Juneau Parks and Recreation

Comprehensive Plan

July, 1996

October, 1995

Hello, this is I'm a volunteer with Juneau Parks & Recreation. For future planning decisions, we are gathering opinions about facilities and programs provided by Parks & Recreation If this is a good time, I'd like to ask you a few questions.

First,

1. Which category best describes your age group...

Under 19 > Thank respondent and DISCONTINUE survey.

7 % 19 to 24 Years (Head Household?) 34% 35 to 44 Years 9% 55 to 64 Years

21 % 25 to 34 Years (Head Household?) 23% 45 to 54 Years 8% 65 years and over

2. How important are free time leisure activities to your lifestyle? (Read choices I through 4)

54% Very Important 5% Unimportant 1% Not sure/Don't Know

39% Important 2% Not at all Important Refused/Non response

3. When you have leisure time available, what FIVE recreation activities do you enjoy most? (Do not read choices)

3% Art 11% Gardening 28% Skiing (XC/DH)

3% Aerobics 53% Hiking 4% Soccer

8% Baseball/Softball 15% Hunting 2% Snow Boarding

7% Basketball 1% Karate/judo 7% Swimming (open)

22% Bicycling 8% Kayaking 5% Swimming-(fitness)

20% Boating 7% Movies 3% Tennis

5% Bowling 2% Racquetball 5% Volleyball

10% Camping 30% Reading 21% Walking/jogging

2% Cards 2% Resting/Sleeping 1% Wildlife Viewing

3% Dancing 5% Running/jogging 8% Working Out (Gym Exercise)

33% Fishing 4% Shopping/Browsing 11% Watch TV

4. In an average week, how many hours do you have to participate in leisure activities? (Do not read choices)

2% Zero hours (0) 4% 30 - 39 hours 5% Retired - as many as I want

38% 1 - 9 hours 3% 40 - 49 hours 2% Not sure

31% 10 - 19 hours 1% 50 - 59 hours 2% Refused

13% 20 - 29 hours 1% 60 or more hours Other

5. On a work day, how far would you travel to participate in leisure activities? (Do not read choices)

13% 1 - 5 miles 1% Within the neighborhood 3% Retired - as many as I want

9% 5 miles 2% Within walking distance 2% Not sure

24% Up to 15 miles 7% Depends on the activity 2% Refused

34% Over 15 miles 1% About a mile Other

6. How many bicycles in your household have been USED within the past year?

17% One 16% Three 8% Five or more Not sure

23% Two 13% Four 24% NONE Refused

7. Which of the following Parks and Recreation activities have you or members of your household participated in during the past year? (Read heading A - G then ask about participation)

A Adult Basketball D Youth Sports F Zach Gordon Youth Ctr.

9% Mens 14% Indoor Soccer 3% Racquetball

2% Women's 14% Outdoor Soccer 5% Weight Room

90% Did not participate 10% Basketball 10% Used (other)

3% Volleyball 86% Did not participate

77% Did not participate

B Adult Volleyball E Augustus Brown Pool G J D City Museum 4% Mens 3% Aquaoebics 43% Used

7% Women's 12% Swimming Lessons 57% Did not Participate

9% Co-ed 52% Recreation/Fitness Swimming

86% Did not participate 11% Weights

9% Shower

18% Sauna

42% Did not participate

C Special Events H Mt Jumbo Gym

13% Ski to Sea 24% Used

1% Running with the Pack 76% Did not participate

2% Pedal, Plod, Paddle

1% Car Rally

Did not Participate

# of Activities used by household:

21% zero 22% 4 - 6 1% 10-13

49% 1 -3 8% 7 - 9

Currently, Parks and Recreation provides a variety of youth and adult activities throughout the Borough and in our schools. Some activities are funded fully by Parks and Recreation, others rely upon participant fees.

