Master Plan Why Parks Maek Life Better

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Conejo Recreation & Park District Master Plan Section 11 When asked to indicate how the City should prioritize spending on facilities and services, survey respondents in 2009 ranked the acquisition and preservation of public open space as fourth, and providing additional parks and recreation facilities as eighth. 32 An exceptionally high percentage of residents (91 %) indicated in the 2009 survey that they or someone in their household had visited a park or recreation facility in Thousand Oaks in the past year. 33 In the 2009 survey, the respondents indicated a satisfaction rating of 95% for maintenance of parks and recreation areas, and a satisfaction rating of 80% for providing recreation programs for all ages.34Two percent (2%) of respondents were not satisfied with park maintenance, and 8% were not satisfied with the recreation programs.35 Appendix A lists the survey results of questions pertaining to the recreational aspect of the Conejo Valley. H. EFFECTS OF RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT ON HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER BENEFITS According to the Recreation Trends study prepared by the California State Parks Planning Division 36 , Health and wellness issues have become hot topics because of the increasing number of unfit Californians and the economic and health care drain. The obesity epidemic is costing California over $2 billion a year in medical care, lost productivity and workers' compensation. Parks and recreation programs are excellent inducements to physical activity and help to encourage life-long fitness habits. The following is a list of benefits of a recreation and park district on humans and human development. Many of the benefits listed in this section are described in greater detail within the Health and Social Benefits of Recreation Element of the California Outdoor Recreation Planning Program. 37 See Appendix B for sources on the effects and benefits of parks and recreation services information listed below. 1. Health Benefits of Recreation Physical Health Benefits a. Reduces Obesity • In California, over 26 percent of children are overweight, and in some school districts the percentage climbs to 40 to 50 percent.38The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity 2001 (Health and Human Services, 2001) report connects obesity to the need for communities to 32 2009 Thousand Oaks Community Attitude Survey, Question 19 33 2009 Thousand Oaks Community Attitude Survey, Question 16 34 2009 Thousand Oaks Community Attitude Survey, Question 6 35 2009 Thousand Oaks Community Attitude Survey, Question 6 36 Recreation Trends Worth Talking About Laura Westrup, Planning Division, CA State Parks, June 2006 37 The Health and Social Benefits of Recreation State of California Resources Agency, An Element of the California Outdoor Recreation Planning Program, 2005, California State Parks Planning Division 3ttp://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/795/files/health—benefits-081 505.pdf 8 lbid 11-13 June 2, 2011