Parks & Rec Receives Award
Over 400 delegates, exhibitors, speakers, and volunteers from around the state gathered last week at the 71st Annual Conference of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society (VRPS) held in Norfolk, Virginia. The conference is a learning exchange and provides an opportunity for recreation and park professionals to discuss areas of common interest.
Highlighting each year’s conference is a formal presentation of awards. This statewide program honors individuals, departments, and organizations throughout Virginia who have demonstrated excellence in any of several areas during the previous year. One hundred and forty applications were received vying for awards in sixteen different categories. Judged by a jury of its peers, Blacksburg Parks and Recreation received an award in the Best New Facility (Parks, Playgrounds, Blueway’s, Greenways or Trails) category for the restored Hand-in-Hand playground.
The Hand-in-Hand playground, formerly, a wooden play structure located in Municipal Park, served the families of Blacksburg for thirty-one years. The passage of time inevitably brought much wear and tear to the structure. In response, the Hand-in-Hand playground underwent a complete renovation in 2023 bringing the site up to current national safety standards and allowing the use of modern materials that will stand the test of time.
The Blacksburg Parks and Recreation Department, in partnership with the Blacksburg Housing and Community Connections office, worked to ensure citizens had a voice throughout the design process. Through multiple online and in-person engagement opportunities, citizens worked closely with the town to suggest improvements and additions for the new Hand-in-Hand playground. As a result, favorite items like a tire bridge now exist alongside exciting additions of a climbing wall, treehouse, and features that promote accessibility site-wide: ramps, ground-level play features, and accessible swings, to name a few. These and other design concepts encourage discovery, play, and exploration for current and future generations of playground patrons.