9. Keeping in mind the activities and events just mentioned, should CBJ Parks & Recreation YOUTH Activities which include management, staff, equipment and facility time be ... (Read choices 1 through 3)

6% paid for by the individual participant Not sure/Don't Know

57% paid half by Parks & Recreation & Participants 5% Refused/Non response

15% OR paid entirely by Parks & Recreation Department

Other: 6% based on ability to pay 3% whatever it is now

10. In your opinion, should CBJ Parks & Recreation ADULT ACTIVITIES which include management, staff, equipment and facility time be ... (Read choices 1 through 3)

29% paid for by the individual participant Not sure/Don't Know

50% paid half by the Parks & Recreation & Participants 4% Refused/Non response

3% OR paid entirely by Parks & Recreation Department

Other: 3% as it is now 1% based on ability to pay

11. Have you hiked trails, visited parks or beaches, or used wayside picnic areas in the Juneau within the last year?

91% Yes 1% Not sure/Don't Know

8% No >Skip to Question #12 Refused/Non response

IIA. Which Juneau PARKS, BEACHES or WAYSIDE PICNIC areas have you used in the last year? (Prompt if needed)

9% Adair/Kennedy 28% Cope Park Homestead Park

9% Auke Lake Wayside 3% Cruise Ship Terminal 13% Lena Park

13% Bridget Cove (No./So.) 7% Dimond Park 10% Melvin Park

6% Brotherhood Park Douglas Mini-Park 10% Men. River Beltway

Bus Barn Park 2% Evergreen Cemetery 9% Riverside Rotary Park

2% Capital School Playground 18% False Outer Point Russian Church Park

Cathedral Park 6% Fish Creek Park 65% Savikko Park/Beach

Cedar Park 3% Glacier Valley Sportsfields Sigoowu Ye Park

2% Chicken Yard Park Gunakadeit Park 12% Sunshine Cove

Columbia Parking Lot 4% Hank Harmon Rifle Range 24% Twin Lakes Park

Other 37% Auke Rec 33% Eagle Beach 7% Marine Park

6% Echo Cove 5% Lena Cove 3% Outer Point

2 % Pt Bridget

11B. Which Juneau TRAILS have you hiked in the last year? (Prompt if needed)

15% Airport Dike Trail 44% East Glacier Trail 40% Perseverance

4% Auke Lake Trail 6% Eaglecrest Nature Trail 8% Peterson Creek

15% Boy Scout Beach Trail 10% False Outer Point Beach 14% Spaulding Meadows

12% Bridget Cove Beach-North Jordan Cr. Aquatic Ed. Trail 7% Sunshine Cove

11% Bridget Cove Beach-South 15% Mendenhall River Trails 11% Treadwell Ditch Trail

3% Cropley Lake Trail 12% Mount Bradley/Jumbo Trail 10% Treadwell Historic

21% Dan Moeller Trail 21% Outer Point Trail 34% West Glacier Trail

Other 21% Roberts 11% Herbert 8% Juneau

6% Windfall 5% Sheep Creek 5% Granite

12. How many nights did you camp in areas accessible by the Juneau road system in the last year?

77% None 6% 5 - 9 nights Not sure

11% 1 - 4 nights 6% 10 or more nights 1% Refused

12A. IF Yes, WHERE did you camp?

25% Echo Cove 17% Sunshine Cove 16% Mendenhall Camp Grd

11% Eagle Beach 9% Pt. Bridget 7% N. Douglas

13. Why haven't you either hiked, visited parks or used other Parks and Recreation facilities during the past year?

Not accessible >13A Where?

Too Crowded >13B Where?

5% No transportation Don't offer facilities you want

Not aware of programs offered Participate in private club (e.g. Racquetball Club in Valley)

13% Not enough time/ too busy Other 8% Just moved here

3% Don't offer activities you want 5% Just boat

Too far to travel to 26% Not Sure

16% Physically impaired 8% Refused

14. How would you rate the following programs and facilities offered by Juneau Parks and Recreation Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor or Have not Used?

