Granville Recreation District

What Granville Recreation District does

Granville Recreation District (GRD) is a public recreation district and political subdivision of the State of Ohio, serving Granville and the surrounding Licking County area. Governed by a Board of 5 unpaid trustees and led by Executive Director Andy Wildman, GRD operates three parks totaling over 140 acres: Wildwood Park (30 acres with 10 soccer fields and a community garden), Raccoon Valley Park (68 acres with 8 ball diamonds, 4 soccer fields, and batting cages), and Spring Valley Nature Preserve (45 acres with 12 marked trails). The district runs year-round programming including youth and adult sports leagues, summer camps (notably Adventureland and Blue Aces Camps in partnership with Granville High School athletics), Driver's Education via the Drive Academy sub-brand, fitness and yoga classes, community garden plots, and free community events.

GRD's product surface is delivered through partnerships with Bally Sports Group, Aceable (online driver's-ed classroom), Chess Wizards, Village Creative Dance, Weathervane Playhouse, Granville Yoga, and independent coaching providers. Registration and facility reservations are processed through the RecDesk SaaS platform, with walk-in registration at the office at 118 S Main St in Downtown Granville. The district operates no proprietary technology platform; RecDesk and Aceable are third-party tools.

Revenue is generated primarily through a 5-year, $5 million voter-approved property tax levy passed in Fall 2020, supplemented by program registration fees (sports leagues, camps, driver's education), facility and shelter rentals (Spring Valley Shelter, Wildwood Shelter, McPeek Lodge, fields, diamonds) with resident/non-resident pricing tiers, and community garden plot fees ($35-$45 annually). Capital projects — including the 2015 Rotary Bridge ($1.15M), 2018 Wildwood Playground rebuild ($565K), 2022 Maintenance Building ($165K), 2023 paved parking ($713K), and 2026 playground renovation — are funded through the levy, ODOT/ODNR grants, the Licking County Park District, and community donations including Granville Kiwanis. GRD holds the 2016 OPRA First Place award for capital improvement and a 2020 Monarch Waystation designation.

Name

Granville Recreation District

Legal name

Granville Recreation District

Website

https://granvillerec.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Granville Recreation District is a public Ohio recreation district operating 140+ acres of parkland across three parks, delivering youth/adult sports leagues, summer camps, Blue Aces Camps, Driver's Education, and facility rentals for Granville-area residents and non-residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Recreation Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sport Complexes & Community Sports Parks (MPAKAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Educational & Edutainment Parks (Science/Discovery/Children’s Parks) (THAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Community recreation programs
• Youth sports leagues
• Summer camp programs
• Driver education training
• Park facility rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Granville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Program Registration Fees: Fees charged for sports leagues, summer camps, clinics, driver's education, and other recreational programs. Open to both residents and non-residents.
2. Facility & Shelter Rentals: Rental fees for shelter houses (Spring Valley, Wildwood), McPeek Lodge, fields, and diamonds at park facilities. Both resident (R) and non-resident (NR) rates apply.
3. Community Garden Plot Fees: Annual plot fees for the Wildwood Community Garden: $35 for small 4x8 beds or $45 for large 25x25 beds.
4. Adult Sports Leagues: Yearly registration fees for adult basketball and volleyball programs held at Granville High School and Granville Middle School.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Granville Recreation District is a publicly-funded community recreation district that delivers year-round recreation programming and park/facility access for Granville, Ohio residents and non-residents. Its core offerings are organized around sports leagues (youth and adult), summer day camps (including Blue Aces Camps), state-certified driver's education (Drive Academy), preschool and youth arts and recreation classes, adult fitness and community programs, and reservations of shelter houses, McPeek Lodge, fields, diamonds, and community garden plots.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blue Aces Camps: Youth sports camps run in partnership with Granville High School athletics programs, offering instruction in football, basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, volleyball, tennis, golf, wrestling, cross country, and speed/agility training.
• Drive Academy

