National Trail & Castillo Win Statewide Awards

National Trail was selected as the winner of the 5th Annual Governors Award for Parks and Recreation, presented by the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA) Tuesday evening. The $8.5 million capital improvement project, NTPRD Chiller, was the project selected as having the most significant impact on the quality of life the preceding year.

After 14 years of hard work by many of the current and former National Trail staff, city and county leaders and residents of Clark County, the NTPRD Chiller opened its doors in October 2013. This state-of-the-art facility features a 41,000 sq. ft. single sheet ice arena and 1,000 sq. ft. mezzanine. Open skates, lessons, hockey leagues, party/group rentals and much more are offered. The NTPRD Chiller has seen over 100,000 visitors in one year of operation.

All seventeen winners of OPRA program and project awards were considered for this statewide award.
Officials from six statewide organizations formed the voting panel for the 2014 award. They included: County Commissioners Association of Ohio, Ohio Association of Realtors, Ohio Homebuilders Association, Ohio Municipal League, Ohio State Parks and Ohio Township Association.


The Ohio Parks and Recreation Association also selected National Trail’s Executive Director, Leann Castillo, was also selected as the 2014 OPRA Professional of the Year. Castillo, a past OPRA President and long-time board member had a distinguished career at the Centerville-Washington Park District before join the National Trail team 2011.

 L to R - Woody Woodward (Executive Director, OPRA) Leann Castillo (National Trail) and Sarah Arold (President, OPRA)

 L to R - State Representative Denise Driehaus, Don Rodgers (Construction Manager), Tom Loftis (Fundraiser), Brad Boyer (National Trail), Jim Bodenmiller (Spfld. City Manager), Maureen Sheehan Massaro (National Trail Board Chair), Penny Dunbar (National Trail), Miste Adams (National Trail), Amy Van Huffel (National Trail), Leann Castillo (National Trail), Woody Woodward (Executive Director, OPRA) and Sarah Arold (President, OPRA)