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by the existing parks and recreation system. Subsequently, the level of sufficiency or deficiency of the existing system can be determined to assess the current need prior to projecting the future parks and recreation system needs. Currently, the Department is responsible for 20 neighborhood and community parks (comprising almost 200 acres), two special use parks (i.e., Five Points Town Plaza and the Bayforest Golf Course), and eleven miles of trails (see Table 2.1, Existing Parks and Map 2.3, Park Inventory). Overall, the City has a total of 22 parks and recreation facilities comprised of playgrounds and playscapes; picnic amenities; baseball, softball, soccer, football fields; basketball and other sports courts; bicycle/pedestrian/exercise/nature trails; a senior center; a Special Populations Center; two bayside parks; two fishing piers; a rodeo/open riding arena; three neighborhood pools and one Parks sprayground/playground; and other amenities. Over the past 21 Bayside Terrace Park years, the City has spent close to $18 million on its parks and Fairmont East recreation system. fFairmont 7West In addition to the parks and recreation areas owned and managed fA Shady Lan by the City, there are school playgrounds that provide additional Shady Rive recreation and open space that is available to residents and visitors of the La Porte area. The City and the La Porte Independent School District (ISD) have a cooperative agreement that allows joint use of City and School recreations facilities. As displayed in Table 2.2, Private Parks, there are also five park facilities and one neighborhood pool that are owned and maintained by the homeowners' associations. Parks and Recreation Standards Standards provide a measure for determining the amount of parks, recreation and open space needed to meet the current and projected future demands of the City's citizens and visitors. Parks and recreation standards are typically expressed in terms of acres of land dedicated for parks, recreation and open space per unit of population, such as 0.5 acre per 1,000 persons. While general standards are useful, it is important to establish standards that are based upon unique local considerations, such as participation trends and projections, user characteristics, demographics, climate, natural environment, and other considerations. Values related to leisure and recreation are unique to each municipality; therefore, the standards should represent the interests and desires of local parks users. The suggested standards from the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), as modified for La Porte's unique conditions, are illustrated in Table, 2.3, NRPA Development Standards, (on next page) A COMMUN 11 Y V1 S 10N FOR [ A PORTE -1 EXAS - 2010 U PDA I E 0.49 1.18 2.59 2.35