It is important to realize that many people living outside of the city limits visit the city parks and participate in park programs. The Fort Wayne Urban Area consists of residents who live contiguous to, but outside the city limits. These Allen County residents do not provide property tax support for city services. http://www.acgsi.org/genweb/towns.asp The Urban Area population in combination with the official 2010 census figure for Fort Wayne pushes the Department’s current customer base to an estimated 313,492 residents. The city of Fort Wayne continues to sustain a desirable quality of life despite somewhat dramatic growth from a population of 205,727 residents in 2000 to a population of over 253,691 residents in 2010 - a 23% increase in just 10 years. The City of Fort Wayne has been expanding its boundaries at a quick pace for over 20-years and is the second largest city in Indiana. The city population is projected to increase to approximately 280,475 residents by the year 2020. The Parks and Recreation Department will continue to change and grow. One measure to offset the added expense of park/program users living outside the city limits (and therefore not paying taxes which help fund the city park department) is to charge fees/higher fees for non-residents. This may be difficult to implement where facilities are not equipped to take money. City of Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation 2013-2017 Master Plan Page 3 Goals of the Plan The recommendations of this Five-Year Parks and Recreation Master Plan are designed to expand upon the goals of the Parks and Recreation Department, cultivating: A Department focusing on consistently meeting and exceeding citizen expectations; A Department that utilizes innovative ideas and methods to successfully meet challenges posed by budgetary/ facility and staffing limitations; A Parks and Recreation system that benefits residents by increasing services to all age groups and providing diverse opportunities; A Parks and Recreation agency that sees itself as a viable partner in providing community recreation services; A stewardship approach to providing high-quality facilities, existing and future, through judicious use of public funds; Cooperation and partnerships among the Department/ schools, community-based recreational entities, other local and regional governments, and the private sector in providing recreational services and facilities; A proactive planning process guided by community needs and executable strategies; and A process of reviewing and updating this master plan annually. The purpose is not simply to produce a plan, but to: Improve agency management. Establish direction and set constraints. Define goals, objectives and priorities. Communicate direction to staff. Allocate agency resources. Facilitate delegation of responsibilities. Manage change. Assure public accountability. Evaluate success. Promote consistency in decisions. Promote cooperation and unity. City of Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation 2013-2017 Master Plan Page 4 The Park Board Fort Wayne has a four member Park and Recreation Board; Parks and Recreation Department established under the governing Indiana Code 36-10-4-1. The local Ordinance establishing the Department and the Board was passed 9-14-04 as G-21-04. President Ex-Officio Member Richard (Rick) Samek Sherrill Wm. Colvin 1400 One Summit Square President Park Foundation Fort Wayne, IN 46802 444 East Main Street (260) 423-9411 Fort Wayne, IN 46802 [email protected] (260) 426-0444 (Term ends Dec. 31, 2016) [email protected] Vice-President Legal Advisor/City Attorney Pamela Kelly, M.D. Carol Helton 4405 Old Mill Road (260) 427-1395 Fort Wayne, IN 46807 [email protected] (260) 456-2808 Lawrence Shine [email protected] (260) 427-1190 (Term ends Dec. 31, 2013) [email protected] Secretary, Diane Brown Commissioner (260) 427-1124 William (Bill) Zielke [email protected] 6902 Woodcraft Lane Fort Wayne, IN 46804 Director of Parks and Recreation Department (260) 461-3643 Alvin R. Moll, Jr. [email protected] 705 East State Street (Term ends Dec. 31, 2014) Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260) 427-6001 Commissioner [email protected] Cheri Becker 132 Cobblers Cove Fort Wayne, IN 46825 (260) 481-6119 [email protected] (Term ends Dec. 31 2015) City of Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation 2013-2017 Master Plan Page 5 City of Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department PARK OFFICE The Parks and Recreation Main Office is located at 705 East State Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN 46805. The phone number is (260) 427-6000. The website is www.fortwayneparks.org. MISSION The Parks and Recreation mission is to enhance the quality of life in Fort Wayne by providing positive opportunities for leisure time and by being stewards of our park lands, facilities, public trees, and other resources entrusted to our care. CORE VALUES The Parks and Recreation employees value: Honesty – Truthful answers to questions and statements provided from all levels of the organization are important. Transparency is essential. Teamwork – It is essential that everyone works together and treat one another with dignity and respect. Fairness – Guidelines must be dealt with in a fair and consistent manner. Integrity – The professional code of conduct must be of a high standard at all times. The following core values, principles, and mandate guide the Department in the achievement of its mission. Community and Family Inclusion Recreational Opportunities Sustainability Connectivity Quality Maintenance Balance Partnerships PARK VALUES The Advocacy Update in the January 2006 issue of the National