NORTHEAST OHIO Parks receive award for user satisfaction

Two of the state parks added electricity to their campgrounds in response to customer desires.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Four area state parks received the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' 4.5 Star Award that recognizes parks for good customer satisfaction.
Beaver Creek State Park, Lake Milton State Park, Mosquito Lake State Park and West Branch State Park received average scores of 4.5 or better (out of a possible five) on customer surveys that the parks distribute during the summer.
Standards: Customers rate the parks on cleanliness, quality of facilities and park programs, said Barbara Neill, assistant park manager at Lake Milton State Park in Mahoning County.
"We have a huge volunteer program that helps maintain flowers and the facilities," Neill said. In 2001 was the sixth time the park has received the 4.5 Star Award.
Beaver Creek State Park in Columbiana County also has won the award since it was instituted 10 years ago. Jim Tillman, park manager, agreed that volunteers are also an integral part of the quality of customer service at Beaver Creek.
"The combination of park staff and volunteers has helped us," Tillman said. "The staff is the front line in everything that occurs here at the park."
Mosquito Lake State Park in Trumbull County won the award for the second year in a row in 2001. The park's campground improved its customer service by adding electricity, said Rocco Greco, park manager.
West Branch State Park in Portage County also added electricity to its campground last summer in a project that cost $2.6 million. Fifty of 103 camp sites now have electricity, and two shower houses also were built. Park Manager John Wilder said the changes were made as a result of customer surveys.
"We look at recommendations visitors give us and look at the comments," Wilder said. "We use that as a gauge in what direction they want to go."
This is the third consecutive year that West Branch has received the award because park officials are focused on "satisfying the customer," Wilder said.
Tied for award: Meanwhile, Lake Milton State Park and Quail Hollow State Park in Stark County tied for the 2001 Ohio State Parks' Volunteer Park-of-the-Year Award.
This year marked the first time in the 10-year history of the competition that multiple parks tied for the honor, the ODNR said.
In addition to the winners, honorable mention went to Harrison Lake State Park in Fulton County, Maumee Bay State Park in Lucas County and Beaver Creek State Park. Beaver Creek entered the competition for the first time this year.
The Volunteer Park-of-the-Year Award is based on the quality of a park's volunteer program. It recognizes not only the number of volunteers serving a park, but also the variety of programs and special events offered by those volunteers.