BY NICK DIAMANTIDES
Staff Writer
The City of Signal Hill is in the early stages of planning the recreational programs and facilities for the parks that exist within its boundaries. Officials also want to determine if the city should acquire more land on which to build additional parks. “We are asking residents to help us make the decisions that will guide the future of our parks for the next decade,” said Kathy Sorensen, director of community services.
Sorensen noted that the city is asking residents to respond to written questionnaires and telephone surveys related to the future needs of Signal Hill parks. Residents are also invited to participate in two park-planning workshops starting at 7 p.m. at Signal Hill Community Center on May 14 and June 11.
“The last time we did a community recreation needs survey was in 2000,” Sorensen said. “Our population has changed since then.” She explained that several new residential developments have been completed since 2000 and more are on the way. She added that the city had about 9,000 residents in 2000 and now more than 11,000 people live in Signal Hill.
“We’ve added more parks too,” she said. “The 2000 (park) needs assessment really confirmed the 1989 park master plan, which called for more view parks, trails and neighborhood parks.” Sorensen explained that the city was not able to develop the additional parks and trails until it had collected park-impact fees from the construction of new residences in the city. “But before we really went in toward developing the parks, we wanted to make sure that was what the community wanted,” she stressed. “Now that we have completed the 1989 master plan, the question is what do we do next,” she said. “The question to the community is what amenities, recreational programs and additional park services do they want.”
The other component of the needs assessment is to decide what to do with Signal Hill Park. Sorensen explained that the last time the park had a major improvement done to it was in 1994, when a basketball court and playground were added. A major renovation of the community center, which is in the park, was also completed in 1999. Other than that, the park remained basically unchanged since 1965 when the community center, the library and police department facilities were all expanded.
Sorensen noted that during the last few years the city has contemplated building a new library in Spud Field (also in the park) and finding a new location for an athletic field. Another unanswered question is what will become of the existing police department facilities when a new police headquarters is completed in 2010.
“For the last five or six years, even though we knew there was a need to make improvements in Signal Hill Park, we couldn’t make those improvements until we could decide what needed to happen,” she said. “So we also need the residents to tell us what they want to see happen in that park.”
In order to determine the future needs of the city’s parks, a few months ago the Signal Hill City Council approved a contract with Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc. (MIG). The consulting company recently began a parks needs assessment project, part of which is to organize and facilitate the two workshops.
Another component of the study is a telephone survey. MIG, in coordination with Research Network, Inc., has begun that poll as well. “The telephone survey is designed to be conducted in about 12 minutes and will survey 300 Signal Hill residents selected at random,” Sorensen said. “We know people generally do not like to participate in these kinds of surveys, but we are asking our residents to please give 12 minutes of their time to help us decide the future of our parks.” She noted that MIG is also distributing a written questionnaire in various meetings and locations and on the Internet.
“Using all the assessment tools, MIG will analyze, interpret and assess the needs for parkland, park facilities and recreation services for the community,” Sorensen said. “The report will quantify and identify current community demands and relevant emerging trends, and identify potential strategies for facility and program service improvements.” She added that the MIG report will probably be presented to the parks commission and city council in August or September.
Sorensen stressed the importance of residents participating in the needs assessment. “I encourage everyone to give us their input,” she said. “This will decide the future of out parks and recreational programs for the next decade.”
For more information on the parks needs assessment or the workshops, phone (562) 989-7330.
