The City of Goose Creek has received a Municipal Achievement Award for its rural renewal project. The city won in the communications category. Twenty-six cities and towns submitted their projects and initiatives for consideration in the annual awards.
Now one of the largest municipalities in the state, Goose Creek wanted to establish an all-abilities playground for its growing population. The city built Central Creek in partnership with sponsoring businesses, but it still needed to spread the word about the new amenity. It launched a wide-ranging communication campaign, collaborating with local news media and utilizing social media to build excitement about the park.
Communication-focused staff told the park’s story effectively. The push began well before the park’s opening, with photos and social-media-friendly video snippets illustrating the construction process, both from the ground and from the air using drones, catching attention by playing into resident’s curiosity about something new and different in their community. The city also modified its existing “Goose Creek Rising” communication campaign into a “We All Rise” campaign, emphasizing the inclusive nature of the park. After a heavily attended opening ceremony, the city continued to use marketing tactics like humorous internet memes, onsite video interviews and even engaging with social media influencers for outreach.
The marketing efforts ultimately reached hundreds of thousands of people across the Lowcountry. With in-house marketing meaning that much of the cost was folding into existing staffing, the marketing push also paid off through strong donor support for the park. Private donations exceeded $1.3 million, including leadership gifts, naming opportunities and other campaigns.
“As its population grew, officials in Goose Creek used every means available to spread the word about this great park for all of its residents,” said Todd Glover, executive director for the Municipal Association.
These winning entries represent innovative projects undertaken by Municipal Association member cities and towns. Information and a video about the project are available on the Association’s website www.masc.sc (keyword: Achievement Awards).
The Municipal Association of SC initiated the Achievement Awards in 1987 to recognize and encourage innovations and excellence in local government.
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