Metroparks Toledo’s Glass City Metropark is the 2024 recipient of the Best in Innovation Award – a best-of-show honor – from the National Recreation and Park Association. The award was announced this afternoon at NRPA’s annual conference in Atlanta.

Metroparks received an Innovation Award for Glass City in the Park Design Category of the contest, placing it among four finalists for the overall award.

“This project has been so impactful because it is being done collaboratively with residents, business leaders, Mayor Kapszukiewicz and Toledo city council, as well as county, state and federal government agencies,” said Dave Zenk, executive director of Metroparks Toledo. “Together, we are turning negatives into positives, bringing people together for a common purpose and accomplishing what so many have dreamed of for so long – a riverfront we can be proud of.”

Glass City, which fully opened June 9, 2023, represents about 25 percent of Metroparks’ Glass City Riverwalk development, a 10-year project to renovate the downtown and East Toledo sides of the Maumee River between the Veterans Glass City Skyway and Anthony Wayne Bridges.

“By this time next year, we will be about halfway to completing this historic transformation,” Zenk said.

Glass City received a first place award and went on to win the Governor’s Award, or best-of-show, last winter from the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association.