Three Park and Recreation Agencies Have Each Been Selected to Receive $75,000 Grants
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the nation’s leading advocate for parks and recreation, in partnership with Niagara Cares, a philanthropic arm of Niagara Bottling, is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Perk Your Park Project.
The following park and recreation agencies have been selected to receive a $75,000 park improvement grant to revitalize their outdoor community spaces:
- George Mitchell Nature Preserve, The Woodlands, Texas
- Seabourne Creek Nature Park, Rosenberg, Texas
- Coco Point Park in Coconut Creek, Florida
These agencies each received the most votes in the 2022 Perk Your Park contest which ran August 1 – September 12, 2022. Each agency will receive funding to implement park improvement projects centered on increasing access to nature and improving community health and well-being.
The Woodlands will build a structure on the edge of a pond in the George Mitchell Nature Park to serve as both a bird blind and outdoor classroom. The project site has been identified as a local birding hotspot. By constructing a bird blind and outdoor classroom, the Woodlands community will have a place to support this activity year-round, regardless of the weather.
In Seabourne Creek Nature Park, the City of Rosenberg will provide families and school children with an educational and fun outdoor environment where they can experience and learn to love nature in a shaded picnic setting. This project will create a family-friendly learning adventure by showcasing a biodiverse collection of native trees found throughout Fort Bend County.
Coco Point Park will utilize their open space to provide nature education and protect pollinator habitat. As the City of Coconut Creek is the Butterfly Capital of the World, elements will include butterfly gardens, bird watching and nature education QR Codes, nature art, concrete game tables, a geocaching station, seating, and ADA accessibility. Native animals will be highlighted through elements such as wildlife footprints in the sidewalks. These improvements will not only bring families together to play, but also bring them closer to nature and educate them on South Florida's habitats.
Opportunities to play and recreate outdoors in community spaces like these are vital to connecting children and families to the natural environment, encouraging physical activity, and ensuring the health and environmental sustainability of local communities across the country.
“Local park and recreation programs serve a vital role in creating and activating spaces that are not only resilient, but also transformative at the community level,” said Ayanna Williams, NRPA Director of Community and Environmental Resilience. “These park improvement grants invite everyone to enjoy the outdoors.”
“We’re thrilled to support these nature-based play projects in Texas and Florida,” says Kristen Venick, Director of Niagara Cares. “It was exciting to see the community come together to vote for these projects and we look forward to the development of these outdoor spaces.”Since 2016, NRPA and Niagara Cares have partnered to create and enhance parks, playgrounds and play spaces that provide opportunities for physical activity, social connectivity and wellbeing for families within public parks. Since the beginning of the Niagara Perk Your Park program, 18 NRPA grants have been awarded to Niagara Bottling communities in Arizona, California, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
For more information about the Niagara Perk Your Park program, visit: niagaraperkyourpark.com.
To learn more about NRPA, visit nrpa.org.
To learn more about Niagara Cares, visit niagarawater.com/niagaracares.
###
About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit parksandrecreation.org.
About Niagara Cares
Niagara Cares is a philanthropic arm of Niagara Bottling, committed to supporting local and national community initiatives by engaging stakeholders and investing its resources for disadvantaged children and their families. Niagara Cares initiatives include national strategic partnerships, local community grants, employee engagement, volunteerism and the Andrew D. Peykoff, Sr. Scholarship Program. For more information, visit www.niagarawater.com/niagara-cares.
Niagara Bottling, LLC has been family owned and operated since 1963. Headquartered in Diamond Bar, CA, Niagara operates bottling facilities throughout the U.S. and Mexico. As a leading beverage manufacturer in the U.S., Niagara Bottling works closely with some of the largest beverage brands, retailers, grocers, club and convenience stores throughout the country. Niagara produces a variety of beverages including bottled water, sparkling, vitamin and flavored water, teas, sports drinks, ready-to-drink coffee, protein drinks and non-dairy milk products. For more information, visit www.niagarawater.com.