Results of 2021 Park Community Needs Assessment Survey
Friends' First Annual Survey
Community Usage Survey Results Summary
Data Limitations
The information provided is by participants that chose to respond. These respondents saw a flyer about the survey at either the park bulletin board, local social media groups, Friends' social media pages, Friends' website, Friends' email listserv, or heard about the survey through word of mouth. The survey was only available in English, reducing input from park community members that did not feel comfortable with or were unable to complete a survey in English. Only 13% of respondents identified as Asian or Pacific Islander, compared to the 2020 Census as reviewed by NY4P, which shows a population of 46% in Queens Community Board 11, the CB around Crocheron & John Golden Park.
Percentages
Questions that allow for multiple answers, the percentage is not based on the sum of the answers, but the number of respondents. This means that in some cases the percentage will equal more than 100%.
Key Findings
Parks
- Respondents expressed that Crocheron & John Golden Park often helped maintain their mental, physical, and/or social health during the pandemic
- Majority of respondents (70%) indicated that it often helped
- 23% responded that it sometimes helped
- Respondents are generally satisfied with the cleanliness of the park
- 55% saying that it is normally clean
- 47% saying that it is sometimes clean
- 6% stated that it is rarely clean
- Cleaning/Litter Removal is still a high priority for respondents
- 54% of respondents still indicate that Cleaning/Litter Removal is a high priority for the park, making it second highest priority as ranked by respondents.
Events and Activities
- Vendors in the park
- 69% of respondents would like to see a weekly Farmers Market in the park with local produce
- 48% are interested in a Holiday Market featuring local businesses
- 20% are interested in a Food or Beverage Concessions in the park
- Educational and health focused activities
- 45% of respondents expressed an interest in Educational Programming/Activities
- 36% would like amenities to expand to include Exercise Stations with Equipment
- 15% of respondents would like to see Multipurpose Sports Fields, for sports like football and soccer
Future Improvements
- Respondents express that improvements to park paths is the main priority. This reflects that 67% of respondents use the park for walking.
- Top 5 Priorities for the park
1) 57% Accessibility - Repaving Damaged Paths
2) 54% Cleaning/ Litter Removal
3) 48% Ecological Health of the Pond
4) 46% Tree Planting/ Maintenance
5) 41% Benches/ Tables
I. Respondent Demographics
Figure 1. Question 6 - What is your zip code?
- Two-thirds of the respondents (67%) live in Bayside.
- One respondent is from Suffolk County. This respondent travels from Commack, NY, zip code 11725, a 30 mile drive over and 30 mins away from the park. This suggests that there is a small percentage of park goers that live outside of Queens and are interested in the Crocheron & John Golden Park.
Table 1. Question 5 - What neighborhood do you live in?
| Neighborhood | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Aburndale | 3 | 3% |
| Bay Terrace | 7 | 6% |
| Bayside | 76 | 69% |
| Bayside Hills | 2 | 2% |
| Douglaston | 1 | 1% |
| Flushing | 5 | 5% |
| Bayside Hills | 2 | 2% |
| Fresh Meadows | 1 | 1% |
| Little Neck | 1 | 1% |
| Oakland Gardens | 6 | 5% |
| Other | 4 | 4% |
| Queens Village | 1 | 1% |
| Whitestone | 3 | 3% |
- With the results that most respondents live in Bayside, it is no surprise that most respondents travel between 0 and 10 minutes to the park. Of those whose travel time is 10 minutes and below, 38% drive to the park and 35% walk to the park.
- Overall, 57% of respondents drive to the park, 40% walk to the park, and 3% ride their bike to the park. We did not include public transportation as an option for this survey.
Table 2. Question 3 - How would you best describe how you identify?
| Identify as | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Man (including transgender men) | 29 | 26% |
| Woman (including transgender women) | 73 | 66% |
| I'd rather not say | 8 | 7% |
- 51 out of 110 respondents stated that they have children
- 11 respondents with children between 0 and 5 years
- 21 respondents with children between 6 to 10 years
- 19 respondents with children between 11 to 15 years
- 6 respondents with children between 16 and 18 years
Table 3. Question 1 - What is your age?
| Age Range | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 23 and under | 3 | 3% |
| 24 to 39 | 28 | 25% |
| 40 to 55 | 38 | 35% |
| 56 to 74 | 34 | 31% |
| 75 and older | 6 | 5% |
| I'd rather not say | 1 | 1% |
II. Park Useage
- Respondents visit the park frequently
- 38% visit the park weekly
- 30% visit the park daily
- 11% visit the park monthly
- Top 5 Reasons respondents visit the park
1) 67% to Walk
2) 37% to Exercise or Jog
3) 36% Bring their Children
4) 33% Walk Dog
5) 32% Time with Family
Figure 2. Question 10 - Why do you visit the park? (Check all that apply.)
Park Usage During the Pandemic
- Our Park has helped respondents maintain mental, physical and/or social health during the pandemic. Based on the survey, 70% respondents expressed that the park was often a source of reprieve during the pandemic and 23% that it sometimes was.
Table 4. Question 12 - During the pandemic, has Crocheron & John Golden Park helped you maintain your mental, physical, and/or social health?
| Answer | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Never | 1 | 1% |
| Often | 77 | 70% |
| Rarely | 3 | 3% |
| Sometimes | 25 | 23% |
| Unsure | 4 | 4% |
Select Individual Responses:
- "My family and I have visited the park more frequently and using it as a great escape personally, and also as a meeting point for safe socially distant visits with friends while enjoying nature. "
- "We avoid the playground now."
