Roswell Named Finalist For National Recreation & Parks Gold Medal

From the city of Roswell: For the seventh consecutive year, the City of Roswell’s Recreation, Parks, Historic & Cultural Affairs Department has been named as a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be in among the ‘Gold Medal’ finalists once again. Each day, we try to go above and beyond to offer the best recreational experiences to our residents and visitors, and this is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff,” said Jeff Pruitt, deputy director of the City’s Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs Department. “We are so thankful for the continued support of the Recreation Commission, Mayor and City Council, and, most importantly, the citizens of Roswell.”

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. Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials.

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.

Roswell’s Recreation, Parks, Historic & Cultural Affairs Department is a finalist in the Class III category (Population 75,001–150,000) and joins three other finalists in the class that will compete for Grand Plaque Award honors this summer: Arlington Heights Park District in Arlington Heights, Illinois; Mountain View Community Services in Mountain View, California; and City of Evanston Parks, Recreation and Community Services in Evanston, Illinois.

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.

To learn more about Roswell’s Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs Department, visit www.roswellgov.com/parks.

Image via city of Roswell