Inver Grove Heights Wins Two Awards of Excellence

The Inver Grove Heights City Council was presented with two 2011 Awards of Excellence from the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association (MRPA) Monday evening.

MRPA spokesperson Jason Eisold, of the City of St. Louis Park, presented the Council with plaques recognizing the and the Random Acts of Fitness program.

According to the MRPA website, a primary goal of the program is to increase public awareness and appreciation of the excellent parks, trails, recreation and leisure services available throughout Minnesota.

The Swing Bridge was chosen from the Parks and Facilities category; Random of Acts of Fitness took the prize from the Programming and Events category.

• [Click here for a full list of the categories and descriptions]

"The MRPA Award of Excellence program recognizes agencies or organizations in Minnesota for outstanding achievements in parks, recreation and leisure services,” Eisold told the Council during the presentation.  

IGH Recreation Superintendent Tracy Petersen was excited about the MRPA decision: 

It’s a honor to be recognized by our peers at the MRPA for providing an innovative program idea. The Random Acts of Fitness Program has been a creative and fun way for the Recreation Department to engage with the community and our residents and to reward them with fun stuff for staying active in their everyday lives. 

Mayor George Tourville complemented his Parks and Rec department on the Rock Island Swing Bridge. "We’re still appreciating it ourselves," Tourville said. "We’re still adding trails and stairs and things but as far as receiving awards from a peer group, it’s probably the highest honor you could get."