The City of Durango Community Interest and Opinion Survey Executive Summary

The City of Durango Community Interest and Opinion Survey Executive Summary Overview ETC Institute administered a community interest and opinion survey for the City of Durango between January and March of 2018. The survey was administered as part of the City s efforts to establish priorities for the future development of parks, trails, recreation facilities, and programs. The survey results will aid the City of Durango in taking a resident driven approach to making decisions that will enrich the future of our community and positively affect the lives of its residents. A prior survey was administered in 2009. Methodology ETC Institute mailed a survey packet to a random sample of households in the City of Durango. Each survey packet contained a cover letter, a copy of the survey, and a postage paid return envelope. Residents who received the survey were given the option of returning the survey by mail or completing it on line at www.durangoparksurvey.org. Ten days after the surveys were mailed, ETC Institute sent emails and placed phone calls to the households that received the survey to encourage participation. The emails contained a link to the on line version of the survey to make it easy for residents to complete the survey. To prevent people who were not residents of the City of Durango from participating, everyone who completed the survey on line was required to enter their home address prior to submitting the survey. ETC Institute then matched the addresses that were entered on line with the addresses that were originally selected for the random sample. If the address from a survey completed online did not match one of the addresses selected for the sample, the on line survey was not counted. The goal was to obtain completed surveys from at least 400 residents. The goal was exceeded with a total of 496 residents completing the survey. The overall results for the sample of 496 households have a precision of at least +/ 4. at the 95% level of confidence. This report contains the following: Charts showing the overall results of the survey (Section 1) Priority Investment Rating (PIR) that identifies priorities for facilities and programs (Section 2) Benchmarking analysis comparing the City s results to national results (Section 3) Tabular data showing the overall results for all questions on the survey (Section 4) A copy of the survey instrument (Section 5) The major findings of the survey are summarized below and on the following pages. Page i

Overall Use and Ratings When asked to indicate all the City of Durango recreation activities their household has participated in or visited during the past year 93% of respondents indicated that someone in their household has visited the Animas River Trail or walking, hiking and running trails during the past 12 months. Respondents were also asked to indicate if they have used different facilities or programs offered by the City of Durango during the past year. For each of the items the respondent s household has used or participated in they were asked to rate the condition of the item on a scale of 4 to 1, where 4 means excellent and 1 means poor. Trails were the most used item with 92% of respondents indicating someone in their household have used trails within the past 12 months, 8 of households have used parks, 7 of households have used open spaces, 7 of households have used recreation facilities, and 39% of households have used recreation programs. Based on the sum of excellent and good responses 93% of households were satisfied with the condition of the open spaces they have visited, 92% were satisfied with the condition of parks, 91% were satisfied with the condition of trails, 91% were satisfied with the condition of recreation facilities, and 8 were satisfied with recreation programs. Overall, respondents indicated they were very satisfied with the overall condition of all five areas that were assessed. Preserving Open Space Areas Respondents were informed that some land and greenways around the City of Durango could be preserved as open space areas. They were then asked to indicate their level of agreement with eight different areas being preserved for open space. Based on the sum of strongly agree and agree responses the four areas of land respondents most agree should be preserved as open space areas include: Animas River greenway north of town (8), Ridgeline property within and around Durango (87%), Horse Gulch/Durango Mesa Park (Ewing Mesa) (81%), and Animas River greenway south of town (81%). Based on the sum of respondents top four choices the same four areas (Animas River greenway north of town (6), Ridgeline property within and around Durango (53%), Horse Gulch/Durango Mesa Park (Ewing Mesa) (4), and Animas River greenway south of town (41%)) were identified as the most important areas for the City of Durango to preserve as open space. Support for Improvements Respondents were given a list of 26 potential actions the City of Durango could take to improve the parks, open space, trails, and recreation system. Based on the sum of very supportive and somewhat supportive responses the following items received the most support from respondents: maintaining/repairing older park facilities (92%), purchasing land for parks and recreation facilities and trails (77%), and extending the Animas River Trail (77%). Respondents were least supportive of developing an indoor turf facility and developing outdoor pickleball courts. Based on the sum of respondents top four choices they are most willing to fund maintaining and repairing older park facilities (45%) and extending the Animas River Trail (36%) with their City tax dollars. Page ii

Open Space Needs and Priorities Open Space Needs: Respondents were asked to identify if their household had a need for 16 open space areas/opportunities and rate how well their needs for each were currently being met. Based on this analysis, ETC Institute was able to estimate the number of households in the community that had the greatest unmet need for various open space areas/opportunities. The three open space areas/opportunities with the highest percentage of households that indicated a need for the area were: trails for walking, hiking, and running (90%), river and stream corridors (7), and wildlife habitats with trails (73%). When ETC Institute analyzed the needs in the community, only one area/opportunity, trails for walking, hiking, and running, had a need that affected more than 6,000 households. ETC Institute estimates a total of 2,612 of the 7,672 households in the City of Durango have unmet needs for community buffers from development. The estimated number of households that have unmet needs for each of the 16 open space areas/opportunities that were assessed is shown below. Page iii

Open Space Importance: In addition to assessing the needs for each area/opportunity, ETC Institute also assessed the importance that residents placed on each area/opportunity. Based on the sum of respondents top four choices, the most important areas/opportunities to residents were: trails for walking, hiking and running (77%), river and stream corridors (4), and trails for biking (4). The percentage of residents who selected each area/opportunity as one of their top four choices is shown below. Page iv

Priorities for Open Space Investments: The Priority Investment Rating (PIR) was developed by ETC Institute to provide organizations with an objective tool for evaluating the priority that should be placed on parks and recreation investments. The Priority Investment Rating (PIR) equally weights (1) the importance that residents place on open space areas and (2) how many residents have unmet needs for the open space area. [ Details regarding the methodology for this analysis are provided in Section 2 of this report.] Based the Priority Investment Rating (PIR), the following four open space areas/opportunities were rated as high priorities for investment: Trails for walking, hiking, and running (PIR=132) Community buffers from development (PIR=131) Wildlife habitats with trails (PIR=110) River and stream corridors (PIR=105) The chart below shows the Priority Investment Rating for each of the open space areas/opportunities that were assessed on the survey. Page v

