12-13-2011 South Bend Park Department Recognized as Best in State

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2002 Belleville hosts an unprecedented two A.S.A.National Championship Tourneys. 2002 Indiana Parks and Recreation Association awarded City Parks Department with Best Recreation Program for B.L.A.S.T.,and best new facility for the O'Brien Skate Park. 2002 Parks and Recreation Department implements"Hearts`n Parks"program. 2003 Parks and Recreation Department website recognized by the National Recreation and Parks Association as"Best of all Class III Cities in the United States". 2003 South East Neighborhood Park opens,replacing former Johnson Park. 2003 IPRA awards Park and Recreation Department"Best New Park Development"for Southeast Park. 2004 Great Lakes Region/NRPA Partnership Award for relationship between Potawatomi Zoo and the Potawatomi Zoological Society. 2004 IPRA Award for Outstanding Park Development for Southeast Park Women's Olympic Softball Team returns to Belleville for a 2nd time. 2004 Child Magazine ranked Potawatomi Zoo as one of the 20 Best Zoos for Kids. 2004 Parks renovate the 32 year old MartinLuther King Recreation Center 2004 IPRA Essential Services award to Hearts N Parks program 2005 New O'Brien 7,500 sq.ft.Fitness Center opened at the O'Brien Center 2005 The South Bend Parks and Recreation and the South Bend Rotary partnership create the Friendship Station Playground. 2005 "Friendship Station"is dedicated and officially opens to the public in Belleville Park. 2005 IPRA Essential Services Award for Promoting health&fitness through Parks& Recreation 2005 IPRA Outstanding Facility Award for the Martin Luther King Jr. Center renovation 2005 Child Magazine names Potawatomi Zoo as one of the top 20 zoos in the U.S.for kids. 2005 Potawatomi Zoological Society provides the C.B.Hunting passenger train as a permanent zoo structure. 2005 The 80 year old Potawatomi Park Pavilion was completely rehabilitated to serve as South Bend's largest outdoor rental facility. 2006 South Bend Swim Club implemented 2006 South Bend Parks&Recreation Dept.receives Award of Excellence from the National Institute of Health and the Department of Health&Human Services for the WeCan Program, and is named one of the first"We Can!"cities in the U.S. 2006 New Maintenance Facility located at 1020 High St. is opened. The old maintenance facility built in 1960 and located at Howard Park is demolished. 2006 Department of Natural Resources recognizes South Bend as Tree City USA for the 10th consecutive year. 2006 Renovation of Pinhook Pavilion Hall completed. 2006 New lion exhibit is completed at Potawatomi Zoo, 2007 Completion of the 1.75 mile river walk along Riverside Drive. 2007 South Bend Botanical Society is formed to create a partnership with the South Bend Parks and RecreationDepartment. 2007 South Bend Parks&Recreation Dept.receives accreditation from C.A.P.R.A.