Decatur, Illinois, October 28, 2020 — The Decatur Park District received the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the American Academy of Parks and Recreation Administration (AAPRA). The award was presented during the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience.
The 2020 Gold Medal Grand Plaque recipients are:
Class I (population 400,001 and over)
- Metroparks Toledo –Ohio
Class II (population 150,001 – 400,000)
- City of Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department –North Carolina
Class III (population 75,001 – 150,000)
- Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation –Indiana
Class IV (population 30,001 – 75,000)
- Decatur Park District –Illinois
Class V (population less than 30,000)
- City of Green River Parks and Recreation Department –Wyoming
Armed Forces Recreation Award
- Fort Riley Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Community Recreation Division –Kansas
This award could not have been possible without the hard work and dedication from the Decatur Park Board of Commissioners, District staff, volunteers, donors and community collaborators over the last 96 years.
In presenting the Grand Plaques, AAPRA President Dianne Hoover shared, “The National Gold Medal Awards, both the Finalist and the Grand Plaques, are especially significant this year as agencies were adapting to a new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Agencies were experiencing unprecedented increase in park usage at the same time they were adapting to new recreation program delivery challenges. Each agency is to be commended and congratulated.”
Founded in 1965, the National Gold Medal Awards program honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff and elected officials.
A panel of five park and recreation professionals reviews and judges all application materials. Judges are chosen for their considerable experience and knowledge in parks and recreation on both the local and national levels.
To learn more about the Gold Medal Awards, visit aapra.org or nrpa.org/awards.
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The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration is a nonprofit organization founded in 1980 to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; to encourage scholarly efforts by practitioners and educators to enhance the practice of park and recreation administration; to promote broader understanding of the importance of parks and recreation to the public good; and, to conduct research, publish scholarly papers and/or sponsor seminars related to the advancement of park and recreation administration. For more information, visit www.aapra.org.
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.
The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2020 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Musco Lighting, LLC is proud to continue sponsoring the Gold Medal Awards program as it has for more than 20 years.
Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. The 2020 applications are separated into six classes, with five classes based on population and one class for armed forces.
Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff members and elected officials. Four finalists in each class are chosen to compete for grand honors each year.
The 2020 Gold Medal finalists are as follows:
Class I (population 400,001 and over)
- Dallas Park and Recreation — Dallas, Texas
- East Baton Rouge Recreation and Park Commission — Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Metroparks Toledo — Toledo, Ohio
- Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities — Mesa, Arizona
Class II (population 150,001 to 400,000)
- Greensboro Parks and Recreation — Greensboro, North Carolina
- City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department — Tampa, Florida
- City of Henderson Parks and Recreation — Henderson, Nevada
- Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department — Des Moines, Iowa
Class III (population 75,001 to 150,000)
- Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation — Carmel, Indiana
- City of New Braunfels Parks and Recreation Department — New Braunfels, Texas
- City of Thornton Community Services — Thornton, Colorado
- Arlington Heights Park District — Arlington Heights, Illinois
Class IV (population 30,001 to 75,000)
- Decatur Park District — Decatur, Illinois
- Coppell Parks and Recreation — Coppell, Texas
- Centerville-Washington Park District — Centerville, Ohio
- Evanston Parks, Recreation and Community Services — Evanston, Illinois
Class V (population less than 30,000)
- Green River Parks and Recreation — Green River, Wyoming
- East Goshen Township Parks and Recreation — West Chester, Pennsylvania
- Vernon Hills Park District — Vernon Hills, Illinois
- Valley City Parks and Recreation — Valley City, North Dakota
Armed Forces Recreation
- U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley — Fort Riley, Kansas
- U.S. Army Garrison RP Kaiserslautern — Kaiserslautern, Germany
- U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria — Grafenwoehr, Germany
- U.S. Army Garrison Fort Knox — Fort Knox, Kentucky
“Congratulations to the 2020 Finalists in the National Gold Medal Award Program! AAPRA is proud to administer this national award program which recognizes excellence in park and recreation management,” says Jane Adams, AAPRA executive director. “We thank all the agencies who applied this year, particularly in light of the management demands during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applying during this challenging time speaks to the importance of this award program to the park and recreation profession and professionals.”
A panel of five park and recreation professionals will review and judge all application materials. Judges are chosen for their considerable experience and knowledge in parks and recreation, on both the local and national levels.
This year’s finalists will compete for Grand Plaque Award honors this summer, and the six Grand Plaque recipients will be announced during the 2020 NRPA Conference, which will be held virtually in October. The presentation of both the Finalist and Grand Plaque recipients is being finalized and details will be forthcoming on the virtual conference website.
For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit www.nrpa.org/GoldMedal or www.aapra.org.
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The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration is a nonprofit organization founded to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; to encourage scholarly efforts by both practitioners and educators that would enhance the practice of park and recreation administration; to promote broader public understanding of the importance of parks and recreation to the public good; and, to conduct research, publish scholarly papers and sponsor seminars related to the advancement of park and recreation administration. For more information, visit www.aapra.org.
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.
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