Executive Summary Eastman Community Recreation Task Force (RTF) Survey Conducted November 2022 First presented on February 15, 2023; Updated March 27, 2023 Prepared by: The Eastman Recreation Task Force Committee Note additional resources on ECA web site: - 2022 Recreation Survey Results Presentation - RTF Final Report - Compendium of Open-Ended Survey Comments

Introduction

The Eastman Ad Hoc RTF Survey Committee 2022 Todd Webber, Chair Bruce Altobelli, Vice Chair Gabrielle Egger, Secretary with contributions from the RTF Steering Committee Many thanks to the Eastman Survey Committee, which helped with the survey design and analysis, and Lorie McClory who was instrumental in the survey design and implementation Special thanks to Bruce Altobelli, who did the lion’s share of analysis and reporting . . . and of course, a debt of gratitude for all of the Eastman residents who participated in the survey!

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Objectives for 2022 RTF Survey •

Determine the satisfaction level for current amenities.

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Determine the “appetite” for new, expanded, and/or enhanced amenities based on the size of the projected investment and potential impact on assessment fees.

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Validate the ideas presented by the RTF in the draft RTF report published in November 2022 and the list of projects submitted to the Capital Improvements Committee as part of its 10-year plan.

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Discover new ideas the RTF may not have uncovered in its prior due diligence and community outreach.

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Capture recreational trends relative to data collected in prior community-wide surveys.

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Establish a baseline to prioritize and develop future action steps for recreational ideas that have the greatest community support. 4

Approach for 2022 RTF Survey •

For 2022, the RTF used an internet survey platform, SurveyMonkey. The survey was designed, implemented, and analyzed by the RTF Survey Committee. No external consultants were employed.

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Owners and their household members over the age of 21 were invited to participate via multiple email communications with a Web-link to the survey. Notices were posted on the Eastman NH listserv and on Eastman-related social media pages. More than one household member could participate.

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The survey was open from November 9th to November 30th, 2022. During that time, multiple email reminders were sent, signs were posted, and notices appeared in newsletters and social media.

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Final data from 805 respondents representing 687 households were used to update and finalize results. Results were presented to the Board in February 2023.

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FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings • Household response rate of 48.5% compared unfavorably to the response rate of 62.4% in 2021 and 55% in 2016. • Demographics of survey participants were essentially unchanged from the 2021 survey. • A vast majority of respondents considered Eastman as their primary residence and spent most of their time in Eastman. • Respondents were generally satisfied with current amenities and maintenance, although many amenities were not used by a significant percentage of the respondents, most notably tennis, pickleball, golf, community gardens, bike lanes, and the game room at South Cove. • Trails, the lake, and beaches were the most used amenity and had the highest level of satisfaction. • Respondents tended to support ideas that would have a small to modest impact on assessments. • The support level designation assigned by RTF is sensitive to the sway of neutral responses; further analysis by the Eastman Survey Committee or RTF successors (see slide 14) is recommended for those amenities with a significant block of neutral answers.

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Evaluating the Data – Ideal Examples

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Evaluating the Data – Ideal Examples

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Amenities Supported

Strongly Support

Walking loops with off-road parking Benches - Add to trails Nature Education Stations Ban Gasoline Powered Boats Limit Horsepower on Boats Long-Track Ice Skating Trail on Lake Gardens - Expand Capacity Gardens - Build Bee Keeping Area Snow Tubing Playground - Larger Grassy Area for Play Lawn Games Outdoor Basketball Soccer Field e-Bike Rental Program

Support

Mountain Bike New Trails Andy's Alley Alternative Kayak Launches on Eastman and Bog Brooks Boat Wash Station on Draper Road Locker Rooms - Improve Game Room - Improve Ice Rink - Add Second Dog Park - Build Bouldering Wall Gathering Places - Add

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Amenities Opposed, Divided, or Polarized

Strongly Oppose

Hot Tub - Add Racquet - Build Platform Tennis Skateboard Park Multi-purpose Sports Facility Outdoor Performance Area Golf Simulator

Trail 6 - Improve RRL Walk/Bike Lanes

Divided

Oppose

Walk Bike Lanes Other Bridge - Heath Forest to John Glen Trail 8 - Switchbacks to Clearwater Cross-fit Stations Overnight Camping Sites - Add Archery Range Racquet - Tennis Improvements

Neutral - Undecided

Trail 5 Improvements Trail 8 Improve Drainage Carriage Type Path - Build New Sauna - Add Racquet - Pickleball Improvements

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Summary of Comments for Open-ended Questions

Question

Suggestions for New or Expanded Amenities Parking at Recreation Sites Parking Suggestions for Mobility Issues Other Comments

Count

325 238 108 347

Note: All comments will be categorized and published in a separate document

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Notable Take Aways • Community garden expansion, despite one of the highest response of “don’t use,” was strongly supported. • North Cove parking had one of the highest rates of dissatisfaction, relatively speaking, and garnered the most comments (for parking or any other topic). • Strong support for limiting speed and gas emissions of power boats on the lake. • Locker rooms at South Cove, from response and comments, indicate improvements may be in order. • New amenities such as snow tubing, long track skating, larger playground, dog park, and lawn games appear to have community support, suggesting the need for follow-through by ad-hoc committees. • Despite being one of the most used amenities, support for substantial trail improvements was limited; however, strong support did exist for smaller trail projects such as benches and nature stations.

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Recommendations and Action Steps • Archive Survey data and make it available to the ECA Survey Committee for further analysis • Designate successors for follow-through of survey findings – ECA departments and/or standing committees where appropriate (Lakes and Streams, Woodlands and Wildlife, Maintenance Department, etc.) – Create Ad Hoc “community-driven” committees for amenity ideas that need to be championed beyond the support provided by current ECA departments and committees – Assign a Recreation Committee member to serve as a liaison to each successor – Conduct annual reviews with active successor groups

• Publish and communicate survey results – PowerPoint presentation submitted to Board in February 2023 – Comments document – Public forum

• Update DRAFT RTF Report published in November 2022 with survey findings; expected by end of March 2023 • Work with CIC to prioritize ten-year capital plan based on Survey results and subsequent work, which may be submitted by designated successors. Participate in annual review. 14