Facility Needs and Priorities Facility Needs: Respondents were also asked to identify if their household had a need for 32 recreation facilities and amenities and rate how well their needs for each were currently being met. Based on this analysis, ETC Institute was able to estimate the number of households in the community that had the greatest unmet need for various facilities. The three recreation facilities with the highest percentage of households that indicated a need for the facility were: bike and pedestrian hard surface trails (86%), hiking and running natural surface trails (82%), and neighborhood parks (7). When ETC Institute analyzed the needs in the community, only two facilities, bike and pedestrian hard surface trails and hiking and running natural surface trails, had a need that affected more than 6,000 households. ETC Institute estimates a total of 3,516 of the 7,672 households in the City of Durango have unmet needs for lake recreation, this item had the largest number of estimated households whose need is currently unmet for the facility. The estimated number of households that have unmet needs for each of the 32 facilities that were assessed is shown below. Page vi

Facility Importance: In addition to assessing the needs for each facility, ETC Institute also assessed the importance that residents placed on each facility. Based on the sum of respondents top four choices, the most important facilities to residents were: hiking and running natural surface trails (50%) and bike and pedestrian hard surface trails (3). The percentage of residents who selected each facility as one of their top four choices is shown in the chart below. Page vii

Priorities for Facility Investments: Based the priority investment rating (PIR), which was described briefly on page v of this Executive Summary and is described in more detail in Section 2 of this report, the following three facilities were rated as high priorities for investment: Based the Priority Investment Rating (PIR), the following three facilities were rated as high priorities for investment: Lake recreation (PIR=143) Hiking and running natural surface trails (PIR=134) Bike and pedestrian hard surface trails (PIR=120) The chart below shows the Priority Investment Rating for each of the facilities/amenities that were assessed on the survey. Page viii

Programming Needs and Priorities Programming Needs. Respondents were also asked to identify if their household had a need for.2 recreational programs and rate how well their needs for each program were currently being met. Based on this analysis, ETC Institute was able to estimate the number of households in the community that had unmet needs for each program. The three programs with the highest percentage of households that had needs were: adult fitness and wellness programs (57%), special events/festivals (53%), and camping and backpacking (4). In addition to having the some of the highest total need, two programs also have some of the highest unmet need among the 32 programming related areas that were assessed. ETC Institute estimates a total of 1,812 households have unmet needs for life skill classes, 1,773 households have unmet needs for adult fitness and wellness programs, and 1,692 households have unmet needs for special events/festivals. The estimated number of households that have unmet needs for each of the 32 programs that were assessed is shown in the chart below. Page ix

Program Importance. In addition to assessing the needs for each program, ETC Institute also assessed the importance that residents place on each program. Based on the sum of respondents top four choices, the three most important programs to residents were: adult fitness and wellness programs (29%), special events/festivals (27%), and camping and backpacking (). The percentage of residents who selected each program as one of their top four choices is shown below. Page x

Priorities for Programming Investments. Based the priority investment rating (PIR), which was described briefly on page v of this Executive Summary and is described in more detail in Section 2 of this report, the following eight programs were rated as high priorities for investment: Adult fitness and wellness programs (PIR=198) Special events/festivals (PIR=188) Camping and backpacking (PIR=161) Life skill classes (PIR=143) Nature and wildlife interpretive programs (PIR=131) 60 Years plus programs (PIR=130) Adult art, dance, performing arts (PIR=126) Adult sports programs (PIR=104) The chart below shows the Priority Investment Rating (PIR) for each of the programs that were rated. Page xi

Additional Findings Connectivity: Respondents were asked to indicate how supportive they would be of improvements involving the connection of the hard surface trail system throughout the City. Based on the sum of very supportive and somewhat supportive responses, respondents are most supportive of the City of Durango improving the trail connections to Three Springs (8) and extending the Animas River Trail north of Oxbow (79%). Allocating Funds: Respondents were asked to indicate how they would allocate an additional $100 if it were available for the ongoing management and development of Durango s open spaces. Maintenance ($31.19), trail expansion ($21.32), habitat protection ($18.45), and land acquisition ($17.94) received the highest levels of funding based on the average allowance for each item. Education ($8.34) and other ($2.76) received the lowest levels of funding. Trail Priorities: Based on the sum of their top two choices respondents are most supportive of increased connectivity throughout the City (5) and increasing the safety on trail in Durango (3). Communication and Outreach: Sixty six percent (66%) of respondents indicated they learn about City of Durango Parks and Recreation Department programs and activities from friends and neighbors, 55% from newspaper articles, 49% from the City of Durango Activities Guide, and 47% from the Parks and Recreation website. Additional Indoor Recreation Space: Forty four percent (4) of respondents indicated they see a need for additional indoor recreation space in the City of Durango. Fifty four percent (5) of those respondents indicated they would most support the City expanding the existing recreation center to provide additional indoor recreation space while 4 would most support a new additional facility. o Respondents who indicated they see a need for additional indoor recreation space were asked to indicate which amenities they would like to see added to additional indoor recreation space, whether it be by expanding the existing facility or building a new facility. Forty five percent (45%) of respondents indicated they would most like to see a fitness/aerobics studio or rooms for recreation classes and other activities added. Most Important Potential Amenities: Respondents were asked to indicate which three potential amenities would be most important to their household if the City of Durango were to explore the potential for developing additional parks and recreation amenities. Based on the sum of respondents top three choices the two amenities that respondents indicated were most important to their household include: Lake Nighthorse recreation (56%) and additional multi use trails (5). Page xii

