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18 <br />Attachment C <br />Level of Service Options — Orange County Community Centers <br />Parks and Recreation Council Discussion — 3/4/15 <br />Purpose of Community Centers: <br />• Provide a location and structure for offering recreation /athletics and human <br />services programs for a community /defined area; <br />• Provide a location for community events and activities to occur; <br />• Offer meeting rooms and other facilities (catering kitchen, etc.) for reservation by <br />community residents for family events and activities; <br />• Offer a `safe haven' for community children after school for homework, etc. <br />• Balance of open access and programmed activity. <br />Thoughts on Level of Service Standard (Cedar Grove Community Center; Efland Cheeks Community <br />Center): <br />• Need to understand community's needs. For some it may just be a facility that is <br />open for access and informal activity. Others may wish for structured events, <br />programs. How to find balance. <br />• Community meeting to rank different types of (and mix of) activities (including just <br />open access). <br />• Define service levels based on what community appears to represent as need. <br />Adjust overtime if actual results differ. <br />• Ideally, a community center should be open from 8:00 am — 8:00 pm, five to six <br />days a week. Start with a seasonal staff presence during open hours to facilitate <br />community use (lock /unlock rooms, provide equipment, explain usage rules, <br />monitor activity). <br />• Supplement with volunteers from community, allow volunteers to help "cover" <br />some of the center's hours? <br />• Open the center based on what appears to be community demand. Purchase <br />counters to accurately measure the number of users. See how actual results <br />measure up to projected community demand, adjust hours and level of <br />equipment and amenities accordingly over time. <br />