City of Methuen Master Plan

Methuen Master Plan 2007
limited. Also surrounding towns offer recreation opportunities that are used by many residents of
Methuen. The Open Space Plan does not include a detailed inventory or an analysis of the adequacy of
these facilities. Such an analysis compares the existing facilities’ areas and types to recognized standards.
The accompanying chart is an very brief analysis of Methuen’s existing recreation facilities compared to
the standards of the National Recreation and Park Association. The numbers for existing facilities are
estimated from aerial photos and the inventory included in the Open Space Plan.
Table 51: Recreation Standards
Type Standard Suggested Existing
Playgrounds
Playfields
Neighborhood
Parks
Community Park
Min size 40 acres
Regional Park
Min size 500
acres
Baseball/Softball
Fields
Trails
Tennis Courts
Soccer Fields
Football Fields
Picnic Areas
Golf Course
Indoor
Recreation
Center
Water Sports
Rowing, Fishing
Needed to
Meet Standard
1.5 acres per
1,000 persons
68 acres 34.9 33.1
1.5 acres per
800 persons
84 acres 182
2 acres per
1,000 persons
90 acres 96.3
3.5 acres per
94.4
158 acres
1,000 persons
Town Forest
63.6
15 acres per
Nearby
1,000 persons 675 acres
State Forests
1 per
1,500 persons
30 22 8
3 mile per
Nearby
45miles
3,000 persons
State Forests
1 per
12
30
1,500 persons
public
18
1 per
8
4,000 persons 11 incl. Church 3
fields
1 per
4,000 persons
11 2 9
4 acres per
State Forests
180 acres
1,000 persons
Forest Lake
1 per
25,000 persons
1.8 2
1 per
10,000 persons 4.5 Schools
1 lake or river per
2 2
25,000 persons
Standards suggested by National Recreation and Park Association.
A more thorough inventory of recreation facilities is needed and recommended. But based on the
above estimates, Methuen meets or exceeds some of these standards. The deficiencies noted for
playgrounds and community parks may be due to the lack of land that is called “parkland” rather than to
a lack of actual facilities. For example, conservation land may provide for some of the needs for
community parks although they usually do not include active recreation facilities. The deficiencies for
soccer fields, football fields, tennis courts, and other ball fields probably indicates a real need for
additional athletic facilities. While the table shows that adequate trails may be available in nearby state
forests, a local network of trails could promote healthy exercise and better access to other facilities. The
Open Space Plan update showed strong support for additional recreation facilities, especially ball fields,
hiking and bike paths, and playgrounds in poorly served neighborhoods. While national standards are
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