Summary of Athletic Field Analysis Findings

Transcription

1 Summary of Athletic Field Analysis Findings Baseball/softball 1: Mercer Island city has one of the highest ratios (0.46) of baseball/softball fields per 1,000 residents compared with other municipal jurisdictions in the state that the consultant has recently analyzed (mean range is between ). Only Ellensburg (0.51), Gig Harbor (0.70), and Moses Lake (1.05) have ratios that are higher because these cities provide centrally located fields that are used on a larger regional basis by regional residents and tourist tournaments. 2: Mercer Island city s field inventory is concentrated primarily in fields with outfields under 200 feet (0.27 fields per 1,000 residents or 59% of the inventory) that are played by the youngest age groups. Only 0.05 fields per 1,000 residents or 11% of the inventory is devoted to fields with outfields over 300 feet that are played by the older youth and adult hardball leagues. 3: The combined Mercer Island field inventory including city parks, schools, and other agency facilities has a potential peak season week capacity in June of 195 practices during the week and 174 games on the weekends assuming these fields are all in usable condition 100% of the time during the peak season weeks. Some existing fields have storm or surface drainage problems, require off-line time for grass or field restoration, or have other problems that currently prevent them from being used to maximum capacity. 4: There are enough total baseball/softball fields in the city park, school, and other agency systems (195 practices during the week and 174 games on weekends in June) to satisfy current peak week practice and game requirements (89 practices and 100 games) were these fields in usable condition and were schedules coordinated effectively. Central or coordinated scheduling of all fields by the city would ensure equal distribution and access for practice and game slots as opposed to allocating fields to leagues as is currently being done in some instances. 4a: This assumes most fields are available for practice during the peak season weeks in June between 4:00 pm and 8:00-8:30 pm for the youngest age groups and 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm for the oldest age groups. This assumes the average practice slot to be hours for the youngest age groups and hours for the oldest age groups including adults - and that the later time schedules are played on lighted fields. 4b: This also assumes games will be played on the weekends between 8:30 am and 9:00 pm on Saturday and 12:00 pm and 9:00 pm on Sunday for the youngest age groups and 10:00 am and 10:00 pm on Saturday and 10:00 am and 10:00 pm on Sunday for the oldest age groups. This assumes games are hours for the youngest age groups and hours for the oldest age groups and that the later time schedules are played on lighted fields. It also assumes the smaller fields are prepped before all games are started on the weekends, and that the largest fields are prepped between games within the game time slot. Page 6

2 4c: This also assumes: 1) all practices are scheduled during the weekdays with the number of practices per team held to the capacity available in the existing field inventory, 2) that some older competitive leagues are give rain-out play dates, and 3) field slots are freely scheduled for all leagues based on the Island regardless of the percent of resident players. Peak season week demand would be reduced were any of these variables reduced accordingly. Short term strategies: 5: Coordinate schedules of all city parks, schools, and other agency facilities under the standard practice and game slot assumptions listed in the preceding paragraphs. This would ensure an equitable allocation of field capacity amongst the leagues under an accountable and predictable policy. Long term strategies: 6: Upgrade existing fields Upgrade (improved drainage, grading, field orientation) existing fields at Island Park, Lakeridge and West Mercer elementary fields; improve quality and lighting at South Mercer Playfields and installing artificial turf on the NE mutli-use fields of South Mercer Playfieldscreating a new baseball/softball field (Field #5); and installing artificial turf in the infield of the north field at Island Crest Park. These combined actions would increase peak season week capacity in June to 230 practice slots during the weekdays and 179 game slots during the weekends under the schedules and durations outlines above. These combined actions will be more than sufficient to meet existing and future baseball and softball field demands under any conditions and any population or player growth needs without: 1) reducing rain-out slots, 2) limiting teams with off-island players, or 3) reducing time slots or the number of practices. Soccer/lacrosse/football 7: Mercer Island city has the highest ratio (0.50) of soccer/lacrosse/football fields per 1,000 residents compared with other municipal jurisdictions in the state that the consultant has recently analyzed (mean range is between ). However, some portion of the city s inventory includes multipurpose fields that are used at the beginning of the soccer, lacrosse, and football seasons by baseball/softball leagues. 8: Mercer Island city s field inventory is concentrated primarily in fields with lengths under 200 feet (0.25 fields per 1,000 residents or 50% of the inventory) that are played by the youngest age groups. Most of the smaller fields are configured in the outfields of multipurpose fields. 9: The combined Mercer Island field inventory including city parks, schools, and other agency facilities has a potential peak season week capacity in October of 226 practices during the week and 222 games on the weekends assuming these fields are all in usable condition 100% of the time during the peak season weeks. Some existing fields have storm or surface drainage problems, require off-line time for grass or field restoration, or have other problems that currently prevent them from being used to maximum capacity. 10: There are enough total soccer/lacrosse/football fields in the city park, school, and other agency systems (226 practices during the week and 222 games on weekends in October) to satisfy current peak week practice and Page 7

