A Tourism Plan for the CITY OF SYRACUSE’S PARKS AND GREENSPACES By Nadia Almuti Sean Blakeney Paul First Victoria Gray Kevin Grieser Jareevichaya Hatachote Ling Huei Lin Dana McMullen Laura Meza Steven Noble Sara Schroeder Editor and class instructor Diane Kuehn State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry June, 2004 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................................................................................................iii INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................1 CONCERNS AND ISSUES .................................................................................................................1 VISION..................................................................................................................................................3 GOALS..................................................................................................................................................3 THEME FOR INTERPRETATION ..................................................................................................3 PARKS CATEGORIES.......................................................................................................................4 PARKS IN SYRACUSE ......................................................................................................................5 Community Parks:..............................................................................................................................5 Neighborhood Parks:........................................................................................................................14 Play lots and Fields: .........................................................................................................................16 Natural Areas: ..................................................................................................................................17 Open Space Areas and Cemeteries: .................................................................................................21 Schools, Reservoirs, and Other Greenspaces:..................................................................................22 Smaller City Parks ...........................................................................................................................25 Other Green Spaces..........................................................................................................................27 Assessment of Parks and Greenspaces in Syracuse .........................................................................27 INTERPRETATION WITHIN SYRACUSE PARKS....................................................................28 COUNTY, TOWN, AND STATE PARKS OUTSIDE SYRACUSE .............................................30 RESOURCES AND ATTRACTIONS OUTSIDE SYRACUSE’S PARKS ..................................37 Natural Resources and Attractions...................................................................................................37 Historic Districts ..............................................................................................................................37 Neighborhoods.................................................................................................................................38 Museums & Interpretive Centers .....................................................................................................39 Malls ................................................................................................................................................40 Special Events..................................................................................................................................40 Sports Facilities................................................................................................................................41 TRANSPORTATION ........................................................................................................................42 Travel to Syracuse from Outside Areas ...........................................................................................42 Travel to Parks Within Syracuse......................................................................................................43 Directional Signage..........................................................................................................................43 Parking in the City of Syracuse........................................................................................................45 Concerns Related to Transportation.................................................................................................45 Marketing Position...........................................................................................................................46 Marketing Statement ........................................................................................................................46 Visitor Demographics ......................................................................................................................46 Visitor Markets ................................................................................................................................47 Promotional Efforts..........................................................................................................................47 OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS............................................................................................52 CAMPGROUNDS ..............................................................................................................................54 RESTAURANTS ................................................................................................................................54 OTHER TOURISM SERVICE PROVIDERS ................................................................................55 EMERGENCY SERVICES & VISITOR SAFETY........................................................................57 Police/Fire/Ambulance Services for Syracuse & Surrounding Areas..............................................57 Hospitals (Syracuse & Surrounding Areas) .....................................................................................59 Emergency Facilities in the Parks....................................................................................................60 i TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS ............... 62 Park, Tourism, and Economic Development Organizations and Agencies..................................... 62 Community-based Organizations .................................................................................................... 64 Park and Neighborhood Associations.............................................................................................. 66 Educational institutions and organizations ...................................................................................... 68 MONITORING VISITOR USE IN THE SYRACUSE CITY PARKS......................................... 69 Available Data ................................................................................................................................. 69 Information to Acquire .................................................................................................................... 72 RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................................... 73 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................. 91 REFERENCES................................................................................................................................... 91 APPENDIX A..................................................................................................................................... 93 An Assessment of Market Groups for Syracuse Parks.................................................................... 93 APPENDIX B. .................................................................................................................................... 95 Restaurants Within the City of Syracuse Adjacent to Local Parks.................................................. 95 APPENDIX C................................................................................................................................... 108 Sample Survey Questions.............................................................................................................. 108 ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The students and instructor of SUNY CESF’s Tourism Planning Class wish to thank the following people for their assistance, support, enthusiasm, time, and ideas: • Chris Abbott, City of Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation, and Youth Programs • Tim Atseff, Syracuse Post Standard • Ronnie Bell, Onondaga Park Association, Syracuse Shakespeare Festival • Jamie Carmer, Lincoln Park Association • Emanuel Carter, SUNY ESF Landscape Architecture Department • Pat Driscoll, City of Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation, and Youth Programs • Carol Eaton, Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau • Ted Endreny and Joel Resig, SUNY CESF Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management • Lee Gechas, Centers for Nature Education and CANOPY • Robert Geraci,