OPRA and the Awards Committee Co-Chairs have received numerous requests over the years to have access to the awards submissions after judging has been completed. Click on the links below to access each submission’s folder to view the submission (files ending in 00), supporting materials, and pictures.
Category 1: Capital Improvement Projects – Up to $1.0 Million
1st Place | Stark County Park District | Mindfulness Walk
2nd Place | Ohio State Parks & Watercraft | Rocky Fork Fishing Pier
3rd Place | Metroparks Toledo | Beach Ridge Singletrack Trail Experience
Beachwood Recreation Department | Barkwood
City of Celina | Celina “PRO” Challenger Course
City of Defiance | Boardwalk Nature Trail
Fairborn Parks & Recreation | Fairborn Central Park NFC Fitness Court
Great Parks of Hamilton County | William and Gina Garnett Wildflower Overlook
Greene County Parks & Trails | Indian Mound Reserve Revitalization
Hilliard Recreation & Parks | Hayden Run Village Park
Miamisburg Parks & Recreation | Canal Run Dog Park
Mill Creek MetroParks | MetroParks Farm Disc Golf Course
Oregon Parks and Recreation | Orec Fitness & Fun
Steubenville Parks & Recreation | Belleview Pool Renovation
Summit Metro Parks | Silver Creek Disc Golf Course
Twinsburg Parks & Recreation | TFC Training Zone
Category 2: Capital Improvement Projects – $1.0 to $2.5 Million
1st Place | Gahanna Parks & Recreation | Big Walnut Trail #4/McKenna Creek Restoration
2nd Place | Geauga Park District | Holbrook Hollows
3rd Place | Ohio State Parks & Watercraft | Catawba Boat Launch Facility
City of Celina | A ‘Hat Trick’ in the Park
Category 3: Capital Improvement Projects –$2.5 Million & Up
1st Place | Ohio State Parks & Watercraft | Hocking Hills Visitor Center
2nd Place | Oxford Parks & Recreation | Oxford Aquatic Center
3rd Place | Ohio State Parks & Watercraft | Buckeye Lake Multi-Purpose Path
Broadview Heights Parks and Recreation | Broadview Heights Community and Recreation Center
Cincinnati Parks | Westwood Town Hall
Cincinnati Recreation Commission | Hirsch Recreation Center Renovation
Westlake Parks & Recreation Department | City of Westlake Aquatic Center & Peterson Pool
Category 4: Programs – Special Event
1st Place | Summit Metro Parks | Promises in the Park – A Wedding Event
2nd Place | Metroparks Toledo | Wintering the Towpath
3rd Place | Reynoldsburg Parks & Recreation | Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival
Athens Arts, Parks and Recreation | Athens Lead Her Forward: Breakfast of Champions
Cincinnati Recreation Commission | Career Expo: A One Stop Employment Shop
Fairfield Parks & Recreation | Farmers Market
Greene County Parks & Trails | Pumpkin Glow
Miamisburg Parks & Recreation | Spring Fest
Reynoldsburg Parks & Recreation | Heroes and Hooks
Stark County Park District | Sippo Lake parkrun
Upper Arlington Parks and Recreation | Upper Arlington Centennial Cycle
Vandalia Parks & Recreation | All Inclusive Day
Westerville Parks & Recreation | Furry Friend Bone-nanza
Whitehall Parks & Recreation | Whitehall STEM Outreach and COSI Partnership
Category 5: Programs – Historical & Cultural Arts
1st Place | Kettering Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts | Bee Ambitious Sidewalk Public Art
2nd Place | Miamisburg Parks & Recreation | Harmony in the Park
3rd Place | Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District | Pleasant Hill Lake History
Columbus Recreation and Parks | Operation Monarch
Medina County Park District | Pioneers in the Park
Whitehall Parks & Recreation | Art with the Ashford
Category 6: Programs – Environmental & Interpretive
1st Place | Five Rivers MetroParks | Fishing Line Recycling Program
2nd Place | Great Parks of Hamilton County | Holiday Lights Recycling
3rd Place | Summit Metro Parks | Summit Lake Nature Club
Darke County Park District | Darke County Park District Raptor Education Program
Great Parks of Hamilton County | Crush It Crusade
Great Parks of Hamilton County | Electronics Recycling Day
Lorain County Metro Parks | Children’s Nature Discovery Trail
Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District | Osprey Nest Platform Partnership Project
Preservation Parks of Delaware County | Creating Natural Moments with Little Adventurers
Westerville Parks & Recreation | Hunt Westerville
Whitehall Parks & Recreation | Public Engagement and Conservation Campaign
Category 7: Programs – Health & Wellness
1st Place | Five Rivers MetroParks | 2nd Street Market/Homefull Partnership
2nd Place | Miami County Park District | Children’s Rx for Nature
3rd Place | Metroparks Toledo | Metroparks Forest Therapy
City of Dublin | MyZone
Summit Metro Parks | Outdoor Rx for Seniors
Category 8: Programs – Sports
1st Place | Middleburg Heights Community Center | Warrior Week/Clash of the Heightans
2nd Place | Worthington Parks and Recreation | Pickleball Finds a Permanent Home in Worthington
3rd Place | Columbus Recreation and Parks | Cleveland Browns Free Football Clinic
Cincinnati Recreation Commission | Soccer for Success – Cincinnati’s Mini Pitches
Upper Arlington Parks and Recreation | Northam Park Tennis Program
Whitehall Parks & Recreation | Artsy Archery
Category 9: Programs – Adaptive
1st Place | Solon Recreation Department | Boxing Buddies – Solon Blue Ribbon Adapted Recreation
2nd Place | Summit Metro Parks | Autism Friendly Touch-A-Truck
3rd Place | Washington Township Recreation Department | Sensory-Friendly Performance of Disney Frozen Jr.
Broadview Heights Parks and Recreation | Broadview Heights Power Soccer
Centerville-Washington Park District | “Capabilities” a Partnership Worth Sharing
Cincinnati Recreation Commission | Miracle League Fantasy Camp
Miami County Park District | Simple Pleasures for Seniors
Metroparks Toledo | All Inclusive Programming at Metroparks
Category 10: Programs – Recreation
1st Place | Sandusky Recreation Department | Midtown Supper Club
2nd Place | Willoughby Parks & Recreation | 3rd Annual Willoughby Pumpkin Chunkin
3rd Place | Miami County Park District | Date Night Series
Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Park District | Gran and Me Playdate
Cincinnati Recreation Commission | OTR Career Ambassadors
Greene County Parks & Trails | Wiggle Worms at Play
Miamisburg Parks & Recreation | Gaming IRL
Westerville Parks & Recreation | Extreme Teen Camp
Youngstown Parks and Recreation | Community Learn to Swim
Category 11: Law Enforcement
1st Place | Metroparks Toledo | Ranger Department Pursuit of Excellence
Category 12: Natural Resources & Conservation
1st Place | Five Rivers MetroParks | Eastwood MetroPark Tree Sinking
2nd Place | Cleveland Metroparks | Cuyahoga River Revival through Innovation
3rd Place | MetroParks of Butler County | Nature Delivered – Elk Creek MetroPark
Columbus Recreation and Parks | Whetstone Prairie Restoration
Geauga Park District | Griswold Creek Restoration
Reynoldsburg Parks & Recreation | Sustainable Landscaping & Ecology in Reynoldsburg
Category 13: Marketing Innovation
1st Place | City of Dublin | The Dublin Irish Festival App Fueled by EASE Logistics
2nd Place | Cincinnati Parks | NRPA ‘Game On’ Campaign
3rd Place | Summit Metro Parks | My SMP Adventure
Great Parks of Hamilton County | Great Parks Marketing Campaign – “Life Happens at a Great Park”
Greene County Parks & Trails | An Eye to the Sky
Grove City Parks and Recreation | Grove City Gnome Hunt
Kettering Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts | A Camp for Every Kid Campaign
Lake Metroparks | Webcams: A Look on the Wild Side
Miami Conservancy District | Great Miami Riverway Brochure
Category 14: Management Innovation
1st Place | City of Dublin | Aquatics Summer Staff Incentive Program
2nd Place | Cincinnati Recreation Commission | Serving Through Licensing
3rd Place | Upper Arlington Parks and Recreation | AEDs in Our Parks
Cincinnati Recreation Commission | Public Library Inside Price Hill Center
Columbus Recreation and Parks | Line of Sight Land Plan
Great Parks of Hamilton County | Great Parks of Hamilton County Comprehensive Master Plan
Metroparks Toledo | Philanthropy and the Metroparks Toledo Foundation