Survey Results: Parks & Community Centers

MyEscambia.com recently asked residents to complete an online survey to gauge the communities' thoughts and ideas about Parks & Community Centers in Escambia County. Here is what you had to say:

Envision Escambia 2028: Parks & Community Centers

Question #1: In which area of Escambia County do you currently live?

Nearly 25 percent of respondents to our Parks & Community Centers survey live north of Nine Mile Road. Another 21 percent came from the extreme southern portion of the County on Pensacola Beach. More than 3 percent of respondents were from Perdido Key, 15 percent represented the neighborhoods in the area East of Palafox, South of Brent Lane/Bayou Boulevard to the Escambia Bay on the East and Pensacola Bay on the South and another 12  percent lives West of Palafox, East of New Warrington Road, South of Fairfield Drive, North of Pensacola Bay. No area of Escambia County was unrepresented in this survey. 

Question #2: By the end of 2017, Escambia County will have spent $41 million to support the development and enhancement of more than 100 neighborhood, athletic and marine parks, as well as 16 community centers, throughout the County. Please tell us how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements. Well maintained parks, community centers and open spaces:

• Provide economic benefits (e.g.: enhanced property values) to residents: 42  percent strongly agree; 36 percent agree; 8 percent neither disagree nor agree; 3 disagree; 5.5 percent strongly disagree
• Improve a community’s quality of life: 60 percent strongly agree; 0 percent disagree or strongly disagree
• Improve air and water quality: 40 percent strongly agree; 22.86 percent agree
• Brings a community together: 43 percent strongly agree; 34 agree

Question #3: How often do you or members of your family visit a County park?

The majority of survey participants visit County parks (28.5 percent) weekly; 14 pecent visit biweekly and 11.5 percent of those polled visit a County park once per month.

Question #4: Why do you visit Escambia County parks?

• Relaxation: 15 percent
• Exercise: 10 percent
• Athletics/sports: 5 percent
• Spend time with family/friends: 20 percent
• Enjoy nature/wildlife/outdoors: 15 percent
• All of the above: 10 percent
• Other: 25 percent

Question #5: Please choose any/all reasons you may have for not using County parks and/or facilities:

• The facilities or equipment we are looking for is not available: 4 percent
• Security is inefficient: 8 percent
• Hours of operation are not convenient: 8 percent
• Location of facilities is not close to my home: 28 percent
• Facilities are not well maintained: 16 percent
• Members of my household use facilities from other organizations: 8 percent
• We are too busy or not interested: 16 percent
• All (or) most of the above: 4 percent

Question #6: Please rate the availability of facilities at Escambia County parks:

• Shelter/pavilions: 33 percent feel there are enough and 48.5 percent believe more are needed
• Benches and bleachers: 26 percent said there are enough, while 52 percent think more should be added
• Play equipment: 32 percent said there are enough and 45 percent think more are needed
• Lighting: 23 percent said there is enough lighting, while 63 percent said more lighting is needed
• Drinking fountains: 18 percent believe there are enough and 58 percent said more are needed

Question #7: If $100 were available for parks and community center facilities, how would you allocate the funds among the categories listed below? (Please make sure your total adds up to $100.)

The highest number of “funds” voters would allocate for if given $100 would go toward:

1. Improving maintenance to existing parks/community centers
2. Addition of walking trails
3. More playgrounds for children
4. Development of special facilities (dog parks, water playgrounds, boat ramps, etc.)
5. Improved ADA access
6. Land acquisition for new facilities
7. Construction of new athletic facilities (baseball, soccer, basketball, tennis)

Question #8: What type of programming would you like to see in a County park or community center?

• After school programs: 59 percent
• Summer recreation programs: 74 percent
• Adult education programs (GED, job training): 44.5 percent
• Youth sports leagues: 63 percent
• Adult sports leagues: 52 percent
• Special events (festivals, concerts): 74 percent

Comments included:

“Exercise programs, like yoga.”

“Just a nice, safe green park with plenty of benches, lots of trees, perhaps a water feature, for ADA and aging to enjoy in safety.”

Question #9: What is your overall opinion of the quality and condition of Escambia County parks and community centers?

• Excellent: 6.25 percent
• Very good: 12.5 percent
• Good: 44 percent
• Fair: 29 percent
• Poor: 0 percent
• No opinion: 19 percent

Question #10: Do you have comments related to a specific park or community center? A full list of our parks and community centers is available on MyEscambia.com.

Comments include:

“Some of the parks aren't well lit. As a single woman, I don't feel safe using them for exercise after work.”

“Regional parks are great. Why are there so many pocket parks?”

”I wish more parks could be like Perdido Kids park. I think we need to invest more in the current parks we have. We need more swings, walking paths, kids playground equipment, basketball goals, also at some of the parks I have been to the ants were insane and I was afraid for my children to stand still. Example Avondale park around the track, the ants were insane.”

Question #11: Do you have any additional questions, comments or concerns?

Comments include:

“No. We are happy the park was built in Beulah. It is nice to be able to take our child to the park and not have to drive across town.”

“Spend more resources on maintaining what we have.”

“Consider new or improvements to recreational/activity facilities (walking trails, playground equipment) that can help address high obesity rates related to areas with little/no access to facilities for physical activity (and/or improve safety, lighting etc. to encourage more utilization). Map areas of 'recreation deserts' related to population as first targets. Pursue interlocal agreements with school district for use of school facilities (even if only playground) during non-school hours.”