2023 Annual Comprehensive Report

In 2020, the City’s Parks and Recreation Department received the National Gold Award for Excellence by the American Academy for Parks and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Parks Association. For the fourth time in the department’s history, the City received this award, the highest honor in the industry. The award recognizes organizations that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, and innovative approaches to delivering outstanding parks and recreation services with fiscally sound business practices. This award was particularly meaningful at a time when the department worked passionately to develop and implement creative and impactful initiatives for citizen engagement through healthy, equitable and vibrant connections. Just a few examples include the Parks Passport program, Discover your Park scavenger hunt in minority-majority neighborhoods, and the Keeley Park expansion and replacement of the existing playground with Greensboro’s first inclusive playground – Up in the AIR (Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation) designed for all bodies and abilities. The new playground is one of many improvements at the park, which is now one of the largest in Greensboro. The department responded to the critical need for exceptional programs and cultural experiences to prioritize and ensure that outdoor spaces are continually accessible and equitable. The July 2022 bond

referendum included $50 million for the Windsor Chavis-Nocho Community Complex, a joint use facility which will benefit the entire City through unique and diverse recreation, leisure and learning opportunities in one convenient location. The complex will include a modern library, unparalleled recreation center, unique aquatic facility and expansive community park. In July 2019, the Piedmont Discovery App was also launched. This mobile application, designed and managed by the City of

Greensboro, City of High Point and Guilford County, is an interactive park and trail app created to search hundreds of local parks, trails and recreational opportunities. The app allows users to find outdoor amenities like trails, playgrounds or dog parks, as well as indoor recreational facilities. App users can search for parks and trails near them, find directions, connect with websites and explore trails based on difficulty and terrain. The City’s Parks and Recreation Department has been accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (“CAPRA”) since 2006. The Department is currently one of only 192 agencies in the United States to receive the national accreditation, which shows the City’s high level of commitment to developing a standard of excellence throughout the organization that meets or exceeds National Recreation and Park Association and CAPRA national standards. The City has over 3,000 acres of developed park sites and over 8,000 acres of undeveloped land from open space dedications. There are five regional parks and two public golf courses that represent over one-half of the City’s park system at over 3,500 acres. The Greensboro Science Center (GSC) is a three-in-one science destination that includes an aquarium, zoo, and science museum. The zoo was added in 2008 and the aquarium in 2013, with an extension completed in 2017. The 119,500-gallon aquarium showcases diverse species of marine life while highlighting ocean conservation. The science museum features an OmniSphere Theater, human health and biology wing, interactive dinosaur experience, and the Science Advancement through Innovative Learning (SAIL) Center. Along with the zoo’s captivating animal exhibits, it also features a hands-on farmyard and SKYWILD, an aerial

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