CHAPTER 3: PROGRAMS, PARKS, AND FACILITIES CHAPTER 3: PROGRAMS PROGRAMS, PARKS, The CRPD offers programs in its 28 recreation AND FACILITIES centers, 10 outdoor swimming pools, one indoor swimming pool, various ball diamonds, playgrounds, art facilities, and golf courses. The INTRODUCTION CRPD offers special events in multiple locations, highlighting the holidays, culture, and Columbus boasts a wide variety of public the arts for all residents and neighboring programs, parks, and facilities that offer communities to enjoy. opportunities for recreation, leisure, and education to citizens of the city and the Types of programs include: surrounding area. • Aquatics; The CRPD offers numerous and diverse • Day camps; public programs and events throughout the • Youth and adult sports leagues; year. CRPD programs serve the city’s urban • Dance; and suburban areas as well as the contiguous • Arts and crafts; communities. It is estimated that CRPD • Fine arts; programs reach thousands of youths, adults, • Performing arts; and families. • Boating; • Therapeutic recreation; Parks in the CRPD system are home to many • Golf lessons; important recreational and cultural events. For • Environmental education; example, Columbus is known as the Softball • Outdoor recreation; and Capital of the World: • Senior and teen-related programming. • More than 15,000 league games are played The CRPD also operates a multi- annually. generational Adult Program (MAP). MAP • More players participate in leagues in activities are located in facilities that Columbus per capita than anywhere else in provide programs targeted specifically for the United States. senior citizens. CRPD may or may not own • Biennially, the CRPD hosts the National the facility. Softball Association (NSA) Girls Fastpitch Tournament. • In 2000, the last time the NSA tournament was held in Columbus, 687 teams SSESSMENT OF ROGRAMS competed. The tournament is held in A P Berliner Park because the park encompasses more than 200 acres and The strategic planning process included a has 31 fields and support facilities, making review and assessment of programs the CRPD it the largest municipally owned softball provides. For assessment purposes, CRPD complex in the United States. staff selected 10 program categories that together serve all ages within the Columbus The CRPD also is recognized for a variety of market. These program areas included: facilities, from senior and recreation centers, to aquatic centers, to performing arts centers. For • Adult sports; example, the Columbus Cultural Arts Center, • Aquatics and recreational swimming; located in the heart of downtown Columbus, • Golf; hosts programs that let users explore artistic • “Music in the Air;” activities. • Outdoor education; • Senior programming and fine arts; Following is a description and assessment • Senior recreation (fitness and athletics); of CRPD programs, parks, and facilities. The • Special events; chapter concludes with a comparison and • Therapeutic recreation; and assessment of other national, regional, and • Youth sports. local providers of parks and recreation programs, parks, and facilities. Columbus Recreation and Parks Master Plan 3-1 CHAPTER 3: PROGRAMS, PARKS, AND FACILITIES During the first phase of program Typically, staff members in organizations with assessment, each of the 10 program insufficient resources administer quality managers were asked to complete a program customer service by smiling, being courteous analysis form covering all aspects of with the customer, and hoping the customer is programming structure and operations. satisfied. Essentially, staff members in such Completed forms were reviewed to identify organizations try to intensify positive behavior patterns and common issues in the majority of to make up for the lack of resources such as program offerings. up-to-date facilities, effective communication tools, well-maintained parks, and funding. Recreation staff were interviewed during the second phase of program assessment, Unfortunately, the staff is left with little recourse conducted in the first quarter of 2001. The after the first line of service is rendered. interview process allowed for candid dialogue Customers still expect to receive a quality with staff about the current status, future product, but it is difficult to deliver a quality expectations, and visions for CRPD programs. product without these much needed core resources. Six Core Areas of Concern Ultimately, these actions can translate into poor customer-service delivery by staff who The staff interviews revealed six core areas of are trying to provide quality customer service to concern: the community. Thus, the lack of care to internal customers—employees—can 1. There is a perception that staff members undermine employees’ abilities to be efficient in tend to work less as a team and more on their areas of responsibility. their own. This is because there is a lack of trust and respect for employees in other areas of the CRPD organization. Assessment Summary 2. Staff feels that technology and access to After the program analysis forms were reviewed computers can be improved. and interviews conducted, the program assessment produced the following key issues: 3. The programming staff recognizes that more sponsorship opportunities are Pricing of Services available in the community. Thus, there is a desire to discuss how development staff • There is potential for revenue generation, can assist programming staff in this area. but the CRPD is not postured to pursue revenues in several areas of activity. 4. There is a perception that organizational marketing is poor. This is based on the • Many CRPD classes and programs are limited capabilities of the CRPD Catalog free. Thus, a philosophical issue needs to and Web site and the lack of standards for be addressed: Do the department’s values promotion and advertisements. include gaining revenue and having an effective pricing method? Or do the 5. The staff is frustrated by the inability to department’s values include being a replace budgeted personnel because of community service supported by tax city-mandated attrition policies. dollars? 6. Many staff members understand the • Prices for classes do not include both impacts of the department’s continuous direct and indirect costs. budget cuts. The staff is concerned that the lack of funding to improve services has • Pricing formulas are not consistent in compromised programs. each program category. These areas of concern prevent the CRPD • Programs are not promoted and priced from maximizing staff productivity when based on benefits received. There seems community activities are being to be a more broad-brush approach to programmed. These areas of concern also creating pricing and implementing fee reduce staff’s ability to provide quality customer increases. service. Columbus Recreation and Parks Master Plan 3-2 CHAPTER 3: PROGRAMS, PARKS, AND FACILITIES • The CRPD does not receive revenue or community. The director at each center recognition for special events conducted seems to determine activities being offered in the parks; however, the department has at a center; thus, equity and consistency given technical advice on event planning to cannot be provided to all consumers. other organizations without charging a fee. • Some functional computers in the • Rental facilities and other assets are department are not used because the staff under-priced. has not been thoroughly trained. • There is no mechanism to encourage • Staff would like to see greater advocacy staff members to be entrepreneurial for their work from people who report to when identifying new ways to generate the CRPD director. revenues. • Department staff members say the CRPD • Golf operations is a quasi-revenue center. has lost its competitive edge. Other However, bureaucratic limitations place too recreation service organizations have many restrictions on this section’s become the region’s leaders, even though ability to be entrepreneurial. CRPD is the largest such organization. Programming • The staff reports that barriers in the system prohibit creativity. Controls exist that • Program participation is declining in a prevent positive actions; methods are number of areas such as adult athletics and needed to help release creative energy. golf. • Seemingly insignificant issues are • The outdoor recreation program area has overemphasized by assistant director-level potential for expansion (i.e., the audience staff. The real issues facing CRPD need to could include all of Columbus). be emphasized. • Equitable quality for programs cannot be • The Police Department does not support ensured because program standards do CRPD issues related to safety and not seem to exist. enforcement. • Adventure programming could improve • The CRPD and the local Convention and leadership skills for at-risk youth and should Visitors Bureau have a strained relationship be considered. because of power struggles related to revenue-producing activities. • There is little effort to program activities—other than athletics—for people • The city permits system needs between the ages of 18 and 50. consistency and equity. • Because resources have been lost, • The staff believes that few appreciate the program creativity has suffered. work done in the programming area. • There is heavy use of contract instructors Facilities who work on the 80/20 plan (services are priced based on the 20 percent who • Space for staff and storage is lacking in can’t pay, not the 80 percent who can several areas