Perceptions of recreation and park user fees in Austin, Texas

Abstract

A study, co-sponsored by the Texas Recreation and Park Society, was conducted in Austin, Texas, during the summer of 1980. Its purpose was to compare and contrast public attitudes concerning public recreation user fees with those of park and recreation professionals and local elected representatives of Austin. In order to do so, an identical questionnaire was administered to each of those groups (local elected representatives, parks and recreation supervisory personnel, and the general public). Mailout survey responses were received from six of the seven members of city council (85%), from 47 of 55 parks and recreation administrative personnel (85%), and from 242 of 381 adults (63%) drawn from the Austin general population. The survey instrument in this study utilized a five point Likert-type scale for measurement of attitudes and perceptions. Respondents had the opportunity to either "strongly disagree," "disagree," "neither agree nor disagree," "agree," or "strongly agree" with a battery of statements concerning factors and effects of user fees. Hypotheses were developed to test for differences in mean attitude scores (dependent variables) between the three populations (independent variables) studied. It was expected to find perceived differences between the three groups. However, for purposes of statistical testing, the null hypotheses were developed as follows: Ho2 There is no difference in mean perceptions of the general public, parks and recreation supervisory personnel, and local elected representatives regarding general philosophy of charging direct user fees for local public recreation and park services. Ho2 There is no difference in mean perceptions of the three groups regarding the administration of community leisure services when user fees are charged by the parks and recreation department. Ho3 There is no difference in mean perceptions of the three groups regarding factors which justify user fees. Ho4 There is no difference in mean perceptions of the three groups regarding the extent to which user fees should be charged for local public recreation and park services... Analysis of variance was performed to determine if differences occurred between the three groups for each hypothesis and the Sheffe's test was used to pinpoint specifically which groups differed significantly with each of the others...