BROWNSVILLE, Texas (March 14, 2017) – The City of Brownsville received three awards at the 2017 Texas Recreation & Park Society (TRAPS) Institute and Expo, held on February 27, 2017, to March 3, 2017, in Irving, Texas.

The 2017 TRAPS Institute and Expo featured educational sessions on a variety of issues relating to park, recreation and leisure services.

The TRAPS Awards Dinner, held Thursday, March 2, 2017, at the Irving Convention Center, recognized individuals and organizations that have: rendered significant service to TRAPS; have exemplary programs and services; and have made outstanding contributions to the field of recreation, park resources and leisure services.

The City of Brownsville was honored at the TRAPS Awards Dinner with the following:

• Lone Star Recreation Programming Achievement Award – Class II for the Parks & Recreation Department’s “Retired… Now What?” Program
  The Lone Star Recreation Programming Achievement Award, recognizing innovative recreation programming, was presented to the Parks & Recreation Department for the “Retired… Now What?” Program. The program, designed to meet the needs of today’s active 50+ community, features fitness, health and social activities, games, and arts and crafts workshops. 

• “Parks Promote Quality of Life” Initiative for Riverside Park
  In September 2016, the Parks & Recreation Department was selected to receive a matching fund grant to replace the Riverside Park playground, as part of a new quality of life initiative by TRAPS, in partnership with PlayCore and its GameTime® division. Through the “Parks Promote Quality of Life” initiative, Riverside Park, located on 15 Riverside Boulevard in Downtown Brownsville, will feature a new “Courage” GameTime® playground system with outdoor products encouraging inclusive play.

• Planning Excellence Award for the Lower Rio Grande Valley Active Transportation & Active Tourism Plan, “The Active Plan” 
  With the support of the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation, the communities of the Lower Rio Grande Valley partnered to launch The Lower Rio Grande Valley Active Transportation & Active Tourism Plan, “The Active Plan.” In November 2016, the municipalities of Brownsville, Combes, Harlingen, Laguna Vista, Los Fresnos, Los Indios, Port Isabel, Rancho Viejo, San Benito, and South Padre Island celebrated their adoption of The Active Plan. The Active Plan provides a strategic framework for the development and promotion of biking and walking throughout Cameron County. In addition, it is designed to provide participating municipalities with a coordinated approach to attract visitors to Cameron County and provide active amenities to permanent residents through area-wide bicycle and pedestrian transportation investments and the development of targeted tourism development strategies.

“It was a great honor to receive these awards on behalf of the Parks & Recreation Department, the City of Brownsville, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley,” said Parks & Recreation Department Director Damaris McGlone. “We are extremely grateful to TRAPS for this great recognition, and will continue to provide the highest quality recreational opportunities for our community.”

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