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1—9 <br />Orange County Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan <br />CHAPTER 1 - Summary of the Plan 1 <br />Findings of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan <br /> <br />Based on the informatfon gathered in the master <br />plan process, a set of 20 findings or statements was <br />identffied. These findings are shown on pages 9-13 <br />and 9-14 of the plan and are summarized below: <br /> <br /> County residents overwhelmingly approve of the <br />way parks and recreatfon facilitfes are operated <br />and maintained, and they find them safe and easily <br />accessible. The County’s parks and recreatfon facil- <br />itfes meet a variety of needs, but maintenance and <br />facility repairs and renovatfons are on the horizon. <br /> <br /> The County’s parks program has secured parkland <br />and constructed parks, and has built parks in low- <br />income and/or minority communitfes - helping <br />meet physical actfvity and social needs, both <br />individually and in groups. Residents see County <br />parks and recreatfon facilitfes having a positfve <br />impact on the economic, physical and mental <br />well-being of the county, and that these parks and <br />programs help reduce crime. <br /> <br /> Strong interest is indicated by residents for <br />expanding both actfve recreatfon and low-impact <br />recreatfon opportunitfes – especially for hiking and <br />biking trails and a swimming pool. Residents are <br />less sure about the need for new indoor facilitfes <br />for arts/leisure actfvitfes, but do favor more indoor <br />athletfc facilitfes. <br /> <br /> Among those expressing an opinion, a significant <br />majority of residents surveyed see a need for new <br />athletfc programs and parks, although some were <br />unsure on this topic. The most desired program <br />areas were for walking, hiking, biking, swimming, <br />summer camps and yoga. The most-desired park <br />facilitfes were multfple types of trails, a swimming <br />pool and water parks. <br /> <br /> In funding new facilitfes, residents were almost <br />universally supportfve of grants and corporate <br />donatfons, strongly supportfve of voter-approved <br />bonds or existfng local taxes. Less support existed <br />for user fees, and increasing local (non-property) <br />taxes did not receive strong support. <br /> <br /> <br /> The County’s proactfve approach to parkland <br />acquisitfon has enabled the acquisitfon of all but a <br />few parks identffied in 1988, and has plans for four <br />new parks to be constructed on acquired sites in <br />the coming three to nine years. In a related vein, <br />the work toward creatfng and protectfng nature <br />preserves around some of the most significant <br />natural areas in the county has created <br />opportunitfes for public access and low-impact <br />recreatfon at these sites. <br /> <br /> A number of opportunitfes and challenges are on <br />the horizon for the County. Recent efforts on <br />partnerships with other recreatfon providers have <br />been successful and should be contfnued. Like- <br />wise, there may be unprecedented opportunitfes <br />for coordinatfon with the towns and the schools <br />for new parks or facility use. These opportunitfes <br />provide for financial as well as community-building <br />benefits and opportunitfes. The contfnued <br />desirability of Orange County as a place to live will <br />result in more populatfon, an expected additfonal <br />35,000 persons between 2012 and 2030. <br /> <br /> Due to the proactfve steps taken, most of the <br />projected park needs may be met by current or <br />planned parks, although one portfon of the county <br />– Bingham Township – is as of yet unserved. <br />23