Excellent Good Fair Poor Never Not Refused

Used Sure

Augustus Brown Swimming Pool 25% 39% 5% 1% 26% 1% 4%

Zach Gordon Youth Center 3% 10% 6% 1% 69% 2% 10%

Youth Sport Programs 15% 17% 2% 57% 2% 8%

Adult Sport Programs 9% 19% 2% 1% 59% 2% 9%

Juneau Douglas City Museum 23% 25% 3% 42% 1% 6%

Mt Jumbo Gym 4% 13% 7% 1% 62% 3% 10%

Maintenance of Sportsfields 11% 35% 4% 1% 36% 2% 12%

Hiking Trail Maintenance 18% 46% 8% 2% 17% 2% 9%

CBJ Landscaping 57% 32% 2% 1% 5% 1% 3%

15. How important to your household is it that parks and recreation services be provided by the CBJ? (Read choices 1 - 4)

57% Very Important 6% Unimportant 2% Not sure/don't know

32% Important 4% Not at all important

16. In your opinion, is Juneau Parks and Recreation offering services to the community that it should not?

8% Yes Which Services? 25% Eaglecrest 13% Flowers/landscaping

6% Tourism 3% Hike Program

53% Unsure

74% No

18% Don't Know/Not Sure 1% Refused

17. If additional OUTDOOR recreation facilities were developed, what would your top three priorities be?

4% Natural Parks-more 6% Golf Course

6% Picnic Areas-more 12% Camping Areas

18% Walking/Hiking Trails-more 2% Better Access to Recreation Facilities

18% Bicycling Trails-more Other: 11% Outdoor Ice Rink 6% Lighted trails

12% Sportsfields-more 22% Don't Know/Not Sure

8% Waterfront/Beach Access Parks 2% Refused

18. If additional INDOOR recreation facilities were developed, what would your top three priorities be?

8% Valley Teen Center 15% Multi-Purpose Recreation Facility

39% Indoor Ice Skating Rink 11% Gym (for Indoor Sports)

13% Indoor Roller Rink 5% Gym (for Exercise Machines/Weights)

29% Valley Swimming Pool OTHER 4% Renninger

10% Valley Bowling Alley 16% Don't Know/Not Sure

5% Shooting/Rifle Range 1% Refused

19. How much would your HOUSEHOLD be willing to pay ANNUALLY for support of your top priority project? (Read ALL Choices 01 to 06)

5% Less than $20 Annually 14% $40 to $50 Annually

11% $20 to $30 Annually 9% $50 to $60 Annually 13% Not sure

7% $30 to $40 Annually 25% $60 to $100 Annually 3% Refused

Other 5% $100 to $250 Annually 2% $250 to $500 Annually

20. What should Parks and Recreation spend most of its effort on?

(Read all choices below)

5% Upgrading accessibility 5% Acquiring additional land 8% Not sure

13% Upgrading existing facilities 9% Developing new parks 1% Refused

39% Maintenance of facilities 26% Developing new facilities

6% Completing existing facilities Other 2% All

21. Should Parks and Recreation .... (Read choices listed below)

24% Prohibit alcohol in all park areas 3% Not sure

30% Limit alcohol to park shelters and picnic areas 1% Refused

41% OR leave it the way it is, with alcohol allowed in all parks except Marine Park

Other

DEMOGRAPHICS

22. Which of the following best describes your household? (Read choices listed below....)

25% One or more single adults

24% Couple with no children

40% Couple with dependent children

8% SingIe parent with dependent children

4% Extended family (several generations/Aunts/Uncles/Cousins)

Not sure

Refused

Other

23. Which area of the Borough do you live in?

20% Juneau Downtown/Thane

13% Douglas/West Juneau

11% Lemon Creek

12% Auke Bay/UAS/Montana Creek Area/Back loop Rd.

37% Mendenhall Valley

3% North Douglas/Bonnie Brae/Bayview Estates

3% Salmon Creek/Twin Lakes/Mountainside Estates

3% Ferry Terminal to Echo Cove

Don't know/not sure

24. GENDER - do not ask

47% Male

53% Female

1% Don't know/not sure

Parks And Recreation

Neighborhood Meeting Notes

January 17, 1996

Downtown Library

Expand the hours for the lap swim from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Limit plowing and gravel on Basin Road to one lane - leave space for skiing.

CBJ lot across from Hillcrest - permit parking for second Mount Roberts trail head.

Acquire Armory

Ice Skating at Cope Park

Keep diversity in trails - vary levels of development including undeveloped, somewhat developed, and high developed areas in town and in the Valley; some should be commercially designated and some should not.

January 23, 1996

Douglas

There should be no user fees on the trails, and no enforcement. We should use patches as "Friends of Parks and Recreation" fundraisers.

