B.    Service Issues

1.    Standards of Service Standards of service for land acquisition and provision of facilities are needed in order to assure equitable distribution of facilities and services throughout the City, to adequately serve newly annexed areas, and to guide land acquisition and development decisions related to future growth of the City. This report recommends that the standards in Chapter III be adopted by the City and implemented as funds permit.

2.    Neighborhood Facilities Several of the public meetings focuses on neighborhood concerns. In the Kenwood area the main concern is for traffic. This issue is being addressed by extending an exit street from the new parking lot. It is recommended that in the future, league play facilities should be built only in District Parks such as Neill Clark or Stanford, or in city-wide parks designed specifically for that purpose.

The Highland Neighborhood Association views the Highland Center as a liability, or as an attractive nuisance which bring in unruly groups. They would like to see the center closed.

The Brown-Penn / Ridgeview neighborhood has been studied extensively. A new library is being constructed. Attendance at both the Ridgeview Center and pool have declined. In 1996, the pool attracted 1,271 people in 66 days, or 19 people per day. Only half of these paid admissions, and total revenue was $850.00. The George Ivey pool did not fare much better, with 1,736 admissions, or 27 people per day.

The trend is away from small neighborhood operations and towards larger facilities serving several neighborhoods. This report recommends constructing a large pool at Stanford Park, closing the smaller pools, and bussing participants to Stanford if required.

Ridgeview Center is losing attendance. The neighborhood is aging. There are fewer young people to be served. The group using Ridgeview is mobile and can go to other centers. Ridgeview should be studied carefully. Where possible, programs should be moved to Brown-Penn, thus concentrating staff and program dollars in one location.

This report recommends a new recreation center be built at Stanford Park. This plan will serve newly annexed areas as well as existing neighborhoods and will permit phasing out the Highland Center.

3.    Swimming Swimming opportunities in Hickory are inadequate. The City operates pools at Ridgeview, George Ivey and St. Stephens. There are 18 apartment / condominium pools, plus those at the country clubs. The YMCA operates a large outdoor pool and expects to construct an indoor pool by 1998. The indoor pool at Lenoir Rhyne College is available to the public on a very limited basis.

The present need is for a large outdoor pool centrally located and designed to serve the multiple purposes of fitness, instruction, competitive, recreation and rehabilitative swimming.

In this location, the pool will not only meet present needs, but is well located to serve the growing northeast area. Opening this pool will permit closing inefficient operations at George Ivey and Ridgeview.

Specific recommendations for the size and functions of this pool are appended to this report. (See Appendix A.)

4.    Service to Annexed Areas The standards of service recommended in this study provide a blueprint for serving annexed areas, both now and in the future.

Land and facilities are presently adequate to serve newly annexed areas, but additional areas will be needed as the City continues to grow.