More indoor facilities also cited in Princeton survey
By Nick Norlen, Staff Writer
Above all other recreation changes, Princeton residents want improved walking and bicycling trails and more indoor facilities.
Those conclusions were among the extensive data — gleaned from a survey of residents of both municipalities — that was presented to a nearly full slate of Princeton Township Committee and Borough Council members Thursday.
The lengthy PowerPoint presentation was given by representatives of consulting firm Brandstetter Carroll Inc., which has been assisting Princeton’s Joint Recreation Board in its preparation of the joint Recreation Department’s Master Plan.
Although Recreation Department Executive Director Jack Roberts said the master plan isn’t expected to be completed until next summer, Brandstetter Carroll Principal Patrick Hoagland said the resident data was presented Thursday so the governing body members can focus on the plan’s recommendations during the final presentation.
”You can see how valuable this information is,” he said. “What we’re trying to do now is come up with solutions to some of the issues that are coming up.”
A multitude of the data presented Thursday came from a household survey — compiled by recreation survey firm Leisure Vision — that was mailed to 2,500 households in the borough and township.
Responses were received from 440 households, 68 percent of which were in the township.
According to the results, 90 percent of respondents reported that they have visited Princeton parks or recreation facilities during the past year.
But despite that high rate of use, those who responded to the survey indicated a number of areas for recreation improvements.
Chief among the unmet needs reported most by those surveyed are paved and unpaved walking and bicycling trails and indoor swimming, fitness and multipurpose facilities.
Some of those concerns — along with outdoor aquatics and the future use of athletic fields — were also listed in the “recurring themes” that arose during stakeholder focus groups, according to Brandstetter Carroll consultant Wayne Bain.
”We really talked to just about everyone who has an interest in passive and active programs in this community,” he said, noting that the master plan will include recommendations for coordination with Princeton Regional School District, Princeton University, Princeton Family YMCA and YWCA Princeton, among other entities. Mr. Roberts said the next step is for the Recreation Master Plan Steering Committee “to flesh out a vision in concrete terms.”
He added, “Brandstetter Carroll will be attaching costs to these concepts as we get more and more specific, and then we’ll start to frame a vision over, again, a 10-year period of time,” he said, noting that the plan will be given to both the Township Committee and Borough Council for review after it is drafted.
Although Mr. Roberts said consideration will be given to alternate methods of funding the proposals, many of the questions from the governing body members Thursday dealt with the price and prioritization of the items to be included in the master plan.
Borough Councilman Andrew Koontz, who is a liaison to the recreation board, said a prioritized list of the needs and their costs would be helpful.
However, Township Administrator Jim Pascale urged the steering committee to “add a little modesty and to really bring down some of the expectations to fit our pocketbook … so the total burden doesn’t fall on the two governing bodies.”
Although Mr. Hoagland said that lists of “dislikes” that needed improvement — written in red marker during public workshops — were longer than lists of “likes,” he said that level of desire for recreation improvements is to be expected.
”That’s why we’re here,” he said. “The red list is always longer.”

