We strive to be the best for the South Suburban community, and we've been recognized locally and nationally for our achievements. Here are some of our top honors.

Annually, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) and the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) recognize parks and recreation agencies that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, 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.

The AAPRA and NRPA have awarded South Suburban the Grand Gold Medal Award four times (1980,1988, 1996 and 2024), and South Suburban has been a Gold Medal finalist 12 other times (1976, 1980, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2023 and 2024).

South Suburban achieved CAPRA Accreditation in 2024. CAPRA is the only national accreditation of park and recreation agencies and is a valuable measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management, and service to the community. Having first achieved accreditation in 2019, South Suburban is proud to be among only 204 accredited park and recreation agencies in the U.S. and one of just 11 in Colorado. Learn more here.