Products and services

• Sports Programs (Youth and Adult Leagues) Year-round athletic leagues for youth and adults including soccer, baseball, softball, flag football, tackle football, volleyball, field hockey, tennis, lacrosse, archery, and cross country. Adult leagues (basketball, volleyball) run Sunday evenings at Granville High School and Granville Middle School gyms.
• Blue Aces Camps Youth sports camps run jointly with Granville High School varsity programs, offering instruction in football, basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, volleyball, tennis, golf, wrestling, cross country, and speed/agility training.
• Driver's Education (Drive Academy) State-certified driver's education program providing classroom instruction, behind-the-wheel in-car training, online classroom via Aceable, and road test assistance. Open to residents and non-residents and designed to satisfy Ohio teen driver licensing requirements.
• Summer Camps Half-day and full-day summer camps including Adventureland, sports camps, arts camps, educational camps, nature camps, and specialty camps covering various age groups from preschool through middle school.
• Preschool and Youth Programs Arts, education, fitness, and recreation classes for children including camps, clinics, clubs, special events, and seasonal activities.
• Adult Programs Adult fitness, sports, and community programs including basketball and volleyball leagues, yoga with Granville Yoga, art classes, the Wildwood community garden, and special events.
• Facility Rentals (Shelters, Lodge, Fields, Diamonds) Reservable facilities including Spring Valley Nature Preserve Shelter House (4-hour rentals), Wildwood Park Shelter House (4-hour rentals, capacity 100), McPeek Lodge (full-day indoor/outdoor, capacity 50 indoors / 200 outdoors), ball diamonds, and soccer fields with resident and non-resident rate tiers.
• Community Garden Plots (Wildwood Community Garden) Annual garden plot rental at Wildwood Community Garden: small 4x8 beds at $35/year and large 25x25 beds at $45/year, with new-member lottery registration in January–February.
• Parks and Nature Preserves (Public Access) Public-access parkland including Wildwood Park (30 acres with playground, soccer fields, community garden), Raccoon Valley Park (68 acres with 8 ball diamonds, 4 soccer fields, batting cages, and the Rotary Bridge connector to TJ Evans Bike Path), and Spring Valley Nature Preserve (45 acres with 12 marked trails and Monarch Waystation designation). All parks connect or adjoin the TJ Evans Bike Path.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bally Sports GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBally Sports Group powers multiple GRD sports camps including All Sports Camp, Flag Football, and Ninja Training Camp. This partnership enables GRD to offer professionally-run sports programming under the Bally Sports Group brand.
• AceablecoreTechnology or IntegrationGRD partners with Aceable to provide the online classroom component of driver's education (24 hours of online instruction). Students use the link provided by GRD to access the state-approved online course.
• Granville High School Athletics (Blue Aces Camps)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Aces Camps is a partnership between GRD and Granville High School athletics, providing youth the opportunity to train with GHS varsity coaches and athletes across multiple sports including football, basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, volleyball, tennis, golf, wrestling, and cross country.
• Village Creative DanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVillage Creative Dance co-hosts the Bluey Dance Camp with GRD, providing dance instruction for young children ages 3-5.
• We DID Start the Fire FTC Robotics TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe We DID Start the Fire FTC Robotics team partners with GRD to co-host Advanced Lego Robotics camps, bringing high school robotics expertise to youth campers.
• Granville YogaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGranville Yoga partners with GRD to offer yoga programming including Mother & Daughter Yoga and Blossom & Bloom classes, hosted at GRD facilities.
• Coach Clint Storey (Tennis)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCoach Clint Storey provides tennis camps and youth tennis instruction through GRD, offering tennis programming for various ages throughout the summer.
• Coach Ian McConnell - Keep it Simple SoccerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCoach Ian McConnell offers Keep it Simple Soccer clinics through GRD, providing youth soccer instruction for ages 3-4 and 5-6 with multiple sessions in June, July, and August.
• Dr. Kitty Consolo (Walk, Jog, Run Program)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDr. Kitty Consolo, a 51-year competitive distance runner who competed in the 1st Women's Olympic Marathon Trials, leads GRD's adult Walk, Jog, Run beginner-friendly program at Wildwood Park.
• Chess WizardsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerChess Wizards provides chess instruction camps through GRD for ages 5-12, helping children develop chess skills in a fun camp setting.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Ohio Parks and Recreation Association: State-level professional association representing Ohio park and recreation agencies, including the body that awarded GRD its 2016 capital improvement award. Trade association and peer network for GRD rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Newark Parks and Recreation: City of Newark, Ohio municipal parks and recreation department—the county seat of Licking County. Runs sports programs, parks, pools, and community events under the same Ohio municipal parks/recreation framework as GRD, with overlapping resident base.
• Reynoldsburg Parks and Recreation: City of Reynoldsburg, Ohio municipal parks and recreation department in the greater Columbus metro. Comparable mid-sized Ohio municipal recreation model offering youth/adult sports, leagues, and community programming on a similar governance and funding basis.
• Pataskala Parks and Recreation: City of Pataskala, Ohio municipal parks and recreation serving another Licking County community east of Granville. Comparable small-city public parks and recreation model with youth sports and community programming.
• Licking County Park District: County-level parks authority serving all of Licking County, including Granville. Operates parks, trails, and nature preserves under Ohio park district statutes with a closely overlapping service geography and similar public-sector recreation mandate.
• Pickerington Parks and Recreation District: Pickerington's dedicated parks and recreation district in the Columbus suburbs. Closely comparable organizational form (dedicated recreation district with levy funding) and operating model (youth sports, camps, facility rentals).
• Heath Parks & Recreation: City of Heath, Ohio municipal parks and recreation department serving a neighboring Licking County community. Operates sports leagues, parks, and community programming on a comparable municipal model directly adjacent to GRD's service area.
• YMCA of Licking County: Community-based nonprofit recreation and youth development organization serving Licking County including Granville. Operates fitness, youth sports, summer camps, and programming that directly overlaps with GRD's offerings for youth and families in the same geography.

Regional players

• Granville Township: Township-level government serving the same Granville area as GRD. Different governance structure (township vs. recreation district) but overlapping geography, overlapping residents, and overlapping responsibility for community amenities.

Broad incumbents

• Westerville Parks and Recreation: City of Westerville, Ohio municipal parks and recreation department—a larger, more established central Ohio recreation operator offering a broader portfolio of programs and facilities. Comparable Ohio municipal model but with significantly greater scale and program depth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Granville Recreation District