Conclusions of the community, ETC Institute recommends that the City of Durango sustain and/or improve the performance in areas that were identified as high priorities by the Priority Investment Rating (PIR). The open space areas, facilities, and programs with the highest PIR ratings are listed below. Open Space Priorities o Trails for walking, hiking, and running (PIR=132) o Community buffers from development (PIR=131) o Wildlife habitats with trails (PIR=110) o River and stream corridors (PIR=105) Facility Priorities o Lake recreation (PIR=143) o Hiking and running natural surface trails (PIR=134) o Bike and pedestrian hard surface trails (PIR=120) Programming Priorities o Adult fitness and wellness programs (PIR=198) o Special events/festivals (PIR=188) o Camping and backpacking (PIR=161) o Life skill classes (PIR=143) o Nature and wildlife interpretive programs (PIR=131) o 60 Years plus programs (PIR=130) o Adult art, dance, performing arts (PIR=126) o Adult sports programs (PIR=104) Page xiii

Section 1 Charts and Graphs Page 1

Q1. City of Durango Recreation Activities That Households Have Participated in or Visited Over the Past 12 Months Animas River Trail Walking, hiking, & running trails City parks Natural surface trails Hard surface trails Biking trails Community Recreation Center Natural open space areas Boating on the river Playgrounds Picnicking areas Cross-country skiing/snowshoeing Chapman Hill Ice Rink Fishing on the river Golf course Multipurpose/soccer fields Chapman Hill Ski/Sledding Area Tennis courts Baseball & softball fields Bicycle BMX tracks Gymnastics Skate Park Outdoor basketball courts Other None, we do not use by percentage of respondents (multiple choices could be made) 40% 35% 3 31% 21% 21% 1 1 1 1 12% 12% 11% 5% 3% 1% 72% 70% 6 67% 6 83% 93% 93% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Q2. City of Durango Parks, Open Space, Trails, Recreation Facilities, or Recreation Programs That Households Have Visited or Used During the Past Year by percentage of respondents (multiple choices could be made) Trails 92% Parks 8 Open space 7 Recreation facilities 7 Recreation programs 39% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Page 2

Q2a. How Respondents Rate the Condition of the City of Durango Parks, Open Space, Trails, Recreation Facilities, or Recreation Programs They've Used During the Past Year by percentage of households that have used City parks, open space, trails, recreation facilities, or recreation programs Open space 49% 4 6% 1% Parks 36% 56% 7% 1% Trails 47% 4 1% Recreation facilities 46% 45% 0% Recreation programs 4 4 10% 2% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Excellent Good Fair Poor Trails for walking, hiking & running River & stream corridors Wildlife habitats with trails Trails for biking View sheds/scenic vistas Community buffer from development Wildlife habitats without public access Nature trails & interpretive centers Dog exercise areas Picnic facilities Campgrounds Wetlands Accessible trails (wheel chairs, elderly, etc.) Q3. Open Space Opportunities That Households Have a Need or Desire for by percentage of respondents (multiple choices could be made) Agriculture lands Equestrian trails Other 6% 11% 35% 43% 47% 5 53% 53% 51% 61% 59% 73% 69% 7 90% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Page 3

Q3a. Estimated Number of Households in Durango That Have a Need or Desire for Various Open Space Opportunities by number of households based on 7,672 households in the City of Durango Trails for walking, hiking & running River & stream corridors Wildlife habitats with trails Trails for biking View sheds/scenic vistas Community buffer from development Wildlife habitats without public access Nature trails & interpretive centers Dog exercise areas Picnic facilities Campgrounds Wetlands Accessible trails (wheel chairs, elderly, etc.) Agriculture lands Equestrian trails Other 483 836 1,765 2,693 4,128 4,066 4,066 3,943 3,621 3,307 4,642 4,503 5,585 5,309 5,969 6,882 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 Q3a. How Well Open Space Opportunities Meet Households' Needs or Desires 0% by percentage of respondent households that have a need for open space opportunities Trails for walking, hiking and running 46% 42% 9% 2% 1% Trails for biking 49% 36% 12% 3% River and stream corridors 36% 45% 1 0% Picnic facilities 32% 40% 20% 5% 2% Wildlife habitats with trails 30% 39% 20% 9% 2% View sheds/scenic vistas 27% 37% 9% Dog exercise areas Wildlife habitats without public access Nature trails and interpretive centers 26% 24.1 26% 31% 31% 37% 20% 30% 1 10% 3% 3% Wetlands 20% 31% 32% 1 3% Campgrounds 29% 30% 12% Equestrian trails 16% 33% 12% 1 Accessible trails Agriculture Land 2 3 33% 15% 15% 6% 7% Community buffer from development 12% 30% 33% 1 7% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 100% Meets Needs/Desire 75% Meets Needs/Desire 50% Meets Needs/Desire Meets Needs/Desire 0% Meets Needs/Desire Page 4

Q3c. Estimated Number of Households in Durango Whose Need and Desire for Open Space Opportunities Are Only Being 50% Met or Less Community buffer from development Campgrounds Nature trails & interpretive centers Wildlife habitats without public access Dog exercise areas Wildlife habitats with trails View sheds/scenic vistas Wetlands Accessible trails (wheel chairs, elderly, etc.) by number of households based on 7,672 households in the City of Durango River & stream corridors Picnic facilities Agriculture lands Trails for walking, hiking & running Trails for biking Equestrian trails 427 833 807 965 1,105 1,092 1,457 1,781 1,769 1,766 1,732 1,720 1,690 1,624 2,612 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 0% Meets Needs/Desire Meet Needs/Desire 50% Meets Needs/Desire Q4. Open Space Opportunities That Are Most Important to Households by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top four choices Trails for walking, hiking & running 77% River & stream corridors Trails for biking 4 4 Wildlife habitats with trails 3 Dog exercise areas Community buffer from development Wildlife habitats without public access View sheds/scenic vistas Campgrounds 2 20% 17% 16% Picnic facilities Nature trails & interpretive centers Accessible trails Wetlands Agriculture lands Other Equestrian trails None chosen 0% 10% 7% 6% 6% 1% 20% 40% 60% 80% Most Important 2nd Most Important 3rd Most Important 4th Most Important Page 5

