UAI has broken new ground in strategic planning, management improvement, and users studies for parks and outdoor recreation. Our approach is data-driven and systematic.

Management Plan for Hermann Park, Houston
UAI, working with ETM Associates, developed a plan to manage Houston's flagship park, Hermann Park. The Plan includes: recommendations for the maintenance and operation of the Park; recommendations about the relationship between the City of Houston and the Friends of Hermann Park as it relates to Parks governance and management, and supporting analyses. These analyses included estimates of Park usage; analysis of seasons, estimates of work hours needed and available to maintain the park and strategies for closing the gap between needed and available hours.

Operations Plan for Central Park, NYC
When faced with a 35% cut in the Department's operating budget, New York City's Parks Department and the Central Park Conservancy turned to UAI for a management plan. The plan called for cutting expenditures while maintaining the spectacular restoration of Central Park.

With the assistance of UAI, the City and the Central Park Conservancy implemented a new approach to managing the park's workforce. UAI's plan made it possible to maintain the park in peak condition while using less money and manpower. The zone system UAI designed built in both worker accountability as well as productivity incentives. This system, still used today, is widely credited with being the linchpin of Central Park's managerial turnaround.

User Study and Maintenance Management Plan for Prospect Park
UAI carried out a major study of the use of Prospect Park, and used the analysis of the patterns of use in the Park to develop a strategy for Park maintenance that was responsive to the needs of Park users.

Other Parks Projects:

• Jack Ukeles served as a peer reviewer for elements of the Strategic Plan of the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department
• Jack Ukeles facilitated a Prospect Park staff planning retreat for the Prospect Park Alliance and Prospect Park Administrator
• UAI helped the City Parks Foundation of News York City to develop a Mission Statement as part of their strategic planning effort
• Ukeles Associates Inc. carried out an evaluation of a two-site project to provide social service to homeless people in parks
• Jack Ukeles served as part of a Columbia University team to design and implement a TQM pilot program for the NYC Commissioner of Parks and Recreation
• UAI served as a consultant to the Public Space for Public Life Project (NYC Parks Council & Citywide Coalition of Parks and Open Space groups) and wrote the management chapter in the Final Report
• UAI carried out a major study of The Users of Riverside Park for the Riverside Park Fund and the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation
• Jack Ukeles facilitated a strategic planning Board retreat for the Riverside Park Fund Executive and Board

For more information about this Area of Expertise, or other UAI Projects, contact us

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