Need to limit the areas for tourism.

Need for outdoor toilets in parks ie. Twin Lakes, Sandy Beach.

Need more parking during tournaments and boating season at Sandy Beach - there is not much parking for trucks and trailers there anyway.

Less is sometimes better.

Spend the money on the children, not on the adults.

Maintain facilities located in population centers; place money, time, and effort where the people are - in the core. We should concentrate on indoor facilities.

Want to see natural, undeveloped land within walking distance of every neighborhood

January 24, 1996

Floyd Dryden

Need more facilities for kids. The only ones have been associated with the schools. There is an under capacity for youth activities.

Lena Point Park - kids don't use it due to glass shards, junk cars.

Hard to construct enough facilities to keep up with demand.

Soccer - could there be indoor in the summer?

Opposition to charging for use of the trails - this will stop the use of the trails.

Have youth offenders do trail maintenance. Coordinate an effort to use youth offenders for maintenance.

Use Centennial Hall for roller skating.

Have tourists pay for all trail maintenance.

Needs to be more effort by the borough to maintain trails. This could be funded by a head tax on the tourists and/or additional taxes on property.

Ice skating volunteers at Melvin Park do a good job. Look at providing this service if the volunteers do not continue to do so.

Need higher or different standards than the National Standards.

Gastineau Channel Little League is exploring private lands for organized practice because there is too much demand for established fields.

Eaglecrest should be used in the summer for recreation. Is it a disaster area - erosion, etc. We shouldn't ignore summer use. Take care of the trails, planking, and look at it for tourist use - it is underutilized. Parks and Recreation could manage it in the summer.

Need covered areas for skateboarding and rollerblading.

Things for kids to do are important.

Give our kids natural areas and lead hikes. Provide trail programs and activities for families.

Basin Road - need for a good ski trail.

Mendenhall Greenbelt Trail - open up a canopy for skiing.

Dump area around Vanderbilt Hill Road/Grant's Plaza - could be used for fields, skiing, and an open area.

Make people pay to use the trails.

Youth activities are doing great.

Leave some areas in their more natural state - a variety of levels. There are too many rules and regulations.

Bump up per head fee on trails to 60% - ask for more funding from the borough.

Enthusiastic about trails and their variety of uses.

Interconnecting trails throughout neighborhoods and natural environments - a network of varying difficulties and systems.

The City should sign the Juneau Trails Plan. Hiding it in the Comprehensive Plan is no excuse.

Recommend that higher fees be collected from commercial operators.

Put in a neighborhood park above Twin Lakes which includes a swing set and basketball court.

Bus Barn park should be cleared and leveled, and then develop a basketball court for kids.

January 25, 1996

Dzantik'i Heeni

Activities should be kept so they can be done impromptu.

Keep the parks simplified. Don't necessarily need organized parks.

Bus Barn Park - people are dumping stuff there. Clean it up and let the kids use their imagination.

Have small areas for kids.

CBJ should organize "Friends of Parks" organizations. Would be good for Twin Lakes, Bus Barn park.

Designate commercial trails, and look at loops, smaller group sizes, and smaller vehicles.

Put in a skateboard park.

Sheltered basketball court at Zach Gordon Youth Center.

Rent small sailboats or paddleboats at Twin Lakes.

Better maintenance of bike lanes on Riverside Drive and the Back Loop Road.

Do a booklet of the funny things tourists say as a fundraiser for trails.

New special events ideas: Soap Box Derby, Anything that Floats, Log Rolling/Grease Pole, Bed Races - Dress up in old clothes.

Individual Comments

There should be a trail from Auke Bay School to the UAS student housing so kids won't have to bike along the highway.

Reserve the trail corridor from Auke Bay School to Spaulding Trail. This is good access for kids but also, the school parking lot could be used to provide overflow parking for this small trailhead lot on busy weekends.

Should develop the West Glacier area around Skater's Cabin into cross country ski area with loops and interconnecting trails.

Would like CBJ to establish a park or greenbelt along Duck Creek south of Berner's Avenue on airport property.

Need a major public park at Point Hilda/Hilda Creek. Should exchange land with Goldbelt to acquire the area. It is a prime recreation site.

