Improving access to parks and recreation programs, thereby expanding equitable outcomes, is key to building a healthy community. Portland Parks & Recreation continues an emphasis on access to parks, natural areas and recreation program set out by Parks 2020 Vision, while renewing focus on providing opportunities for underserved communities. Below are some of the key performance measures we are using to measure our progress in achieving goals within this area. A summary table is provided along with more detailed interactive charts below.

Goals and Summary of Progress 

• Provide equitable access to parks and natural areas within walking distance for all residents.
• Improve recreation opportunities for underserved communities.

Progress Toward Target		Performance Measure	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	Target
	Minor Progress	Percentage of households within a .5 mile of a park or natural area	79%	80%	80%	80%	81%	100%
	Minor Progress	Percentage of households living within 3 miles of a full service community center	69%	70%	69%	69%	70%	100%
	No statistically significant change	Percentage of residents who rate neighborhood closeness to parks as good or very good	83%	85%	84%	84%	83%	85%
	No statistically significant change	Percentage of residents who visited a park at least once in the last year	88%	88%	88%	90%	89%	100%
	Progress made	Employees of color as a percentage of FTEs	15%	15%	16%	18%	20%	28%
	Progress made	Employees of color as a percentage of all employees	24%	27%	27%	28%	31%	28%
	Minor Decline	Female employees as a percentage of all FTEs	37%	35%	36%	38%	37%	50%
	Decline in progress	Female employees as a percentage of all employees	54%	54%	55%	56%	1.8%	50%
	Minor Decline	Park acres per 1,000 residents	19.5	19.5	19.4	19.4	19.1	19

Park Access

The Parks 2020 Vision identifies a goal that 100% of Portlanders are within ½ mile of a Park or Natural Area. The charts below identify progress made since 2006.  As of 2016 81% of households are within ½ mile of a park or natural area. The map below shows park access within specific neighborhood coalition districts. Certain areas of Portland such as East and Central NE continue to lag behind other part of the city. These are the areas that continue to be focus points for new development.

Neighborhood Closeness to Parks

Not surprisingly, neighborhoods such as East Portland that lack park access rate their closeness to parks much lower when compared to other neighborhoods in the City. Overall, 84% of City residents rate their closeness to parks as good or very good. The data below is from the City Auditor’s annual resident survey. Overall, 83% of City residents rate their closeness to parks as good or very good.

Community Center Access

The Parks 2020 Vision identifies a goal that 100% of Portlanders are within 3 miles of a full service Community Center. A full service Community Center includes a gymnasium, fitness and classrooms, and a pool. The charts below identify progress made since 2006. As of 2016, 70% of households in Portland are within three miles of a full-service community center. A major funding initiative will be required to provide community center access for all Portland residents.

Frequency of Park Visits

Since 2030 the percentage of residents visiting a park on a weekly basis has increased by 3%. Residents in East Portland continues to lag behind other parts of the city in their frequency of park visits, with only 18 residents visiting a park on a weekly basis.

Parks Acres Per 1,000 Residents

The Parks 2020 Vision identifies a goal that Portland maintains a service level of 19 acres per 1,000 residents. The charts below indicate that investments in the park system have allowed the city to maintain overall service levels at or near the goal established by the Park 2020 Vision. However, as noted above, many geographic areas of the City still remained unserved.

Employee Demographics

PP&R employed a total of 3,676 employees in FY 2016, including, 3,115 part-time seasonal staff. Extensive efforts are being made to make sure PP&R’s workforce is reflective of all communities, particularly communities that are the most underserved in our community. The tables below provide an interactive look at progress made in the diversifying the work force over the past six years.

Grants and Donations

The Parks 2020 Vision identified a goal to increase the support PP&R receives from outside funding resources to 10% of total bureau expenditures. As of 2016, 1.8% of PP&R’s total expenditures were supported from outside grants and donations.This only includes funds recorded in the City’s financial system. The bureau is exploring methods to also track in-kind donations, which is a substantial part of PP&R’s development program. The charts below provide more details as it relates to specific dollars from grants versus donations. 

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