Centerville-Washington Park District honored

Oak Creek South Park Skatepark earns third place in competition.

The Ohio Parks and Recreation Association announced its annual Awards of Excellence winners for 2010.

The Centerville-Washington Park District was among those honored, earning third place in the Park Area Development under $1,000,000 category for the Oak Creek South Park Skatepark.

The park district was able to add the skatepark, in response to the requests from residents of Centerville and Washington Twp., when Oak Creek South Park was scheduled for redevelopment.

After the passing of a park improvement levy in 2004, the skatepark was added to the schedule.

The initial design for the skatepark was for a component park, however, after further input from the community, a concrete bowl design was selected.

The OPRA Awards of Excellence for 2010 will be presented at a banquet hosted by the association on Feb. 10 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherlands Plaza.

One first-place winner will be presented with the 2010 Governor’s Award for Parks and Recreation, a “best-in-show” award that includes a $500 contribution to the parks and recreation foundation of the agency winner.

The awards are judged in a two-tiered process, which includes a panel of parks and recreation professionals from around Ohio, as well as the association’s board of directors.

Incorporated in 1963, the OPRA is a nonprofit, public interest organization representing more than 1,300 professionals and citizen board members striving to provide quality parks and recreation facilities and opportunities for all Ohioans. At the same time, it is dedicated to protecting and preserving Ohio’s natural resources, positively affecting local economies, and helping improve the health and wellness of its citizens.

Ohio has become known as a trendsetter in the nation with parks and recreation often singled out for national test markets and pilot programs.

For more information, call Office Manager Martha Lanese at (937) 433-5155.