Q5. Level of Agreement with Various Areas of Land and Greenways That Could Be Preserved as Open Space Areas by percentage of respondents (excluding "don't know" responses) Animas River greenway north of town 69% 2% 2% Ridgeline property within & around Durango 6 9% 3% 2% Horse Gulch/Durango Mesa Park (Ewing Mesa) 59% 11% 3% Animas River greenway south of town 55% 27% 13% 3% 2% Land northeast of Durango/Floridam Road 35% 29% 27% 6% 3% Land west of Downtown Durango along Highway 160 31% 26% 32% 7% Agriculture lands 3 3 5% 5% Land east of Three Springs & along Highway 160 2 3 10% 5% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Q6. Areas That Are Most Important for the City of Durango to Preserve as Open Space by percentage of respondents who selected it as one of their top three choices Animas River greenway north of town 6 Ridgeline property within & around Durango 53% Horse Gulch/Durango Mesa Park (Ewing Mesa) Animas River greenway south of town 4 41% Agriculture lands Land northeast of Durango/Florida Road Land west of Downtown Durango along Highway 160 Land east of Three Springs & along Highway 160 1 13% 10% Other 3% None chosen 13% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Most Important 2nd Most Important 3rd Most Important Page 6

Q7. Support for Various Actions the City of Durango Could Take to Improve the Hard Surface Trail System by percentage of respondents Trail connection to Three Springs 6 20% 12% Extend Animas River Trail north of Oxbow 65% 1 12% 9% Trail connection to Twin Buttes 52% 1 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Very Supportive Somewhat Supportive Not Sure Not Supportive Q8. Allocation of $100 Among Various Categories of Management and Development of Open Spaces by percentage of respondents Land acquisition $18 Maintenance $31 Other $3 Trail expansion $21 Education $8 Habitat protection $18 Page 7

Q9. Top Priorities for the Development of the Multi-Use Trail System by percentage of respondents (two choices could be made) Increasing connectivity throughout City 5 Increasing safety on trails in Durango 3 Support need for trails to be added in the future Improving access for commuters using trail system 20% Increasing connectivity to neighborhoods 17% Increase connectivity to rec opportunities in City 16% Connect to natural surface trails 13% Increasing connectivity to economic centers 11% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Q10. Ways Respondents Learn About City of Durango Parks and Recreation Department Programs and Activities From friends & neighbors Newspaper articles City of Durango Activities Guide Parks & Recreation Website Radio Social Media Flyers posted in public places Newspaper advertisements Email notification Event website or organizational E-List School flyers/newsletter Conversations with City staff by percentage of respondents (multiple choices could be made) Television Digital signage 9% 7% 5% 16% 32% 30% 49% 47% 55% 66% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Page 8

Q11. Parks and Recreation Facilities That Households Have a Need or Desire for Bike & pedestrian hard surface trails Hiking & running natural surface trails Neighborhood parks Indoor fitness & exercise facilities River recreation (e.g. fishing, boating) Lake recreation (e.g. boating, fishing) Biking natural surface trails Indoor recreation centers with aquatic areas Community gardens Off-leash dog parks Cross country skiing areas Ski & snowboarding areas Picnicking areas & shelters Playgrounds Outdoor amphitheaters Sledding areas Outdoor aquatic centers Soccer/football/multipurpose fields Golf courses Outdoor tennis courts Bicycle park Indoor year-round ice rink Baseball & softball fields Frisbee golf Outdoor basketball courts Skate park Outdoor volleyball BMX track Indoor turf facility Outdoor pickleball Equestrian trails Other by percentage of respondents (multiple choices could be made) 50% 49% 49% 49% 4 47% 4 42% 3 33% 20% 1 1 1 17% 1 13% 7% 5% 66% 66% 62% 62% 59% 86% 82% 7 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Q11a. Estimated Number of Households in Durango That Have a Need or Desire for Various Parks and Recreation Facilities Bike & pedestrian hard surface trails Hiking & running natural surface trails Neighborhood parks Indoor fitness & exercise facilities River recreation (e.g. fishing, boating) Lake recreation (e.g. boating, fishing) Biking natural surface trails Indoor recreation centers with aquatic areas Community gardens Off-leash dog parks Cross country skiing areas Ski & snowboarding areas Picnicking areas & shelters Playgrounds Outdoor amphitheaters Sledding areas Outdoor aquatic centers Soccer/football/multipurpose fields Golf courses Outdoor tennis courts Bicycle park Indoor year-round ice rink Baseball & softball fields Frisbee golf Outdoor basketball courts Skate park Outdoor volleyball BMX track Indoor turf facility Outdoor pickleball Equestrian trails Other by number of households based on 7,672 households in the City of Durango 5,087 5,056 4,764 4,749 4,519 3,821 3,775 3,775 3,729 3,683 3,637 3,391 3,199 2,585 2,493 1,933 1,933 1,918 1,887 1,719 1,519 1,404 1,389 1,389 1,266 1,082 974 560 368 6,560 6,283 5,984 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 Page 9

