What do we mean by improving parks and other community facilities? ___A community facility is a physical feature provided – either by the municipality as a public service, or by a private entity – in the community for the benefit of community members ___Improving community facilities comes down to determining what the community needs and wants, and working to provide those facilities that will enhance the quality of life – socially, intellectually, culturally, economically, politically, and psychologically – for everyone ___Examples of community facilities include: Parks Libraries Theaters, both stage and cinema Museums Auditoriums and concert venues Hospitals and other health providers, both public and private Educational facilities (schools, colleges, etc.) Churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious entities Local, state, and federal government offices meant to serve the public Public and other sports and recreation facilities Recycling facilities Community gardens Community art centers Child care facilities Playgrounds Transportation Why improve parks and other community facilities? ___Good facilities contribute to the general quality of life in the community ___Good facilities provide exposure to and opportunities for a wide variety of intellectual, cultural, and physical activities ___Good facilities can instill a sense of ownership and community pride in residents ___Good facilities can provide services that help everyone ___Good facilities can help prevent crime and other dangerous behavior ___Good facilities can increase the level of fairness and equity in a community ___Good facilities can help to attract new residents ___Good facilities can improve the economic climate and prospects of the community, by attracting business and tourism ___Good facilities can make the community more attractive physically ___Good facilities can provide gathering places that improve the social character of community life When should you try to improve parks and other community facilities? ___When there is a community need and facilities are simply lacking ___When facilities are in bad shape or inadequate ___When there’s a community development initiative under way ___When there’s money available – from grants or private sources – that can be used for it ___When the community, or at least a group of residents, is ready to take on the task ___When there’s a possibility of acquiring a piece of land or a building for community use ___When a major development is in the planning or early execution stage ___When there’s a possibility of historic preservation Improving parks and other community facilities should be a participatory process, involving as many stakeholder groups as possible: ___Potential users of the facility ___Community leaders ___Public officials ___Architects, designers, engineers, developers, and planners ___Community based organizations ___Community foundations ___Community activists How do you improve parks and other community facilities? ___Assess community assets and needs ___Assemble a participatory planning team representing the interests of all stakeholders ___Design the best facility possible, according to the results of your assessment and planning, the available resources, and the guidelines for creating a good community facility ___Guidelines for good community facilities: Facilities should meet the needs of the community Facilities should involve the community in all aspects of their planning and development Facilities should take advantage of the assets and culture of the community Facilities should be designed to be as beautiful, exciting, and functional as they can be, rather than merely adequate, regardless of the resources available Facilities should be accessible and welcoming Facilities should be healthy and safe Facilities should be clean and well maintained Facilities should be marketed to potential users Facilities should be as flexible as possible Facilities should be sustainable over time Facilities should be well managed Facilities should seek to benefit the community in as many ways as possible Facilities should have a mechanism for regular monitoring and evaluation, and a mechanism to act on their results ___Assess and work to obtain potential resources ___Do what you can with the resources you have ___Collaborate with other organizations, local government, etc. ___Enlist help from the media ___Advocate with policymakers, legislators, and the public ___Keep at it indefinitely
