Capitalizing on Citizen Interest in
Active Recreation
A Look at the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan and Public
Opinion Survey
Kendall Sommers
DNREC- Division of Parks and Recreation
Parks Resource Office
Objectives
Discuss the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor
Recreation Plan (SCORP)
Identify the public’s demand for outdoor recreation
Identify barriers to active recreation in Delaware
Health Benefits
• Access to Parks = Increased
exercise
• Studies have shown that a nearly
50% increase in physical activity can
be achieved by creating or enhancing
access to opportunities for physical
activity
• Increased physical activity leads to a
healthier lifestyle and a decrease in
certain health risks including heart
disease, obesity, and high blood
pressure
• Contributes to an overall feeling
of wellbeing and happiness
Important Questions to be addressed:
SupplySupply What facilities already exist?
DemandDemand How do we know what facilities are needed?
DistributionDistribution Are the facilities in the same areas as the people?
Where should new facilities be placed?
Access/ Built Environment- How do residents know about and get
to these facilities? What barriers prevent residents
from using these facilities?
What exactly is the SCORP?
•
Identifies public recreation use
patterns and preferences as well as the
public’s landscape perception.
•
Analyzes the supply and demand of
outdoor recreation throughout the
state
•
Directs future recreational
investments
•
Updated every 5 years to fulfill
eligibility requirements for:
-Land & Water Conservation Fund
-Delaware Trust Fund
What’s Different in ‘09?
2009-2011 Interim SCORP Document
County/Municipality Comprehensive Plans
Census Data- New census in 2010
2011-2016 SCORP
Updated public opinion survey information and
trend data
Full length document
Identify Statewide recreation priorities
SCORP recreation needs and
trends in 5 regions of the state:
Region 1- Northern New Castle County
Region 2- Southern New Castle County
Region 3- Kent County
Region 4- Western Sussex County
Region 5- Eastern Sussex County
Collaborate with
In support of their 5-2-1-Almost None healthy
lifestyle message…
• Provided assistance to oversample 5 municipalities within
the state.
• Incorporated built environment questions into the SCORP
survey
http://www.nemours.org/department/nhps/five-two-one.html
Supply-
Demand- Distribution- Access/Built Environment
Statewide – approximately 139,340.6 acres of public Parks,
Recreation Areas, and Protected Open Space
Public Boat Ramps- 57 acres
Active Recreation Sites (athletic complexes, golf
courses, bmx facility)- 413 acres
Historic Sites- 963 acres
Nature Preserves- 2,007 acres
State Forest Lands- 18,183 acres
Parks- 10,416 acres
Natural Areas- 24,354 acres
Wildlife Lands- 82,948 acres
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Public Recreation Use Patterns and Preferences
• Local Recreation Officials- 5 municipal and 2 county park
departments
• Parks and Recreation Roundtable- recreational professionals
meeting and discussion
• Public Opinion Phone Survey- 2,179 surveys of Delaware
residents, 1,940 statewide with an additional 239 surveys in the
municipalities.
(95% confidence level, sampling error +/-2.22)
Questions allow us to look at 5 year statewide recreational trends
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Public Opinion Telephone Survey
Types of Questions:
Importance of and Participation in Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor Recreational Locations Visited Most Frequently
Accessing facilities
Reasons for Participating in Outdoor Recreation and for Choosing
Specific Areas
Ratings of Facilities and Opinions on Specific Aspects of Facilities
Priorities for Funding and for State and Local Policymakers
Environmental/Land Use Attitudes
Inclusive of all outdoor recreation activities statewide
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
How Important is Outdoor Recreation to Delawareans
Trend Data (%)
70
62
64
60
2002
2008
50
40
30
30
27
20
7
10
9
1
0
0
Very Important
Somewhat
Important
Not Important
Don't Know
?
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Top Reasons for Participating More Actively in Outdoor
Recreation (%).
70
63
65
62
61
61
60
55
54
50
45
40
47
47
47
46
43
42
44
39
38
38
36
35
34
34
30
More Facilities and Opportunities
More Information
More Organized Activities
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Household Participation Trends
Q12/15/18. Now I'm going to read you a list of outdoor recreation activities. Please
tell me if you expect any member of your household, including yourself, to participate
in each activity in Delaware during the next 12 months.
