Three projects have been selected by a panel of judges for the 2015 OPRA Governor’s Award for Parks and Recreation.  Cincinnati Recreation Commission’s Therapeutic Recreation Adapted Swimming Program, Columbus & Franklin County Metro Parks’ Rocky Fork Metro Park and Stark County Park District and Canton Parks and Recreation’s BikeSmart Bike Share Program were selected from among the 14 first place award winners.

• Cincinnati Recreation Commission’s Therapeutic Recreation Adapted Swimming Program incorporates the Red Cross Swim Progression for swimmers preschool age to seniors with developmental and physical disabilities. Participants are taught water safety, learn-to-swim skills and independence in the water with a 1:1 trained instructor. 
   
• Columbus & Franklin County Metro Parks’ Rocky Fork Metro Park marks the successful achievement of a regional, multi-agency goal to preserve substantial open space within a rapidly developing community.  Over 1,000 acres of land in Plain Township are now a permanent natural oasis of woodlands, wetlands and grasslands. With projected annual attendance of over 350,000 visitors per year, Rocky Fork Metro Park is quickly becoming integral to the health and wellbeing of the region.
   
• Middle school students in Stark County proposed the idea of using a library card to borrow bikes for free so that residents could travel to appointments, run errands or live a healthier lifestyle. In a unique partnership between Stark County Park District, Canton Parks and Recreation and Stark County Public Library, six bike hubs were placed near libraries and community centers, each containing six bicycles available to borrow.

The Governor’s Award for Parks and Recreation, presented by Ohio Parks and Recreation Association was established in 2010 to recognize the one park and recreation program or project that has had the most significant impact on quality of life in the preceding year.

Officials from seven statewide organizations formed the voting panel for the 2015 award.  They included: County Commissioners Association of Ohio, Ohio Association of Broadcasters, Ohio Association of Realtors, Ohio Homebuilders Association, Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, Ohio Municipal League and Ohio Township Association. 

They judged the program and project winners based on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated impact of the program or project on the community quality of life;
• The project or program is unique/innovative or presents a new way of doing something;
• The program or project addresses a felt need in the community and includes clear goals which are achieved; and,
• The program or project is utilized by the community and outcomes can be demonstrated.

The award winner will be announced and the award presented at the OPRA Annual Awards Dinner on February 2 at the Kalahari Convention Center in Sandusky.