To cap off a busy month, from October 26-29 Roanoke proudly hosted over 400 park and recreation professionals from across the Commonwealth at the Virginia Recreation and Park Society (VRPS) Conference. Held at Hotel Roanoke, the annual VRPS Conference was an opportunity for industry professionals, students, and businesses to gather, share ideas, discuss trends, and recognize the incredible work of the past year.
An energetic keynote address by Earl B. Hunter Jr., founder and president of The Unity Folks, focused on increasing unity in the outdoors and set the tone for an action-packed conference. Attendees found inspiration at daily educational sessions covering topics such as mental health and well-being, recreation trends, data and technology, park operations, sustainability, accessibility, and much more. Evening socials at Big Lick Brewing, Charter Hall, and Hotel Roanoke provided opportunities for networking, community building, and unwinding after each busy day.
Early arrivers enjoyed exciting pre-conference events highlighting the Star City, such as a popular Disc Golf Tournament & Fundraiser held in Highland Park. Others rode e-bikes with Roanoke Mountain Adventures, explored public art on a downtown walking tour, or learned more about the future In-River Park and Skatepark in Wasena! The sold-out exhibit hall featured engaging vendors, a silent auction, raffles, ranger station, murder mystery, and more! A new addition to the conference, the Park Operations Symposium offered opportunities for equipment demos, creative insights, and more to be shared.
Wednesday’s awards ceremony recognized the individuals, departments, and organizations that demonstrated excellence in the field. Judged by a jury of its peers the City of Roanoke Parks and Recreation was honored to receive the award for Best New Renovation/Addition for the Tinker Creek Greenway.
Completed in 2024, the Tinker Creek Greenway Extension, Phase 2A paved the way for connectivity and community access to recreation. This small but mighty stretch overcame the obstacles of river and road crossings to become a standout addition to the city’s greenway network. Offering a brand new pedestrian bridge over Tinker Creek, three updated trailheads, a blueway access point, and ADA fishing pier, this section has quite a lot to offer in under a mile! Located in an area that has lacked sufficient greenway and creek access in the past, these amenities make a huge impact for the nearby neighborhoods and city as a whole.
Wrapping up, a closing panel discussed the economic impact of parks and recreation and concluded the conference on an inspirational note. We’d like to offer a warm thank you to the attendees, dedicated Conference Committee members, outstanding sponsors, and wonderful volunteers who made this conference a success!