3 game requirements (227 practices and 111 games) were these fields in usable condition and were schedules coordinated effectively. Central or coordinated scheduling of all fields by the city would ensure equal distribution and access for practice and game slots as opposed to allocating fields to leagues as is currently being done in some instances. 10a: This assumes most fields are available for practice during the peak season weeks in October between 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm for the youngest age groups and 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm for the oldest age groups. This assumes the average practice slot to be hours for the youngest age groups and hours for the oldest age groups including adults - and that the later time schedules are played on lighted fields. 10b: This also assumes games will be played on the weekends between 8:30 am and 7:00 pm on Saturday and 11:00 pm and 7:00 pm on Sunday for the youngest age groups and 8:00 am and 10:00 pm on Saturday and 12:00 am and 10:00 pm on Sunday for the oldest age groups. This assumes games are hours for the youngest age groups and 2.0 hours for the oldest age groups and that the later time schedules are played on lighted fields. 10c: This also assumes: 1) all practices are scheduled during the weekdays with the number of practices per team held to the capacity available in the existing field inventory, 2) that some older competitive leagues are give rain-out play dates, and 3) field slots are freely scheduled for all leagues based on the Island regardless of the percent of resident players. Peak season week demand would be reduced were any of these variables reduced accordingly. Short term strategies: 11: Coordinate schedules of all city parks, schools, and other agency facilities under the standard practice and game slot assumptions listed in the preceding paragraphs. This would ensure an equitable allocation of field capacity amongst the leagues under an accountable and predictable policy. Long term strategies: 12: Upgrade existing fields Upgrade (improved drainage, grading, field orientation) existing fields at Island Park, Lakeridge and West Mercer elementary fields; improve quality and lighting at South Mercer Playfields and installing artificial turf on the NE mutli-use fields of South Mercer Playfieldscreating a new baseball/softball field (Field #5); and installing artificial turf in the infield of the north field at Island Crest Park. These combined actions would increase peak season week capacity in October to 255 practice slots during the weekdays and 234 game slots during the weekends under the schedules and durations outlines above. These combined actions will be more than sufficient to meet existing and future soccer, lacrosse, and football field demands under any conditions and any population or player growth needs without: 1) reducing rain-out slots, 2) limiting teams with off-island players, or 3) reducing time slots or the number of practices. IThis analysis was predicated on the 2006 calendar information provided by the leagues Page 8

4 13: Were the leagues to forecast preferences rather than 2006 calendar year actual the leagues would likely increase preferences for more practices rather than games particularly for the younger age groups that require more practices to learn the game and develop playing awareness and skills. Capacity is available for practices during the weekdays under existing field conditions and proposed field improvements. If necessary, Saturday mornings could be used for practices by leagues (particularly those wanting more than 1 practice per peak season game week) that would play games on Sundays. 14: Baseball and soccer participation rates are leveling off compared with the steady increase in participation rates that was common of the nation and state during the 1990s. Some of the participation rate growth during the 1990s was due to the introduction of coed and adult programs that have since matured. 15: On Mercer Island the number of players (but not the participation rates) could decline if school enrollments continue to decline through 2013 as projected by the Mercer Island School District. The future demographic composition of the Island (including the number of younger age players) depends to what degree the Island 1) continues to attract a higher proportion of middle-aged families with children in the same proportions as in past years, 2) current households age through empty-nester years as the children leave and remain Island residents or sell to middle-age households and move off-island, and 3) whether new residents are primarily single individuals or mostly adult households moving into condominiums in the downtown district. Page 9

5 All sports - practices and games December 3 19 November Calendar Year July 2 18 June 4 21 May January Number of practice and game slots Soccer - all practices Soccer - all games Lacrosse - all practices Lacrosse - all games Football - all practices Football - all games Baseball - all practices Baseball - all games Page 10

6 Athletic field requirements Baseball field requirements peak season week with games on weekends Peak practices in April Peak games in May Practice Game Total Practice Game Total Requirement peak week Existing field capacity Deficit (55) Requirement peak week Proposed field capacity Deficit (35) Soccer/lacrosse/football field requirements peak season game week Weekend games Practice Game Total Lacrosse in April Soccer in October Football in October Total peak week in Oct Existing field capacity Deficit (1) Lacrosse in April Soccer in October Football in October Total peak week in Oct Proposed field capacity Deficit Major assumptions: Practice and game requirements have yet to be finally verified with league representatives. Field requirements assume: 1) all Island-based league teams will have 100% field requirement regardless of % island resident participation, 2) field requirements do not include games league s indicate are played off-island, 3) field requirements assume 50% of internal league games (games between league teams) require a field, 4) field requirements are adjusted to include rain-out factors where league indicates such a requirement. Field capacities assume: 1) fields are 100% playable during peak season weeks with down time for grass recovery or field rehabilitation occurring on the season shoulders, 2) fields are prepped for baseball game play at the beginning of the game day for the smaller fields and do not require interim prep, the largest field slots include time for field prep between games, 3) practice and game slots are as shown on the capacity sheets and account for daylight or lighting during the peak season week, 4) practice and game slots start at the earliest hours for the youngest teams as shown by size field on the capacity sheets and are allocated by the city for each use and each user. Page 11