Q11b. How Well Parks and Recreation Facilities Meet Households Needs or Desires Biking natural surface trails Indoor recreation centers with aquatic areas Hiking and running natural surface trails Neighborhood parks Indoor fitness and exercise facilities Playgrounds Bike and pedestrian hard surface trails Golf courses BMX track River Recreation Baseball and softball fields Soccer/Football/Multipurpose fields Skate park Ski and Snowboarding Areas Outdoor tennis courts Picnicking areas and shelters Off-leash dog parks Equestrian trails Outdoor basketball courts Indoor year-round ice rink Sledding areas Cross country skiing areas Frisbee Golf Community gardens Bicycle Park Lake Recreation Outdoor volleyball Outdoor aquatic centers Outdoor Amphitheaters Indoor turf facility Outdoor Pickleball by percentage of respondent households that have a need for facilities 27% 2 16% 21% 20% 17% 21% 1 13% 13% 15% 12% 9% 11% 3 45% 35% 37% 45% 36% 27% 46% 3 33% 35% 33% 36% 31% 24.1 35% 1 13% 10% 12% 2% 10% 1 26% 31% 21% 1 20% 15% 2 15% 26% 43% 37% 46% 4 35% 43% 49% 29% 37% 3 35% 3 35% 3 31% 3 20% 30% 30% 36% 36% 36% 30% 20% 30% 2 1 15% 21% 20% 20% 21% 26% 27% 12% 13% 15% 16% 13% 15% 1% 5% 2% 1% 3% 1% 2% 5% 2% 1% 1% 7% 3% 1% 7% 2% 7% 1% 9% 6% 7% 6% 3% 17% 3% 16% 1 10% 1 20% 21% 9% 1 6% 16% 12% 1 11% 27% 17% 31% 4 2 55% 56% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 100% Meets Needs/Desire 75% Meets Needs/Desire 50% Meets Needs/Desire Meets Needs/Desire 0% Meets Needs/Desire 1% 2% 3% Q11c. Estimated Number of Households in Durango Whose Need and Desire for Parks and Recreation Facilities Are Only Being 50% Met or Less Lake recreation (e.g. boating, fishing) 3,516 Outdoor amphitheaters 2,686 Community gardens 2,472 Cross country skiing areas 2,280 Outdoor aquatic centers 2,022 Sledding areas 1,929 Off-leash dog parks 1,880 Bike & pedestrian hard surface trails 1,535 River recreation (e.g. fishing, boating) 1,471 Bicycle park 1,329 Picnicking areas & shelters 1,300 Hiking & running natural surface trails 1,194 Ski & snowboarding areas 1,171 Neighborhood parks 1,149 Indoor year-round ice rink 1,104 Outdoor volleyball 1,071 Indoor fitness & exercise facilities 1,012 Frisbee golf 974 Indoor turf facility 942 Outdoor pickleball 939 Biking natural surface trails 860 Indoor recreation centers with aquatic areas 822 Outdoor basketball courts 807 Playgrounds 782 Soccer/football/multipurpose fields 733 Outdoor tennis courts 667 Baseball & softball fields 504 Golf courses 485 Skate park 412 BMX track 325 Equestrian trails 298 Other 307 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 by number of households based on 7,672 households in the City of Durango 0% Meets Needs/Desire Meet Needs/Desire 50% Meets Needs/Desire Page 10

Q12. Parks and Recreation Facilities That Are Most Important to Households by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top four choices Hiking & running natural surface trails 50% Bike & pedestrian hard surface trails Biking natural surface trails River recreation (e.g. fishing, boating) Neighborhood parks 3 Lake recreation (e.g. boating, fishing) Indoor fitness & exercise facilities 21% Off-leash dog parks 20% Indoor recreation centers with aquatic areas Community gardens 17% 12% Playgrounds 10% Cross country skiing areas 10% Soccer/football/multipurpose fields 9% Outdoor amphitheaters Outdoor aquatic centers Golf courses 7% Ski & snowboarding areas 7% Picnicking areas & shelters 6% Indoor year-round ice rink 5% Baseball & softball fields 5% Outdoor tennis courts Outdoor volleyball Indoor turf facility Frisbee golf Outdoor pickleball 3% 3% Bicycle park 3% Outdoor basketball courts 2% Sledding areas 1% Skate park 1% BMX track 1% Equestrian trails 1% Other 3% None chosen 7% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Most Important 2nd Most Important 3rd Most Important 4th Most Important Q13. Recreation Programs That Households Have a Need or Desire for Adult fitness & wellness programs Special events/festivals Camping & backpacking Nature & wildlife interpretive programs Biking events Adult sports programs Kayaking/paddling sports Adult art, dance, performing arts Life skill classes, e.g. cooking, computers Ski & snowboarding programs Running events (including triathlons) 60 Years plus programs Rock climbing Youth/teen sports programs Youth Learn to Swim programs Before & after school programs Youth/teen summer camp programs Water fitness programs Youth/teen fitness & wellness programs Youth/teen art, dance, performing arts Programs for people with disabilities Adult swim programs Pre-school programs Ice-skating & hockey Martial arts programs Gymnastics programs Sailing Golf programs, e.g. lessons, tournaments Pickleball programs Waterskiing/wakeboarding Tennis lessons, clinics & leagues Other by percentage of respondents (multiple choices could be made) 3 36% 3 3 32% 31% 31% 2 27% 26% 21% 1 17% 17% 16% 15% 15% 13% 13% 13% 11% 57% 53% 4 3% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Page 11

