Park and recreation : a study of camping opportunities at Prairie Creek Reservoir Muncie, Indiana

During this creative project rationale, developed from scientific fact, community needs and the values inherent to the student was utilized as the foundation for decisions associated with the development of a campground facility for Prairie Creek Reservoir. Comprehensive and site specific problem-solving methods were used to form a broad overview of the park and recreation planning and design procedures available to landscape architects.At the comprehensive scale, a survey was conducted to assess the community need for the camping experience. An inventory of existing camping opportunities available to the residents of Delaware County was used, in conjunction with the survey results and recreation standards, in a supply/demand equation to determine the number and the type of camping facilities needed to meet present and future demand for the camping experience. The concept of camping at Prairie Creek Reservoir Park was viewed in this light.Site scale investigations began with the establishment of user and resource criteria. Natural, cultural and economic data were collected from the landscape contained within, and immediately surrounding, the property leased by the Muncie Park Board at the Prairie Creek Reservoir site. This information was analyzed in accordance with the design criteria to produce a series of computer generated maps. The student identified alternative campground sites within the site with the help of these visual aids. The campground site, best meeting the user needs and resource capabilities, was selected and a series of development proposals for the campground facility was prepared.Department of Landscape ArchitectureThesis (M.L.A.