Benchmarks
Benchmarking is a process used in strategic management, in which organizations evaluate various aspects of their processes in relation to best practice with the goal of increasing efficiency and quality of service, while reducing costs. It opens organizations to new methods, ideas and tools to improve their effectiveness. There is not one universal set of standards for parks and recreation due to the fact different agencies serve different communities with unique needs, desires and challenges. This area contains resources applicable for park and recreation providers to build customized benchmark reports.
SAMPLE - Snow Park Policies
Seascoast Adventure, 2022
Example policies and procedures for snow park users at a commercial facility.
Routine Trail Maintenance Cost Per Mile
Rails-to-Trails, 2021
The purpose of this table is to quickly give a general sense of the routine maintenance cost per mile of various types of multiuse trails in different regions of the United States.
Habitat Installation Guide - Pennsylvania
The Xerces Society for Invertegrate Conservation, 2019
These instructions provide in-depth guidance on how to establish and maintain pollen-and nectar rich wildflower habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects. The requirements and considerations in this guide are in addition to NRCS criteria applicable all purposes for the planned conservation practice.
Dog Parks 101
Trust for Public Lands, 2019
People have many questions about “the right way” to build a dog park and want to bring together the right combination of people and resources to make it possible. Based on those discussions, as well as some interviews and even some personal experience, we have put together thisguide.
De-escalation Series
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, 2021
The De-Escalation Series for Critical Infrastructure Owners and Operators follows the Employee Vigilance Through the Power of Hello to help critical infrastructure owners, operators, and staff identify and navigate suspicious activity or potentially escalating situations to safely dis-engage and report to local law enforcement or their organization’s multi-disciplinary threat management team.
How to Make Preventative Maintenance Easy
Enertiv, 2018
This video clip offers a brief overview and justification for preventive maintenance planning as a strategic approach to efficiency.
Guide to LEED Certification
U.S. Green Building Council, 2021
This site outlines certification guides support the LEED process. Access each rating system guide for important information regarding the LEED certification program including the current policies, procedures and pricing.
Sample - Maintenance Standards Policy
Shawnee County Parks and Recreation, 2018
This document is intended to serve as aplanning document to guide the county leaders and staff where and how to deliver parks, recreation facilities andprogram to meet public expectations and needs.
Sample - Maintenance Procedures Manual
Spartanburg County Parks Department, 2020
Sample employee policy manual
Parks and Recreation Master Planning
CompleteCommunities, 2014
Produced by the Institute for Public Administration (IPA) at the University of Delaware, this video describes the many benefits that parks and recreation facilities provide to communities, as well as the master planning process that leads to ideal park development. Best practices are highlighted, such as successful local planning efforts by municipalities in Delaware.
Complete Communities Toolbox
University of Delaware, 2013
The Delaware Complete Communities Planning Toolbox aims to help build local government capacity to develop: complete-communities planning approaches, community-design tools, and public engagement strategies.
Sample Standards of Care for Outdoor Park Facilities and Amenities
City of El Paso, TX, 2017
The following standards, along with adopted operating budgets, will be used to guide all decisions and actions taken by the Department to ensure safe and enjoyable facilities for the present and future.
Sample Level of Care Cost Estimate Budgeting Sheet
Great Rivers Greenway, 2020
"The following are ""Programmatic level"" estimates of annualized LOC O&M Cost and Capital Repair Cost to be estimated at the Planning, Design and Constructed stages of development."
Maintenance Practices and Costs of Rail-Trails
Rails to Trails Conservancy, 2015
This study presents a more comprehensive understanding of rail-trail maintenance, as has been done for other rail-trail issues such as construction costs, economic impact and rails-with-trails. Such an approach enables the rail-trail community to focus its limited resources more effectively on addressing the most critical issues.
National Menu of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Stormwater
US Environmental Protection Agency, 2020
The menu of BMPs is based on the stormwater Phase II rule's six minimum control measures. EPA has found the practices listed in the menu of BMPs to be representative of the types of practices that can successfully achieve the minimum control measures.
