Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board : Minneapolis Park And Recreation Board Announced As Finalist For 2021 National Gold Medal Awards In ...

Press release from the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board:

2021-05-14

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has been named a finalist for the 2021 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

Founded in 1965, the National 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.

AAPRA Executive Director Jane H. Adams shared, “Each Finalist is congratulated for this prestigious award. Park visitors and program participants have come to rely upon their service provider for physical, mental, and emotional support during this pandemic. The Academy congratulates each Finalist for their management excellence during this unprecedented time.”

The MPRB competes in the Class I category, for park agencies serving jurisdictions with a population of more than 400,000 people. Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff members and elected officials. The MPRB joins three other finalists in their class that will compete for Grand Plaque which will be awarded in September.

“It was a difficult year full of challenges for the city of Minneapolis and our park system. I’ve been amazed at how staff from across our organization stepped up during times of crisis and uncertainty and am thrilled to be recognized among the best park systems in the country by the AAPRA and NRPA,” said Al Bangoura, Superintendent of the MPRB. “Above all, I’m grateful to live in a city that cares deeply about parks and recreation and the services we provide to all members of the community, particularly our youth.”

Equity and accessibility drive MPRB decision-making. The MPRB was the first park agency in the United States to require, by ordinance, its Capital Improvement Plan use specific, data-driven measures to ensure park funding equity. Similar criteria-based racial equity tools are used for allocating funds for the MPRB’s 49 recreation centers.

Universal park access for the public has always been a priority since the Park Board was created by the Minnesota state legislature in 1883. Parks comprise 15% of city land, 98% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park and 97% of lakeshore in the “City of Lakes” is owned by MPRB and maintained for public use. The mission continues with an additional 20.6 acres of parkland acquired since 2016 in areas with growing population or historic disinvestment.

“Our work to address equity and access wouldn’t be possible without the input and support from the community and our partners,” said Bangoura. “We are committed to using data to ensure that everything we do – from purchasing property to building new playgrounds to creating new park programs – are focused on equity.”

A panel of five highly qualified park and recreation professionals will review and judge 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 the Grand Plaque Award honors this summer, and seven Grand Plaque recipients will be announced during the 2021 NRPA Conference, which will be held virtually and in person September 21-23 in Nashville, Tennessee. The presentation of both the Finalist and Grand Plaque recipients is being finalized and details will be forthcoming.

For more information on the National Gold Medal Award Program, visit www.aapra.org.

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The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is an independently governed park system featuring 180 park properties totaling 6,817 acres of land and water. It 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 diverse programming have made the park system an important component of what makes Minneapolis a great place to live, play and work. An estimated 29.6 million annual visits are made to the nationally acclaimed park system.

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration is a nonprofit 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.

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

Sponsor: 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.

This press release was produced by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. The views expressed here are the author’s own.