5 Oaks user survey prompts new classes, evening hours and guest-pass promotions

The Park and Rec Commission heard Aug. 20 that a user survey of the 5 Oaks community center produced 91 completed responses and prompted staff to add classes, extend some evening offerings and try new membership marketing.

Commissioners were told the online SurveyMonkey questionnaire was open from April 23 to May 26 and was distributed through the department’s newsletter, printed materials, QR codes around facilities and social media; respondents were entered into a drawing for a $50 program credit. TJ Biese, parks and recreation supervisor, said staff used the results to prioritize fitness classes, childcare hours tied to workout times, and family-oriented programming.

The meeting presentation said the majority of respondents were regular users and that the center’s most-used spaces are the fitness area, lobby, special events and the gymnasium. Biese reported average satisfaction in the survey around 8 out of 10, that roughly 84% of respondents would recommend the facility to a friend and that respondents rated program variety about 78 out of 100. Biese acknowledged there were typographical inconsistencies in the respondent breakdown when the data were pulled and asked the commission to treat some subgroup numbers as staff-reported figures subject to clarification.

Biese summarized program and operational changes already underway or planned in response to feedback: more free yoga classes, additional free fitness options during the structured child drop-off program, midweek evening fitness classes between 5:30 and 6 p.m., discounted group personal training, outdoor fitness offerings, added dance/Zumba courses, 55-plus fitness opportunities and new art, cooking and gardening classes. Staff said three-on-three adult basketball had been implemented for the fall before survey results were finalized and that pickleball ranked high among user interest items.

On membership marketing, Biese said the department offered three free guest passes to members during July’s parks-and-rec promotion; she did not have the guest-pass redemption data at the meeting but agreed to provide a usage and conversion report at the next commission meeting. She also said staff have updated facility photos online to show recent improvements and that front-desk staff and volunteers were repeatedly cited by respondents for creating a welcoming environment.

Discussion: Commissioners and staff focused on survey response coverage and representativeness. Commissioner Bill Hanson and others noted that youth and teen programs showed lower response counts and that the survey likely skewed toward regular adult members; Biese said the department sends targeted surveys for specific programs (camps, sports) and will consider intercept surveys at events such as Harvest Festival to reach families and younger users.

Ending: Staff will bring the guest-pass usage and any follow-up program-enrollment stats to the commission at the next monthly report. The survey will inform programming decisions for the department’s upcoming activity guide and ongoing program planning.