Boardman Park Posts Record Attendance in 2016
BOARDMAN, Ohio – Attendance at Boardman Park in 2016 set an all-time record, according to Daniel Slagle Jr., executive director. Close to half a million people visited the park during the year, an increase of 12%, or 58,000, from 2014.
Attendance increased in all areas, but the park’s greatest attendance increase was seen in the casual visitor category. The number increased by 26.5% compared to 2014. This is attributed to the park’s being one of the most popular hot spots in the Valley for Pokémon Go, Slagle said. Also contributing to the increase is the opening of the first disc golf course in Mahoning County as well as the growing popularity of Paws Town Dog Park and the Holiday Light display.
Programs and events experienced the second greatest increase, up 10.9% over 2014. Slagle attributes this to the community’s positive response to the park’s family recreational programs that lend themselves to diverse and multi-generational programs.
The park divides attendance down into four categories:
- Programs and events: People who visit the park to enjoy sponsored programs and events.
- Special events: Events sponsored by nonprofit organizations other than Boardman Park like Boardman Rotary’s Oktoberfestival, Mahoning Valley Old Car Club’s Cars in the Park and other organizational fundraising events.
- Facility reservations: People who reserve one of the park’s facilities such as indoor meeting rooms, open-air pavilions and St. James Meeting House.
- Casual visitors: “People who visit the park to enjoy a picnic lunch, hike or walk on the many trails, use a playground, play Pokémon Go or Disc Golf or just read a book under a tree.”
“On behalf of the park board and the staff, I would like to express our appreciation to the people of our community for their continued support of the park and its mission.”
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