GameTime Funding Up to $1.5 Million for Colorado Parks
Funding Fitness and Playgrounds in Colorado
GameTime is pleased to announce the funding recipients of the 2019 Colorado Parks and Recreation Association Statewide Education and Funding Initiative. This is the first year for the funding and educational partnership between the CPRA, GameTime, and PlayCore.
In the educational component of the initiative, PlayCore provided CEU-qualified professional development sessions throughout Colorado to share research-based best practices in playground design and programming. This particular initiative identified strategic partnerships including schools, nonprofits, and surrounding advocates to aid in building stronger communities through the power of play.
PlayCore's Center for Outreach Research and Education provided CEU-qualified training for Colorado parks professionals, educators and landscape architects as part of the statewide initiative.
For the funding component of the initiative, GameTime made a commitment of up to $1.5 million in matching funds for CPRA agencies who submitted applications for assistance with the development of playground spaces that encourage best practice designs for active behavior.
Excited to Bring More Play to Colorado
“We’re happy to be in Colorado for our first year of professional development events. By providing our research, connections, and funding in these statewide initiatives, we celebrate our mission of building communities through play and recreation,” said Robert Barron, Senior Vice President at GameTime. “The training workshops provided park and recreation professionals with research and resources to create spaces that are based on best practices.
With that research, CPRA agencies are better equipped to create recreation areas that bring communities together with likeminded professionals and organizations that maximize park usage and encourage children and families to be more active together.”
Funding from GameTime will help Colorado Parks departments design play and recreation environments based on the best practices learned during the educational workshops presented by CORE.
Playground and FItness Funding
Funding provided by GameTime will be awarded to ten different members of CPRA to empower their agencies to create research-based play and recreation spaces to encourage healthy physical activity outdoors. Projects may include playgrounds designed to promote youth physical activity, nature and trail-based recreation environments, inclusive play spaces for people of all abilities or outdoor fitness parks for older children and adults.
"We know that these 10 new playgrounds are going to make such an impact in each of these communities, and we are excited to see all the research that was shared at these educational events put into action."
- Allison Kincaid, Executive Director, CPRA.
The following are the 2019 recipients and will be recognized at the 2020 Conference:
| Loveland Parks and Recreation | North Colorado Health Alliance |
| Apex Park and Recreation District | The Town of Frisco |
| City of Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation | Widefield Parks and Recreation |
| Town of Erie Parks and Recreation | Gilpin County Parks and Recreation |
| City and County of Broomfield | Soaring Heights PK-8 PTO, Inc. |
Each of the playgrounds that are funded by the initiative will be designated as National Demonstration Sites for data collection and will contribute data to highlight best practices and outcomes achieved.
About GameTime About PlayCore About Colorado Parks and Recreation Association |