December 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 20

Member to Member
Thinking Strategically About Your
Agency's Recreation Programming
Completing a comprehensive programming performance evaluation
By Michael Mulvaney

W

hat do residents think about your recreation programs and services?
How does your sports programming compare to your day camps?
How do you know if, or when, a program has peaked in popularity,
when it needs to be revitalized or when is it time to consider retiring
a program? The answers to these questions are important to agencies as they evaluate current practices and provide direction for the future provision of programs and
resources to best meet the interests of their constituencies. In response to this need,
following are some steps, associated with a comprehensive programming performance
evaluation study, conducted for Illinois's Decatur Park District, to illustrate the strategic role of programming in an agency's operations.

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Parks & Recreation

| D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

Thinking Strategically
Despite its importance, the programming
arm of a park and recreation agency is
often underrepresented within an agency's strategic plan. The strategic plan
commonly has a heavier focus on actionable strategies to install, build, replace,
purchase, acquire and develop facilities
and/or parks. These capital development projects require careful planning,
but what can often be an afterthought in
the strategic visioning process is the programming arm as a driver of an agency's
operations. Many agencies tend to focus
on the physical spaces rather than the activities that will take place within them.
So, how can agencies ensure their programming operations have a " voice "
in strategic planning discussions? In a
chapter, titled " Program and Services
Management, " authored by Edginton
and O'Neill in Management of Park and
Recreation Agencies, a recommended approach is the development of a multiyear
programming plan. This plan should
include objectives and statistics for each
program and a framework for determining the most feasible (cost recovery) level
and mix of programs that reflect the mission of the agency.
At the core of the programming plan
is data. From scheduling and design to
marketing budgets and revenue figures,
data is needed to determine strengths,
weaknesses and possible deficits in an
agency's programming. A common
challenge facing agencies is the consistent implementation of programming



December 2017 - Parks & Recreation

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