You spoke - we listened!
Over the last few months, we’ve been asking the community, “How do you feel about our work?”
As you may remember, we distributed an electronic survey in the spring (for a summary of the survey responses, click HERE.) In June, we followed up with a series of focus groups attended by 30 people representing local and regional nonprofits, volunteer groups, government agencies, and the business community. Here’s what we learned.
1. You really value recreational opportunities along the river. Walking, biking, rowing, paddling – 65% of our survey respondents are out on the trail or the river at least once a week.
2. You really value the work of the Schuylkill Project. You told us loud and clear: no other organization or government agency coordinates activities and projects along the river and the trail – and that coordination is essential.
3. While local businesses benefit from the trail, the benefits could be greater. To make is easier to patronize these businesses, your suggestions include better signage, easier access from the trail, more bike racks, and trail use discounts.
4. Progress? Yes. Fast enough? No. While many long-timers see significant improvements – more trail miles, more amenities, a cleaner river – everyone would like to see quicker turnaround on recreation and conservation projects. As better environment protection improves the resource, however, environmental standards tend to go up, which slows projects down. As one observer noted, “More turtles equals more hurdles.”
5. Over the long run, we need a different business model. At present, the coordination provided by the Schuylkill Project is 100% funded by the William Penn Foundation. Because their grants are not perpetual – no grants are perpetual – you generated a lot of interesting ideas for raising money, including a “friends group,” business sponsorships, and asking trail users for membership gifts and voluntary donations.
Thanks again for sharing your opinions, your time, and your enthusiasm for the Schuylkill River.
As you may remember, we distributed an electronic survey in the spring (for a summary of the survey responses, click HERE.) In June, we followed up with a series of focus groups attended by 30 people representing local and regional nonprofits, volunteer groups, government agencies, and the business community. Here’s what we learned.
1. You really value recreational opportunities along the river. Walking, biking, rowing, paddling – 65% of our survey respondents are out on the trail or the river at least once a week.
2. You really value the work of the Schuylkill Project. You told us loud and clear: no other organization or government agency coordinates activities and projects along the river and the trail – and that coordination is essential.
3. While local businesses benefit from the trail, the benefits could be greater. To make is easier to patronize these businesses, your suggestions include better signage, easier access from the trail, more bike racks, and trail use discounts.
4. Progress? Yes. Fast enough? No. While many long-timers see significant improvements – more trail miles, more amenities, a cleaner river – everyone would like to see quicker turnaround on recreation and conservation projects. As better environment protection improves the resource, however, environmental standards tend to go up, which slows projects down. As one observer noted, “More turtles equals more hurdles.”
5. Over the long run, we need a different business model. At present, the coordination provided by the Schuylkill Project is 100% funded by the William Penn Foundation. Because their grants are not perpetual – no grants are perpetual – you generated a lot of interesting ideas for raising money, including a “friends group,” business sponsorships, and asking trail users for membership gifts and voluntary donations.
Thanks again for sharing your opinions, your time, and your enthusiasm for the Schuylkill River.
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