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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday,June 20, 2011 <br /> Page 5 <br /> decisions on service levels could be based on best practice budgeting for results, <br /> both short and long-term, and whether to retain the status quo or do better. <br /> Further highlights included specific facilities visited or used, many dependent on <br /> whether the household had children, or was specifically targeted to individual <br /> needs and/or interests, and included the skating center, City Hall/civic center <br /> meeting rooms, HANC; with 79% of respondents having used some facility over <br /> the last twelve (12) months. The overall rating of those facilities' physical condi- <br /> tions (or most visited/used) indicated excellent at 40%, good at 57%, and fair at <br /> 3%. <br /> The second part of the presentation included the level of support of respondents <br /> for the "community vision" for the future of the City's Parks and Recreation sys- <br /> tem, indicating the following: <br /> • Community vision has been captured through the planning process to-date; <br /> • Maintenance of the current system is of high importance; <br /> • A high percentage of households would use indoor facilities; <br /> • A high percentage of households would support acquisition of open space and <br /> parkland; and <br /> • A majority of households with children would support improvements of sports <br /> facilities. <br /> Mr. Vine noted that, throughout the survey, 15-23% of respondents were satisfied <br /> with the status quo and chose "none" as their typical response. <br /> The "top three" priorities indicated from the survey results indicated that over <br /> 50% of the households would "vote in favor" or support the following: mainten- <br /> ance of existing trails and sidewalks; additional walking and biking trails in exist- <br /> ing parks; and additional sidewalks along streets. Mr. Vine advised that through- <br /> out all sectors, the most important and least controversial improvement supported <br /> by households and their support for funding with tax dollars was improved walk- <br /> ing and biking trails. <br /> The "top two" priorities indicated acquisition of properties that preserve local <br /> open spaces; and acquisition of properties adjacent to existing parks. <br /> Related to indoor programming spaces, over 80% of responding households indi- <br /> cated that they would use at least one indoor programming space if available <br /> (walking and jogging track); however, Mr. Vine noted that there were many dif- <br /> ferences in preferred indoor water use features (e.g. leisure pool; lanes for lap <br /> swimming; warm water for therapeutic purposes). Options to fund the costs for <br /> operating a new indoor multi-purpose community center indicated that 68% of <br /> respondent households feel costs should be paid through user fees and taxes, with <br /> fees supported by a majority of respondents. <br />