Household participation fell across
the board between 2002 and 2008
Notable Trends:
Picnicking fell by 13%
Using Playgrounds fell by 12%
The only increase in participation was
Skateboarding
Mountain Biking stayed the same
Horseshoes increased by 27% but was not included in the 2002 survey
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Analyzing and Using the data
Ranking Facility Priorities:
Q12- Please tell me if you expect any member of your household
to participate in each of the following activities in DE during
the next 12 months. (Household Participation)
Q24- In which three activities did you personally participate most
often in the past 12 months? (Personal Participation)
Q102- What facilities would you like to see added to a
community park? (Facility Needs)
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Facility Needs (Statewide)
High Priority
• Walking/Jogging Paths
• Bicycle Paths
• Public Swimming Pools
• Playgrounds
• Open Space/Passive
Recreation Areas
• Access to Historic Sites
• Picnic Areas
• Hiking Trails
• Fishing Areas/Access
Moderate Priority
• Nature Programs
• Public Golf Courses
• Baseball/Softball Fields
• Basketball Courts
• Campgrounds
• Football Fields
• Soccer Fields
• Boating Access
(canoe/kayak and
powerboat)
• Tennis Courts
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Facility Needs-High Priorities
(By SCORP Region)
Region 2
Walking/Jogging Paths
Bicycle Paths
Public Swimming Pools
Playgrounds
Picnic Areas
Hiking Trails
Open Space/Passive
Recreation Areas
Fishing Areas/Access
Baseball Fields
Region 4
Walking/Jogging Paths
Public Swimming Pools
Open Space/Passive
Recreation Areas
Picnic Areas
Playgrounds
Fishing Areas/Access
Bicycle Paths
Region 1
Walking/Jogging Paths
Bicycle Paths
Playgrounds
Hiking Trails
Public Swimming Pools
Open Space/Passive Recreation
Areas
Region
3
Picnic Areas
Walking/Jogging
Fishing
Areas/Access
Region
5 Paths
PublicWalking/Jogging
Swimming PoolsPaths
Bicycle Paths
Bicycle Paths
Open Public
Space/Passive
Swimming Pools
Recreation
Areas
Fishing Areas/Access
Fishing
Areas/Access
Open
Space/Passive
Playgrounds
Recreation Areas
Picnic Areas
Playgrounds
Hiking Trails
Supply- DemandDemand Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Facility Needs- High Priorities
(by Municipality) Wilmington
Newark
Walking/jogging Paths
Bicycling Paths
Hiking Trails
Playgrounds
Swimming pools
Open Space/ Passive Recreation
Visiting Historic Sites
Picnic Areas
Fishing Access
Seaford
Walking/jogging Paths
Open Space/ Passive
Recreation
Bicycle Paths
Swimming Pools
Playgrounds
Historic Sites
Fishing Access
Hiking Trails
Walking/jogging Paths
Swimming Pools
Bicycle Paths
Open Space/Passive Recreation
Historic Sites
Playgrounds
Hiking Trails
Fishing Access
Basketball
Dover Courts
Walking/jogging Paths
Bicycling
Milford Paths
Picnic
Areas
Walking/jogging
Paths
Open
Space/Passive
Swimming
Pools
Recreation
Open Space/ Passive
Historic
Sites
Recreation
Playgrounds
Picnic Areas
Fishing
Access
Bicycle
Paths
Hiking
Trails
Historic
Sites
Playgrounds
Fishing Access
Hiking Trails
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built Environment
Delaware’s Outdoor Recreation Inventory
ORI
Spatial and tabular data set that contains the most
complete list of protected land and public parks
managed by federal, state, county and municipal
governments and school districts
Initially developed in 1993
Continually updated by the Division of
Parks and Recreation
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Environment
Distribution
Tabular Data
Inventories specific amenities located within parks and/or recreation areas
Region 1
Region 2
Region 3
Region 4
Region 5
Statewide
Protected Land (acres)
15,172
28,165
52,498
23,597
43,725
163,157
Hiking Trails (miles)
Ball Fields
Football Fields
Soccer Fields
Tracks
Tennis Courts
Basketball Courts
Volleyball Courts
Horseshoe Pits
170.8
274
32
63
23
206
185
55
36
120
30
8
7
4
31
15
12
34
53.3
67
13
30
9
53
32
15
31
90.7
51
7
9
4
21
12
13
10
105.9
45
10
12
7
30
13
21
2
540.7
467
70
121
47
341
257
116
113
Multi‐purpose Fields
Playgrounds
Tot Lots
Picnic Pavilions
129
282
103
57
32
25
10
19
50
58
19
20
16
22
8
15
18
31
16
26
245
418
156
137
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Environment
Distribution
Spatial Data
GIS layer that represents the physical location and size of each park
and/or recreation areas
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Environment
Distribution
James Hall Trail
City of Newark
2,553 people live within ¼ mile of
an access point to the James Hall
Trail
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Environment
Distribution
How to get ORI information to the public.
Convert ORI coverage
to be viewed using
Google Earth™
File can be
downloaded from the
web and opened on a
personal computer
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Environment
Distribution
Google Earth ORI demonstration
Easy to locate
nearby parks and
recreation facilities
Clicking on park
will show what
amenities are at
that location
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Access/Built Environment
Access to Facilities and Our Built Environment
Statewide:
• 71% of those surveyed travel <9 miles to the recreation area they
visit most frequently (mean distance is 4 miles)
SCORP Regions:
• Region 1- 84% live within 9 miles (median distance is 3 miles)
• Region 4- 50% live within 9 miles (median distance is 9 miles)
Municipalities:
• Wilmington and Newark- 84% and 82% live within 9 miles
(Median distance is 3m. for both)
• Milford- 42% live within 9 miles (median distance is 12 miles)
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Access/Built Environment
While the automobile is the typical mode of transportation used
to get to recreation sites, there has been in increase in
walking/jogging since 2002.
Region 1 residents most likely to
walk or jog (26% do so, compared
to 12%-16% in the other regions)
Wilmington residents most likely to
walk or jog (29% do so, compared
to 15%-21% in other
municipalities)
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Access/Built Environment
Which
of the following
encourage
you to
Demand
for Closewould
to Home
Recreation
participate more actively in outdoor recreation activities?
Over half of Delaware residents (54%)
indicate that more close to home
opportunities would encourage them to
participate in outdoor recreation activities.
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Access/Built Environment
Why are you unable to walk or bike to a park or
recreation area near your home? (%)
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Access/Built Environment
Top three reasons people choose the park and/or
recreation area they visit (%).
Supply- Demand- Distribution-Access/Built
Access/Built Environment
Funding Priority: Percent who indicate that funding for the following things
should be a VERY IMPORTANT priority for state and local policy makers.
For more information on the Statewide Outdoor Recreation Plan
Visit: www.dnrec.delaware.gov/parks
Click under ‘Information’
Contact:
Kendall Sommers
Delaware State Parks
302-739-9235
Kendall.Sommers@state.de.us