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Apr
27
Written by:
news editor
4/27/2009 1:00 AM
04/27/09 Seven Ohio State Parks have received Service Excellence Awards based on customer satisfaction surveys.
Ohio State Parks Commended for Service Excellence
COLUMBUS, OH - Seven Ohio State Parks have received Service Excellence Awards, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The awards are based on customer satisfaction surveys and are given annually to individual parks in recognition of outstanding facilities.
With five clean shelter houses offering protection from the sun and inclement weather, visitors ranked Lake Milton State Park in Mahoning County as having the most outstanding state park picnic areas. The shelters can be reserved, which makes them ideal for get-togethers and specials events.
Lake Milton's new 600-foot beach with restrooms, change booths, showers, playground, basketball court and sand volleyball court also earned top honors as visitors recognized it as the premier state park beach.
In neighboring Portage County, West Branch State Park's newly renovated campground was credited as the top state park campground by visitors. The facility offers many amenities that campers love, such as 155 sites with 50-amp electric hook-up, 29 full service sites, heated showers, flush toilets, laundry facilities and a trailer dump station. There are lakeside sites that offer boating access and group camping is available for groups up to 50 people. The camp office even loans games and sporting equipment to registered campers.
The campground isn't the only thing that brings people to West Branch State Park. Visitors also gave the park top marks for its trails. West Branch has more than 14miles of hiking trails, and a portion of the Buckeye Trail passes through and is linked to the campground by a two-mile spur. Local mountain bikers have helped build and maintain 12 miles of exciting mountain biking trails, and extensive snowmobile trails are open when weather permits. The park even has opportunities for horsemen, touting 20 miles of bridle trails that traverse woodlands and meadows. A horse camp is open by permit only.
Recreational boaters who are looking for a place to put-in should try Rocky Fork State Park in Highland County. The park was commended by visitors for having the top boating facilities at a state park. Six boat launch ramps are located around the lake and rental docks are available at the Marina. There is no horsepower limit on the lake and there is even a designated area available for boat camping.
A great round of golf can be played at Deer Creek State Park in Pickaway and Fayette Counties. Selected as the top state park golf course by visitors, the 350-acre, 18-hole public golf course is a challenge for golfers with its 10 ponds and 52 sand traps.
Families and nature enthusiasts looking for interactive environmental education displays and programming have enjoyed their experiences at Maumee Bay State Park's Trautman Nature Center and named it the most outstanding state park nature center. Aside from hosting displays and naturalist programs, the Lucas County facility has an auditorium, research laboratory, viewing windows and even a boardwalk trail.
Ohio State Parks offer a variety of overnight options, including cottages and resort lodges. Park visitors have ranked Lake Hope State Park's cottages in Vinton County as the top in the state. Visitors to the 25 Wildlife cottages, 20 Iron Furnace cottages and 21 Forest cottages can open the doors to find linens, towels and complete kitchens with microwave ovens, heat, air conditioning, outdoor grills and fire rings. Iron Furnace and Forest cottages are finished in native hardwood and have wood burning fireplaces. Pets are permitted in select cottages.
Lodge lovers adore the Mohican State Park Resort and Conference Center in Ashland County. The top ranking, visitor-rated resort offers luxurious seclusion and comfortable resort accommodations. There are 96 air-conditioned rooms, each with a private balcony and color television, and the lodge is equipped with private meeting and banquet rooms, a dining room, sauna, gift shop, lounge, and Olympic-size indoor and outdoor pools.
"Parks singled out for the Service Excellence Awards have received the highest praise from the people who matter most - the visitors," said Dan West, chief of Ohio State Parks.
"They set the standards for customer service and we are pleased to recognize that fact."
Service Excellence Award winners are determined by surveys completed by park visitors and nearly 10,000 survey cards were returned to Ohio State Parks last year. To be eligible for the award, a park must receive at least 100 survey responses in a particular facility category such as cottages, golf course or beach. Ratings are made on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score.
More than 55 million visitors enjoyed the natural beauty and quality facilities of Ohio's state parks last year. Ohio's award-winning park system is home to nine resort lodges, more than 500 cottages, six golf courses and 56 family campgrounds with more than 9,000 campsites. For additional information, visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.
The awards were presented during the annual Ohio State Parks Managers Conference at Hocking Hills State Park.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.
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For further information, contact:
Jim Henahan, ODNR State Parks
614. 265. 6549
Beth Ruth, ODNR Media Relations
614. 265. 6860
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