Author: aea

2015 RBP user survey results

The Rainbow Beach Park user survey was created by members of the Rainbow Beach Park Advisory Council to better understand the needs of park users. The RBP 2015 survey was distributed via email and social media in early 2015. Paper copies were also available in the Rainbow Beach Park fieldhouse and users were encouraged by park staff to complete a survey.

We asked users how they used the park and what improvements they wanted to see. Respondents ranked their satisfaction on several issues and were invited to expand on their opinions in a comments section.

55 responses were recorded. The raw data are not publicly available because they contain personal information, but the survey response analytics are available. Comments were compiled and organized somewhat into topic categories. We hope the CPD will take these suggestions seriously.

All respondents had visited the park at least once. While some visitors are infrequent, more than 10% visit every day and 20% visit in all seasons of the year, not just summertime. When users didn’t visit the park, they cited safety as their chief concern.

The most popular activities listed in the survey were running/walking, nature area, recreation, events, and fitness. Clearly users are active and want to use the full extent of the park, not just the field house.

While respondents thought there was ample space for activities, they indicated that they wanted outdoor spaces that are more conducive to use—there were requests to improve the condition and accessibility of these spaces and better promote their use through events (e.g. Summerdance, movies in the park, outdoor fitness groups, social events).

The topics that seemed most important to respondents were condition of walking paths, condition of landscaping and park cleanliness. In these most important topics, respondents were consistently dissatisfied (~30% dissatisfied with each of these issues, some of the highest levels in the survey).

Dogs are a concern to visitors and dog owners alike. Visitors often didn’t like to co-exist with dogs, especially off-leash, and were critical of owners who didn’t clean up behind their dogs. Dog owners wished for a place for their dogs without broken glass and where they could access the lake. Both types of comment seem to support the idea of a separate dog-friendly area at RBP.

Nearly all respondents wanted to attend events in the future (more than 90%) and the majority of respondents were interested in attending PAC meetings. A large proportion of respondents had a special interested or experience in event planning, community outreach, and fundraising. There seems to be a critical mass of park users who are ready to get involved and make a difference in the RBP! The Park District and PAC should leverage this enthusiasm to mobilize users to improve the park.

Read the full report here.