Q13a. Estimated Number of Households in Durango That Have a Need or Desire for Various Recreation Programs Adult fitness & wellness programs Special events/festivals Camping & backpacking Nature & wildlife interpretive programs Biking events Adult sports programs Kayaking/paddling sports Adult art, dance, performing arts Life skill classes, e.g. cooking, computers Ski & snowboarding programs Running events (including triathlons) 60 Years plus programs Rock climbing Youth/teen sports programs Youth Learn to Swim programs Before & after school programs Youth/teen summer camp programs Water fitness programs Youth/teen fitness & wellness programs Youth/teen art, dance, performing arts Programs for people with disabilities Adult swim programs Pre-school programs Ice-skating & hockey Martial arts programs Gymnastics programs Sailing Golf programs, e.g. lessons, tournaments Pickleball programs Waterskiing/wakeboarding Tennis lessons, clinics & leagues Other by number of households based on 7,672 households in the City of Durango 2,892 2,770 2,616 2,601 2,447 2,363 2,348 2,133 2,102 1,964 1,887 1,765 1,734 1,719 1,703 1,672 1,611 1,442 1,358 1,312 1,297 1,189 1,174 1,128 1,020 1,005 990 821 4,335 4,066 3,667 199 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 Youth Learn to Swim programs Gymnastics programs Biking events Kayaking/paddling sports Ski & snowboarding programs Ice-skating & hockey Running events (including triathlons) Youth/teen sports programs Camping & backpacking Adult fitness & wellness programs Special events/festivals Adult swim programs Water fitness programs Adult sports programs Youth/teen art, dance, performing arts Golf programs, e.g. lessons, tournaments Rock climbing Youth/teen summer camp programs Tennis lessons, clinics & leagues Nature & wildlife interpretive programs Before & after school programs Youth/teen fitness & wellness programs Pre-school programs Adult art, dance, performing arts 60 Years plus programs Programs for people with disabilities Martial arts programs Pickleball programs Life skill classes, e.g. cooking, computers Waterskiing/wakeboarding Sailing Other Q13b. How Well Recreation Programs Meet Households' Level of Need or Desire by percentage of respondent households that have a need for facilities 3 45% 35% 26% 36% 2 26% 2 20% 17% 15% 15% 16% 1 1 1 15% 9% 12% 1 12% 7% 9% 5% 6% 24.1 26% 16% 15% 17% 5% 1 39% 3 37% 3 31% 32% 30% 31% 32% 29% 29% 32% 2 27% 29% 2 35% 35% 32% 35% 42% 37% 27% 37% 31% 3 37% 21% 33% 33% 35% 2 36% 33% 35% 3 3 32% 31% 16% 85% 21% 13% 2 2 26% 20% 13% 15% 17% 10% 1 1 17% 13% 20% 17% 16% 17% 21% 12% 30% 35% 51% 7% 1% 3% 13% 5% 2% 9% 1% 10% 5% 9% 9% 10% 5% 12% 5% 10% 5% 3% 7% 7% 5% 3% 6% 3% 6% 15% 13% 11% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 100% Meets Needs/Desire 75% Meets Needs/Desire 50% Meets Needs/Desire Meets Needs/Desire 0% Meets Needs/Desire Page 12

Q13c. Estimated Number of Households in Durango Whose Need and Desire for Parks and Recreation Facilities Are Only Being 50% Met or Less Life skill classes, e.g. cooking, computers Adult fitness & wellness programs Special events/festivals Nature & wildlife interpretive programs Adult art, dance, performing arts Camping & backpacking 60 Years plus programs Adult sports programs Rock climbing Sailing Before & after school programs Programs for people with disabilities Youth/teen fitness & wellness programs Youth/teen summer camp programs Kayaking/paddling sports Ski & snowboarding programs Waterskiing/wakeboarding Martial arts programs Biking events Youth/teen art, dance, performing arts Running events (including triathlons) Water fitness programs Pre-school programs Youth/teen sports programs Pickleball programs Adult swim programs Golf programs, e.g. lessons, tournaments Youth Learn to Swim programs Ice-skating & hockey Tennis lessons, clinics & leagues Gymnastics programs Other by number of households based on 7,672 households in the City of Durango 1,013 1,006 997 995 975 914 874 869 851 836 828 825 821 797 773 744 734 578 528 517 482 464 350 1,812 1,773 1,692 1,643 1,461 1,456 1,368 1,279 184 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 0% Meets Needs/Desire Meet Needs/Desire 50% Meets Needs/Desire Adult fitness & wellness programs Special events/festivals Camping & backpacking 60 Years plus programs Biking events Adult art, dance, performing arts Life skill classes, e.g. cooking, computers Nature & wildlife interpretive programs Kayaking/paddling sports Ski & snowboarding programs Adult sports programs Rock climbing Running events (including triathlons) Youth/teen sports programs Youth Learn to Swim programs Before & after school programs Pre-school programs Ice-skating & hockey Golf programs, e.g. lessons, tournaments Youth/teen summer camp programs Programs for people with disabilities Adult swim programs Waterskiing/wakeboarding Water fitness programs Sailing Youth/teen art, dance, performing arts Pickleball programs Youth/teen fitness & wellness programs Gymnastics programs Martial arts programs Tennis lessons, clinics & leagues Other Q14. Recreation Programs That Are Most Important to Respondent Households by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top four choices 29% 27% 15% 1 13% 12% 11% 11% 10% 9% 9% 7% 6% 6% 5% 5% 5% 5% 3% 3% 2% 2% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% Most Important 2nd Most Important 3rd Most Important 4th Most Important Page 13

