The Turlock City Council and the Parks, Arts and Recreation Commission planned Tuesday to receive an update from the Sports Management Group on the progress of the Sports and Recreation Facilities Prioritization and Feasibility Study, but because of low attendance from the PARC, the update was given to PARC Chair Brent Bohlender and present community members.
Julie Spier and Lauren Livingston, the City of Turlock’s consultant team of the Sports Management group, updated Bohlender and those in attendance on facility priorities, or needs for certain facilities within the city. The process for selecting needed facilities has so far included developing a profile for the community, data collection and analysis of the city’s demographic.
“The priorities are certainly going to be predicated on the characteristics of this community, what’s available in this community and what you prioritize,” said Livingston. “We’re also looking at what facilities you have currently and what you’re going to need long term.”
The consultant team has inventoried sports and recreation facilities within the city, taking suggestions for program needs from the community to match prioritized facilities with those that are in demand. According to Livingston, the study – which began about a month ago – has helped the team learn a number of things about Turlock’s recreational needs. The city values sports and its sports programs, for both youth and adults, and also invests greatly in maintaining its venues.
“It shows that the city will take an active role in bringing partners together and making these things happen,” said Livingston.
The study operates under a certain set of guidelines, but each community is different, said Spier. The Sports Management Group considers guidelines such as population, demographics, desired service levels, drought conditions and sustainability. Facilities that have been recommended for Turlock by the consultant team include an aquatic center, indoor gathering centers, outdoor gathering centers and a multi-generational space.
“Some of these spaces you have in some capacity, and others you do not have in this community,” said Spier. “Those are the facilities that we’re going to be looking at and seeing if there is a fit.”
Livingston hopes that the study will be completed by the end of June, when the consultant team will bring the findings back to both the PARC and City Council. For now, she encourages community members to give feedback regarding the types of facilities they would like to see built in Turlock through the provided community workshops.
The first public workshop on May 12 will allow community members to voice their opinions on the prioritization of facilities and work in small groups to discuss what kind of facilities the city needs. The workshop will be held at City Hall at 156 S. Broadway at 6 p.m.