2016 Gold Medal Finalists Announced

July 1, 2016, Feature, by National Recreation and Park Association

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with NRPA, is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2016 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. This year’s proud sponsor of the Gold Medal Awards program is Musco Lighting, LLC. 

Since 1965 the Gold Medal Awards program has served as a testament to the hard work and dedication of agencies that strive to meet the needs of diverse communities. The Gold Medal is a comprehensive award that looks at the many challenges agencies face and how they are leveraging resources to meet those challenges. The Gold Medal Award Program includes seven classes: five based on population, one for armed forces recreation and one for state park systems in odd-numbered years.

Excitement is building as the 24 Gold Medal Finalists prepare for the Grand Award announcement during the October 6 Opening General Session at the 2016 NRPA Annual Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.  

Join us in congratulating the 2016 Gold Medal Finalists: 

Class I (population 400,001 and over) 

  • BREC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 
  • Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Johnson County Park and Recreation District, Shawnee Mission, Kansas
  • Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

Class II (population 150,001 – 400,000) 

  • Arlington Parks and Recreation Department, Arlington, Texas 
  • Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, Cary, North Carolina
  • Grand Prairie Park, Arts and Recreation, Grand Prairie, Texas
  • Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District, Beaverton, Oregon

 

Class III (population 75,001 – 150,000) 

  • Allen Parks and Recreation Department, Allen, Texas 
  • Arlington Heights Park District, Arlington Heights, Illinois
  • Mountain View Community Services, Mountain View, California
  • Roswell Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs, Roswell, Georgia  

 

Class IV (population 30,001 – 75,000)

  • Bismarck Parks and Recreation District, Bismarck, North Dakota 
  • Decatur Park District, Decatur, Illinois
  • Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation, Olympia, Washington
  • Willamalane Park and Recreation District, Springfield, Oregon

 

Class V (population less than 30,000) 

  • Frankfort Square Park District, Frankford, Illinois
  • Homewood-Flossmoor Park District, Flossmoor, Illinois
  • Itasca Park District, Itasca, Illinois
  • Middleton Public Lands, Recreation & Forestry, Middleton, Wisconsin

 

Armed Forces Recreation 

  • Fort Carson, Colorado 
  • Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine
  • U. S. Army Garrison Fort Riley, Kansas
  • USCG Base Kodiak, Alaska