Rejuvenating Neighborhoods and Communities Through Parks—A Guide To Success www.NRPA.org National Recreation and Park Association © 2011 All Rights Reserved 14 Community Profile and Issues Identification – Longview, Washington Located on the Columbia River, rural Longview is the largest and most influential city in Washington’s Cowlitz County and serves as a hub for as many as 40 smaller communities. In 2007, Longview had 37,584 residents, and the county had 104,400 residents. Almost 85 percent of residents are Caucasian, 10 percent are Hispanic/Latin, 2 percent are Asian, and 1 percent are of another race. Nearly 9 percent of the households speak a language other than English at home. With a struggling local economy long dependent on mills, two of which have closed in recent years, Longview has a high unemployment rate–nearly 15 percent in 2010. Issue Identification Risk factors for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease are common among county adults. Primary risks are high rates for overweight and obesity (67 percent), insufficient physical activity (37 percent), high cholesterol (30 percent), hypertension (20 percent), and smoking (24 percent, including 28 percent of pregnant women). With an environment affected by air pollution and tobacco smoke, 22 percent of youth are being treated for asthma, one of the highest rates in the state. The overall impacts of chronic health problems on Longview and Cowlitz County are higher healthcare costs and an average life span that is three years less than the state average. Deaths due to chronic disease, as well as accidents and suicides, are also higher in Cowlitz County than state averages. Source: NRPA ACHIEVE Park Assessment A thorough park assessment gives insights not revealed through a review of acreage and other statistics A park assessment answers the question “What are the conditions within the park area itself, along with potential opportunities and constraints?” There are some agencies that perform periodic park assessments as part of their ongoing operations, while other agencies use of assessments as the need arises In either case, there are a number of areas that should be addressed through a park assessment including: • Existing landscape • Conditions of facilities • Access for user groups • Available working utilities • Inventory of specific amenities and conditions of those amenities • Maintenance reports • Police complaints and records, if any Data and statistics about your community are critical They are likely to be requested for annual budget reviews, capital improvement requests, and foundation or grant proposals The good news is not only that such data is available in greater depth than previously but also that most of it can easily be secured through public information sources or via online sites
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