GOAL: 

ENABLE THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH TO MEET THE INCREASED DEMAND FOR ATHLETIC FIELDS IN THE CITY AND THUS IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CITY RESIDENTS BY PROVIDING THE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THEY DESIRE.

OBJECTIVES:

• IDENTIFY, INVENTORY, AND CLASSIFY ALL EXISTING FIELD FACILITIES IN THE CITY REGARDLESS OF OWNERSHIP.
• IDENTIFY ANY PHYSICAL ISSUE ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF EXISTING FACILITIES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FACILITY CONDITION, ACCESS, AND PARKING. 
• IDENTIFY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH ACCESS TO THE EXISTING FIELD FACILITIES INCLUDING OWNERSHIP AND ASSOCIATED PUBLIC ACCESS POLICIES (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE PERMITTING PROCESS OF THE CITY). 
• DETERMINE THE EFFICIENCY OF USE OF EXISTING FACILITIES.
• DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF THE CURRENT AND LATENT UNMET DEMAND.
• DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS PUBLIC ACCESS ISSUES AND IMPROVE THE USE EFFICIENCY OF EXISTING FACILITIES.  RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF PRIORITY ACCESS FOR PRIVATE ENTITIES INVESTING IN PUBLIC FIELDS.
• DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENT OF EXISTING FACILITIES, WITH ASSOCIATED COSTS.
• IDENTIFY NEW SITES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ATHLETIC FIELDS TO MEET DEMANDS BEYOND THE CAPACITY OF EXISTING FACILITIES, AS WELL AS ISSUES AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPING NEW ATHLETIC FIELDS.
• PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDRESSING ISSUES AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW FACILITIES AS WELL AS THE IMPROVEMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF EXISTING FACILITIES.   

REPORT, INCLUDING GIS DATABASE, WITH SECTIONS ADDRESSING ALL ABOVE OBJECTIVES AND INCLUDING STUDY METHODOLOGY.  METHODOLOGY WILL INCLUDE A DESCRIPTION OF AND THE RESULTS OF THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION STRATEGY.  AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT.

PRIMARY PARTICIPANTS: 

PAHEK ASSOCIATES (THE CONSULTANT) WILL WORK WITH THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH DEPARTMENTS OF CITY PLANNING, PARKS & RECREATION, PUBLIC WORKS, AND ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION.  THESE DEPARTMENTS ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSTITUTE A MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. 

IN ADDITION TO THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, THERE WILL BE A STEERING COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF FIELD PROVIDERS AND AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF FIELD USERS.  THE PROVIDERS WILL BE THE CITY, THE PITTSBURGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH, THE URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH, THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY, CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY, AND CARLOW COLLEGE.  ADDITIONALLY THE CONSULTANT WHO WORKED FOR THE CITY ON OUR REGIONAL PARKS MASTER PLAN WILL ALSO BE ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE.  THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (FIELD USERS) WILL BE COMPOSED OF ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF EVERY LEAGUE, ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION OR TEAM THAT HAS A FIELD PERMIT OR WOULD LIKE TO GET A FIELD PERMIT FROM THE CITY. 

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:

GENERAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION WILL BE ASSURED THROUGH A SERIES OF PUBLIC MEETINGS ORGANIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING IN CONJUNCTION WITH PASHEK ASSOCIATES.  THESE MEETINGS WILL OCCUR ON BOTH A CITYWIDE AND SECTOR BASIS.  THREE CITY-WIDE MEETINGS ARE EXPECTED; ONE TO ANNOUNCE THE STUDY AND DESCRIBE THE PROCESS, ONE TO REVIEW THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ONE IN THE CONTEXT OF PRESENTATION OF THE REPORT TO THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION.  EIGHT SECTOR MEETINGS, TWO IN EACH OF THE FOUR CITY SECTORS, ARE ENVISIONED.  THE FIRST SECTOR MEETING WOULD BE TO SOLICIT STUDY INPUT, THE SECOND TO RECEIVE COMMENTS ON DRAFT STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS 

TASKS:

1. INVENTORY OF ALL EXISTING FIELDS NOTING OWNERSHIP, DESIGN, DIMENSIONS, CONDITION, SUPPORT FACILITIES (PARKING, REST ROOMS, ETC.),  & ADJACENT LAND-USE/SETTING.  DIGITAL PHOTOS OF THE FIELDS WILL ALSO BE TAKEN.

2. DESCRIBE THE TECHNICAL FIELD REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VARIOUS SPORTS (DIMENSIONS, BACKSTOPS, GOALS, ETC.)

3. DISCUSS PUBLIC ACCESS POLICY AND ISSUES WITH FIELD OWNERS.

4. REVIEW THE CITY'S PERMIT PROCESS FOR EQUITY AND EFFICIENCY.

5. ASSESS DEMONSTRATED AND LATENT DEMAND CONSIDERING PARTICIPANTS, PROGRAMS (INCLUDING POTENTIAL OUTREACH PROGRAMS), DEMOGRAPHICS, AND THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER CITIES.  ANALYSIS SHALL ADDREESS EMERGING SPORTS (E.G. LACROSSE).

