VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation (VBPR) was recently honored with five awards from the Virginia Recreation and Park Society.

VBPR won awards in the following categories:

  • Most Creative Marketing Strategy: Legendary Value Marketing Campaign
    • In 2023, VBPR launched the “Legendary Value” campaign to promote the value of our adult recreation center memberships.
  • Best New Environmental Sustainability Award: VB Trees Digital Tree Inventory
    • In 2023, VBPR launched an interactive tree canopy map using GIS tools to provide a real-time overview of the city’s tree canopy to meet the City’s sustainability goals.
  • Best New Program: Parks After Dark
    • Parks After Dark launched in June 2023 as a key component of the Mayor’s Youth Violence Prevention Task Force strategy at Williams Farm Park. After a successful first year, more than 12,000 people attended 28 events. 
  • Best New Special Event: Autumn in the Air Festival
    • In November 2023, the new Autumn in the Air festival was held at Mount Trashmore Park with more than 5,000 visitors.
  • Most Creative Marketing Piece: Virginia Beach Parks Pocket Map
    • A new printed, pocket-size park system map was produced in late 2023, to showcase the system’s most popular parks and their amenities.

The awards were presented to VBPR at the 2024 VRPS Annual Conference held in Norfolk.