COLUMBUS, OH - Fifty Ohio State Parks have received the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' (ODNR) 4.5 Star Award, recognizing an overall good to excellent level of customer satisfaction with services and facilities.
Buckeye Lake State Park in Licking County was singled out for most improved park of the year honors. Buckeye Lake's overall rating rose from 4.00 in 2000 to 4.47 in 2001.
The awards are based on a yearly survey of park visitors who complete and return customer-comment cards to ODNR.
These survey results show that Ohioans appreciate the high quality facilities and services that their state parks have to offer, said ODNR Director Sam Speck. That is a direct result of the commitment our park employees make every day to quality service and customer satisfaction.
Comment cards ask respondents to rate individual parks in 21 areas such as cleanliness, employee helpfulness, safety and security, and quality of programs. Each rating is given a score from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest. The scores are then averaged for each park. During the 2001 recreation season, 14,083 survey cards were returned to ODNR.
Customer comments most frequently complimented park campgrounds and campground staff, as well as naturalist programs, volunteers and park improvements. In several instances, specific employees were identified for outstanding service.
ODNR instituted the 4.5 Star Award 10 years ago. Seven parks have received the designation every year since. Those parks are: Barkcamp State Park in Belmont County, Beaver Creek State Park in Columbiana County, Harrison Lake State Park in Fulton County, Malabar Farm State Park in Richland County, Paint Creek State Park in Highland County, Quail Hollow State Park in Stark County and Mt. Gilead State Park in Morrow County.
Ohio has 74 state parks with 57 campgrounds and more than 9,000 campsites; more than 500 overnight cottages; and eight resort lodges. Reservation information is available at individual park offices or through 1-800-AT-A-PARK for all lodges and cottages except those at Deer Creek State Park. Deer Creek reservations are available toll-free at 1-877-678-DEER. Campsites are available on first come, first served basis.
EDITORS NOTE: A COMPLETE LIST OF PARKS THAT RECEIVED THE 4.5 STAR AWARD IS BELOW