2025 Finalists Announced for the National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Parks and Recreation Management

Lacey, WA. (April 30, 2025) – The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2025 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Musco Lighting, LLC continues its 20+ years as the proud sponsor of the National Gold Medal Awards program.

Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the United States 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, awarded on odd numbered years, for state park systems.

Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff and elected officials. Finalists in each class are chosen to compete for grand honors each year.

In announcing the 2025 National Gold Medal Finalists, AAPRA Executive Director Jane H. Adams shared, “Each agency is commended for submitting an application for the prestigious National Gold Medal Award. The Academy congratulates the 20 local park and recreation agencies, the four armed forces installations, and the three state park systems on receiving the Finalist award. We look forward to presenting these awards at the Gold Medal Gala Reception in Orlando, Florida, as part of the National Recreation and Park Association’s annual conference.”

The 2025 Gold Medal finalists are:

Class I (population 400,001 and over)

• City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, San Antonio, TX
• Johnson County Park & Recreation District, Shawnee Mission, KS
• Loudoun County Parks, Recreation, and Community Services, Leesburg, VA
• The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Greenbelt, MD

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

• Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation, Arlington, VA
• City of Henderson Parks and Recreation, Henderson, NV
• Gilbert Parks and Recreation, Gilbert, AZ
• Roseville Parks, Recreation & Libraries Department, Roseville, CA

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

• Lewisville Parks and Recreation Department, Lewisville, TX
• Mansfield Parks and Recreation, Mansfield, TX
• The Woodlands Township, The Woodlands, TX
• Waukegan Park District, Waukegan, IL

Class IV (population 30,001 – 75,000)

• Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, Bristol, CT
• City of Rockville, Department of Recreation and Parks, Rockville, MD
• Glenview Park District, Glenview, IL
• Park District of Oak Park, Oak Park, IL

Class V (population less than 30,000)

• Glencoe Park District, Glencoe, IL
• Incorporated County of Los Alamos, Los Alamos, NM
• Oak Brook Park District, Oak Brook, IL
• Valley City Parks and Recreation, Valley City, ND

State Parks

• Florida State Parks, Tallahassee, FL
• Ohio State Parks and Watercraft, Columbus, OH
• Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails, Cheyenne, WY

Armed Forces Recreation (Worldwide)

• Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, CO
• Naval Station Mayport, Jacksonville, FL
• USAG, Fort Bragg, Fort Bragg, NC
• USAG, Fort Knox, Fort Knox, KY

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 both locally and nationally.

This year’s Finalists awardees will compete for Grand Plaque Award honor, and the seven Grand Plaque recipients will be announced at the 2025 NRPA Annual Conference in Orlando, FL, September 17.

For information on the National Gold Medal Awards, visit AAPRA or NRPA.

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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 information, visit www.aapra.org.

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, environmental resilience, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit parksandrecreation.org.

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