A survey designed to provide guidance and direction for City of Yakima parks facilities and recreation programs over the next decade should be arriving in mailboxes this week. The 2016 community survey, which is being sent to 4500 randomly-selected households throughout the city, is a key part of the information that will ultimately be used to update the Parks and Recreation Division’s Comprehensive Plan.
“The comprehensive plan helps us determine how best to use our resources to provide the kinds of facilities and programs that the community wants most,” said Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson. “The survey is an excellent way to gather feedback, whether it’s positive or negative, that will lead us to craft a plan that will serve us well for the next ten years,” said Wilkinson.
The survey includes approximately 50 questions and, according to Wilkinson, should take between 10 and 15 minutes to complete. The four page survey will be available in both English and Spanish and participants will be asked to provide information ranging from basic demographic data to when, why, and how they use City parks. The survey also provides the opportunity for parks facilities and recreation programs to be rated, for Parks and Recreation Division customer service to be evaluated, and for new ideas to be shared.
The survey is also available on-line by clicking a link located on the front page of the City of Yakima website https://www.yakimawa.gov/ .
“We’re confident that the survey will give us a broad perspective about how the community feels when it comes to parks and recreation,” said Wilkinson. “That’s information that is absolutely invaluable to us and will help us make decisions that will affect how we spend taxpayer dollars in the next decade.”
Wilkinson is encouraging people who receive a survey to fill it out and return it as soon as possible.
As incentive, a coupon for a free swim at Franklin Pool for up to five people and a round of golf at Fisher Park Golf Course are included in the survey packet.
Wilkinson expects work on revising the Parks and Recreation Division Comprehensive Plan to be completed early next year.