Stanley Park Project Cost-Benefit Analysis

Stanley Park Program Evaluation
Courtnie Brown
RES 562
Deborah Gonzales
October 27, 2014

The city of Kelsey has experienced notable growth within the last few years that has subsequently resulted in the need to expand the public facilities. Among other additions, the proposed Stanley Park Project will include the addition of eight multipurpose athletic fields, enclosed dog parks, four tennis courts, and an aquatic facility (Apollo Group, 2012). Before such an undertaking can be completed, it is required that an analysis and evaluation of the proposed plan be executed.
In order to evaluate the predicted value of the Stanley Park Project to the community cost-benefit analysis should be done to find out if such a project will be
worth the time, energy, and funds. Cost-benefit analysis will ultimately determine if the benefits of the project outweighs the costs, and if a sensible decision is being made. Things to consider will include how much it will cost to maintain the park each year, the amount of citizens that will be using the park, and the communal benefits that would come from building the park. One of the easiest things to determine will be the average cost to maintain the park each year. This can be done by simply getting quotes or estimations from contractors and service providers. It will be also be necessary to factor in minor damages and maintenance. Determining how many residents will utilize the facilities will be an important aspect of cost-benefit analysis. This information will be of great value to the evaluation of the program because the ultimate goal of the Stanley Park Project is to serve the residents of the community. It can be safely assumed that most if not all residents of the city of Kelsey will make use of the new public facilities. The elderly are likely to use the new tennis courts and aquatic facilities for exercise, while the young people will make uses of the technology labs and skate parks to complete homework and engage in activities with their friends. Residents of all ages will be able to use the new facilities for meetings, productions, and general outdoor activities. An estimation of these numbers can be conducted using surveys and interviews. It can be determined how many residents are in favor of the new project, and how many of them plan on using the facilities. Conducting surveys and interviews is of extreme importance because they reveal relevant statistical data, but they can also be tricky. It has to be kept in mind that the surveys must be a true representation of the community, and the response to these surveys must be significant. Often times, people tend to disregard surveys which results in a low response rate. For this reason, it would be most efficient to conduct surveys in person or over the phone to try and ensure a higher and more accurate response. There are also a certain number of communal benefits that come with residents making use of the new facilities. The completed Stanley Park Project will ignite a level of community pride and involvement. The Stanley Park Project can serve as a central hub for the community, and it will not be necessary to use accommodations from other neighborhoods. It is also a possibility, that the Stanley Park Project will garner some level of income for the city in the future. Certain facilities and accommodations can be rented as a way to fund maintenance costs throughout the year. In addition to conducting cost-benefit analysis, normative futures will prove to be a major aspect in agenda setting and goals for the Stanley Park Project.
Normative futures are a key component in the evaluation of the Stanley Park Project because they are goal and objectives oriented.
Because it is difficult to define or use normative futures on the basis of existing preferences or standards, it is important that future changes pertaining to the project be carefully evaluated and taken into consideration (Dunn, 2008). When setting goals and agendas, what may currently be an issue or at the forefront, may not be as important further down the line. An example of normative futures in the Stanley Park Project is the number of people that will use park. When the park initially opens for business, it is likely that there will be a substantial amount of people using the park on a regular basis, but as time goes on those numbers may decline considerably. Goals and objectives must be clearly stated so that the project can be as effective as possible. For example, it is the goal of this project to increase the number of visitors at the park in the future, while the objective is to have a five percent increase in the number of visitors to the park during the first five years of operation. When setting goals and agendas it is important to recognize this potential future trend and make the necessary accommodations. One way to ensure traffic in the future is to continually offer new programs and difference forms of recreation at the park to generate continued interest. Being aware of this information will allow goal and agenda setting to be
more concise and effective. The success of the proposed Stanley Park Project will have to employ program performance measures based on program goals and objectives to determine if the project has been successful and worth the time and funding used. The Stanley Park Project’s performance measures will be both qualitative and quantitative, with each type offering its own benefits. Satisfaction surveys can garner both qualitative and quantitative results. Such surveys will keep track of the number of people visiting the park and their opinions on the overall quality of the services offered at the facility. Questions pertaining to safety, atmosphere, comfort, and convenience will allow policy analysis to gage the overall success of the program. Because the park will require upkeep and maintenance, success of the park can be measured quantitatively in the amount of donations the city receives from residents towards the park. Satisfied users are much more likely to make monetary donations to ensure that park can continue to stay open. Additionally, town hall meetings can prove to be an effective form of collecting qualitative data. Using this forum, residents will be allowed to share their like and dislikes of the project and make suggestions. Carrying out a task such as the Stanley Park Project requires that an evaluation of the predicted value to the community take place.
It is essential that the right planning take place in order to determine the future success. Careful research, planning, and consideration indicates that the new program will in fact be a success. Through grants, state funding, federal funding, and donations the project will be completed to better serve the community. A price cannot be put on the community fellowship and involvement that will be generated as a result of the project. Early estimations show that community members are looking forward to the proposed project, and intend to work together in order to make sure that the facility becomes a lasting institution in the community. While there may be bumps along the road, the program evaluation has not found any reason that the Stanley Park Project should not be approved for
implementation.

References
Apollo Group, Inc. (2012). City of Kelsey Virtual Organization. Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/ Dunn, W. N. (2008). Public Policy Analysis. An Introduction (4th ed.). Retrieved from The
University of Phoenix eBook Collection database..