Wissahickon Group Launches Comprehensive Park Study

The Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) has launched the most comprehensive park survey of the Wissahickon Valley ever conducted.

My Park Counts includes, for the first time, mechanical counters as well as observational information and personal interviews.

Developed and implemented in conjunction with Atlantic Social Research Corporation (ASRC), this one-year long park user survey will determine seasonal and annual park usership counts, park-related activities among different groups, and attitudes and perceptions among local and non-local visitors to the park. The data collected will help FOW and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation take more effective action in designing capital investment, programming, and outreach strategies. It is also intended to minimize user conflict.

“This is the first time a survey of this depth has been conducted in Wissahickon Valley Park,” says Maura McCarthy, the Executive Director of the Friends of the Wissahickon.

FOW volunteers developed and conducted a park user count and opinion survey in 1993 and implemented a professionally designed park user opinion survey in 2007. According to McCarthy, “the information we collect this coming year will help FOW secure funding for our projects, determine how to allocate resources, and help us enhance park user experience.”

To determine the number of park visitors, TrafX trail counters have been installed at over a dozen sites park-wide. Trained FOW volunteers identified with My Park Counts buttons will perform observational counts at these entrances to ensure the accuracy of the mechanical counters and collect basic demographic information on park users who pass their observation point.

FOW volunteers will also administer short surveys to collect information on park user experience at key exit points to the park. In addition, the survey is available online at FOW’s website and takes three to four minutes to complete.

Park users who complete the survey in the park or online will be entered into a drawing in mid-2012 for a free iPad and one of 10 free annual FOW memberships (includes choice of t-shirt or hat). Visit the FOW website to take the survey.