Parks Master Plan: An Element of the Durango Comprehensive Plan: Durango, Colorado

• Description: Durango RICD
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 10/16/2001
• Author: Department of Planning and Community Development, Department of Parks and Recreations, Winston Associates, Ciavonne & Asscoiates
• Title: Parks Master Plan: An Element of the Durango Comprehensive Plan: Durango, Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

2.4.5 Meeting Current and Future Needs
In calculating current and future needs, the City- controlled facilities are used as the
baseline to reflect only those facilities for which the City is responsible.
Table 5 (below) illustrates the existing level -of- service for the key recreation
facilities and extrapolates the facilities that such a level -of- service will require.
Table 6 shows the recommended level -of- service that was derived by taking into
account the existing LOS, the current needs identified by staff, community input, a
practical consideration of the fiscal demands this will place on the City, and a
realistic assessment of the lead -time required to meet the needs.
Table 5 Facility Needs Based on Existing LOS
Table 6 Facility Needs Based on Recommended LOS
Existing
2000
Facilities Needed
2010
2020
Facilities
LOS
New
Total
New
Total
New
Total
Playgrounds
18
1.2
0
18
4
22
3
25
Tennis Courts
10
.7
0
10
3
13
2
15
Basketball Courts
2.5
.2
0
2.5
1
3.5
.5
4
Softball/BB Fields
3
.2
0
3
1
4
0
4
Soccer Fields
5
.3
0
5
0
5
1
6
Table 6 Facility Needs Based on Recommended LOS
For example, for turf field sports, the LOS has been set lower than the level
identified by the staff to achieve the near -term needs. However, the recommended
LOS will still bring about a significant increase in facilities, but over a longer
period of time (2010).
Formalizing use agreements with the school district will be a cost - effective means
to meet a portion of the City's short -term needs. Use agreements should, at a
minimum, include scheduled public use, some designated public use even during
school hours, and standards and responsibility for maintenance.
For long -term needs, the major facility needs are soccer, baseball /softball fields
and tennis courts. The City has two basic tennis needs: courts for casual play and
courts for tournament or league play. For casual play, courts at schools or in
neighborhood parks are ideal. For new or existing development, where school
courts are not available to the neighborhood, pairs of tennis courts should be
developed in Neighborhood Parks. For tournament or league play, a minimum of 6
courts is desirable. To permit winter play, two of the courts could be enclosed or
seasonally covered with a bubble. A tennis facility of this kind is usually
associated with a stand -alone facility, or as part of a Community or Regional Park.
With regard to sports fields (baseball /softball and soccer), they are generally not
compatible with neighborhood parks, except where the fields already exist. For
Recommended
2000
Facilities Needed
2010
2020
Facilities
LOS
New
Total
New
Total
New
Total
Playgrounds
18
1.2
0
18
4
22
3
25
Tennis Courts
10
.7
0
10
3
13
2
15
Basketball Courts
2.5
.3
2
4.5
1
5.5
1
6.5
Softball /BB Fields
3
.6
6
9
2
11
2
13
Soccer Fields
5
.6
4
9
2
11
2
13
For example, for turf field sports, the LOS has been set lower than the level
identified by the staff to achieve the near -term needs. However, the recommended
LOS will still bring about a significant increase in facilities, but over a longer
period of time (2010).
Formalizing use agreements with the school district will be a cost - effective means
to meet a portion of the City's short -term needs. Use agreements should, at a
minimum, include scheduled public use, some designated public use even during
school hours, and standards and responsibility for maintenance.
For long -term needs, the major facility needs are soccer, baseball /softball fields
and tennis courts. The City has two basic tennis needs: courts for casual play and
courts for tournament or league play. For casual play, courts at schools or in
neighborhood parks are ideal. For new or existing development, where school
courts are not available to the neighborhood, pairs of tennis courts should be
developed in Neighborhood Parks. For tournament or league play, a minimum of 6
courts is desirable. To permit winter play, two of the courts could be enclosed or
seasonally covered with a bubble. A tennis facility of this kind is usually
associated with a stand -alone facility, or as part of a Community or Regional Park.
With regard to sports fields (baseball /softball and soccer), they are generally not
compatible with neighborhood parks, except where the fields already exist. For