FITNESS AND FUN IN THE 4MRV OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES ARLINGTON SPORTS COMMISSION
FITNESS AND FUN IN THE 4MRV ▪ Arlington is an active community with diverse recreational interests. ▪ Meeting the recreational needs of a growing and changing community requires thoughtful and creative use of new and existing spaces. ▪ The 4MRV is a vital part of the recreational landscape, now and in the future. 2
MANY RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Arlington provides a impressive range of recreational facilities and services, including parks, fitness centers, swimming pools, sports fields, bike trails, camps and classes. 89 miles of bike trails. 44 outdoor basketball courts. 7 fitness rooms/15 centers. community centers 43 rectangular, 35 diamond and 19 85 tennis courts and 5 half tennis 3 indoor high school pools, 1 outdoor combo fields. courts. regional pool. 3
GROWING POPULATION AND SHIFTING DEMOGRAPHICS * ▪ Overall population has increased to 85 and Under 5 over 6% 220,000 in 2016 and is projected to 1% 65-84 reach 283,000 by 2040. 8% 5-19 12% * ▪ Slightly more than half the population 45-64 20-24 (52%) is under 35 years old. 22% 7% ▪ Three age groups have increased since 2000. 25-34 35-44 ▪ Under 5 (from 5.5 to 6.2%) 27% 17% * ▪ 25-34 (from 25.2 to 27.1%) ▪ 45-64 (from 21.3 to 22.1%) Arlington Population by Age, Jan. 2016 * Age groups with proportional growth since 2000. Source: Profile 2016, Department of Community, Planning, Housing and Development/Planning Division 4
PUBLIC SPACES PLANNING PROCESS (POPS) Survey respondents indicated a need for a wide range of sports and recreation related facilities. Top sports and recreational facilities needs (ranked by % of respondents) Q. Do you or a member of your household have a need for….? Paved, multi-use trails 87% Playgrounds 41% Hiking trails 74% Gymnasiums 38% Swimming pool 63% Tennis courts 36% Exercise/fitness equipment 59% Rectangular fields 35% Note: Facilities that do not have a direct and clear connection to sports are not included in the above. These include natural areas & wildlife habitat (76%), park shelters and picnic areas (50%), nature centers (48%), community centers (46%), and parks and plazas along metro and Columbia Pike corridors (47%). 5
PUBLIC SPACES PLANNING PROCESS (POPS) People aged 25-34 were the single largest age-based demographic in planning areas near the 4MRV (26% based on 2010 Census data for Columbia Pike and Nauck). The next two largest groups were people aged 35-44 and 45-54 (27-30% combined). Sports and recreation needs for respondents ages 35-54 were consistently higher than the average for all POPS survey respondents. Age-based needs for selected program and activities where need was HIGHER than survey average Q. Do you or a member of your household have a need for….? Outdoor facilities Indoor facilities Tennis courts Indoor space Water spray Playgrounds Rectangular Basketball Volleyball Diamond grounds courts courts Gyms fields fields Pool Survey average 35% 20% 26% 41% 36% 28% 11% 63% 38% 25% Ages 35U 40% -- 31% -- 40% 31% 17% 65% 43% 30% Ages 35-44 58% 34% 57% 71% 44% 36% -- 81% 51% 45% “- -” means % mirrored or was lower than survey Ages 45-54 52% 28% -- -- 44% 42% 18% 72% 49% 40% average 6
PUBLIC SPACES PLANNING PROCESS (POPS) Sports and recreation also figure prominently in these respondents’ needs for programs and activities. Age-based needs for selected program and activities where need was HIGHER than survey average Q. Do you or a member of your household have a need for….? Sports drop-in play Gymnastics teams (un-programmed) Aquatics teams Sports leagues Special events Survey average 33% 7% 11% 24% 57% Ages 35U 44% -- 14% 31% 70% Ages 35-44 55% 18% 20% 39% 65% “- -” means % mirrored or was lower than survey Ages 45-54 44% -- 15% 30% -- average 7
INADEQUATE CAPACITY AND HEAVY USAGE ▪ Demand for recreational services and facilities consistently exceeds supply. ▪ Survey and other information shows that ▪ current capacity is not enough to meet growing demand; ▪ facilities suffer from overuse; ▪ maintenance resources are stretched thin; ▪ facilities cannot be taken off-line without causing significant disruptions; and ▪ the system cannot easily accommodate new interests. 8
MORE ON CAPACITY ISSUES ▪ Youth sports registrations have expanded (45% increase between 2010-2015 in all types of DPR and league-run sports). ▪ Classes are oversubscribed, children are turned away from some programs (an average of 789 children are waitlisted per session for gymnastics and aquatics classes). ▪ Arlington has fewer gyms, practice fields, skate parks, and park-based restrooms than comparable locations nationwide. ▪ Lighting more fields would expand capacity by adding nighttime hours, but neighborhoods have pushed back against lights. ▪ Squeezing more teams and participants into existing spaces means shorter practice and game times, less time to learn the sport. ▪ Grass and synthetic turf fields are used 2-3 times more intensively than recommended and don’t last as long as they should. ▪ Limited maintenance means some facilities are in below average condition. ▪ Closing fields for maintenance or renovation further strains capacity. 9
PUBLIC SPACES PLANNING PROCESS (POPS) In addition to identifying citizens’ interest in parks, trails, and other amenities, the POPS survey also identified a range of unmet or partly met needs. Top Unmet or Partly Met Needs (ranked by % of respondents) Outdoor Indoor Programs & Activities Volleyball courts Indoor sports Special programs and inclusion support for people w/disabilities Other courts (not defined) Indoor facilities (metro Sport drop-in (unprogrammed) corridors & Columbia Pike) play Rentable space Exercise & fitness equipment Aquatic & gymnastics teams Community gardens Swimming pools Early childhood programs Bike park Gyms Wifi access Skate park Community & nature centers Gardening 10
OPTIONS FOR ADDRESSING CAPACITY ▪ Multi-use fields ▪ Indoor sports facilities ▪ Vertical capacity ▪ Public/private partnerships 11
MULTI-USE FIELDS 12
INDOOR SPORTS FACILITIES 13
INDOOR SPORTS FACILITIES PROVIDE CAPACITY FOR: ▪ Turf fields for indoor soccer, ▪ Indoor tennis ▪ County offices field hockey, lacrosse, ▪ Public meeting space ▪ Pickleball football, baseball, softball ▪ Classroom space ▪ Handball, racquet ball ▪ Exercise equipment ▪ Climbing walls ▪ Camps and child care ▪ Health and fitness classes for all ages ▪ Wifi access ▪ Activities for the disabled ▪ Basketball courts ▪ Yoga ▪ Special events ▪ Volleyball courts ▪ Rentable space ▪ Fencing ▪ Gymnastics ▪ Food and beverage ▪ Parkour ▪ Batting cages service ▪ Tournaments 14
VERTICAL CAPACITY 15
PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS Public/private partnerships, such as joint investment and ownership, sponsorship or naming rights, can bring better facilities to communities at a lower cost to taxpayers. Lynch Family Skate Park in Boston – $5 million 40,000 sq. GWU baseball field (Barcroft #6) – University invested ft. facility for skateboarders, BMX riders, inline skaters $3 million to improve the field, add press box, install and spectators. Partly funded by the Lynch Foundation, turf field, and other amenities. Arlington leagues and Vans, and the Tony Hawk Foundation. high schools use the field 75% of the time. The county and GWU share maintenance costs 75/25. 16
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