Outer Point - likes the boardwalk but not the people. Set aside a couple of days for commercial tours not to go there. Alternate commercial tours with other trails. Impressed with the back side of Douglas Island.

Increase the number of parks in North Douglas.

Provide toilet facilities, covered picnic areas, and campgrounds at North Douglas.

Nine Mile - boardwalk is rotting away. It is not used much.

Arrange for trail maintenance at Fish Creek. Put in a neighborhood park, turn outs, picnic area; The traffic increase will send residents to Fish Creek to be more of a neighborhood park.

Bridge across tidal creek at Fish Creek - trail idea link.

Picnic area near Middle Point by small creek.

Bike lanes along North Douglas Highway.

Protect existing park resources better.

Identify other trails to take the pressure off Outer Point.

Parks and Recreation needs to figure out way to enable indoor facilities to happen.

Look into non recourse tax exempt revenue bonds.

Planning Survey

November, 1995

28 Surveys as of December 12, 1995

The Juneau Parks and Recreation Department is in the process of planning for the future. We are surveying users to determine the need for Parks and Recreation programs and facilities. This will be the basis for drafting a Recreation Comprehensive Plan. Once a draft plan is created, we will hold public meetings to review the findings and discuss the future direction of the department.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey based on your organization's experiences .

1. Has your agency, group or membership used the following or any other CBJ facilities in the past year? If so please rate them.

Excellent Good Fair Poor Not Sure Not Used

Savikko Park 2 12

field 4 2 3

park 3 3 2

shelter 5 4 2

comments: Glass and animal feces in sand area and near playground.

Melvin Park 2 16

field 1 1 1

park 1 1

comments: Needs covered spectator benches.

Cope Park 1 1 1 13

field 1 1 5

park 2 2 3 1

shelter 1 2 1

comments: Need wheelchair accessible! Keep soccer goals out longer.

Twin Lakes 1 13

Shelter 5 2 3 1

Play Area 4 2 2 1 1

Bike Path 2 4 1 1

comments: Great facility. Poor drainage on path. The grass field is great, we need more grass fields in Juneau.

Excellent Good Fair Poor Not Sure Not Used

Dimond Park 1 15

field 2 3 3

comments: Poor restrooms. Fix- too many holes in the road.

Dzantik'i Heeni 19

field 1

comments: Rest of accommodations - poor - non existent.

Glacier Valley 18

field 1 1

comments:

Floyd Dryden 1 1 12

field 4 3

park 4 6

track 3 3

comments: Best in town. Best in city.

Mendenhall River 2 15

field 1 2

play area 1 2

comments: Poor restroom facilities. Need covered spectator area.

Auke Bay 2 17

field 1

comments:

Marine Park 5 5 2 1 10

comments: Too many drunks and punks. Good place to relax downtown.

Perhaps monitor more carefully "entertainment" use of the sheltered area (I'm not including Friday evening concerts) as it becomes a "hangout" at times.

Other Please List and Comment:

The swimming pool is a Godsend!

2. Has your organization requested funding from the youth scholarship fund in the past 12 months?

3 yes

17 no

9 didn't know about it

please send us information:__________________________________________

agency name and address

3. In what areas do you believe the City should spend most of its effort?

7 Completing existing parks, facilities and trails

6 Acquiring more land for parks, facilities, trails and open spaces

14 Upgrading existing parks, facilities, and trails

4 Developing new parks, facilities, and trails

16 The maintenance of existing parks, facilities and trails

2 Developing new programs. If so what:

In the valley more "indoor facilities", "recreation" such as: ice skating, rollerskating, improved bowling, putt golf, game centers.

4. How would you rate the services of the Juneau Parks and Recreation Department overall?

7 Excellent

15 Good

2 Fair

0 Poor

3 Don't know/ not sure

5. How important is recreation and the services Parks and Recreation provides to your organization?

11 very important

8 somewhat important

3 somewhat unimportant

1 very unimportant

3 don't know/not sure

6. If the Parks and Recreation Department could do three things to improve services or facilities, what would you suggest?

