Santa Maria Rec and Parks to survey local residents

The city of Santa Maria is mailing out thousands of surveys to random households, kicking off an effort to get input on how to improve its parks and recreation offerings.

click to enlarge Santa Maria Rec and Parks to survey local residents
FILE PHOTO COURTSEY OF THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA
PLAYTIME: Santa Maria is surveying thousands of residents as it prepares a master plan for its recreation and parks programs.

The city's Recreation and Parks Department mailed out the surveys to 3,830 households to collect information for its Leisure Needs Assessment Action Plan. That plan will include a preliminary evaluation of Santa Maria residents' current desires and demands for leisure programs and activities as well as address expected growth. The assessment will also examine impacts on future community leisure services, and a possible recreation and community center.

"As part of that, we wanted to reach out to the community and find out what is great and what is not so great," Interim Recreation and Parks Department Supervisor Dennis Smitherman told the Sun.

The city conducts a leisure needs assessment every three to five years. Smitherman said the city used the feedback from the last needs assessment to bolster aquatics programs, create more activities under its active seniors program, and expand its concerts and movies in local parks.

"We also added more art to our public parks," he said.

The 3,830 surveys were mailed out beginning March 15. In addition, the city will also release an online survey in English and Spanish at the end of March. Spanish speaking staff will conduct in-person surveys at locations throughout the city during the first week of April. Some of the feedback from the surveys, as well as findings from public meetings and focus groups held earlier this year, will be presented to the city's Recreation and Parks Commission at a May 14 meeting.

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