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6—11 Orange County Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan CHAPTER 6 - Community Needs Assessment and Public Input 6 3. Maximizing Public Health Benefits of Parks and Recreation (April 22, 2013) Nine persons attended this session, and the primary discussion area was the important linkage between public health (e.g., childhood obesity, mental well-being) and parks and open space or programs. The group identified the need for parks to have a variety of different types of movement opportuni- ties and flexible open space within them. The importance of connecting open spaces and parks with trails was noted. Facility needs identified included swimming pool, walking track at Fairview Park, flexible spaces that allow children to create their own play experiences, and community gardens to help educate about local foods. Offering parks tours or open houses, and creating unstructured play opportunities were seen as keys to getting the public to use parks for healthy lifestyles. The County should also be aware of at-risk populations and try to work with the schools to pro- mote using parks to promote childhood health. 4. Evaluating Our Park Facility Needs (April 18, 2013) Seven persons attended this focus group meeting. Attendees indicated that they primarily visited County parks to enjoy nature, walk dogs, socialize and meet friends, and hold events. Outdoor classrooms and environmental education programs were listed as a main attraction, as well as sports and special events. The facilities that were deemed most desirable included:  Amphitheaters  Hiking and biking trails  Access to water features (ponds)  Diverse features, with each park offering a primary theme or unique opportunities Attendees indicated more bilingual signage was a need in the parks, and specifically cited the former Occoneechee Village at River Park as needing work. Better signage was also suggested, especially along wooded trails. The group felt that partnerships with schools, UNC and Duke should be pursued, and working with neighboring towns and counties was desirable. In terms of financing facilities, the group felt that there is an expectation that park facilities and services will be free, but understanding the many hidden costs suggested corporate sponsorships, bond referenda and fundraisers may be a good way to help fund the parks. More public awareness of what is offered in the parks was noted as a need – contact via email newsletters and social media should be used to publicize future park plans, events and features. 5. Recreation Programs – Successes and Opportunities (April 17, 2013) Nine persons attended this focus group at the Central Recreation Center in Hillsborough, including representatives of other recreation providers and community groups. The following is a summary of the group discussion: What are the strengths of current recreation programs and services?  Programs are affordable  Offer a great variety of programs  Accessibility to locations and information  Breadth of programs show we are responsive to community needs  Variety Camp was great What are the most essential recreation programs in the county?  Youth and Teen programs  There has been a loss of teen participation– ability to bring back programs  Ask what services the community needs  Don’t rely on technology alone to communicate – advertise in churches  Ongoing “after-school” activity – consistent programming What role does recreation programming currently fill in the community?  Leadership programs  Programs that integrate the total family (inter-generational)  Programs that strengthen social skills (e.g., Daddy Daughter Dance, cooking class)  Non-sport programs for kids 75