Project EverGreen in partnership with Exmark Manufacturing and the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA), is pleased to announce the winner of the “Our Winning Green Spaces” contest.
The Parks & Recreation Department of Clinton, N.C., was named the winner and received a top-of-the-line Exmark Lazer Z X-Series mower package – valued at $15,000. Additionally, the city will earn a much-needed park facelift.
In their contest entry, Jonathan Allen, director of parks and recreation for Clinton, said budget cuts in maintenance combined with an aging park infrastructure and increased park usage by local youth baseball, softball, soccer and football teams have put a strain on the department to keep up with maintenance activities.
“The increased usage has placed more wear and tear on the natural turf fields and there is little to no down time for the fields to recuperate and be properly maintained,” stated Allen.
The new mowers will assist Allen’s department better maintain the fields and provide a safer playing surface for young athletes, and more aesthetically pleasing for visitors and residents to interact with one another.
“Our parks are a melting pot for our community,” said Allen. “Everyone comes together to play, run, walk, socialize, and laugh. Parks are the “hubs” of our city and bring everyone together.”
“Project EverGreen is pleased to name the Clinton, N.C., Parks & Recreation Department be named the winner of the Our Winning Green Space contest,” says Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “The work the department does on behalf of the community to deliver safer, greener and more accessible parks and recreational spaces need to be supported and we are glad to get behind their efforts.”
In early summer, Project EverGreen, STMA and local volunteers will renovate a combination soccer/football field to withstand the stress of wear and tear on the field, and create a healthy, safe playing environment for kids.
Since 2015, Project EverGreen’s community-based renovation projects have revitalized more than 750,000 sq. ft. of athletic and recreational greens spaces in Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee; North Chicago, Ill.; Belle Plaine, Minn.; Greensboro and Durham, N.C., San Antonio, Ft. Worth and Round Rock, Texas; East Harlem, NYC; Hazlet, N.J., Portland, Oregon and San Marcos, Calif.
About Project EverGreen
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Project EverGreen is a national non-profit organization committed to creating a greener, healthier cooler Earth by supporting the creation, renovation and revitalization of managed recreational and athletic green spaces. Project EverGreen’s initiatives include GreenCare for Troops, SnowCare for Troops and the “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.”™ It also supports the “Our Winning Green Space” contest and the Environmental Communicator of the Year.
About STMA
STMA is the not-for-profit, professional association for men and women who manage sports fields worldwide. Since 1981, the association and its 34 local chapters have been providing education, information and sharing practical knowledge in the art and science of sports field management. Its more than 2,700 members oversee sports fields and facilities at schools, colleges and universities, parks and recreational facilities, and professional sports stadiums. SAFE is the non-profit fundraising arm of the STMA.
About Exmark
Exmark Manufacturing was incorporated in May 1982 as an independent manufacturer of professional turf care equipment. Today, it is the leading manufacturer of commercial mowers and equipment for the landscape professional. In addition to designing, building and marketing quality turf care equipment, Exmark’s goal is total customer satisfaction. All Exmark products are designed to help customers increase productivity while delivering unmatched quality. Learn more at Exmark.com