October 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 55

GREATER OKL AHOMA CIT Y CHAMBER

The recently
rededicated
Myriad Botanical
Gardens in
downtown
Oklahoma City is
a favorite go-to
spot for Mayor
Cornett, who
frequents the
children's play
area with his
granddaughter.

Caption for this photo to go in
this space.

City parks also played a mago through ups and downs and
jor role in another of the mayeconomic cycles like everybody
or's original initiatives. In 2007,
else-But Wendel does a lot with
Cornett launched his " This City
what he has to work with, and
is Going on a Diet " campaign,
of course what we offer today is
which put city residents up to the
amongst the best of American
collective challenge of losing one
cities. "
million pounds. The program's
In turn, Whisenhunt highlights
website, www.thiscityisgoing
the role Cornett has played in
onadiet.com, prominently feaboth the continued public suptures local parks and often lists
port of parks and recreation and
local ﬁtness opportunities ofthe ever-improving well-being
fered at the different locations. By Mayor Mick Cornett has been able
of the city as a whole.
to
implement
more
than
a
billion
January 2012, more than 47,000
" [Cornett] has been a real prodollars in local infrastructure
participating citizens broke the
ponent of all quality-of-life isprojects without once raising taxes
one-million-pound mark and in his eight-year term as mayor.
sues, " says Whisenhunt, " and in
have continued to maintain the
a city organization, a lot of those
trend of healthy lifestyles.
quality-of-life issues are addressed by the parks
The success of programs like MwAPS-3 and
and rec department. He's been a real advocate for
This City is Going on a Diet can't be attributed
proper funding in our budgets so that we have the
solely to the mayor's efforts, however. His close
funds to offer the programs and the operations
working relationship with Wendel Whisenhunt,
that are necessary to be successful. "
Oklahoma City's director of parks and recreation,
Drawing on his extensive background in media,
ensures the continued prominence of park benadvertising, and marketing, Cornett has tirelessly
eﬁts in the public eye. Whisenhunt has also come
promoted his city in his eight years as mayor, and
up with a number of innovative ideas for parks
with good reason: During the recession, Oklahoand recreation, all of which have paid off handma City has sustained one of strongest economies
somely, says Cornett.
and among the lowest unemployment rates in the
" Every time Wendel has led us down a road,
nation. Even more impressive, Cornett has been
he's been right every time, " Cornett notes. " And
able to implement more than a billion dollars in
we don't necessarily make it easy on him-we
local infrastructure projects without once raising
WWW.NRPA.ORG | OCTOBER 2012 |

" Our people
believe in
investing in
infrastructure
and investing
in their city,
and at this
point the city
has developed
somewhat of
a track record
of being able
to deliver. "

Parks & Recreation

October 2012 - Parks & Recreation

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