NEWS & PUBLICATIONS

Utah Town Receives National Park Conservation Award

Springdale, UT - The National Parks Conservation Association has awarded its first Park Achievement award to the mayor, town council, businesses, and citizens of Springdale, Utah, for their implementation of the new Zion National Park shuttle bus transportation system, serving the park and town.

"This new transportation system is a significant step toward improving air quality and visitor experience in our national parks," said Laura Loomis, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) visitor use and experience program director. "We are proud to give Springdale this award for their united effort in bringing shuttles to Zion National Park."

The result of several years of planning, the environmentally friendly propane-powered shuttle system, launched May 2000, transports visitors through Springdale to a shuttle stop serving both the Zion Canyon Giant Screen Theatre and the national park. Visitors then cross a pedestrian bridge to the park's new visitor center, where they board the shuttle buses to Zion Canyon. The shuttle buses, pedestrian bridge, and all facilities are handicap accessible.

"We're honored to be in partnership with Zion National Park in this effort to enhance the visitor's experience while helping to preserve park resources, " said Springdale mayor Phillip Bimstein. "Springdale is very respectful of the place in which we live and the public lands surrounding us."

The NPCA transportation program works with gateway communities and within national parks to ensure that transportation inside and surrounding the parks provides visitor accessibility while preserving valuable park resources.

NPCA's Park Achievement award recognizes outstanding efforts by citizen activists, politicians, corporations, or entire communities whose singular accomplishments or actions in a specific locality or region or on the national level on behalf of the National Park System are worthy of public recognition.