Cover of Brochure

Your Parks Help Define Your Community
Let Your Community Help Define Your Parks
There are two things every Parks and Recreation Department should know...

First, you need to know the preferences of your present and potential customers. Surveys can benchmark and track the perceptions of residents regarding existing programs and their interest in new services.

Second, you need to know the extent to which voters would support tax or fee increases for expansions and additional programs.

With statistically valid surveys you will know the preferences of the community. The findings will help you foresee obstacles, win public support and get your plan approved.

If you are considering a major capital project, a survey should be part of your planning process.

SDG and its partners recently conducted a survey on the perceptions of Indiana residents regarding their local parks.
The survey consisted of a scientific sample of 400 residents with a 5% margin of error. Some of our findings included:
  • Almost half of the respondents indicated that they were willing to support a tax increase for additional parks opportunities.
  • Women were more likely than men to perceive a need for additional sports opportunities for their children.
  • Newer residents were more likely to support tax increases for parks than long time residents.

For more detailed information on the results of this survey, please contact Senior Project Manager Brian O’Neill at boneill@sdg.us or 1-800-939-2449.

Click HERE for a PDF of the brochure.

Click HERE for a PDF of the Power Point presentation with detailed survey results.


Our Survey Partners: A Collaboration of Public Input Specialists

JEM Research Inc., located in Valparaiso, Indiana, is a well established data collection firm serving communities across the United States. With over 50 years of combined experience, our project management staff has successfully managed research projects both qualitative and quantitative. JEM Research Inc. is a quality driven enterprise that provides clients with accurate, reliable and actionable research data.

The Center for Community Opinion offers quality survey research to government agencies. Each survey is preceded by careful background research and attention to detail as survey questions are developed. The results and analysis promote sound decision-making in policy development.