ANKENY PARKS & FACILITIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN This page was intentionally left blank 2 ANKENY PARKS & FACILITIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ACKNOWLEDGMENTS MAYOR + CITY COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ANKENY COMMUNITY Gary Lorenz, Mayor Nick Lenox, Parks & Recreation Director The Ankeny Parks & Facilities Comprehensive Mark Holm, Mayor Pro-tem Paul Moritz, Assistant City Manager Plan relied on the public input we received from Kerry Walter-Ashby Todd Schenck, Parks & Facilities Administrator all residents that served as key stakeholders, Bobbi Bentz Nichoel Church, Parks Board Member completed the community survey, and those that Kelly Whiting David Jones, City Manager made comments on the public website. Jim McKenna Gary Lorenz, Mayor Amber Angaran, Parks Board Member Mark Holm, Mayor Pro-tem Ryan Harkema, Recreation Superintendent PARKS BOARD CONSULTANT Nichoel Church, Chair Chad Hade Fred Scherle Jim Hallihan Amber Angaran Josh Craighead Lisa McDaniel ANKENY PARKS & FACILITIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 3 This page was intentionally left blank 4 ANKENY PARKS & FACILITIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CHAPTER 4 - GREENWAYS & TRAILS PLAN CHAPTER 7 - POLICIES AND PRIORITIES Executive Summary Greenway Planning Framework Parkland Dedication + Greenbelt Policy Trail Extension Planning Stream Buffer Policy Environmental + Conservation Design Policy CHAPTER 2 - PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT CHAPTER 5 - PARKS & PUBLIC SPACES SUMMARY PLAN CHAPTER 8 - FUNDING, FISCAL Incorporating Ankeny Plan 2040 Mini Park Recommendations SUSTAINABILITY, & PARTNERSHIPS PLAN Statistically Valid Survey Neighborhood Park Recommendations Funding + Fiscal Sustainability Stakeholder Interviews + Follow-Up Community Park Recommendations Partnership Plan Project Website + Comments Special Use Park Recommendations Final Public Meeting Greenway Recommendations CHAPTER 6 - ADDITIONAL ANALYSES CHAPTER 3 - ASSESSMENT & ANALYSES Signature Park Evaluation Recreation Program Assessment Additional Sports Complex Evaluation Level of Service Standards Recreation Center Evaluation Equity Mapping Prairie Ridge Aquatic Center Expansion ANKENY PARKS & FACILITIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 5 This page was intentionally left blank 6 ANKENY PARKS & FACILITIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SECTION CONTENTS: ▫ Executive Summary ANKENY PARKS & FACILITIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY he City of Ankeny hired a consultant civic organizations, among others. A statistically part of the City’s Strategic Planning Process and team to assist in completing an update valid community survey was completed over the Capital Improvement Program, as a blueprint to the Ankeny Parks & Facilities summer of 2018 to reach a relevant cross-section for achieving its strategies and goals. This Comprehensive Plan in late 2017. The of the community. A project website was created implementation plan will reflect specific tactics, consultant team was composed of landscape in which residents could provide comments on measures of success, timetables and resources architects, planners, recreation program any park or greenway in the system. This input required for continued success. The following specialists, and aquatic designers, all working helped to establish the plan’s goals and priorities. recommendations are considered high priority towards the shared goal of creating a cohesive due to their estimated impact on the immediate vision for the future of parks and recreation in The Ankeny Parks & Facilities Comprehensive future of the department. It is recommended that Ankeny. As one of the fastest growing cities Plan evaluates and addresses the anticipated they be addressed within the first five years of in the United States, Ankeny has had to adjust opportunities and challenges Ankeny faces the plan’s adoption. For a complete list of priority to increasing pressure on their parks and through the year 2040. To best assess the recommendations and proposed timelines please recreation-based programs and facilities. Parks areas of interest and need, the report has been refer to page 218. and recreation offerings are consistently listed as separated into the following chapters: strong contributors to the current quality of life in ▫ Executive Summary HIGH FACILITY RECOMMENDATIONS Ankeny as well as important factors in the future ▫ Public Engagement Summary 1. Construct a senior center measurement of quality of life for residents. All in ▫ Assessment & Analyses Early in the planning process, the need for a new all, residents like what they have today and want ▫ Greenways & Trails Plan senior center emerged as a top facility priority. to see that same level of service in the future. An ▫ Parks & Public Spaces Plan Public