Q15. Support for Various Actions the City of Durango Could Take to Improve the Parks, Open Space, Trails and Recreation System Maintain/repair older park facilities Purchase land for parks/rec. facilities/trails Extend Animas River Trail Develop interconnected hard surface trails Purchase land to preserve open space Expand natural surface trails network Purchase land for natural surface hiking/biking Provide stewardship & maintenance of open space Connect Three Springs to existing trails Upgrade existing indoor recreation centers Use greenways to develop trails Upgrade river put-ins & stabilize river banks Purchase land for wildlife habitat Develop new neighborhood parks Develop interpretive nature trails/centers Develop new off-leash dog parks Upgrade Chapman Hill ski & snowboard facilities Develop a new regional multi-use park Develop community park in Three Springs Develop new outdoor swimming pool/water park Develop a new year-round indoor ice-rink Develop new BMX/bicycle park Develop new tennis courts Develop an indoor turf facility Develop outdoor pickleball courts Other by percentage of respondents 51% 57% 50% 51% 45% 47% 43% 45% 39% 39% 37% 37% 73% 26% 20% 27% 2 2 1 16% 17% 1 20% 21% 2 26% 2 1% 9% 7% 9% 9% 9% 6% 7% 7% 10% 15% 11% 1 2 17% 16% 27% 26% 21% 2 1 27% 17% 29% 35% 30% 21% 30% 2 27% 17% 32% 37% 2 36% 3 36% 29% 1 9% 13% 17% 37% 43% 37% 31% 7% 1 12% 12% 42% 40% 42% 3 41% 39% 81% 16% 3% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Very Supportive Somewhat Supportive Not Sure Not Supportive Q16. Actions Respondents Would Be Most Willing to Fund with City Tax Dollars by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top five choices Maintain/repair older park facilities 45% Extend Animas River Trail 36% Purchase land for parks/rec. facilities/trails 31% Develop interconnected hard surface trails 30% Purchase land to preserve open space 2 Connect Three Springs to existing trails Expand natural surface trails network Purchase land for natural surface hiking/biking Develop new outdoor swimming pool/water park 20% Upgrade river put-ins & stabilize river banks 20% Provide stewardship & maintenance of open space Purchase land for wildlife habitat 1 Upgrade existing indoor recreation centers 1 Develop new off-leash dog parks 16% Upgrade Chapman Hill ski & snowboard facilities 10% Use greenways to develop trails 9% Develop new neighborhood parks Develop a new year-round indoor ice-rink 7% Develop community park in Three Springs 7% Develop a new regional multi-use park 6% Develop interpretive nature trails/centers 5% Develop an indoor turf facility Develop outdoor pickleball courts Develop new BMX/bicycle park 3% Develop new tennis courts 2% Other 5% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Most Willing 2nd Most Willing 3rd Most Willing 4th Most Willing 5th Most Willing Page 14

Q17. Do you see a need for additional indoor recreation space in the City of Durango? by percentage of respondents Yes 4 Not provided 3% No 53% Q17a. Option Respondents Most Prefer to Provide Additional Indoor Recreation Space to Residents by percentage of respondents Expand rec center 5 Build new facility 4 Not provided 2% Page 15

Fitness/aerobics studio Rooms for recreation classes & other activities Multipurpose sports courts Yoga/meditation space Adjacent outdoor fitness areas Stationary cycling/spinning space Indoor warm water area for therapy Indoor gyms Indoor adventure recreation area Banquet/special event space Senior activity/social area Arts & crafts room Culinary arts space Additional indoor swimming lap lanes Indoor stage/performing arts Preschool space Pickleball courts Concessions Unstructured indoor play space Demonstration kitchen rentals Catering/commercial kitchen rentals Virtual gaming area Other Q17b. Amenities Would Like to See Added to Indoor Recreation Space by percentage of respondents (multiple choices could be made) 45% 45% 37% 37% 36% 36% 35% 3 32% 30% 2 16% 1 11% 7% 1 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Q18. Amenities Most Important to Respondent Households by percentage of respondents who selected it as one of their top three choices Lake Nighthorse recreation Additional multi-use trails 56% 5 Outdoor swimming pool/water park A new community events space 2 31% New recreation center 21% Bicycle park Indoor year-round ice rink Indoor turf facility Outdoor pickleball courts Additional tennis courts 12% 10% 9% 7% BMX course 1% Other 9% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Page 16

Q19. Demographics: Age of Respondents by percentage of respondents 35-44 21% 18-34 21% 45-54 65+ 1 55-64 21% Q20. Demographics: Ages of People in Household by percentage of household occupants 35-44 years 15% 45-54 years 12% 25-34 years 16% 55-64 years 16% 20-24 years 6% 15-19 years 65+ years 13% 10-14 years 6% 5-9 years Under 5 years 6% Page 17

Q21. Demographics: Gender by percentage of respondents Male 49% Female 51% Q22. Demographics: Number of Years Lived in City of Durango by percentage of respondents 6-10 0-5 27% 11-15 10% 16-20 9% 21-30 15% 31+ Page 18

Q23. Demographics: Number of Years Lived in La Plata County by percentage of respondents 6-10 16% 0-5 2 11-15 11% 16-20 21-30 1 31+ Page 19

Section 2 Priority Investment Rating Page 20

Priority Investment Rating City of Durango The Priority Investment Rating (PIR) was developed by ETC Institute to provide governments with an objective tool for evaluating the priority that should be placed on parks and recreation investments. The Priority Investment Rating was developed by ETC Institute to identify the facilities and programs residents think should receive the highest priority for investment. The priority investment rating reflects the importance residents place on items (sum of top 4 choices) and the unmet needs (needs that are only being partly or not met) for each facility/program relative to the facility/program that rated the highest overall. Since decisions related to future investments should consider both the level of unmet need and the importance of facilities and programs, the PIR weights each of these components equally. The PIR reflects the sum of the Unmet Needs Rating and the Importance Rating as shown in the equation below: PIR = UNR + IR For example, suppose the Unmet Needs Rating for playgrounds is 26.5 (out of 100) and the Importance Rating for playgrounds is 52 (out of 100), the Priority Investment Rating for playgrounds would be 78.5 (out of 200). How to Analyze the Charts: High Priority Areas are those with a PIR of at least 100. A rating of 100 or above generally indicates there is a relatively high level of unmet need and residents generally think it is important to fund improvements in these areas. Improvements in this area are likely to have a positive impact on the greatest number of households. Medium Priority Areas are those with a PIR of 50 99. A rating in this range generally indicates there is a medium to high level of unmet need or a significant percentage of residents generally think it is important to fund improvements in these areas. Low Priority Areas are those with a PIR below 50. A rating in this range generally indicates there is a relatively low level of unmet need and residents do not think it is important to fund improvements in these areas. Improvements may be warranted if the needs of very specialized populations are being targeted. The following pages show the Unmet Needs Rating, Importance Rating, and Priority Investment Rating for facilities and programs. Page 21

