Metroparks Toledo’s Glass City Metropark is the winner of the 14th Annual Governor’s Award for Parks and Recreation presented by Ohio Parks and Recreation Association, making the agency the first two-time winner of the award.
“The impact that Glass City Metropark has had on the entire City of Toledo is impossible to overstate,” said OPRA Executive Director Woody Woodward. “I spent a lot of my childhood in that very area, and the transformation that Metroparks Toledo has accomplished is just breathtaking. Parks and recreation agencies are revitalizing communities and changing lives around Ohio, and this project is a perfect example of that.”
Glass City fully opened June 9, 2023, with unique-to-the-region outdoor recreation facilities, natural areas, three miles of trails, a restaurant, public art, and access to the Maumee River. The new park fulfilled the longstanding goal of remaking the nearly forgotten waterfront into one of northwest Ohio’s signature attractions. It was the first major public investment in the aging East Toledo neighborhood in a generation, and it set the stage for bigger improvements to come.
Glass City is a 70-acre park with 15,000 linear feet of trails, 17 acres of trees, a 27-acre prairie, and more than 3,000 linear feet of improved shoreline. Within this natural setting are several unique features designed to engage people in year round outdoor activities:
- The Ribbon, a 1,000-foot-long ice skating trail frozen from beneath a concrete surface and smoothed with a Zamboni. In warmer months, roller-skaters enjoy the smooth surface.
- The Grosbeak Discovery Play area is an adventure play node with a double zip line, custom slides, as well as rock and log climbing opportunities. The main attraction is the Grosbeak play tower. Standing over 40 feet tall, the tower is packed with as many play features as could be safely incorporated and includes two fully accessible levels.
- A Prairie + Pollinator Discovery Play area is a dynamic play experience inspired by the flora and fauna of the region. When plants are more established, a ‘prairie maze’ feature will be mown into the adjacent meadow.
- The Mini Maumee Water Play area allows Metroparks to further its programming promoting the health of the Maumee River and Lake Erie in an immersive and interactive experience. The water feature includes a scaled depiction of the Maumee River, serving as an interactive teaching tool that demonstrates the breadth of the watershed.
- The Cove + Adventure Boardwalk is a former commercial marina redesigned as a naturalized cove with native plantings and aquatic habitat that offers visitors a protected area to enjoy kayaking. The cove is enclosed by a boardwalk with a series of elevated decks and overlooks connected by rope bridges.
- Market Hall is a 9,500-square-foot park building that is home to a restaurant, beer garden, equipment rentals, restrooms, and lockers, as well as event space. The building design was inspired by a forest tree canopy, translating into a signature roofline and dynamic wood ceiling.
In the first three months of operation, people visited the new park 200,000 times, making it the most popular of the 19 Metroparks in Lucas County. Even before the grand opening, preview events attracted large crowds. During a special opportunity to experience an ice skating “ribbon” last winter, more than 12,000 people turned out over three weeks.
The Governor’s Award was established in 2010 to recognize the one park and recreation project, program, or event that has had the most significant impact on quality of life in the preceding year. The award winner was announced and the award presented at the OPRA Annual Conference and Trade Show on February 6.
All thirteen winners of OPRA project, program, and event awards were considered for this statewide “best in show” award.
In addition to the Governor’s Award trophy, the department received a proclamation from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and a $500 contribution from OPRA.