- "We go daily and walk, it’s our family time together."
- "I used the park this year as I do every year. But I am used to it being less crowded. This year it was sooo beautiful and comforting to see the park full! People were reallly enjoying it. Plus with the playground closed parents were playing imaginary games with their kids in the grass or on a pie of dirt instead of sitting on the playground benches. It was such a positive experience for me."
- "I use it more. I had never been there prior to the pandemic despite living in the area since 1966."
- "It hasn't. I was coming almost every day before the pandemic and never stopped."
III. Priorities for Our Park
Increasing Accessibility through Repairs to Damaged Paths is a priority for respondents.
Figure 3. Question 14 - What are your priorities for Our Park? (check all that apply)
Table 5. Question 14 - What are your priorities for Our Park? (check all that apply)
| Priority for Park | Number | Ranking | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessible - Repave Damaged Paths | 63 | 1 | 57% |
| Benches/ Tables | 45 | 5 | 41% |
| Baseball/ Softball Fields | 12 | 12 | 11% |
| Children's Play Equipment | 32 | 9 | 29% |
| Cleaning/ Litter Removal | 59 | 2 | 54% |
| Ecological Health of the Pond | 53 | 3 | 48% |
| More Trash Bins | 41 | 7 | 37% |
| Gardens and Flowers (Horticulture) | 42 | 6 | 38% |
| Gazebos | 27 | 10 | 25% |
| Tree Planting / Maintenance | 51 | 4 | 46% |
| Outlook to Little Neck Bay | 37 | 8 | 34% |
| Available Parks Staff | 15 | 11 | 14% |
| Baseball/ Softball Fields | 12 | 12 | 11% |
| Other | 9 | 13 | 8% |
Additional Events
- The majority of respondents (69%) are interested in bringing a Farmers Market to the park. This interest reflects the lack of an open air farm market, farm stand, or farm box in the immediate area. NYC Gov's Farm-to-City Data Team shows this information in their graphic on that can be seen
here, as of August 2021.
Tabl 6. Question 15 - What are some additional events or activities that you would like to see? (check all that apply)
| Event/Activity | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Programs/ Activities | 50 | 45% |
| Exercise Stations with Equipment | 40 | 36% |
| Farmers Market (weekly, local produce) | 76 | 69% |
| Food and Beverage Concessions (mobile vendors) | 22 | 20% |
| Farmers Market (weekly, local produce) | 76 | 69% |
| Holiday Market (seasonal, local businesses) | 53 | 48% |
| Multipurpose sports fields (football, soccer) | 17 | 15% |
| Other | 9 | 8% |
Select Individual Responses:
- "I would really love to see a farmer’s market in the area, and Crocheron seems like the perfect site! If this is something that I can help with in any way, please reach out..."
- "Activities for kids and families Post-COVID would be great. Also would love a Farmers Market in Bayside!!!"
- "Definitely need a farmers market; I think that would be a huge plus for the neighborhood!"
- "Concessions and markets would be amazing!"
IV. Opened Ended Feedback
Open ended comments echoed the responses from main survey - improvements to existing parkland, structures, and amenities as well as to bringing outside vendors into the park.
Other Utilization of the Parkland
- "Looking at the views of Little Neck Bay"
- "dancercize"
- "Transportation to bike from one place to another safely"
- "Invasive plant removal"
- "Visit with the ducks, look at flowers, look for berries, look for the hawks, watercolor"
- "Walking"
- "Playground kids sports.tennis,biking,read the paper etcI do landscape projects in the park."
Figure 5. Question 16 - Please, note any ideas for improvements to park features, services and/ or programming. Please be specific.
Select Individual Responses:
Safety:
- "We stopped taking our dog to certain areas in the park as trash bins overflow, especially in the summer & after a weekend(particularly by the pond) and the guy would just eat garbage!"
- "Signs that explain rules for dogs, too many are off leash limits my access to the park"
- "Get rid of fallen trees and branches"
- "Right now I am recovering from surgery & use a walker. The surface is rough especially as compared to Alley Pond Park. I have also seen very small children or others including myself trip and fall"
- "Trail/path along the lake needs some improvements. flood/very muddy at times. More recycling/garbage sorting stations needed in the park."
Amenities:
- "A walking group would be nice. Any physical activities (easy for those 65 and over especially)."
- "Maybe a place for live music or films, also some type of cool seating with a. view of the bay!"
- "I would love to have some adult (over 40) sports, like volleyball or soccer; definitely would like some live music where people can bring picnic blankets and then there are food trucks/vendors selling food so we can have dinner and music."
- "Concessions and markets would be amazing!"
- "Promote more regrowth in the tree groves for a small patch of land for hiking please"
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Contact Us:
friendsofcrocheron@gmail.com
Friends of Crocheron & John Golden Park
PO Box 610300
Bayside, NY 11361
Premier Sponsor
In collaboration with:
Friends of Crocheron & John Golden Park is fiscally sponsored by FJC, a 501c3 public charity. As such, all donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
©2024 by Jessica Burke
All photographs are owned by NYC Parks and/or Daniel Avila, unless otherwise noted.