Parks and Rec distributing survey

STAFF WRITER

[email protected]

The city is preparing to ask residents plenty of questions about the future of its parks and recreation facilities.

As part of an update to its master parks plan, the city has prepared a survey to be distributed at various city locations, online and through the mail.

The seven-page survey was approved by the city’s parks, recreation and beautification committee during its meeting Wednesday morning.

The survey is part of the public comment portion of the parks plan update, and leads up to a town hall set for 6 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Clovis Civic Center. The committee will use that input to create eventual recommendations for the Clovis city commission.

The city is working with Consensus Planning of Albuquerque, which the city has partnered with before on its industrial park plan, its consensus plan and the affordable housing plan that was later ousted by voters in a special election.

Consensus would use input from the commission to create a basic outline of future plans for the city’s facilities.

“We would put together some kind of timeline, with the recognition that fiscal realities change,” said Jackie Fishman, a planner with Consensus. “We never want to say by June 15, 2015, this portion will be done.”

Legislative and Community Development Director Claire Burroughes said she planned to put the survey to cityofclovis.org as soon as today, and would work with other local entities to make a link available on their websites. Additionally, hard copies of the survey would be mailed to 1,000 random residents and additional hard copies would be available throughout the city.

“We’ll have them everywhere we can,” Burroughes said. “I’m sure we’ll have hard copies at the chamber, the library. That’s what we did with the housing survey, and we got a good response.”

The surveys include a request to complete them by Jan. 16. Jackie Fishman of Consensus said normal response time is about two weeks, but was extended due to the timing of the holiday season.

That was part of the reason committee member Natalie Hobbs suggested, and got committee support, to hold off on mailing the surveys until Jan. 2.

“I just know what my intake is, and what my countertop looks like,” Hobbs said. “More time is good, but that’s also a chance for it to get buried.”

The seven-page survey is expected to take 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and includes questions on demographics, recreation activities enjoyed, reasons they use or avoid city facilities and what could be developed at existing facilities.

“I get surveys for my car, hotels I stay at,” Commissioner Juan Garza said. “I don’t fill them out, because the job is done or I’ve already paid the money. On a project like this, though, I think people will be more inclined.”

Committee members gave various discussion points for the master plan. Chairman Fidel Madrid noted the need for additional youth football fields, while Commissioner Tom Martin noted park space could be saved with more cooperation between youth soccer organizations. Hobbs said the committee should also look into use of the former pro shop now used by Clovis Youth Soccer Association and the Little Safari rental facility adjacent to Sycamore Street.

In other business at the meeting:

• The committee voted to keep the city’s annual Easter Egg Hunt at Guy Leeder Softball Complex, where it has been held the last two years.

Commissioner Tom Martin said he was approached by Rocky Bernard of St. Bernard Farms about the possibility of hosting the event in the future. Martin said the farm could not host the event in 2015, but Bernard wanted to inquire about future years.

Madrid said an issue would be that the farm is outside of city property, meaning it wouldn’t be appropriate to use city employees and other resources.

“If he does it,” Madrid said, “he’s on his own.”

The hunt is a collaboration of the city and Rooney Moon Broadcasting, and attendance has grown annually to about 1,000 participants. The softball complex has worked well because the individual fields allow for easy separation of age groups.

Martin asked Casey Peacock of Rooney Moon if the facility could handle the event if growth continues. She noted that not all five softball fields are currently used, and age groups could be combined if needed.

“It’s chaotic,” Peacock said, “but we get it done.”

• Dayhoff gave a report on a pair of youth baseball fields recently completed at Potter Park.

While Dayhoff was pleased with the construction of the fields, he noted the need to extend safety fencing along Seventh Street and add pipe fencing as a buffer for vehicles. The larger field would not be ready until 2016 due to seeding issues. The smaller field, used more for T-ball, could be ready for the upcoming spring provided it was only used for games and not practices.

• Burroughes reminded the committee of Christmas Nites at the Zoo, set for 6 p.m.-8 p.m., beginning Tuesday and continuing for four days. The free event features refreshments and games. Also, the Clovis Area Transit Service will offer free bus rides Tuesday and Wednesday to look at various lights displays throughout Clovis.

Those who plan to attend are asked to use the zoo’s former entrance adjacent to Sycamore Street.

• The next meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Jan. 26 at City Hall.