Bismarck Announced as Finalist for the 2016 National Gold Medal Awards in Parks and Recreation

Bismarck Parks and Recreation District to compete for prestigious honor in the park and recreation industry 

Bismarck, ND – May 5, 2016  – The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce Bismarck Parks and Recreation District (BPRD) as a finalist for the 2016 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 over 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.

BPRD is a finalist in the Class IV, population 30,001-75,000, category.  BPRD is a past recipient of the award, receiving the NRPA Gold Medal Award in 1993, and being a finalist in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1999. The other finalists in this category are Decatur Park District, Decatur, IL; Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation, Olympia, WA and Willamalane Park and Recreation District, Springfield, OR.

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

“This is our profession’s highest honor. All of our staff has worked so hard for this opportunity, and we are so proud to be recognized as a finalist for the amazing work we do on behalf of the citizens of Bismarck,” said BPRD Executive Director Randy Bina.

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.

BPRD Board of Park Commissioners President Julie Jeske said, “This award is about management excellence. BPRD is a good steward of the resources we are entrusted with, as evidenced by this nomination. It is further validation that the needs of the community are at the forefront of our vision.”

This year’s finalists will compete for Grand Plaque Award honors this summer, and the six Grand Plaque recipients will be announced live during the NRPA General Session at the 2016 NRPA Annual Conference in St. Louis, MO, Oct 5-8, 2016.

For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit www.nrpa.org/goldmedal or www.aapra.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 advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network of 50,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, 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.