Great Parks Forever
10245 Winton Road
Cincinnati, OH 45231
Getting Back to Learning and Exploration at Great Parks
Grant Application:
Great Parks is proud to be a vital and consistent educational resource for the community, no matter the circumstance. This year we are getting back to more in-person educational opportunities, providing direct experiences with nature, and delivering free and reduced cost programming for the communities who need it most. Great Parks’ education staff have learned to effectively pivot the way in which they present programs to schools and to the public by providing virtual programming. This new way to approach nature education will forever influence the variety of platforms we use to reach the public. However, programming in 2022 is fueled with built up momentum to connect the community with nature and reach under-resourced groups, getting back to the core of what we do.
Goals/Objectives:
Great Parks programming supported by this grant funding was three-fold: a year and a half of environmental education programming at The Nature Center at The Summit (The Summit), Urban Farming Festival, an event at The Summit, and Kids Outdoor Adventure Expo at Winton Woods Harbor.
At The Summit, Great Parks provided access to out-of-school and summertime academic enrichment, field trips, and nature exploration for residents of Roselawn. In 2022 we tracked 2,192 visitors to our education programming at The Summit. Additionally Urban Farming Festival was a great success this year
This grant enabled Great Parks to bring back Kids Expo, the largest free outdoor recreation and nature education event for children in the Midwest. We welcomed nearly 3,000 attendees to Winton Woods, offering a variety of activities such as animal encounters, fishing, rock wall climbing, boat rides, and more. Of those attendees, 1,037 were able to utilize the bussing provided to reduce barriers and make this event as accessible as possible.
Grant Evaluation Report:
Our greatest success was at The Summit where we served higher numbers than expected with more educational enrichment programs on offer. This was a direct result of the community outreach that our Interpreters perform at both Bond Hill and Roselawn Community Council meetings. The Urban Farming Festival was able to reach a broader swathe of the community as we received marketing support from the Roselawn Community Council as well. This event reflected the community values, while showing attendees about sustainability in their own backyards.
Since Kids Outdoor Adventure Expo had been canceled for two years due to COVID-19, we were encouraged by the turnout of nearly 3,000 attendees this year. Many families shared memories of the 2019 Kids Expo and their excitement about the event’s return. Kids Expo is tied directly to Great Parks of Hamilton County’s mission to provide outdoor recreation and education to enhance the quality of life for present and future generations. This event allowed Great Parks’ staff to work with many like-minded partners and showcase what we do best: connecting people to nature.
At The Summit, Great Parks provided access to out-of-school and summertime academic enrichment, field trips, and nature exploration for residents of Roselawn. In 2022 we tracked 2,192 visitors to our education programming at The Summit. Additionally Urban Farming Festival was a great success this year inviting the community out to learn ways to incorporate sustainability practices at home. Participants were invited to plant seeds, sample produce, take an urban mini-hike, making s’mores, and doing yoga.
This grant also enabled Great Parks to bring back Kids Expo, the largest free outdoor recreation and nature education event for children in the Midwest. We welcomed nearly 3,000 attendees to Winton Woods, offering a variety of activities such as animal encounters, fishing, rock wall climbing, boat rides, and more. Of those attendees, 1,037 were able to utilize the bussing provided to reduce barriers and make this event as accessible as possible.
Website:
http://www.greatparksforever.org/ Amount: $25,000
Date: March 2022
