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2 Aquatics Survey ResultsCITYOF CHAN EN 690 C7~' Ce~m'r Drive, PO Box 14~ Phoebe 612, 937. I900 (ic~m~d l'2v 612. 93Z 5Z~9 D,5/n' 3',('5' 3;~.x' 6 I2. 934.252q MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: DATE: SUB J: Todd Hoffman, Parks and Recreation Director Parks and Recreation Commission Ed Neu, Parks and Recreation Intern June 15, 1998 Results of Aquatic Survey Results As a part of my internship, I was to evaluate Chanhassen's current aquatic programs and facilities. Since Chanhassen only has summer aquatic programs at Lake Ann Beach, I wanted to get a better feel for where residents were going to meet their aquatic needs. A survey was designed to get feedback from not only Chanhassen residents, but from residents of neighboring communities that use recreational programs sponsored by the City of Chanhassen. A random sample of 340 program participants were selected from a variety of programs ranging from Youth T-ball to Adult Tae Kwon Do. Of the 340 surveys sent out, 148 (48%) were retUrned with 126 (37%) being usable. The main questions that were answered where as follows. What facility/facilities are people using? What people desired about the facility/facilities? What people did not desire about the facility/facilities? What programs did they participate in? In addition, many respondents included their own comments on various topics. The most common response to what facility/facilities people used was the Chaska Community Center with 65% of the responses; secondly was Lake Ann Beach with 15% of the responses; followed by MCES (other than Lake Ann), Private Fitness Clubs, Foss Swimming School and Eden Prairie Community Center. Other facilities were listed, but did not have significant representation. Approximately 66% of those responding use the Chaska Community Center. Responses showed that the most desirable feature was that of the specialty features. These range from the zero-depth entry pool and water slides to the separate hot hubs for adults and children. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said that the least desirable feature was that the price was too high. Many noted that this was due to them not being residents of Chaska or members of the Center. The City of Chanhassen. 4 growing commm~i9; with clean lakes, quali9, schools, a chamdng downtown, thriving businesses, and beaut~d ?arks. ? great p/ace to live, work, and plffy, Park & Recreation Commission Todd Hoffman, Park & Recreation Director June 17, 1998 Page 2 Most of the users indicated that they used the Chaska Community Center for open swims and swimming lessons, while a very small number said they used the pool for other programs such as lap swim and water exercise classes. This programming response was very consistent among all the facilities. Responses showed that Lake Ann Beach provides convenience more than anything, though few respondents did plan on enrolling in lessons there this summer. Unfortunately, few respondents used Lake Ann as their only means of aquatic recreation. Many of them would take lessons at other pools such as Chask Community Center or middle schools in both the Chaska and Minnetonka school districts. Minnetonka Community Education Services, other than Lake Ann, provides service to about 15% of the respondents. A majority of people responded that they liked the location of the pool, mainly Minnetonka Middle School West. There were few dislikes about the program to make significant representation. The Private Fitness Club and Foss Swimming School have a few things in common. The cost of enrollment is a great deal more than it is with one of the above mentioned agencies. Plus, their location is not very convenient. On the other hand, they both offer lessons that people are very receptive to. They are smaller more private settings, pool temperatures, and a wide variety of programs attract a good number of people that are willing to make the sacrifices. Recommendations for the Future The industry of recreational aquatics is growing exponentially. No longer is a basic pool with some lanes and a diving board adequate to generate community interest or revenue. If and when the City of Chanhassen decides to build its own aquatic facility, these are some of the things that should be considered: Facility: Building an indoor multi-use facility with a zero depth entry. This seems necessary these days. It's great for small children as well as elderly and handicapped accessible. The demand for an outdoor pool is not as high, but if budgets allow for an outdoor pool, they can provide yet another avenue for revenue and programming. Current programming trends: Right now aqua aerobics is big down south and the trend is moving north slowly but surely. Additionally, swimming lesson programs and lifeguard programs that have different philosophies than those of the American Red Cross are also becoming popular. Park & Recreation Commission Todd Hoffman, Park & Recreation Director June 17, 1998 Page 3 Fee Structures: Having reciprocity with another pool can sometimes be a good thing. It allows a wider variety of features for users with less of a capital investment for the City. Also, having seasonal or yearly passes, such as the Chanhassen Recreation Center, eliminates the need to carry a wallet or money to the pool and provides extra convenience.