Gold Medal Awards

The Gold Medal Award honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, and agency recognition. Each agency is judged on its ability to address the needs of those it serves through the collective energies of citizens, staff, and elected officials.

The 2010 Gold Medal Program is now accepting applications. 

New This Year--apply online! Download word document version of the application.  Deadline: March 5, 2010

Please contact awards@nrpa.org for more information.



The 2009 Gold Medal Awards recipients are:

Class I (population 250,000 and over)
Milwaukee County Department of Parks, Recreation & Culture, Wisconsin

Class II (population 100,001 – 250,000)
Fox Valley Park District, Illinois

Class III (population 50,001 – 100,000)
Hoffman Estates Park District, Illinois

Class IV (population 25,001 – 50,000)
Lombard Park District, Illinois

Class V (population less than 25,000)
Itasca Park District, Illinois

Class - State
Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources - Bureau of State Parks


The Gold Medal Awards are presented by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association, and proudly sponsored by Musco Lighting.