Indiana Park and Recreation Association's Southern District Meeting

The Indiana Park and Recreation Association's Southern District meeting at West Boggs Park on June 7, 2018 was a day full of campground education and exciting outdoor opportunities. Park professionals from the surrounding area gathered with IPRA staff and various companies to connect and learn about campground management. Snider Recreation sponsored the meeting, allowing for the day to be a great success.

The meeting started with breakfast and the opportunity to network. Jameson Hibbs, Superintendent of West Boggs Park, began his presentation with information about the park’s camping facilities. Jameson spoke about West Boggs Park’s efforts to update their campsites and bring new people to their park. In addition to personal stories about West Boggs, he also gave attendees advice on how to improve their own campground facilities and marketing strategies to reach new visitors. Elaine Taylor, Recreation Director for West Boggs Park, concluded the meeting by discussing the unique events that draw people to West Boggs Park, including their popular Hillbilly Weekend. She provided attendees with guidance on how to create engaging activities that will bring people in to parks and keep them coming back.

Jameson and Elaine also showcased a new playground that was built at West Boggs with Snider Recreation. The playground features new and exciting additions including a zipline. When asked about the project and the decision to sponsor the event, Linda Glick of Snider Recreation stated, “I think it’s all about not just getting the equipment here, but it’s about giving support for them to grow their projects. It’s about outside recreation growth and support. I think he’s a great director and his program was phenomenal today.”

At the end of the educational sessions, lunch was provided by West Bogg’s on-site restaurant. After lunch, attendees were taken on a tour of the spacious campground, including the new playground that was discussed during the presentation. Attendees were encouraged to experience the playground themselves and had a great afternoon outside.

"It's with great gratitude that I thank IPRA, the southern district of IPRA, and the individuals that attended the Southern District Meeting on June 7th! Campground facilities are an intricate aspect of Parks & Recreation and provide departments with an avenue to attract regional users. Our partnership with Snider Recreation and Burke allowed us to increase our level of service provided to those regional customers. Our new playground and zipline will have an enormous impact on our department along with the local economy of Daviess and Martin Counties," said Jameson about the event and West Boggs Park’s experience with Snider Recreation.

IPRA would like to thank Snider Recreation for sponsoring this amazing opportunity. We would also like to thank West Boggs Park for hosting the event, and Jameson and Elaine for sharing their knowledge on campgrounds with the attendees. IPRA looks forward to the next district meeting and hopes to see you there!