Amerson River Park makes it to Final Four round of ‘Parks and Recreation’-themed award

Amerson River Park made it to the Final Four round for the Knope Award, an online contest among public parks across the country.

The annual competition was created by the nonprofit Engaging Local Government Leaders. It is modeled after the March Madness basketball tournament and named after Leslie Knope from the NBC comedy “Parks and Recreation.”

Voting for the Final Four started Monday with Amerson versus El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach, California, and Rotary Park in Livonia, Michigan, against McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, Arizona. The polls close Saturday at noon.

Double points can be earned this round by taking selfies or pictures at the park of your choice and posting it on Instagram with the hashtag #ELGLKnope. If you do not have an Instagram account, pictures may be sent to the Macon-Bibb County Facebook page, and admins will post them to the Macon-Bibb County Instagram.

Amerson River Park is the former site of a Macon Water Authority treatment plant that was submerged in the Flood of 1994. A $5.5 million federal grant in 2015 allowed the county to close the 160-acre park to revitalize it over a period of 15 months.

Improvements made to the park include two picnic pavilions, a scenic river overlook, bathrooms at the playground, 4 miles of walking trails, outdoor gym equipment and open lawns.

There are plans to, in coming years, connect the trails at Amerson with the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail, a 12-15 mile walking path that eventually will run from Amerson, through historic Riverside and Rose Hill cemeteries and across the Ocmulgee River to trails at the Ocmulgee National Monument.

This story was originally published March 25, 2019 at 12:12 PM.