The Staunton Parks and Recreation Department received three state awards at the Virginia Recreation and Park Society (VRPS) Annual Awards Presentation at the VRPS Annual Conference on Monday, December 8.
The VRPS Annual Awards Presentation honors exemplary members, volunteers, and agencies of the Parks and Recreation community for achievements during the preceding year. The award recipients were selected by a VRPS awards committee comprised of peers and colleagues from Parks and Recreation departments throughout Virginia.
The three awards presented to Staunton’s Parks and Recreation Department include:
- Best New Renovation/Addition (Bricks and Mortar), which is awarded in recognition of an existing facility’s renovation and/or addition that demonstrates innovative park or recreation design.
Staunton Parks and Recreation received the award for the Gypsy Hill Park Pool Renovation which began in late August 2013, and was completed in late October 2013. The major updates included a newly refurbished pool shell and upgrades to the filtration and chlorination system. The most noticeable and attractive features included a double pool slide to the main pool with the addition of interactive water features and a zero-depth entry in the children’s pool.
- Best Promotional Effort—Traditional, which is awarded in recognition of the department and designer for excellence in traditional promotional materials (multi-page brochure, poster, flyer) used for the promotion of an agency, Parks and Recreation facilities, programs, services, or events during the award year.
Staunton Parks and Recreation received the award for the Winter/Spring 2013 Brochure. This 32-page brochure design concept focused on various park histories. Feature history articles included the History of Montgomery Hall Park, the Original Rules of Gypsy Hill Park 1890, the History of Woodrow Park, and Part IV of the Legend of Betsy Bell and Mary Gray. This document honors the history of the city’s parks as well as those individuals whose life paths and visions influenced the creation of these play spaces.
- Best Promotional Effort—Specialty, which is awarded in recognition of the department and designer for excellence in specialty promotional materials (e-newsletters, website, online advertisements, videos) used for the promotion of an agency, Parks and Recreation facilities, programs, services, or events during award year.
Staunton Parks and Recreation received the award for its 2013 Camp Staunton Marketing Campaign. The department’s campaign was multi-faceted and included a consistency in design that best represented its camp through flyers, banners, social media, and partnerships with local businesses, including Pufferbellies and The Split Banana Company, to complement the traditional marketing outlets being utilized. The result was a significant increase in camp registrations.
About the awards, Christopher J. Tuttle, Director of Staunton Parks and Recreation, said “It is truly an honor to be recognized by our peers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. These awards validate the hard work and dedication the men and women of Staunton Parks and Recreation display on a daily basis. Without their efforts, this would not have been possible. The praise and honor go to them.”
Staunton Parks and Recreation is a department of the City of Staunton the mission of which is to provide a variety of quality of leisure opportunities to the diverse population of Staunton for the purpose of improving Stauntonian’s quality of life.
Virginia Recreation and Park Society is a private, non-profit professional organization, the members of which are professionals, students, and interested lay persons engaged in the field of recreation, parks and other leisure services in Virginia.
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