Glass City Metropark has received an Innovation Award for park design from the National Recreation and Park Association.
The award recognizes park and recreation agencies that have “improved and strengthened their communities through innovative practices,” according to an NRPA news release.
Glass City, between Front Street and the Maumee River in East Toledo, partially opened in 2020 and fully opened June 9, 2023. Since then, the park has seen nearly 500,000 visitors. This winter, an ice skating trail called the ribbon saw more than 50,000 skaters.
Designed by SmithGroup–Ann Arbor office, the construction contractor was the Lathrop Company.
In February, Glass City won first place in park design from the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association and went on to win the best-of-show Governor’s Award.
“This project is a testament to what can be accomplished when residents, businesses and government leaders work together toward a common goal: to transform our riverfront from a relic of our past to an asset for our future,” said Dave Zenk, Metroparks Toledo executive director.
The park represents approximately 25 percent of a long-range plan to develop Glass City Riverwalk on both sides of the Maumee River from the Veterans Glass City Skyway to the Anthony Wayne bridges.
