From left: IPRA Co-President Dan McGuire, Ivy Tech Hamilton County Campus President Dan Clark, Noblesville Parks Assistant Director Mike Hoffmeister, Mayor John Ditslear, Noblesville Parks’ Hannah Toller, Ivy Tech Community College Chancellor of Central Indiana Dr. Kathy Lee, Recreation Director Nichole Haberlin, IPRA Co-President Will Lacey and Noblesville Parks Director Brandon Bennett.
Noblesville Parks and Recreation and Ivy Tech Community College Hamilton County Campus were given the “Good to Great Award” by the Indiana Parks and Recreation Association at their annual conference this week. The Excellence in Resource Improvement Award was given for the partnership that created the Recreation Annex at Ivy Tech Community College, 300 N. 17th St., Noblesville.
“We are very proud of the collaborative project and it wouldn’t be possible without Ivy Tech,” Parks Director Brandon Bennett said.
The agreement with Ivy Tech allows the Noblesville Parks & Recreation Department to manage two gyms, two classrooms, a wellness room and the auditorium within the Hamilton County Campus. Joint upgrades made include batting cages in the gym, auditorium light and sound upgrades and a gym floor refurbishment scheduled for early 2017.
Community needs are met with spaces allowing for indoor programming and events like bubble soccer, pickleball and fitness classes; rental space for youth sports and birthday parties and an indoor performance venue. Partnering with Noblesville Parks allowed Ivy Tech to return the investment to the community and truly made it an asset for taxpayers, whether a student, park participant or partner. Since the inception of the partnership in Oct. 2015, it has seen more than $43,000 in revenues and more than 15,500 participants to Noblesville Parks and Ivy Tech Campus.
“When the Hamilton County campus was envisioned, Ivy Tech Community College Chancellor of Central Indiana Dr. Kathy Lee and Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear had in mind that the campus would be used for more than just a college. They had in mind that it would be used for the community,” said Dan Clark, campus president. “The Noblesville Parks and Recreation were the first partners with our campus and set the standard with a simple ethic – they leave the place better than they found it and they do that with quality people.”
IPRA presents a number of awards at their annual conference which include park projects, programs, events and exceptional individuals. The awards are voted on by a third party from outside of IPRA membership, leadership and staff.