Georgia Recreation and Park Association, PlayCore and GameTime are aligning resources and strategically partnering to promote best practices in parks and recreation, provide quality education, and arm communities with evidence-based resources.

Complimentary professional development symposiums will be offered in Cartersville, Gainesville, Union City and Macon-Bibb, Ga. during the month of May. The sessions will help participants effectively fuel their community's passion for play and recreation and empower stakeholders to become champions for high quality outdoor play and recreation environments that meet the diverse needs of the community in modern times.

The goals of the initiative are to provide training on current trends and research-based practices for play and recreation destinations, funding opportunities for high-quality projects across five service areas and to demonstrate GRPA as an essential contributor to improving the quality of life of children, families, and communities across the state of Georgia.

PlayCore's Center for Outreach, Research & Education will provide professional development services, and GameTime, a PlayCore company, will provide up to $1.5 million in matching funds to assist parks in the GRPA districts create play and recreation destinations that have been thoroughly reviewed to align with research-based best practices. These projects will serve as National Demonstration Sites (NDS) and serve as national models for promoting physical activity, fitness, nature engagement, and inclusion. These projects will assist in providing outcomes and reporting that will be shared with GRPA and their members. National Demonstration Sites promote advocacy at the community and state levels, and collectively will provide resources that align with the mission and strategic plan of GRPA.

Each city's local parks and recreation organization will host the symposiums designed for mid to upper level professionals in the fields of park and recreation, landscape architecture, and education. These events will be led by master trainer Jennie Sumrell, Director of Education, PlayCore. The sessions offer Continuing Education Units for professionals and promise to be lively, informative, and educational. Lunch and educational resources will be provided by GameTime and Dominica Recreation.

Sessions will be held at the following locations:

Hosted by: Cartersville Parks & Recreation    
Location: Cartersville Civic Center, 435 W Main St, Cartersville, GA 30120
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 1, 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM

Hosted by: Gainesville Parks & Recreation    Gainesville Civic Center
Location: 830 Green Street, NE, Gainesville, GA 30501    
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 8, 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM

Hosted by: Union City Parks & Recreation    
Location: Etris Community Center, 5285 Lakeside Drive, Union City, GA 30291    
Date: Wednesday, May 9, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Hosted by: Macon-Bibb Parks & Recreation    
Location: Rosa Jackson Community Center, 1211 Maynard St, Macon, GA 31217    
Date: Thursday, May 10, 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM

To register for these events, see session summaries, and symposium agendas, please visit: https://www.gametime.com/grpa.