Funding Play for All

GameTime is pleased to announce the funding recipients of the 2018 Ohio Parks and Recreation Association’s State-Wide Play and Recreation Initiative, “Changing Lives One Playground at a Time”. test

In the educational component of the initiative, PlayCore provided CEU-qualified professional development sessions throughout Ohio to share research-based best practices in playground design and programming. For the funding component of the initiative, GameTime made a commitment of up to $2 million in matching funds for OPRA agencies who submitted applications for assistance with the development of playground spaces that encourage best practice designs for active behavior.

“This is our first educational and funding initiative throughout the state of Ohio. At the heart of the program was professional development provided by our parent company, PlayCore,” said Robert Barron, Senior Vice President at GameTime. “The training workshops provided park and recreation professionals with CEUs as well as evidence-based research and resources that was developed with PlayCore’s unprecedented network of universities and scholar partners. With that research, OPRA agencies are better equipped to create recreation areas that maximize park usage, promote community health and wellness, and encourage children and families to be more active together.””

Each of the playgrounds funded by the initiative will be designated as National Demonstration Sites and will contribute data toward outcomes reporting shared with OPRA and their members at the 2020 OPRA Conference.

Woody Woodward, Executive Director of OPRA commented, “We’re thrilled to change lives one playground at a time by bringing new play and recreation opportunities throughout the state of Ohio. Congratulations to the recipients for receiving funds for their National Demonstration Sites.” 

The funding recipients* and future National Demonstration Site designations are:

• Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District
• City of Brooklyn Ohio Recreation Department
• Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools
• City of Cleveland
• Orange Community Education and Recreation