With people spending more time online, it's important to remember the physical and mental health benefits of spending time outdoors, especially for children.

Niagara Bottling agrees; that's why its philanthropic arm, Niagara Cares, started the Perk Your Park project. 

Niagara’s Perk Your Park project has worked with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) since 2016 to restore, revitalize and improve parks and outdoor community spaces. 

Fischer Park in New Braunfels, Texas, was selected as one of two winning projects in the 2021 Niagara Perk Your Park Contest. Perk Your Park is providing Fischer Park with $90,000 worth of renovations to expand public access to the park’s 30 acres of restored Blackland Prairie, where visitors can enjoy native plants and wildlife. The renovations also will transform the park’s “enchanted forest” into a public space for hiking and nature play. These upgrades will allow residents to enjoy expanded access to green spaces and kid- and family-friendly amenities.

“We are so excited to receive this funding from Niagara to improve Fischer Park. We are thankful for the community support throughout the contest. We know our residents love Fischer Park, and now there will be even more to love thanks to this grant.” said New Braunfels Parks and Recreation Director Stacey Dicke. 

Florida’s Clermont Arts and Recreation Center also was chosen as a 2021 Perk Your Park contest winner, also receiving $90,000 in renovations. According to a city press release, the park’s improvements include building a community garden, nature play space, covered seating areas, picnic tables and composting.

“The contest is an initiative that focuses on park and community revitalization across the country,” states the city’s website. “Thanks to a generous grant from Niagara Bottling, the Clermont community will now have a new way to connect with the outdoors! Soon you will start to see big changes at the Clermont Arts & Recreation Center.” 

Niagara Bottling and NRPA are committed to public space conservation and building vibrant outdoor areas. Through this partnership, they have ‘perked’ 12 parks, resulting in reenergized spaces for all community members to enjoy.

To learn more about Niagara Bottling’s project, visit NiagaraPerkYourPark.com. For additional information about the NRPA, visit NRPA.org.