6. IDENTIFY SEASONS OF USE AND FIELD TYPE NEED BY SPORT, AND IDENTIFY RELATED FACILITY SCHDEDULING CONFLICTS.

7. IDENTIFY ISSUES AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THE USE OF EXISTING FACILITIES INCLUDING ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH ADA REQUIREMENTS.  BOTH MANAGEMENT (INSURANCE, ETC.) AND PHYSICAL (FIELD CONDITION, PARKING, LIGHTING, ETC.) ISSUES ARE TO BE ADDRESSED.  THE ADEQUACY OF FIELD MAINTENANCE AND ASSOCIATED MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT IS TO BE INCLUDED.  COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO BE INCLUDED AS WELL AS FINANCIAL OPTIONS (CITY BUDGET, GRANTS, USER FEES, ETC.).

8. ASSESS THE ABILITY OF EXISTING FACILITIES TO MEET EXISTING AND POTENTIAL DEMANDS WITH AND WITHOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS.

9. IDENTIFY NEW SITES FOR FIELD DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERING, AMONG OTHER FACTORS, OWNERSHIP, TOPOGRAPHY, SOILS, CURRENT USE, ADJACENT USE, and ACCESS RELATIONSHIP TO DEMAND NODES, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS, DRAINAGE, UTILITIES, AND COST TO DEVELOP.  SPECIFY THE TYPE OF FACILITY AND DIMENSTIONS TO BE DEVELOPED ALONG WITH SUPPORT FACILITIES.  IDENTIFY ANY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPECIFIC SITES.

10. IDENTIFY FUNDING OPTIONS TO MEET COST OF PROVISION AND MAINTENANCE.  IN-KIND/VOLUNTEER MAINTENANCE IS TO BE INCLUDED IN ALL MAINTENANCE CONSIDERATIONS.

11. RECOMMEND PRIORITY ACCESS POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC FACILITIES.

12. CONDUCT PUBLIC MEETINGS, MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS PRESENT PERTINENET INFORMATION, AND ANSWER APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS RELATED TO INFORMATION PRESENTED AND ASSOCIATED METHODOLOGY.

13. PRODUCE 50 COPIES OF THE DRAFT REPORT FOR REVIEW BY THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, THE STEERING COMMITTEE, AND THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  COPIES WILL ALSO BE AVAILABE FOR PUBLIC REVIEWS. 

14. PRODUCE 100 COPIES OF FINAL REPORT AND 300 COPIES OF SUMMARY REPORT. 

FUNDING SOURCES FOR THE STUDY:

THE CITY IS CONDUCTING THIS STUDY UTILIZING A $30,000 GRANT PROVIDED TO THE CITY BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES.  THE CITY HAS MATCHED THE STATE GRANT WITH $30,000 OF CITY MONEY FOR A TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET OF $60,000.  THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES HAS ALSO PROVIDED HALF OF THE FUNDING FOR THE NEWLY COMPLETED JUNCTION HOLLOW SOCCER FIELD, AND FOR TWO SOCCER FIELDS THAT ARE NOW UNDER DESIGN AT HETH'S RUN IN HIGHLAND PARK.  ALL OF THE FUNDING HAS COME FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES' COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE KEYSTONE RECREATION, PARK AND CONSERVATION FUND).  THE PROGRAM FUNDING REQUIRES A LOCAL MATCH FOR ALL FUNDS PROVIDED BY THE STATE. 

CONSULTANT INFORMATION:

THE CITY HAS SELECTED PASHEK ASSOCIATES AS THEIR CONSULTANT FOR THIS PROJECT.  PASHEK ASSOICATES IS AN INNOVATIVE FIRM OF RECREATION AND COMMUNITY PLANNERS.  THE FIRM WAS FORMED IN 1986 TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES TO GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, INSTITUTIONS AND PRIVATE SECTOR FIRMS.  THE FIRM'S MISSION IS TO ASSIST COUNTIES, COG'S, MUNICIPALITIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, HOW THE DELIVERY OF RECREATIONAL SERVICES MIGHT BE CHANGED AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE THE COMMUNITY'S GOALS. 

TIME-LINE OF STUDY:

THE STUDY IS DESIGNED TO BE COMPLETED IN EARLY SUMMER 2002, TO BE ABLE TO INFORM THE CITY'S CAPITAL BUDGET IN 2003.  

MEETINGS SCHEDULE:

THE FIRST PUBLIC MEETING WILL BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 25^TH AT 7:00 P.M.  THE LOCATION OF THE MEETING IS 200 ROSS STREET, 1^ST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM. 

THE FIRST 4 PUBLIC SECTOR MEETINGS WILL BE HELD IN OCTOBER.  THE LOCATIONS  & TIMES ARE NOT DETERMINED AS OF YET.