The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department was notified it didn’t receive top honors from the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association as this year’s Gold Medal Award recipient.
Lawrence was one of four finalists for the top prize. The other finalists included Bloomington (Ind.) Parks and Recreation Department, City of Evanston (Ill.), Parks and Recreation and Community Services and Greeley (Colo.) Culture, Parks and Recreation. Bloomington (Ind.) Parks and Recreation was selected as the Grand Plaque Award winner.
Becoming a finalist in 2018 marked the fourth time Lawrence Parks and Recreation was considered for the top prize in the award’s Class III category. Lawrence Parks and Recreation was also a finalist in 1997, 1998 and 2015.
Agencies were 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.
For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit www.nrpa.org/goldmedal or www.aapra.org.