Fountain Hills Community Services received two prestigious awards from the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association (APRA), known as the Best of the Best Awards, at the 2023 APRA Conference in Glendale, AZ on August 22.
The first award, in the category of Outstanding Special Events (Population Under 25,000), was given to Fountain Hills Community Services for their exceptional event called "Spooky Blast." Formerly known as "Halloween in the Hills," the event was taken over by the Town during the COVID pandemic and has since seen remarkable growth after moving to Four Peaks Park. With over 5,000 attendees and an average stay of two hours, families and participants enjoyed a wide array of attractions, including inflatables, a DJ, a costume contest, a Halloween-themed movie on the north field, food trucks, and strong community partner involvement.
The second award, for Outstanding Facility (Population Under 25,000), was presented jointly to Playspace Designs and Fountain Hills Community Services for their exceptional work on the newly installed 5-12 playground at Fountain Park. This playground boasts one of the tallest playground structures in Arizona, featuring customized acrylic panels paying homage to the renowned Fountain Hills Fountain. The Kompan Giant XL play structure stands out with its thrilling three-story tall slide leading to the playground floor. Notably, the playground includes a unique Cliff Rider, a pole-vaulting feature designed to help kids conquer their fear of heights. Additionally, there's an agility rope course, a large climbing boulder, and beautiful shade sail fabrics, making this playground an outstanding facility for the community.