Broomfield Recreation Services up for national award

It’s official! Colorado has some of the best parks and recreation agencies in the nation and Broomfield is among them.

Finalists for this year’s National Gold Medal Award have been announced by The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). The Gold Medal Award is presented annually to communities throughout the United States for excellence in park and recreation management.

Finalists are selected based on a lengthy written application and compete for Grand Award honors by submitting a 12-minute video and a copy of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Broomfield competes in the Class IV category with populations from 25,001 to 50,000. Other cities in that category also up for the award are Flossmoor, Illinois, and Williamsburg and Leesburg, Virginia.

Winners will be announced live at NRPA’s Annual Congress and Exposition in San Antonio, Texas in October.

The Gold Medal Award honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, citizen support systems, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development, and agency recognition. Each agency is judged on its ability to address the needs of those it serves through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials.

Other area finalists are Westminster Parks, Recreation and Libraries and Foothills Park and Recreation District. Westminster is one of four finalists in the Class II (population 100,001-250,000) category along with Bellevue, Washington; Peoria, Arizona; and Concord Township, Ohio. Foothills is a finalist in the Class III (population 50,001 – 100,000) category with Bend, Oregon; Bolingbrook, Illinois; and Wheaton, Illinois.