The 2018 Gold Medal Awards Finalists

June 5, 2018, Department, by Tom Crosley

2018 June NRPA Update Gold Medal Awards 410

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with NRPA, is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2018 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Musco Lighting LLC has been a proud sponsor of the Gold Medal Awards program for more than 10 years. 

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 at how they are leveraging resources to meet those challenges. The Gold Medal Awards program includes seven classes: five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation and one class for state park systems in odd-numbered years.

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.

Excitement is building as the 24 Gold Medal Finalists prepare for the Grand Award announcement during the September 25 Opening General Session at the 2018 NRPA Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Please join us in congratulating the 2018 Gold Medal Finalists listed below. 

Class I (population 400,001 and over)

  • East Baton Rouge Recreation & Park Commission (BREC) – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Louisville Parks and Recreation – Louisville, Kentucky
  • Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board – Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation – Lake Worth, Florida

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

  • Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation – Arlington, Virginia
  • City of Arlington Parks and Recreation – Arlington, Texas
  • City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department – Tampa, Florida
  • Tualatin Hills (OR) Park & Recreation District – Beaverton, Oregon

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

  • Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department – Bloomington, Indiana
  • City of Evanston, Parks, Recreation and Community Services – Evanston, Illinois
  • Greeley Culture, Parks and Recreation – Greeley, Colorado
  • Lawrence Parks and Recreation – Lawrence, Kansas

Class IV (population 30,001 – 75,000)

  • Centerville-Washington Park District – Centreville, Ohio
  • City of Waukesha Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department – Waukesha, Wisconsin
  • Lombard Park District – Lombard, Illinois
  • Town of Castle Rock Parks and Recreation – Castle Rock, Colorado

Class V (population less than 30,000)

  • Glencoe Park District – Glencoe, Illinois
  • Homewood-Flossmoor Park District – Flossmoor, Illinois
  • Williston Parks and Recreation District – Williston, North Dakota
  • Windsor Parks, Recreation & Culture – Windsor, Colorado

Armed Forces Recreation

  • Marine Corps Air Station – Iwakuni, Japan
  • Naval Air Station Pensacola – Pensacola, Florida
  • Portsmouth Naval Shipyard – Kittery, Maine
  • United States Naval Station –Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Tom Crosley is NRPA’s Senior Manager of Education