The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the nation’s leading advocate for parks and recreation, recognized the City of Greenville Park, Recreation and Tourism Department, with its Best in Innovation in Park Design award. The award will be officially presented in October, as part of the 2023 NRPA Annual Conference.
Unity Park was chosen in part because of the innovative design that helped transform a historic brownfield into public recreation space that mitigates flooding issues and improves water quality. In addition to addressing major environmental concerns, the design restored eight acres of urban wetlands, created state-of-the-art recreational space for the community and land-banked eight acres for affordable housing development along the park's perimeter.
Selected by the NRPA National Awards and Scholarship Committee, NRPA Innovation Awards recognize park and recreation professionals and agencies nationwide that have improved and revitalized their communities through innovative practices in park design, health and wellness, conservation and equity.