PRSR INFORMATION 01-02-1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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who visited that park during the past twelve months. Lions Park 411 ranked second at a usage rate of sixty-six percent. Facilities. located at the schools drew visitors from fifty-one percent of the households in Elk River. Handke Outdoor Ice Arena and the softball complex attracted members of about forty percent of the households in the city during the past year. Woodland Trails Park, virtually undeveloped, was visited by only ten percent of the sample's households. While Orono Park is the pre-eminent facility in the park system, Lions Park and school-based . offerings also serve large segments of the community. Park visitors were queried about the types of recreational facilities they used, most frequently. Most respondents reported passively walking around the park they visited. But, the swimming beach was used on at least an occasional basis, by sixty percent of the households in the city. Softball fields and play equipment served about forty percent of the households. The picnic pavillions, sliding hills, and soccer fields possessed a smaller, but significant audience within Elk River. In comparison with other communities, Elk River residents use the park and recreational facilities in atypically high numbers: The City received kudos for its maintenance and upkeep of the park facilities. Eighty-eight percent approved of the city's efforts, while only eight percent expressed disapproval. As for unmet needs, only trails were mentioned frequently enough, at 4 seven percent, to warrant further study. The residents were asked their opinion of a more extensive trail system to' link the city's neighborhoods. The concept was favored by a large seventy-six percent majority. .However., when the subject of property;, tax increases to pay for its development' was :-raised, half of the support changed opinions: _a forty percent to thirty-eight percent negative verdict occurred. There would be substantial difficulty, consequently, in 'passing a referendum at this time. A nearly similar - pattern emerged on the question of a downtown river walk.'4 'Seventy-three,:percent; favored the concept. But, if property " tax :increases would be required to fund the construction,- a.:forty-four; percent to thirty-seven percent plurality emerged .in favor of ".the" prod ect This project would .be viable at the polls, ,but;.a highly effective and aggressive campaign would be needed to carry._the day. Residents :felt strongly, - °however, ;about the characteristics •should serve both pedestrians bicyclists. Seventy 'P = : i of any trail .,s stem in, v Seventy-six percent felt t - .,,system nty ' percent wanted to see; the -recently_;';purchased abandoned railroad corridor . developed :°into' a -component_of the system And, surpr singly, one-half of the residents, would -grant the, an easement if thee.: Aft trail - system ran_`"by theirproperty.:� Reinforcing _these,;results,` lip trails were also narrowly ;designated the 'priority for ' development, edging:',smaller neighborhood- parks and outdistancing larger community playfields concept, then,; is highly 3