Developing strategies. Designing experiences.
Founded in 1921, Summit Metro Parks is the second oldest park district in Ohio. Comprised of 15,000 acres, including 16 parks, several conservation areas, and more than 150 miles of trails (including 22 miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail) park attendance averages 5 million visits a year. Summit Metro Parks needed a new website to showcase the vastness and diversity of their park system in a way that’s both modern and inviting, allowing visitors to easily explore all the parks have to offer.
Summit Metro Parks is a thriving, multifaceted organization that does more than manage parks and trails. From putting on events to employing park rangers to providing rentable lodges and shelters, they serve the residents of Summit County in a multitude of ways. As a result, we created a website that not only inspires people to connect with nature, but also shows the scale of their park system.
To breathe new life into the site, we incorporated elements of their new branding to employ a more modern look and feel. We also added custom design details to each page, utilizing unique park elements like topographic maps and trail lines to add visual interest and represent one’s journey through the site.
Users can quickly and easily browse the site with extensive, well-planned navigation. Because hierarchy plays a critical role in how information is digested, each page is capped with a custom call-to-action, highlighting a clear and natural path for visitors to take.
Lastly, we added updated photography, so now the site is a showcase for the park’s diverse landscapes and wildlife, which allows visitors to get an immediate sense of the park’s scale, history, and future.
We kept user experience at the forefront of our minds throughout the entire project. We heavily accounted for mobile users in the site redesign, since they make up 75% of the site traffic, ensuring people can easily find information on the go.
One of the biggest changes is the ability for visitors to reserve a lodge or shelter online. The park offers nearly 20 reservable locations, from simple outdoor shelters to ornate conference centers. Previously, the only way to make a reservation was over the phone.
The new system we created allows for custom pricing based on the person’s location, the use of coupons, and countless other site-specific situations, expediting the reservation process for users and employees alike. In addition, park employees can seamlessly maintain and update the backend modules.
We also improved the Park & Trail Finder and the Programs & Events pages. Both pages were given a much more custom style:
We are proud to play a small part in connecting the public to such an iconic local organization. Summit Metro Parks’ new website not only showcases the beauty and resources of the parks but also makes it easier for residents to discover events, explore trails, and reserve lodges.
Ready to evolve your website to inspire engagement and create meaningful connections? Let’s work together to build a custom website that meets your goals and empowers your users and your team alike. Contact us today—we’re ready to help grow your business.
