Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 01/09/2020

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80% of home buyers sa s ng trails are a top c rtuni- ty characteristic when ch C�iit: i a new home. 5 3 ofrr of ho ouldrpe small yard close to a Large Ord but no 52°/c deciding home sav they ome with a o a home with y parks_ me h avers say nearby trails are an important r when choosing a new f homeownerssayAcs their t ne ghborhood ham too few and playgrounds. Ny- event, up from 42% in 2016. • Major City -sponsored events prior to 2017 include Safety Camp, The Draw Summer Event Series, Happy Days, pet clinics, recycling events, Nite to Unite, and the spring business expo. Only 17% have volunteered in the community, lower than comparable communities 87% of residents visited a City park Overall, ratings in Ramsey for 2018 generally remained stable. Of the 94 items for which comparisons were available, 78 items were rated similarly in 2016 and 2018 and 16 showed an increase in ratings; no items showed a decrease in ratings. Some notable trends for recreation include: Survey respondents were more likely in 2018 to favorably rate aspects of government performance such as welcoming citizen involvement and overall confidence in City government. In the pillar of Community Characteristics, Ramsey residents were more likely in 2018 than in 2016 to give positive ratings to the city as a place to retire as well as to employment, fitness and cultural/arts/music activities. [Great to see positive trends, areas that were lower than the benchmark seem to be due to lack of opportunity, especially with the high number who visit parks. programming at parks could be a great option] Statewide trends in Recreation In 2017, the Minnesota DNR updated a statewide outdoor recreation household survey that had previously been conducted in 2004. Key findings from the survey included positive news that outdoor activities are an increasingly important part of most Minnesotan's lives. In 2004, data suggested that outdoor recreation participation was declining, causing concern for public agencies charged with providing outdoor recreation. Fortunately, the 2017 survey results indicate that from 2004 to 2017, the percentage of Minnesotans who reported that outdoor activities are very important increased from 57 to 70 percent. Findings also revealed that "Minnesotans see the outdoors as a place to rest and relax, connect with family and friends, and improve their health." Favorite activities were broken up into seasonal categories, with activities such as "relaxing in the outdoors,""walking or hiking,"