Youth Involvement- Suggest ways to do so

Work more with non-profit youth organizations

More trail maintenance

Make information more accessible to the public

Better maintenance of bike trails (low spots where water collects, root ridges)

Use of interns from SAGA

Fix bike paths all over valley

More garbage cans

Let trees grow, not cutting off bottoms of them-limbing them

Better maintenance

Waive fees for non-profit agency for use of pavilion- we got city $ in our grant and seems wasteful to spend city money for use of pavilion.

Keep up the generally good work.

Publish something similar to JCVB's Walking Tour Map for the Parks and Rec opportunities w/in the downtown walking distance.

Publish hearings (even more) to determine the cumulative impacts of tourists on public facilities.

Signage on bike paths and parks reminding people to leash their dogs and scoop.

Cover spectator areas- provide benches where none.

Lower fees

Improve restroom facilities

Resurface Dimond park and parking lot

Focus and maintain existing before developing new

Get the drunks and punks out of the parks (especially Marine Parks) They do not have the right to hang out!

Ban dogs from parks because owners are irresponsible. My kids shouldn't have to play in animal feces.

Provide wheelchair accessible toilets closer to shelters.

Wheelchair Access to all parks - cooking areas

Improve and Increase shelters - more protection from weather

Improvements to Mt Jumbo Gym - more equipment

Increase number of scholarships for needy youths.

Better publicize opportunities for adults (how do people learn about soccer, volleyball etc)

Offer more activities for people over 60

Do outreach to the youngsters wandering the streets

Continue and expand landscaping and bedding areas

Extend bike trails out towards Auke Rec, Tee Harbor

Lights at Savikko Park

Hockey Rink

Park Facilities at False Outer Point

Actively work with at risk kids to get them involved in Parks and Recreation programs. A rec center or indoor ice skating facility is not the answer for these kids woes. Work with low income kids and those kids who have no parental support at home.

More benches in Cope Park and all parks

More picnic tables at Auke Rec and Eagle

Keep your outstanding staff

7. How would you rate the following programs and facilities offered by Juneau Parks and Recreation ------- Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, or Have not Used?

Excellent Good Fair Poor Not Sure Not Used

Augustus Brown Pool 8 9 2 4

Zach Gordon Youth Ctr 2 7 5 1 2 5

Youth Sports Program 3 8 1 3 6

Adult Sports Program 2 7 1 3 8

Juneau Douglas City Museum 5 7 3 3 5

Mt Jumbo Gym 1 5 4 1 3 6

Maintenance of Sportsfields 1 11 4 1 2 3

Hiking Trail Maintenance 1 13 3 1 5

CBJ Landscaping 10 7 2 3 1

Comments (please list facility):

It is so disappointing that the Juneau Douglas City Museum has such limited hours in the off season.

Zach Gordon needs to be cleaned up - new furniture, games etc. Enforce rules- no smoking for teens, no kissing and petting on each other, I would like to take younger kids but feel it to be a negative influence to younger children the way the teens are allowed to behave! Youth Activities

Please do PR coordinations with Senior Center with pool and adult sports

Zach Gordon Youth Center needs a PR campaign to rebuild it's image. It does a necessary job and it's outreach program is excellent, but it's story really never gets told.

Do you have any other comments or suggestions for us?

There should be more gymnasiums open to the public especially in the evenings.

The above responses are for the activities of the Stroller White Pipe and Drums as a whole. Our individual members use the above facilities as private citizens and would respond differently.

Consider a different title for your excellent biking/running /skiing calendar such as "Special Events" suggests a wider range of activities.

Our summer visitors (who walk to our facility especially) always comment on the terrific hanging baskets and banners hung out for them. Keep up the good work.

Generally - a great job.

Call Marianne and she can put articles in the senior newsletter.

As the contractor for Juneau's new Alternative School, I'd like to see more coordination between Parks and Recreation and us for youth work experience/community services.

Keep up the good work, You are a tremendous asset to our community and we need more $ in Parks and Recreation and more prevention programs than sports but you can't do it without more money.

Thank you very much for your assistance with this important project.

Please mail the survey back to the Juneau Parks and Recreation Department, 155 South Seward, Juneau, Alaska 99801. Or you can deliver it to any Parks and Recreation facility.