The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department as finalists for the 2013 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department was also a finalist in 2012. The NRPA Gold Medal Award is the highest national honor in the park and recreation industry. This year’s proud sponsor of the Gold Medal Awards program is Musco Lighting LLC.
Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the U.S. that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applications are separated into seven classes, with five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation communities and the State Park System Class awarded every other year. This year, AAPRA and NRPA will award the prestigious and highly sought State Park System Class Gold Medal award.
The 2013 Gold Medal finalists are:
Class II (population 100,001 – 250,000)
- City of Round Rock (TX) Parks and Recreation Department
- South Suburban (CO) Park & Recreation District
Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials. “To be recognized yet again as one of top two parks and recreation agencies across the nation is a huge honor for our entire team here in Round Rock,” said Rick Atkins, Round Rock Parks and Recreation Director. “This nomination reflects our commitment in providing superior customer service and ground breaking programs to our Round Rock residents.”
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.
This year’s finalists will compete for Grand Plaque Award honors this summer, and the seven Grand Plaque recipients will be announced live during NRPA’s Annual Congress & Exposition in Houston on Oct. 8-10 2013.
For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit www.nrpa.org/awards or aapra.org.
About the AAPRA
The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration is a non-profit 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.
About the NRPA
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network of 30,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles, recreation initiatives, and conservation of natural and cultural resources. For more information, visit NRPA.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit parksandrecreation.org.
The City of Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department has been awarded accreditation status from the National Recreation and Parks Society (NRPA).
About Musco Lighting
Musco Lighting, LLC is a company that has specialized in lighting systems for sports and large areas for more than 30 years. Musco has pioneered dramatic improvements in energy efficiency and affordable ways to control wasted spill light and glare. Permanent and temporary lighting services range from neighborhood fields to NASCAR super speedways. For more information, visit musco.com.