support for a senior center was most overarching goal of this plan is to determine how ▫ Additional Analyses clearly heard from the advisory committee and the City can best accomplish this goal amidst the ▫ Policies & Priorities stakeholder interviews. list of competing priorities. ▫ Funding, Fiscal Sustainability, & Partnership Plan 2. Construct an indoor community center that Resident satisfaction and desired amenities includes indoor recreation gym space and programs were identified through a multi- The comprehensive plan consists of key The need for an indoor community center became faceted engagement strategy. The consultant elements that complement and support each apparent during the stakeholder interviews and team worked with the City to design an other to provide simple, concise direction. This from the project website input and statistically- engagement process that gained feedback from plan is not meant to dictate exactly what will valid survey. This decision was based on the lack a variety of community stakeholders, not just happen in Ankeny, but rather to be a guide for of any City-owned indoor space, the closing of the most vocal groups. The consultant team met the City to improve upon their objectives and the YMCA and the expected decrease in gym with representatives from the key stakeholder advance their existing operations. City Council, space available for rent from the school district groups involved with Ankeny Parks & Recreation. Parks Board and City Administration will rely on as their own needs increase. If the City does These stakeholders included youth recreation the proposed implementation plan contained not address this issue soon, they could find programs, a senior citizen focus group, economic within the Policies & Priorities Chapter. This themselves in a situation where they have limited development professionals, and volunteer and implementation plan can be updated yearly as or no facility space for their programming, making 8 ANKENY PARKS & FACILITIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN the construction of an indoor community center 2. Implement a comprehensive program plans for the financial requirements of additional an imminent concern. monitoring process park space. The public engagement process To remain up-to-date in their program offerings, indicated strong agreement that parks and trails 3. Expand outdoor organized practice spaces the department should implement a program are an important community feature. Maintaining During stakeholder interviews, in the community monitoring process that identifies missing an adequate level of park space for residents is a survey and on the project website, the need to programs and those programs that need to top priority and proper financing is paramount to expand outdoor organized practice space was be phased out. Public feedback indicated that maintaining the supply of parkland. identified as another top facility priority. Already, demand for certain recreation programs and there is fierce competition for space and as facilities such as pickleball outpaced the current 2. Prepare the organizational structure to the City continues to grow, so will demand for supply. The department should comprehensively meet existing and future demand practice space. This is further compounded by monitor their programs by tracking key After reviewing the Parks & Recreation staffing the need to maintain green space for passive performances indicators relating to program levels in 2010 and 2018, it was discovered recreation as the current demand for practice cancellation rates, customer satisfaction and that staffing levels have remained more or space makes it difficult to find an open space customer retention. less the same across the time period despite not utilized for active recreation. significant gains in population served, services 3. Enhance facility use partnership policies offered and acres managed. With more growth HIGH PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS Stakeholder interviews and advisory group projected in the planning period, it is important 1. Implement consistent program management discussions revealed the need to formalize all the City monitor the organizational and staffing principles for all programs to ensure equitable existing partnership agreements to include structure within the Parks & Recreation service delivery, quality delivery, and long- performance measures and partnership department as its responsibility expands. term financial sustainability responsibilities. This includes the need to It is important that the Ankeny Parks & Recreation prioritize schedules for indoor recreation space 3. Clarify partnerships, leasing, and agreements department remain consistent in the application providers to solidify times available. As the in terms of roles and responsibilities and delivery of park programming especially as it community