Executive Summary of the Feasibility Study

The City of Cedar Hill retained a team of consultants, led by the firm of Halff Associates, to implement a feasibility study regarding the construction of recreational facilities in the city. The primary facility being studied by the team is a possible recreation center, as well as an aquatic facility. Construction of either facility would be financed by a sales tax approved by voters. In order to better understand and analyze citizen input, a key component to the study was a scientifically valid survey of residents. The public opinion research company of Raymond Turco & Associates was retained to conduct the survey in order to generate an analysis of resident attitudes and how they relate to these two primary facilities. The information gathered in this report will allow elected officials and city staff to better understand the desires of its citizenry regarding the recreation center and aquatic facility.
Below are listed the highlights from our analysis of the project:

Participation in Recreational Activities

Slightly more than half the sample (52%) reported that they never used indoor recreation facilities; 26% used them once a week or more often, 13% used facilities at least once a month, and 9% used them less than once per month. Destinations for indoor recreation were divided between private clubs (32%) and YMCA or church facilities (25%).

Three out of five respondents (61%) affirmed that they had visited recreation centers in other cities, while 37% said they had not. Swimming (17%), variety of family activities (17%), indoor basketball courts (14%), and recreational classes (12%) were what residents liked most about the recreation centers they visited.

A majority of respondents (70%, 38% very likely) were likely to enroll their children in a summer camp program if one were available. Additionally, after-school recreational programs for school-age children at the new recreation center received support from 89% (52% strong support) and opposition from 8%, with 4% undecided.

Over half (58%) the sample had visited an indoor aquatic facility, compared to 41% who replied no. The most-liked feature of such facilities, as identified by visitors, was year-round swimming (40%), followed by pool activities (9%), size of pool/olympic (8%), miscellaneous (8%), clean/well-maintained (8%), swim classes (8%), and water aerobics (5%).

Recreation Center Components And Programs

In describing activities in which they would like to be able to participate, indoor basketball courts (47%) and swimming (44%) were the activities most often requested for a new recreation center. Other activities mentioned by 10% or more included lifting weights/cardiovascular (29%) fitness/aerobics (24%), racquetball (17%), and jogging/walking around indoor track (16%).

Activities which attracted the highest level of likely participants, from a prepared list of 19 items, were jogging/walking around an indoor track (81%), swimming (77%), fitness or aerobics (76%), attending community meetings (69%), and lifting weights/cardio equipment (68%). Asked to select the activity in which they would most likely participate, respondents most often named jogging/walking along indoor track (18%), swimming (15%), fitness or aerobics (13%), and indoor basketball courts (12%).

Support/opposition ratios to a list of possible components to include in a recreation center showed highest approval for space for senior citizen activities (91%-6%, 15.2:1), space for teen activities (91%-7%, 13:1), basketball courts (90%-7%, 12.9:1), exercise/aerobics room (91%-8%, 11.4:1), weight/cardiovascular equipment room (90%-8%, 11.3:1), indoor jogging track (90%-8%, 11.3:1), and exercise/lap pool/competitive pool (89%-9%, 9.9:1).

Activities most often thought to encourage more participation from older residents were bingo or card games (35%), arts/crafts (34%) and walking track (23%). Youth programs recommended for a recreation center were indoor basketball (38%), homework help or tutoring (21%), computer lab (20%), and football or soccer (20%).

At least 85% of parents indicated they would be likely to allow their children to participate in swimming (93%), indoor basketball (86%), arts and crafts classes (85%), and computer lab (85%). More than four out of five (80%) also were likely to permit participation in walking/jogging around an indoor track (83%), roller skating (83%), indoor volleyball (82%), and gymnastics (82%). Additionally, nearly nine out of ten respondents (89%) classified themselves as very likely (59%) or likely to participate (30%) in a new recreation center; 10% rated their probability unlikely (5%) or very unlikely (5%); and 2% had no opinion.