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A Descriptive Survey
and Analysis of the Organization and Administration of
Public Recreation Services in the Metropolitan Area of San
Juan, Puerto Rico
Nelson Meléndez Brau
Catedrático Educación Física y Recreación
New York University
Doctorado 1983
This study in concerned with
the administration and operation of public recreation
services within the Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area
of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Here, the government had
authorized eleven public agencies to provide recreation
services, confusion in terms of agency objectives,
inadequate planning, disorder in the programming and
delivery of services, and waste of resources.
Systems theory was used as the theoretical framework for the
study based on the observation that the eleven public
agencies offering services in metropolitan San Juan operate
as a system, responding to environmental conditions and
attempting to produce activities designed to satisfy its
constituents. Each agency, however, operates as a system by
itself (within its geographical and, or, statutory limits)
but is subsumed as a unit by the encompassing Metropolita n
San Juan recreation services system.
A questionnaire was developed to gather selected data from
each of the agencies operating in the area. Findings were
reported using the case study method-at the individual
organization level. The same data was then used in the
analysis of the all-inclusive recreation service system of
metropolitan San Juan.
Findings revealed that:
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There was no accepted
pattern or intent for cooperation regarding service
provision among agencies composing the system, but
rather each agency sought to further its own objectives
without regard for the outcome that the combined actions
of all agencies may produce.
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All the agencies had
highly centralized administrations where delegation of
authority and responsibility as well as communication
was minimal.
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The personnel employed by
the system was seriously lacking in training in the
recreation/leisure field.
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Recreation services in the
sports and fitness categories were emphasized by the
system over other types of services by a factor of two
to one, much to the neglect of those services.
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A total of 68% of the
population served by the system were persons under 20
years of age and 73% of all persons were males; which
speaks negatively of the system’s ability to reach other
population groups and thus provide for a balanced
service offering.
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The fairly large inventory
of recreation facilities (1,175) was not receiving
adequate maintenance.
Investigaciones /
Publicaciones:
Meléndez Brau, N. (1993). North-South, East-West, Leisure
and the Global Citizen, en Ocio y Nueva Ciudadanía; Actas
VIII Congreso de E.L.R.A., Universidad de Deusto, Bilbao,
España.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1992). Tourism in Puerto Rico, en Spatial
Implications of Tourism, ed. C. Fleischer-van Rooijen, Geo
Pers, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1991). Latin America; Educational
Programs in Recreation, Parks and Leisure - an Overview, en
International Directory of Academic Institutions in Leisure,
Recreation and Related Fields, 2nd. edition, ed. M. D’amours,
Presses de I’Université du Québec, Canada.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1989). Puerto Rico: Consumerism as a Way
of Live, en Leisure and Life -Style, eds. A. Olszewska y K.
Roberts, SAGE Publications Ltd., Londres.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1987). The Arts in Puerto Rico, en Trends
in the Arts a Multinational Perspective, eds. L. Hantrais y
T. Kamphorst, Uitgeverij Giordano Bruno, Utrecht.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1986). Educación en recreación, parques y
tiempo libre en Latinoamérica un esquema general, en
International Directory of Academic Institutions in Leisure,
Recreation and Related Fields, ed. M. D’Amurs, World Leisure
and Recreation Association, Quebec.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1990). Características de la
participación deportiva en el Puerto Rico urbano, Centro de
Estudio del Tiempo Libre, Universidad de América, Bayamón,
Puerto Rico.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1989). Salsa y Tiempo Libre; estudio
sobre los valores transmitidos por la música popular
puertorriqueña en relación al uso del tiempo libre,
publicado por el Centro de Estudio del Tiempo Libre,
Universidad de América, Bayamón, Puerto Rico.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1986). Los centros comerciales y el
tiempo libre; nuevos usos de los espacios urbanos. Centro de
Estudio del Tiempo Libre, Universidad de América, Bayamón,
Puerto Rico.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1986). Los comerciales de televisión y su
influencia sobre las conductas de tiempo libre en Puerto
Rico, Centro de Estudio del Tiempo Libre, Universidad de
América, Bayamón, Puerto Rico.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1989). The Social Implications of Leisure
in Latin America, Economic Papers 22, Research Institute for
Developing Countries, Central School of Planning and
Statistics, Warsaw, Poland.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1987). The Historical Development of the
Latin American Leisure and Recreation Association, World
Leisure and Recreation, 29, (1).
Meléndez Brau, N. (1987). Leisure and Consumption: The
Influence of Television Commercials, World Leisure and
Recreation, 28, (3).
Meléndez Brau, N. (1999). Las conductas de ocio de la
familia puertorriqueña. Revista de Ciencias Sociales, 6,
227-243.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1998). El efecto del trabajo sobre los
estilos de ocio de los estudiantes universitarios en Puerto
Rico, Memorias del Quinto Congreso Mundial de Tiempo Libre,
Sao Paulo, Brasil.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1995). El impacto económico de la
industria de la recreación marina en Puerto Rico, para la
Marine Industry Association of Puerto Rico y la Marina and
Boatyard Association of Puerto Rico.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1994). Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor
Recreation Plan 1994-1998, para National Park Service,
Departamento de Recreación y Deportes y Compañía de Fomento
Recreativo.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1994). La demanda recreativa del Centro
Tradicional Histórico de Caguas, para la Oficina de
Planificación y Desarrollo Comunal de Caguas.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1994). La función recreativa del Centro
Tradicional Histórico de Caguas, para Oficina de
Planificación y Desarrollo Comunal de Caguas.
Meléndez Brau, N. (1995). La influencia del nivel educativo
sobre la participación en la recreación al aire libre,
Tiempo Libre, 9, (2).
Meléndez Brau, N. (1991). ¿Contribuye la recreación a la
satisfacción de vida de los envejecientes jubilados?,
Auspiciado por el Fondo Institucional para la Investigación
de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras.
Filmado en formato VHS y difundido a través de la televisión
local.
Meléndez Brau, N. (en proceso). Uso del tiempo libre y
resistencia a la infección por VIH. Auspiciado por el Centro
de Investigación y Estudio de VIH/SIDA, Universidad de
Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras.
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