Kerr Park in West Akron and Jewitt Park in Middlebury are the most recent winners of the Akron Parks Challenge, with each park set to be awarded with $100,000 grants for improvements.
The Akron Parks Challenge encourages community members to be involved in improving city parks.
Fifty-two parks were entered into the challenge during this round. The grant money is to be spent on implementing the changes outlined each park's submission for the challenge.
Bridget Ambrisco, executive director of the Akron Parks Collaborative, said the past year has shown the need for well-maintained outdoor spaces.
“[We're] just really grateful to the city that they see parks as such a priority, especially after enduring this year," she said. "People have seen firsthand that parks are an essential infrastructure; they’re not just a ‘nice to have.’”
The focus for Kerr Park will be to increase the number of regular park visitors, and making the area safer and more approachable will be the goal of project for Jewett Park. Planning for the improvements will involve the city, the parks collaborative, and the community.
