24 | 2023 National Recreation and Park Association On average, park and recreation agencies report having $16.5 million of deferred maintenance projects on their books. Agencies operating in less densely populated areas have fewer deferred projects than do those operating in areas with a greater population density. Agencies serving a jurisdiction of fewer than 500 people per square mile have an average of $9.8 million in deferred maintenance projects compared to $27 million for agencies serving a jurisdiction of more than 2,500 people per square mile. Average deferred maintenance balances rise at agencies that: • Have higher operating budgets: $368,833 at agencies with operating budgets less than $500,000 compared to $38.4 million at agencies with operating budgets that exceed $10 million • Have a larger staff: $1.8 million at agencies with a staff of fewer than 10 FTEs compared to $38.5 million at agencies with 100 or more FTEs • Serve larger populations: $1.2 million at agencies in jurisdictions with less than 20,000 people compared to $57.8 million at agencies serving jurisdictions of more than 250,000 people • Have more parks: $1.4 million at agencies with less than 10 parks compared to nearly $47.6 million at agencies with 50 or more parks • Maintain more parkland: $3.5 million at agencies that maintain 250 acres or less of parkland compared to $62 million at agencies that maintain more than 3,500 acres of parkland Further, jurisdiction type plays a prominent role in the value of deferred maintenance projects found in park and recreation agencies. Agencies located in towns have deferred maintenance totaling an average of $1.4 million, while the average deferred maintenance at city-based agencies is $19.8 million. County park and recreation agencies have an average of $26.9 million in deferred maintenance projects. In comparison, independent park districts/authorities and special park districts have an average of $9 million and $6.6 million, respectively, in deferred maintenance projects. $5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 $0 VALUE OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS PER AGENCY FIGURE 24: VALUE OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS PER AGENCY (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median $500,000 $117,500 $475,000 $636,000 $3,000,000 $4,835,000 Lower Quartile $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Upper Quartile $6,050,000 $750,000 $5,000,000 $6,460,559 $12,500,000$50,350,000 Average $16,520,514 $1,240,479 $8,055,043 $7,448,720 $13,591,214 $57,844,879 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 A group of teens hike through the woods in Castle Rock, Colorado. PHOTO COURTESY OF TOWN OF CASTLE ROCK PARKS AND RECREATION
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