Pleasanton Parks and Recreation Master Plan

Page | 2 APPENDIX C EMERGING TRENDS Introduction Today, our country and the world has become more transient, fast paced, with consistent, rapid, and dramatic changes. Therefore, understanding the trends that affect the park and recreation industry is very important as the City moves through the process of developing a Comprehensive Community Services Master Plan to ensure sustainability and to meet the future community service needs of the community. An awareness of trends affecting the future economy, facility operation, and program participation will not only enhance the ability to meet growing and changing needs but open doors to new opportunities. Paying attention to current issues and understanding future issues will assist Pleasanton in achieving sustainability and positioning parks and recreation as an essential service to the community. Emerging trends can be organized into five major subject areas:  Demographic Shift  Changing Life Styles  Society and Economy  Sustainability  Park and Recreation As these emerging trends are explained and discussed, it will become clear that there will be significant impacts on current facilities and the development of new park and recreation facilities. Foremost among these changes are:  “Intergenerational” facilities that address needs of all of the community’s population regardless of age.  Facilities that support programs, and provide positive, safe, and secure recreational alternatives for healthy lifestyles and combat obesity.  Facilities that support programs and activities, promote personal connections, and allow the community to highlight and share their cultural heritage.  Neighborhood parks that allow for increased community connectedness.  Facilities that support increased multi‐cultural family arts events.  Access to facilities, with flexible hours to accommodate user needs.  Facilities in which teens can call “home”, program, and operate under teen leadership.  Facilities in which children can experience, learn, and develop an appreciation for nature and open space. Demographic Shift • Our Nation is aging, and so are the State and the City. The median age of Americans today is 37 years. By 2030, it is projected to be 39 years. Pleasanton’s median age was 36.9 in 2000 and increased to 40.8 by 2013. The US Census Bureau projects that California’s population for those over 65 will increase by 130% by 2030.