Section 10-A808. PROS-2 PARK AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES

 

808.1While the previous section of this Element focused on park planning, this section focuses specifically on park facilities. 808.1

 

808.2The District currently operates 69 recreation centers, four specialty recreational facilities, 74 playgrounds, 99 athletic fields, 138 tennis courts, 31 swimming pools, and hundreds of basketball courts. These facilities are used to provide recreational services to residents in all parts of the city. Department of Parks and Recreation activities range from aquatics, quilting, and environmental education to martial arts, personalized weight training, and even poetry slams. Many of the programs are targeted toward specific age groups, such as seniors and teens. Others are designed for persons with special needs or for families. 808.2

 

808.3Demand for recreational programs-and the facilities that accommodate them-is expected to grow in the future as population grows. Demand will also be affected by cultural changes, new technology, sports and entertainment trends, and demographic shifts. The growth of the senior population, in particular, will influence future recreational needs in the city over the next 20 years. The text box to the right provides an indication of current recreational habits and trends in the city, based on a 2005 resident survey. 808.3

 

808.4The 2005 Parks Survey

 

One of the outcomes of the city’s 2006 Parks Master Plan was a resident survey that assessed the demand for recreational facilities in the city. A total of 421 responses were tabulated, including representative samples from each of the city’s eight wards. Key findings were:

 

•61 percent of the respondents had visited a DPR park in the last 12 months; 46 percent had visited a recreation center.

 

•37 percent of the respondents rated the condition of DPR parks as good or excellent; 46 percent rated them as fair or poor.

 

•Half of the respondents (50%) indicated they use the city's National Parks for recreation.

 

•17 percent of the respondents spent more than 8 hours a week on recreation activities.

 

•The most popular recreational activities were walking/jogging (43%), playground use (23%), swimming (24%), and picnicking (23%).

 

•About 56 percent of respondents indicated they walked to their local park; however, even more respondents said they drove (68%).

 

•Only about 16 percent of the respondents indicated they had participated in a DPR program during the last 12 months. The reasons residents gave for not participating included lack of information (36%), lack of time (18%), and concerns about personal safety (16%).

 

•The highest priority expressed by respondents was the maintenance of existing parks, fields, and playgrounds. Maintenance of recreation centers was also a top priority. Lower priorities were the development of new play fields, new recreation centers, and small neighborhood parks.

 

notation

The provisions of Title 10, Part A of the DCMR accessible through this web interface are codification of the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. As such, they do not represent the organic provisions adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia. The official version of the District Elements only appears as a hard copy volume of Title 10, Part A published pursuant to section 9a of the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1994, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; D.C. Official Code § 1 -301.66)) . In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions accessible through this site and the provisions contained in the published version of Title 10, Part A, the provisions contained in the published version govern. A copy of the published District Elements is available www.planning.dc.gov.