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popular; financing is the major sticking point. <br /> Participation in recreation programs was also at a <br /> relatively high level. Thirty-two percent of the households <br /> reported children participating in a youth program _ during the <br /> past year. The most popular program was soccer, a result unique <br /> to this community. Satisfaction with youth programs was <br /> virtually unanimous. By ten-to-one, residents also felt that <br /> current offerings met the needs of their households. Youth <br /> programs, then, are both well utilized and well regarded. <br /> A similar pattern emerged' in the evaluation of adult <br /> recreational . programs. Twenty percent of,the sample .`reported <br /> participation during the past twelve months. Softball was, the <br /> most popular ;program. '. Dissatisfaction with any offering <br /> was <br /> almost non-existent. And, seventy-six percent of the residents <br /> felt that the programs met their needs. This is- one of ' the <br /> strongest evaluations the researchers have found to date. It <br /> should be no surprise that a two-to-one majority, sixty-one <br /> percent to thirty percent, favor a joint agreement with the <br /> School District for providing, programs rather than the City <br /> offering programs on its own. <br /> Consistent with the high regard of local recreational <br /> programs, only eleven percent of the sample reported household ` <br /> members travelled elsewhere •to recreate. This "leakage" is <br /> gik between one-half and one-third the norm. Anoka County sports <br /> programs seemed to be the out-of-town draw. But, even so, almost <br /> eighty percent of the users of out-of-Elk River programs . would <br /> transfer to city-sponsored offerings if they were comparable. <br /> These results, however, should not be construed as . indicating <br /> that residents used Elk River facilities -exclusively: sixty-one <br /> percent of the sample reported visiting other county parks 'during <br /> the past year.. And, a fifty-one percent to thirty-two percent <br /> majority feel that Sherburne County should develop a regional <br /> park system to augment other_ nearby 'facilities. While.-venturing <br /> to facilities at other locations, then, residents clearly prefer <br /> their local facilities to other offerings. <br /> A series • of :facilities:which could be, added to the park <br /> system was listed-;=to' gauge' residential .interest. A-nature trial <br /> with explanatory sign posts,'engendered the most interest, with <br /> seventy-four percent indicating members of, their households,would, <br /> be "very likely"' or ."somewhat ;likely"->to use ..it - An :_ outdoor <br /> swimming pool-drew an interested level of sixty-five percents' A, <br /> nature • area with ;an' educational interpretive center ranked .next; <br /> with, sixty-six percent of the households : expressing , interest. <br /> And, play equipment was.the ..fourth most popular. . facility at <br /> forty-four-:percent likelihood to= be_,used`= -.These preferences are <br /> clearly consistent -with the household ,,y recreational-_ ,patterns <br /> discussed earlier _� <br /> Attitudes toward the value of a park and recreational system <br /> are - very strongly held. Seventy-four 'percent.of the <br /> go citizenry <br /> felt that .a od city spark. and recreational system would ,increase <br /> 4 <br />