SPORTS MESSAGING DEBUNKED:
“Fields For Kids” message was recently posted to sports advocates. Here is the content with our FACTS response listed below.
“A group of open spaces advocates, Parks4Everyone, seeks to create new open spaces in Arlington by eliminating playing fields.”
FACT: Parks4everyone advocates for a review of the Dept. of Parks’s utilization data so that everyone can understand how these facilities are actually being used. Data like this would actually benefit sports users and validate any identified recreational needs.
“They believe that Arlington’s fields are under-utilized and mismanaged by the County, and that the County deliberately inflates the need for fields.”
FACT: We don’t “believe” it, DPR’s own internal data shows it in multiple and verified ways. Including these listed below:
- DPR staff reports showing that in-person field visits during reserved times demonstrated that no one or only a few people were actually on the field during a reserved time. “Rover Reports” https://foia.arlingtonva.us/responses/entry/938/
- STAFF SPREADSHEET SHOWING OVER-SCHEDULING ACROSS MOST ALL TEAMS AND SPORTS DPR’s spreadsheets titled Spring Allocation Draft Spring v2 and Fall Pilot Summary “Tab” Summary. https://foia.arlingtonva.us/responses/entry/938/
- Consultants hired by DPR report allocation and scheduling issues. Over-scheduled fields by as much as double what teams actually use and need. page 12 https://parks.arlingtonva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2016/02/Athletic-Facilities-Allocation-Study-February-Work-Session.pdf
“In their quest to “optimize Arlington fields,” this group believes that, among other things, field users should be required to accept unpopular or inconvenient field assignment times.”
FACT: A typical Spring calendar week for Adult Softball Fields, shows almost half of all Saturday is reserved across all the diamond fields, while only a few fields during the week have reservations on them during the evening hours. If the idea being expressed is that playing during a Saturday evening or on a Friday evening is unacceptable/ or inconvenient, then the residents of Arlington should be made aware that it is because of “preference” of all teams wanting the same few times of days, few fields and few hours even during the height of the season that the sports advocates are claiming there are not enough fields and that Arlington should retain and expand its fields (costing tens of millions in maintenance and improvements costs and acres of land) in lieu of other park and recreational needs
“The group states that by optimizing fields, Arlington can “decommission” sports fields and turn them into parks. ”
FACT: Optimization of ALL facilities should be occurring. Arlington doesn’t build a new school until the schools are shown to be at capacity. Why do sports advocates feel that their facilities are excluded from optimization? These are huge and costly facilities in located in our public spaces and maintained by your public tax-paying dollars.
“This group’s efforts are timed to coincide with the County Board’s forthcoming vote on an updated Public Spaces Master Plan.”
FACT: This is correct. The Public Spaces Master Plan called “POPS” contains recommendations affecting millions of dollars and acres of parkland could be available for trails, open space, gardens, trees, community event spaces, dog parks, and other park and recreational needs. But unless we have a transparent review of how park facilities are currently utilized, most of those needs will not be met. However, supply & demand data has not been made public in the POPS process or any public process conducted by DPR.
“Does Arlington need more parks? Maybe.Can it get by with fewer sports fields? Emphatically NO! ”
FACT: Parks4everyone is demanding that the County hold a public process to know just how many recreational facilities are in fact needed. The Dept. of Parks asserts that it did NOT use their supply/demand data, but it has used the sound methodology of Level of Service Standards, however experts who worked on the recommendations for the county said, that “Each community determine its own LOS standard based on current supply/demand and future supply/demand projections” POPS_LOS Methodology_171220 DPR did not.
“Arlington’s adult and youth populations are growing and will continue to grow. It becomes harder for sports groups to find time to practice and play games. Leagues are squeezing more and more players into a fixed number of spaces.”
FACT: All of Arlington’s population is growing. However, according to the recommendations only recreational facilities will be prioritized in money and land allocation to meet their yet to be validated need.
“The County Board needs to hear the truth about fields, field condition, and field availability from league officials, parents, coaches, and players.”
FACT: Parks4everyone doesn’t just want people to say their “truth” we want to see it in the data as part of a public and transparent process. That’s the only way residents can know the truth about our public space usage and needs.
“Open spaces are nice, but lots of kids like playing sports.”
FACT: Kids like playing with their friends and families in many ways. But so do all other demographics who need to be able to use their public spaces and retain natural areas for our wildlife and sustainability.
“The Board needs to understand how reducing the number of fields will impact our kids! ”
FACT: We ARE asking that the Board and the public see the data in transparent process to understand all impacts, including fields and other needs.
DISCOVER what you can do to make a BIG difference.