Unmet Needs Rating for Open Spaces Areas the rating for the item with the most unmet need=100 the rating of all other items reflects the relative amount of unmet need for each item compared to the item with the most unmet need Community buffer from development 100.0 Campgrounds Nature trails & interpretive centers Wildlife habitats without public access Dog exercise areas Wildlife habitats with trails View sheds/scenic vistas Wetlands 68.2 67.7 67.6 66.3 65.9 64.7 62.2 Accessible trails for those in wheel chairs, the e 55.8 River & stream corridors Picnic facilities Agriculture lands Trails for walking, hiking & running Trails for biking 42.3 41.8 37.0 31.9 30.9 Equestrian trails 16.3 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 Page 22

Importance Rating for Open Spaces Areas the rating for the item rated as the most important=100 the rating of all other items reflects the relative level of importance for each item compared to the item rated as the most important Trails for walking, hiking & running 100.0 River & stream corridors Trails for biking 56.9 62.2 Wildlife habitats with trails 43.9 Dog exercise areas Community buffer from development Wildlife habitats without public access View sheds/scenic vistas Campgrounds 32.7 31.0 25.4 21.5 21.1 Picnic facilities Nature trails & interpretive centers Accessible trails for those in wheel chairs, the e Wetlands Agriculture lands 13.5 10.2 9.6 8.1 8.1 Equestrian trails 1.6 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 Page 23

Top Priorities for Investment for Open Spaces Areas Based on the Priority Investment Rating Trails for walking, hiking & running 132 Community buffer from development Wildlife habitats with trails 110 131 High Priority (100+) River & stream corridors 105 Dog exercise areas 99 Wildlife habitats without public access 93 Campgrounds 89 Trails for biking View sheds/scenic vistas 88 86 Medium Priority (50-99) Nature trails & interpretive centers 78 Wetlands Accessible trails for those in wheel chairs, the e 65 70 Picnic facilities 55 Agriculture lands Equestrian trails 18 45 Lower Priority (0-49) 0 40 80 120 160 200 Page 24

Unmet Needs Rating for Recreation Facilities the rating for the item with the most unmet need=100 the rating of all other items reflects the relative amount of unmet need for each item compared to the item with the most unmet need Lake recreation (e.g. boating, fishing) Outdoor amphitheaters Community gardens Cross country skiing areas Outdoor aquatic centers Sledding areas Off-leash dog parks Bike & pedestrian hard surface trails River recreation (e.g. fishing, boating) Bicycle park Picnicking areas & shelters Hiking & running natural surface trails Ski & snowboarding areas Neighborhood parks Indoor year-round ice rink Outdoor volleyball Indoor fitness & exercise facilities Frisbee golf Indoor turf facility Outdoor pickleball Biking natural surface trails Indoor recreation centers with aquatic areas Outdoor basketball courts Playgrounds Soccer/football/multipurpose fields Outdoor tennis courts Baseball & softball fields Golf courses Skate park BMX track Equestrian trails 43.7 41.8 37.8 37.0 34.0 33.3 32.7 31.4 30.4 28.8 27.7 26.8 26.7 24.4 23.4 23.0 22.2 20.8 19.0 14.3 13.8 11.7 9.3 8.5 57.5 54.9 53.5 76.4 70.3 64.8 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 100.0 Page 25

Importance Rating for Recreation Facilities the rating for the item rated as the most important=100 the rating of all other items reflects the relative level of importance for each item compared to the item rated as the most important Hiking & running natural surface trails Bike & pedestrian hard surface trails Biking natural surface trails River recreation (e.g. fishing, boating) Neighborhood parks Lake recreation (e.g. boating, fishing) Indoor fitness & exercise facilities Off-leash dog parks Indoor recreation centers with aquatic areas Community gardens Playgrounds Cross country skiing areas Soccer/football/multipurpose fields Outdoor amphitheaters Outdoor aquatic centers Golf courses Ski & snowboarding areas Picnicking areas & shelters Indoor year-round ice rink Baseball & softball fields Outdoor tennis courts Outdoor volleyball Indoor turf facility Frisbee golf Outdoor pickleball Bicycle park Outdoor basketball courts Sledding areas Skate park BMX track Equestrian trails 24.8 20.0 19.6 18.0 16.8 15.2 13.6 13.6 11.6 9.6 9.6 8.4 8.0 7.2 6.4 5.6 5.6 4.8 2.8 2.4 2.0 1.6 50.0 49.0 44.0 43.4 42.2 39.2 33.2 76.8 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 100.0 Page 26

Top Priorities for Investment for Recreation Facilities Based on the Priority Investment Rating Lake recreation (e.g. boating, fishing) Hiking & running natural surface trails Bike & pedestrian hard surface trails Community gardens Outdoor amphitheaters Off-leash dog parks River recreation (e.g. fishing, boating) Cross country skiing areas Neighborhood parks Biking natural surface trails Outdoor aquatic centers Indoor fitness & exercise facilities Sledding areas Indoor recreation centers with aquatic areas Picnicking areas & shelters Ski & snowboarding areas Bicycle park Playgrounds Indoor year-round ice rink Soccer/football/multipurpose fields Outdoor volleyball Frisbee golf Indoor turf facility Outdoor pickleball Outdoor basketball courts Golf courses Outdoor tennis courts Baseball & softball fields Skate park BMX track Equestrian trails 14 11 10 58 57 49 47 43 42 41 39 38 34 34 32 28 27 27 24 95 93 93 91 84 77 74 73 71 Lower Priority (0-49) City of Durango Community Interest and Opinion Survey Report 120 143 134 Medium Priority (50-99) High Priority (100+) 0 40 80 120 160 200 Page 27