Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Announced as Finalist for the 2017 National Gold Medal Awards in Parks and Recreation

Posted on 11 May, 2017

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) as a finalist for the 2017 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.

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 and one class for state park systems awarded on odd numbered years.

The MPRB is a finalist in the Class I category for park agencies serving jurisdictions with a population over 400,000. This is the second consecutive year the MPRB has been named a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award in the Class I category. The MPRB was also named a finalist in 1988 and 1989 and won the award in 1989.

Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials. The MPRB joins three other finalists in their class that will compete for grand honors this year.

“We’re thrilled to be named a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award once again,” said MPRB Superintendent Jayne Miller. “This honor is a testament to the incredible work our staff puts in every day, as well as the enormous support we receive from the communities we serve.”

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 the NRPA General Session at the 2017 NRPA Annual Conference in New Orleans, Sept. 26-28, 2017.

For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit www.nrpa.org/goldmedal or www.aapra.org.

 

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is an independent, semi-autonomous body responsible for the Minneapolis park system.  With 179 park properties totaling 6,804 acres of land and water, the Park Board provides places and recreation opportunities for all people to gather and engage in activities that promote health, well-being, community and the environment.  Its Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, neighborhood parks, recreation centers and diversified programming have made the park system an important component of what makes Minneapolis a great place to live, play and work. For more information, visit www.minneapolisparks.org.

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. 

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of nearly 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.

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 www.musco.com.